Policy Analysis Paper
Choose a topic related to law, policy, and/or governance.  You may want to select a topic that has been controversial or problematic in your school.  For the policy analysis to count towards your clinical hours, you must focus your policy analysis on how the school and district disciplinary policy compares to federal laws and policies. Other examples of policies you could analyze include student search, religious activities, or sexual harassment. Research your district’s policy and the laws related to your selected policy.  Interview multiple (>2) stakeholders (Principal, teacher, parent, student, etc.) related to the topic. In order to conduct good interviews, you must become very familiar with your school’s policies and the law. Compare your district’s policy with the law, and your school’s actual practice.  Remember that actual practice doesn’t always align with official policy! Note that for your policy analysis to count towards the clinical hours, you must also attend a student’s disciplinary hearing.  Organize your paper as follows:

(If you focused on the disciplinary policy analysis) Begin with a reflection on students’ disciplinary hearing and how the meeting aligned the law, school and district policies
Areas Where District Policy is Consistent with the Law
Areas Where District Policy is Not Consistent with the Law
Areas Where School Practice is Consistent with District Policy
Areas Where School Practice is Not Consistent with District Policy
Recommendations to the school board (You will not actually submit this to the board.)

Papers will be 4-6 pages in length and should incorporate information from the policy book, education law journals, observations, and interviews.
 
 
 
I have chosen a topic already and have available resources for research