Politics, Tracking, and the Policy Process: Shaping North Carolina’s Access to Advanced Coursework Policy

• In Event: Access, Detracking, and Tracking: Policy, Practice, and Stakeholder Perspectives

Abstract

This study explores the political context, educational values, and dynamics influencing North Carolina's advanced mathematics placement policy during 2018 and 2019, focusing on the politics of educational tracking. The qualitative case study examines how tracking politics influenced policy development and enactment, emphasizing key actors' actions and discussions during agenda setting, policy formation, enactment, implementation, and feedback stages. Findings highlight the role of strategic framing, coalition building, and bipartisan collaboration. Despite significant pushback, the policy passed unanimously, showing the complexities of how educational reform politics infuse the state policy process. Insights are provided for crafting equitable educational policies and understanding the interplay between political motives and the challenges of promoting educational equity in policymaking.

Author

• Constance Clark, Rutgers University - Newark