POLICY ENTREPENEURSHIP IN STATE GOVERNMENT

(from Rockefeller Center's Spring 2006 Newsletter)

At their best, state legislatures are open institutions that serve their citizens as a marketplace for ideas. Organized interests of all political shapes and sizes attempt to add their ideas to the policymaking process; yet, ultimately it is the elected officials who must sort these competing ideas and construct a policy solution. In states having part-time legislatures with small professional staffs, such as those found in New Hampshire and Vermont, the task of discerning the correct policy path to pursue is more difficult. Students in the Rockefeller Center’s Policy Research Shop seek to assist the legislatures in Montpelier and Concord by providing sound, nonpartisan social science research that addresses issues of importance to state policymakers.

During the winter term, several groups of students pursued research topics for the Vermont and New Hampshire legislatures including: an assessment of renewable portfolio standards options for New Hampshire, the interoperability of first-responder communications during natural disasters or terrorist attacks in Vermont and New Hampshire, and possible policy responses to the increase in the high school drop-out rate in New Hampshire over the past decade. Most of the students in the Policy Research Shop completed Public Policy 90, “Introduction to Public Policy Research” during the fall term; several of the current projects in the Policy Research Shop emerged from this course.

One such project is an analysis of career and technical education enrollment in Vermont, conducted by Oyebola Olabisi ’06, Adam Goldfarb ’08, and Stephanie Lawrence ’06 (pictured, left to right, above). The group gathered data on student enrollment patterns and program offerings across the state as well as a variety of demographic, geographic, and socio-economic variables. Their report concludes that “three factors—commute time, available curriculum options, and student academic performance (a reflection of socio-economic status)—all affect the rate at which students participate in technical education programs.” Their findings are particularly timely as the Vermont legislature is currently debating a proposal to consolidate the current system of seventeen service regions across the state. Oyebola, Stephanie, and Adam traveled to Montpelier on March 15 to testify before a joint hearing of the Vermont House Education and Institutions Committees, where they presented their findings.

DARTMOUTH COURSES

• PBPL 55, Introduction to Public Policy Research

taught by Professor Ron Shaiko, 10A

This course focuses on strategies for, and actual practice of, conducting research relevant to public policy discussions. Students will learn: about policy issues, their drivers, and finding solutions; about the Legislative Process; and how to work collaboratively. Though open to all students satisfying the prerequisite, this course is designed to be a core element of the Public Policy Minor and will also serve as a training ground for prospective applicants wishing to serve in the Rockefeller Public Policy Research Shop during the winter and spring terms. Prerequisite: A course employing mathematical reasoning or statistical methods (e.g. Econ 10 or Govt 10).

• PBPL 40 Analyzing and Communicating Public Policy

taught by Professor Charlie Wheelan, 3A

This course will focus on translating the tools of policy analysis into action and social change. The course will have three interwoven components: 1) Opportunities to apply the key analytic tools of public policy to real world policy problems; 2) Exercises in writing and speaking that will refine the student's ability to communicate complex policy ideas concisely and effectively; 3) A study of real world cases in which major policy changes have succeeded or failed in the political process. In particular, we will focus on how the proponents and opponents framed and communicated their key ideas. Overall, the course will emphasize both the skills necessary to analyze complex policy problems and the tools necessary to communicate such analysis to a non-professional audience.