Engaging diverse stakeholders to strengthen policy 

In education, stakeholders include any individuals or groups with an interest in the success of schools, districts, or the larger public education system. This diverse group includes students and families, teachers and administrators and their unions, business leaders, civil rights organizations, and the public more broadly. Our research suggests that early, systematic, and ongoing engagement with diverse stakeholders is essential for strengthening the design of and fostering broad support for ambitious educational policies (Bae & Stosich, 2018).  

Under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), state and local leaders have greater responsibility for and flexibility in designing educational policies than was granted under No Child Left Behind (Darling-Hammond et al., 2016). This increased flexibility could foster policy design that is better matched to local needs and aspirations, but, ultimately, it is up to state leaders to determine the degree to which policy making is an open process that encourages direct input and participation from the public (Louis et al., 2008). 

Whether and how educational leaders will leverage this opportunity to design truly innovative educational policies is yet to be seen, but lessons may be drawn from four states — California, Iowa, New Hampshire, and Vermont — that took significant steps in redesigning their educational systems prior to the introduction of ESSA.