Suppose you have a thirst for education and hope to contribute to large-scale improvements. In that case, you should consider becoming an education policy expert. The job of a policy analyst is to discover, scrutinize, and draw conclusions from that information. Education policy experts measure the failure or success of existing policies and model how future policies will affect districts, teachers, students, and the budget. It may not be the most straightforward job on the planet. Still, it certainly is satisfying because you get to shape how students receive an education.
There is a lot more to it than meets the eye when it comes to being an education policy analyst. For instance, did you know that these professionals make an average of $30.49 per hour? That’s a total of $63,418 yearly! If you want to have a significant positive impact on teachers’ and students’ lives, you can aim for this career.
In this guide, we’ll look at what it takes to become an education policy expert.
Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
The first one is to earn a bachelor’s degree in education. Luckily, you have a wide selection of options, such as middle school, art, and early education degrees. Candidates may also study child development, educational psychology, instructional technology, and English Literature. Whatever the program, candidates should pick courses that teach them how to properly apply research data, classroom management strategies, and assessment theories to their teaching practices. Degrees in education will train candidates on curriculum design to integrate real-world data into course content. Therefore, graduates will understand how educational systems work and be able to evaluate student populations.
Work in Education Administration
If possible, potential educational policy analysts can kick-start their career in an academic, administrative position. For instance, education program managers develop schedules, evaluate educational reports, and set project scopes. The design cost estimates for project budgets ensure that their facility meets all academic regulations and coordinates professional development.
On the other hand, a policy analyst who operates in a university will focus on critical educational topics, such as teacher effectiveness, hybrid learning initiatives, and hiring policies. Besides that, they may also hold long-term studies that assess the relationships between students’ academic achievements and socio-economic backgrounds. Furthermore, individuals who work as educational administrators in local institutes will have a series of opportunities to adjust and review policies. This position will enable them to identify methodological challenges, evaluate data quality, and above all, resolve barriers and create a successful approach.
Earn a Master’s Degree
Any official education policy career path will demand a specialized master’s degree. The most common major for this career is educational policy studies.
This major combines elements of educational leadership, policy analysis, and school improvement. These programs offer candidates rare academic opportunities to learn about educational policies under the dictatorship of past or current educational policy experts.
These programs offer classes on education systems in urban and rural contexts, which provide candidates with a critical analysis of the bonds between public schools and their surroundings. Moreover, courses on education policies use real-world examples of how administrative guidelines and programs either succeed or fail in enhancing institutions and student achievements.
Work as an Educational Policy Analyst:
Most educational policy analyst jobs are with the government, private think-tanks, research, and higher learning organizations. Educational policy analysts are in charge of writing, producing, and studying intuitive articles that display the impacts of legislation and policies on teacher effectiveness and student achievements. They gather research from various sources and blend their discoveries into calls to action and realistic recommendations.
Other than that, they often write briefs on chief educational issues for internal onlookers, such as the Department of Education staff. They also write for external audiences, such as administrators and academic executives. Moreover, educational policy experts function with assistants to design informative handouts that shed light on weak points, teacher training inefficiencies, and the barriers to equality.
Policy Analyst Qualities & Traits
Since we’ve covered how you can be an educational policy analyst, it’s time to look at the traits and qualities of a policy analyst expert. Check them out:
- Creativity
- Strong analytical skills
- Empathy
- Great critical thinking skills
- Excellent communication skills
- Powerful negotiating skills
Where Can Policy Analysts Work
Based on the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were over 7,300 political scientists in 2016. The most renowned employers of these professionals are:
- Professional, technical, and scientific services – 27%
- Self-employed workers – 7%
- The federal government, excluding postal service – 48%
- Grantmaking, religious, professional, civic, and similar organizations – 7%
- Educational services; private, local, and state – 7%
Conclusion
There you have it – a thorough guide on becoming a policy analyst in education. Bear in mind that policy analysts may start the job in junior positions before progressing to management roles. It’s a rewarding profession because you’ll be adding a positive change to the education system. So take the plunge and allow your people to learn effectively.
