Ohio Education Policy Fellowship Program
Policy Project-Draft
One of the goals of the Education Policy Fellowship Program is for Fellows to learn about specific
policy issues, policymaking and implementation processes; the interface of local, state, and national
policies; and the practices effective leaders use to function in the policy environment. Experiences
throughout the Fellowship year are designed to engage Fellows with the intricacies of these
processes.
Education policy problems can lead to productive responses or solutions. Education policy
dilemmas can be defined as recurrent, complex, uncertain, and typically polarized debates without
optimized solutions. The focus of this Project will be an education policy problem (e.g. a federal
or state policy mandate, funded or unfunded). The Policy Project is designed to enhance
understanding of a policy problem or initiative through an in-depth analysis. Each EPFP Fellow will
identify and research an education policy problem associated with the implementation of either a
state or federal policy mandate in one of three ways:
1. Education Policy Brief: A policy brief is a concise summary of a particular issue, a brief
overview of proposed solutions or approaches, and the author’s recommendation for the best
course of action to address the policy challenge. It is aimed at government policymakers and
others who are interested in formulating or influencing policy.
For this option, Fellows will conduct original research (interviews, data analyses, field
observations, surveys, focus groups, etc.) that will lead to policy recommendations for the
chosen issue.
2. Education Policy Memo: Policy makers seldom have the time to delve through pages of
literature on a specific policy question or debate. In order to make well-informed decisions,
they typically rely on short, concise memos that can quickly and effectively relay the important
policy facts, questions, and arguments about an issue.
A policy memo, unlike a term paper or literature review, requires a different writing strategy. A
policy memo must be tightly written, clearly organized and advance a persuasive argument
which flows in a logical and coherent manner. The author does not have time for a review of
the literature or lengthy analysis. Instead, the author must focus on drafting a clear and concise
memo that will present a persuasive argument that is substantiated by research evidence.
3. Education Policy Brief Analysis & Literature Review: Individuals interested in education
policy must know how to find and analyze credible material on pressing policy issues. A policy
brief can be an effective tool to help understand the ideology and structural elements behind a
proposed policy change, and to help provide timely feedback to policy makers and clear and
relevant policy updates to school employees, parents, elected officials and other stakeholders.
For this option, you will examine and critique one recent Education Policy Brief from a state
or federal agency, professional association, foundation, or special interest group. In addition,
you will write a literature review on four or five related sources (scholarly journal articles,
books, additional policy briefs, blogs, in-depth news stories, etc.).
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Project Development:
Fellows may work individually or in small (3 or 4) cooperative groups.
At the November meeting each EPFP Fellow will describe an education policy implementation
challenge in their organization, school or district. Over the course of the remaining months of the
year, each Fellow will study the identified policy problem and prepare their chosen project, based on
the project descriptions and the guidelines listed below.
At the June meeting, each individual or group will give a 10-minute project presentation (5 minutes
will be added for each additional group member).
Project Timeline:
 September Meeting: Discuss policy issues of interest in small groups.
 November Meeting: Identify policy problem and project focus
 March Meeting: Present brief update on progress
 June Meeting: Project presentation and submission deadline for written material
General Guidelines for the Written Projects:
1. Use headings and subheadings throughout your written work to delineate key findings,
highlight important data, and to otherwise make the material appealing and accessible to your
target audience.
2. The body of your policy project should be written using full sentences and a more narrative
style that could be easily understood by non-academic readers (parents, school community
members, etc.). Numeric lists and data-driven graphics can be used to support your central
findings and recommendations, but they should not be the key focus of your report.
3. Provide a References page in the academic style of your choice (APA, MLA, etc.) that lists
your sources and/or suggested readings.
Tips for Strong Written Work:
1. Substance: Is the argument persuasive? Does the work reveal a thoughtful understanding of
relevant literature and discussions to advance the argument? Does the project address your
policy issue thoroughly?
2. Clear, concise, and well-organized writing: Is the project tightly and clearly organized? Is the writing
direct and to the point? Can multiple stakeholders easily understand the writing?
3. Editing: Do typographical/grammatical errors detract from the quality of the argument?
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Option 1: Education Policy Brief
A policy brief is a concise summary of a particular issue, a brief overview of proposed solutions or
approaches, and the author’s recommendation for the best course of action to address the policy
challenge. It is aimed at government policymakers and others who are interested in formulating or
influencing policy.
Coming to understand what a policy intends to accomplish and what it actually accomplishes, is one
objective of this Project. What challenges are created for schools and districts when the courts, state
legislatures, or the Federal government mandates a policy’s implementation? Fellows will produce a
policy brief that examines the implications of implementing a chosen policy at the local level and will
provide several recommendations for decision-makers to consider as they consider their response to
an education policy challenge.
After describing the implementation challenge presented by the policy mandate, the Fellow will
research the issues embedded in the mandate, consider responses to it, and then write a 7-10 page
Policy Brief.
The Education Policy Brief should consist of the following component sections:
1. Executive Summary (1 page): briefly summarizes the policy mandate, the facts that are
important for policy decision-makers to know, and a brief summary of your policy
recommendations.
2. Introduction (1-2 pages): provides a background to the mandate, including relevant literature
and prior research, the policy goal (i.e. an initiative that solves or reduces the problem), the key
participants and how they frame the issues, other important perspectives on this mandate as
well as the important political, financial, historical, or other contextual factors that will likely
influence the organization’s response to the mandate.
3. Policy Analysis (3-4 pages): analyzes the policy mandate and presents original research data
that have been collected.
4. Recommendations (2-3 pages): describes specific options and/or recommendations that will
enable the organization to respond effectively to the policy mandate. Each recommendation
should be accompanied by a rationale citing probable advantages and disadvantages if the
recommendation is to be implemented.
5. Summary (1-2 paragraphs): reiterates the policy challenge(s) and summarizes the benefits of
following your recommended course of action.
6. References
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Option 2: Education Policy Memo
Policy makers seldom have the time to delve through pages of literature when they are seeking
information on a specific policy question or debate. In order to make well-informed decisions, they
will typically rely on brief, easy-to-understand and concisely written memos that can quickly and
cogently relay the important policy facts, questions, and arguments about an issue.
A policy memo, unlike a term paper or literature review, requires a different writing strategy. A
policy memo must be tightly written, clearly organized and advance a persuasive argument which
flows in a logical and coherent manner. The author does not have time for a review of the literature
or lengthy analysis. Instead, the author must focus on drafting a clear and concise memo that will
present a persuasive argument that is substantiated by research evidence.
Memo format provides for 3 single spaced pages (maximum), written in 12-point font. The memo
should reveal understanding and translation of relevant literature.
Use the following as a general guide for framing your memo:
1. Begin with a brief overview and state the problem or objective in a clear thesis statement.
2. Provide a conceptual framework, map your argument and explicitly outline your thesis.
3. Outline a brief policy historical review relevant background information that will help
provide a contextual framework for your recommendations.
4. Constructively criticize arguments, ideologies, and the quality of technical evidence.
5. Advance your recommendations using evidence from literature and other sources to support
your perspectives.
6. Conclude with a persuasive argument and summary statement.
General Policy Memo Elements and Format
The following is a description of the necessary elements and a suggested organizational format for a
policy memo. There is no lock-step format formula for a policy memo. This is only a suggested
format that in most cases will provide the framework for a clearly organized memo. However, the
persuasive writing and specific content will still need to come from the author.
1. Introduction: A reader should leave your introduction with a very clear understanding of the
elements contained in your memo and the reason for addressing the specific policy problem
 Description of Policy Problem: provide a brief introduction to the theme which you will write
about
o Introduce the specific policy problem and place it in context of wider policy debate
o Catch the readers’ attention with a quick bit of evidence
o Evidence can also be mobilized to briefly articulate the problem

Thesis Statement and Description of Recommendations
o Clearly articulate your perspective/approach in analyzing the policy problem with a
brief justification for why analysis is important (conceptual framework) to provide an
outline/map signaling to reader how your memo is organized and introducing your
analytical framework and rationale for analysis
o Briefly introduce the general thrust of your recommendations
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
Expected Outcome(s)
o Briefly outline the general expected outcome of your recommendations (this is a
strategy for signaling your confidence in how your memo will persuade the reader)
o Remember that the principle objective of your policy memo is persuasion through
effective mobilization of evidence.
2. Background: Brief literature review of the main issues linked to your chosen theme
 Present the wider policy problem as context for understanding the more detailed specifics
problem you are writing about
 Be selective in reviewing the literature that is relevant to the perspectives you will introduce;
there is no need to review the entire history of the issue
 What are the extent of evidence and your own assessment of the quality of evidence? What
patterns have emerged, and are there voids that may still be present (this opens the door for
you to present your own perspectives)?
 Be analytical in your review of the literature
 Your presentation of major issues or specific evidence should be followed with a brief
statement that articulates your own alternative interpretation
 Be strategic in the extent of evidence you present in your literature review and save the more
salient or specific evidence to support your recommendations
 Signal how this literature is relevant to your recommendations, thus providing the reader
with a hint of how your analysis will build on the literature
 Emerging recommendations: how does data/evidence inform the initial framing of your
recommendations?
3. Recommendations: are the centerpieces of your memo; try to advance at least three separate
recommendations (or one broad recommendation with 3 subthemes).





State the recommendation in the header.
Provide a detailed description of your recommendation. A thorough implementation plan is
not necessary, but rather a clear description of the idea you are advancing. This might be
done in one sentence or it may take several, depending on your theme.
Evidence, evidence, evidence!!
o Mobilize evidence to support/bolster your recommendation(s) and perspectives
o Be careful in choosing evidence and be strategic in how you set-up the evidence in
relation to your argument
o If presenting counter evidence, be critical and analytical in presenting shortcomings (be
careful not to provide too much counter evidence that could refute your own
perspectives)
o Avoid simple descriptive evidence; rather, use substantive evidence that assists you in
activating the elements of your recommendation
Provide justification/rationale for why your plan is important/feasible
Always include a description of your intended outcome: what change will result if your
recommendation is implemented?
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4. Conclusion
 Briefly restate your thesis followed by your main points
 Remind reader what you expect to change with your recommendations
 Pack the final punch with a clear and persuasive closing statement
5. Other Elements
 Begin with a traditional memo header (TO, FROM, DATE, RE) that describes who you are,
the organization you are representing, as well as the group to whom you are presenting
(fictional or non-fictional).
 References
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Option 3: Education Policy Brief Analysis & Literature Review:
Individuals interested in education policy must know how to find and analyze credible material on
pressing policy issues. A policy brief can be an effective tool to help understand the ideology and
structural elements behind a proposed policy change, and to help provide timely feedback to policy
makers and clear and relevant policy updates to school employees, parents, elected officials and
other stakeholders.
For this project, you will write a detailed summary and critique of one recent Education Policy Brief
from a state or federal agency, professional association, foundation or special interest group. In
addition, you will write a literature review on four or five related sources (scholarly journal articles,
books, additional policy briefs, blogs, in-depth news stories, etc.).
Part I: Policy Brief Analysis
For the first part of this project, you will closely examine a single policy brief of your choice. Part I
of this Project should be 3-5 pages in length.
Your analysis should include the following information:
1. Title of policy brief
2. Name of author and/or organization
3. Date policy brief was written
4. Web address to find policy brief online
5. Why was the policy brief written? Was it written in response to a current event (new legislation), a
specific problem (increased incidents of bullying in school), or to promote a new idea (4 day school
week)?
6. Which decision makers(s) is the policy paper targeting? Which key elected officials and/or
policymakers in your local area would you contact if you decided to promote or advocate against the
policy brief recommendations?
7. Who sponsored the policy brief? While it isn’t always obvious, generally you will find a small
notation in the study or on the policy website acknowledging the people (or group) that provided
financial support to the brief’s author(s). In your analysis, please indicate if the brief’s sponsor (or
sponsors) is clearly identifiable, and if the sponsor(s) have engaged in other education policy or
related advocacy efforts.
8. In your opinion, do the policy brief authors use solid research and data to support their suggested
proposals? Are the policy suggestions based on evidence or anecdotal observations? Please give
examples to support your opinion.
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9. Do you think the policy brief recommendations would be beneficial for your school or
practice? Why or why not? Please give examples of possible benefits/problems you might find with
the implementation and execution of a selected policy change or set of recommendations. Some
questions you might choose to address include: Would the suggested change(s) to current policy be
financially viable? Would it be easy/difficult to develop staff support for the proposed
changes? Could you adequately measure the student academic outcomes impacted by the policy
proposal? Are there operational structures in place to support any suggested policy
implementation? Etc.
Note: For the purpose of this assignment, you do not have to address every policy suggestion found in the policy
brief that you choose. Please select one or two main points that you would like to highlight or that you
think would have the most impact on your school or district.
10. Please close with your recommendations. Should the policy brief proposal(s) be adapted as
written, should certain elements be utilized, or should the policy idea(s) be rejected at this
time? Should school stakeholders invest more time to find out more information or to advocate
for/against this issue?
Format:
The first four points of your analysis (Title of Policy Brief – Web Address) can be formatted in any
professional style that you would like. The remainder of the analysis should be written in a
paragraph format.
Part II: Literature Review
A literature review summarizes, interprets, and critically evaluates existing "literature" a segment of a
published body of knowledge through summary, classification, and comparison of prior research
studies, reviews of literature, and theoretical articles in order to establish current knowledge of a
subject. The purpose for doing so relates to ongoing research to develop that knowledge: the
literature review may resolve a controversy, establish the need for additional research, and/or define
a topic of inquiry.
For the second part of this project, you will review 4-5 additional sources related to your policy
brief analysis. The second part of this project should be 3-5 pages in length.
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General Literature Review Elements and Format
The following is a description of the necessary elements and a suggested organizational format for a
literature review.
1. Introduction (No more than 1 page)
 Define or identify the general topic, issue, or area of concern, thus providing an
appropriate context for reviewing the literature.
 Point out overall trends in what has been published about the topic; or conflicts in
theory, methodology, evidence, and conclusions; or gaps in research and scholarship; or
a single problem or new perspective of immediate interest.
 Establish the reason (point of view) for reviewing the literature; explain the criteria to be
used in analyzing and comparing literature and the organization of the review (sequence);
and, when necessary, state why certain literature is or is not included (scope)
2. Body (2-4 pages)
 Group research studies and other types of literature (reviews, theoretical articles, case
studies, etc.) according to common denominators such as qualitative versus quantitative
approaches, conclusions of authors, specific purpose or objective, chronology, etc.
 Summarize individual studies or articles with as much or as little detail as each merits
according to its comparative importance in the literature, remembering that space
(length) denotes significance.
 Provide the reader with strong "umbrella" sentences at beginnings of paragraphs,
"signposts" throughout, and brief "so what" summary sentences at intermediate points in
the review to aid in understanding comparisons and analyses.
3. Conclusion (No more than 1 page)
 Summarize major contributions of significant studies and articles to the body of
knowledge under review, maintaining the focus established in the introduction.
 Evaluate the current "state of the art" for the body of knowledge reviewed, pointing out
major methodological flaws or gaps in research, inconsistencies in theory and findings,
and areas or issues pertinent to future study.
 Conclude by providing some insight into the relationship between the central topic of
the literature review and a larger area of study such as a discipline or a profession.
(From: Review of literature. (2006). UW-Madison Writing Centre,
http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/ReviewofLiterature.html )
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