How Educational Policy Shapes Today’s Classrooms

Education policies affect every aspect of the education system, from school funding to teaching methods and curricula. They establish a foundation and set standards to help students and teachers succeed. Educators must understand the hows, whats, and whys of education policy to function within and benefit from their guidelines. Understanding policy also empowers educators to advocate for change and to contribute to policy formulation and execution.

A Master of Education online prepares educators to analyze and apply policies that promote learning. Students can earn this degree online through a program like the online Master of Education (MEd) from Tulane University, which focuses on leadership in administration, learning experience design, English language learning, and special education.

With an emphasis on equitable and inclusive teaching practices, Tulane’s online MEd readies students to become changemakers within their communities. This article examines the role of educational policies in classrooms today, as well as key policy areas impacting educators and schools. 

The Role of Educational Policy in Today’s Classrooms

Three levels of policy impact the education system:

• Local level: School districts implement policies specific to their communities but must adhere to state and federal regulations and standards. They manage the daily operation of schools, including curriculum choices, staffing, and resource allocation.
• State level: State governments establish curriculum standards for the state, which local districts must follow. They also develop teacher credentialing processes, create student assessment programs, and manage funding distribution.
• Federal level: The U.S. government creates laws, rules, and funding programs that affect education across the country, focusing on national issues like equal access to education and student achievement.

Together, these policies form the framework of education in the U.S., influencing teaching methods, curriculum, and student assessment. Education policy strongly affects student outcomes through resource distribution, curriculum design, and instruction methods. With so many challenges to American education, there is a growing need for educators who can navigate and shape policy.

Key Policy Areas Impacting Educators and Schools

Policies govern all aspects of education delivery in the United States. A Master of Education equips educators to understand, implement, and influence education policy.

Federal Funding and Resource Allocation

Public K-12 schools receive 13.6 percent of their total funding from the federal government, amounting to $2,400 per student. Public colleges and universities receive an average of $2,648 per student through federal funding. These funds are essential for student success. 

Policies like the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which focuses on providing all students with a good education, promote equity and student achievement by setting requirements that a state must meet to receive federal funding. Even so, funding discrepancies occur between schools in different states, within the same state, and even within the same school district. When one school receives less than another, it leads to inequitable learning opportunities that can have lasting effects; many studies have shown a direct relationship between school funding and student achievement. Underfunded schools, which typically have a larger percentage of students from underrepresented groups, often have larger class sizes, less advanced courses, fewer resources, and teachers with less experience.

An online master’s degree in education prepares leaders to advocate for equitable resources by equipping students with an understanding of systemic inequities and inclusive teaching practices that promote fair and equitable education. 

Standardized Testing and Accountability

Standardized testing has long been used to evaluate student and school performance. These tests raise numerous concerns over the accuracy, fairness, and effectiveness of measuring students’ knowledge through high-stakes testing. Major concerns include the curricular shift away from social studies and the arts toward standardized test subjects, the effect of test anxiety on student performance, and the impact of socioeconomic factors on test results. 

Education leaders can use data to drive improvements in standardized testing at local and national levels. For example, the teacher’s advocacy group Raise Your Hand Texas used data from their own research to call for an end to the state’s annual STAAR test. The group argues that the test places too much focus on test scores when a holistic assessment of students’ progress would be more accurate and effective. They call for an end to grading schools based on test performance and moving to a system that evaluates what schools do well and where improvement is required. Earning an MEd prepares educators to comprehend data and policy, advocate for change, and shape policies prioritizing education over test scores. 

Equity and Inclusion Reforms

Research identifies social class among the strongest predictors of a child’s success in school. Performance gaps between low and higher-income children start early and remain throughout their school years. Education policies focus on fairness and inclusion to close the gaps in achievement and make sure every student has the opportunity to receive a quality education. Such policies include:

• Special education laws: Several laws protect students with disabilities from discrimination and provide access to education. The most prominent is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which ensures students with disabilities have access to free public education, special education and resources, and early intervention services. 
• Teaching English language (TEL) learner support: Policies that impact ELLs at the local, state, and federal levels provide ELL students with equal educational opportunities. ESSA provides funding and resources to states and school districts to help ELL students become proficient in English and academic subjects. Additionally, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act (EEOA) of 1974 guarantee that ELLs enjoy equal access to education in public schools. 

Online master’s of education programs emphasize inclusive education strategies to equip aspiring educators to promote equity and inclusivity in the teaching methods within their communities. Tulane’s online MEd enables students to gain further expertise and a graduate certificate in equitable education by taking four courses in the Equity-Centered Education Leadership focus area.

Teacher Evaluations and Professional Development

Policies can play a significant role in shaping teacher training, licensing, and evaluation systems. They set standards for teacher certification and performance measurement.

Recent years have brought a shift toward competency-based and student-centered teaching models. Instead of evaluating teachers solely on test scores, these models focus on professional growth opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills, methods, and attributes to improve student achievement and support.

Tulane’s online MEd program prepares educators through coursework and hands-on exercises that build professional capacity, encourage collaboration, and improve the systems that support and evaluate staff. Coursework in learning design challenges both new and existing teaching professionals to consider how people learn in the classroom and professional development settings. 

Technology Integration and Digital Learning

Technology can transform teaching and learning. Policy can promote technology use in K-12 and higher education to improve access to educational technology and learning experiences. The National Technology Education Plan provides a roadmap for states and schools to create policies that expand access to technology, facilitate teacher training, and equip schools with the resources needed to bridge the technical divide. 

Many challenges in providing equal access to technology derive from socioeconomic factors: insufficient infrastructure, the cost of technology and services, a lack of technical skills, and systemic inequalities, to name a few. Privacy concerns constitute another barrier to digital equity. Education technology tools often include personally identifiable information that schools, apps, and internet service providers could share or sell without consent. 

Monitoring software loaded on school-supplied devices tracks students’ computer use, including online activity and communication, even while they are off campus. This creates additional concerns, especially for students from lower socioeconomic households who are less likely to have their own personal devices to use at home. 

Online master’s of education programs train educators in instructional technology, which is essential to understanding how to use digital tools effectively, enhance student engagement, improve learning outcomes, and advocate for digital equity.

Prepare for Policy Leadership With Tulane’s Online Master of Education

Tulane’s online MEd prepares educators to create ethical, equitable, and effective learning environments that empower students to achieve their full potential. Through courses like The Historical and Philosophical Underpinnings of American Education, Driving Change and Transformation for Impact, and Educational Leadership and Policy for Changemakers, students gain an understanding of the evolution of educational laws. The program’s focus on leadership training equips graduates to advance education by implementing and advocating for policy changes. 

The Master of Education online at Tulane is available fully online, affording working educators the flexibility they need to balance their coursework with their careers. Throughout the program, students apply classroom concepts to real-world scenarios through case studies and policy research projects; networking opportunities with education leaders help them build their professional networks. Graduates emerge with advanced skills and leadership training to support career growth as well as the confidence and connections to be changemakers in the field. 

​​Shape the Future of Educational Policy with a Master’s Degree in Education from Tulane 

Education policy plays a significant role in classrooms and student success, impacting curriculums, teaching methods, educator training, student performance, and more. The online master’s degree in education at Tulane prepares graduates to stay ahead of policy changes and lead policy-driven change in their schools and communities. If you want to advance your career in education leadership, connect with an enrollment advisor to learn how the program can help you reach your goals.