Practicum and Policy Background
The purpose of the nine-hour practicum was to gain knowledge about the role of legislators in the formulation and enactment of policies. This engagement was also essential to develop crucial skills in advocacy, which will be required for future practice. The attachment took place at Senator Rene Garcia’s office in Florida. The primary volunteer duty entailed assisting the staff to organize community events. Another function involved conducting research concerning the proposed policy on the behalf of the legislative staff. I also got an opportunity to meet with the constituents and helped them to understand the current legal processes. In addition, I took part in the preparation of a mailing and telephone list of the coalition partners.
The greatest experience was learning about the State’s policy formulation and implementation procedures. This encounter was crucial because health professionals assume a lead role in influencing and directing reform initiatives (Needleman & Hassmiller, 2009). As such, I have developed requisite skills through advocacy and civic engagement. The most significant lesson that I have learned from this practicum is that policy-making is an elaborate and complex process. According to Needleman and Hassmiller, the success of this venture depends largely on the ability to mobilize both legislative and grassroots support. I had a chance to attend a policy briefing session, which exemplified the challenges inherent in building a stable coalition.
Senator Garcia is the incumbent representative of the 38th District in the Florida State Senate. The senator chairs the Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services. In addition, he is also a member of the Health Policy Committee. Two reasons informed the selection of Garcia as the preferred elected official. First, his education background in health administration means that he is conversant with issues related to the management of the health care system. Second, his assignments in the health policy committee have provided for him the platform to influence health and human services legislation.
The State of Florida considers the provision of education as one of its paramount mandates (Whitehurst & Chingos, 2011). Nonetheless, educators have often raised concerns over the quality of education in the state. The main challenge has been the unavailability of sufficient classrooms to serve the increasing number of students (Chingos, 2012). According to Harris (2009), an overcrowded classroom undermines academic achievement and performance. Consequently, the state legislators have formulated and ratified various legislations to address these limitations. For instance, voters passed the 2002 Constitutional Amendment Act overwhelmingly, which restricted the maximum number of students in elementary classes. The state reaffirmed the preceding decision through a public vote in 2010 (Chingos, 2012).
The relationship between smaller class sizes and achievement informed the Florida constitutional amendment in 2002. The purpose of these changes was to enhance performance by reducing the number of students per class (Chingos, 2012). Students from low-income households and ethnic minority groups have continued to record low grades. The main problem is that the majority of them attend public schools, which are crowded and underfunded (Cheadle, 2008). Whitehurst and Chingos (2011) have reported that most public schools in Florida (in excess of 700) have enrolled more than 1,000 students. Thus, the aim of the previous and current policies is to address these concerns.
On the other hand, a section of citizens and legislators has repealed the small classroom system. The principal point of argument has been that optimal classes do not translate into enhanced achievement (Whitehurst & Chingos, 2011). Whitehurst and Chingos have argued that performance depends on the quality of teaching rather than the size of the classroom. Despite these objections, the Florida Senate has passed additional laws that restrict the class sizes in the 2011-2012 and 2006-2007 legislative sessions (Chingos, 2012). Senator Garcia is currently sponsoring the enactment of the Senate Bill 818 (SB 818) into law to regulate the number of students per class.
Senator Garcia has a long history of sponsoring and influencing the enactment of crucial policies. The legislative goal of SB 818 is to save education costs by adjusting the formula for maintaining smaller class sizes. The proposed calculation will use the school-wide approach to determine the average number of students per classroom. The staff at the senator’s office indicated that this policy would free up billions of taxpayers’ money after its implementation. School Districts will utilize these finances to buy resources for the students, train more teachers, and increase salaries. Representative George Moraitis Jr. has supported Garcia by introducing the House Bill 665.
The Senate Bill 818 is currently under consideration by the state legislature at the committee stage. The general bill came into effect on January 7, 2015. The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education received petitions from March 16, 2015 onwards. The proponents of the proposal have argued that this bill will mandate school districts to invest the taxpayers’ money in raising student achievement. Nonetheless, lobby groups and some taxpayers have opposed the enactment of this bill into law. The main objection is that this proposal will allow the state to reduce funding to schools with the pretext of removing the class size penalties.
Legislative Initiative Plan
Nursing Role/Implications
Implications for Nursing
The issue of optimal class sizes has received particular attention since the inception of public education. Nonetheless, debates about this aspect have intensified because of decreased funding or increased enrollment. As such, schools find it difficult to maintain the current class sizes (Chingos, 2012). Although the financial constraints may relax at some point, political pressure usually persists in favor of small class sizes. The class-size reduction policies often garner enormous support from politicians, educators, parents, and the public because of their popularity (Harris, 2009). According to Leufer (2007), smaller classes enhance achievement since they provide increased learning opportunities.
Florida is one of the states that have passed various laws to regulate the number of students in the classroom. Florida constitutional amendment of 2002 marked the beginning of this legislative process. Various legislators have proposed and supported the enactment of education policies that favor smaller class sizes (Chingos, 2012). Senator Rene Garcia is one of the elected officials who have made proposals to enhance the class-size reduction laws further. The Senate Bill 818 proposed by Senator Garcia will play an elemental role in redirecting the taxpayers’ money to improving learning outcomes. Although the Senate Bill 818 does not affect the nursing profession directly, it generates valuable insights. The point of argument is that nursing educators have reported an increase in class size.
The increasing number of students enrolling in baccalaureate nursing programs has combined with faculty shortages to instigate large class sizes. Consequently, these issues are affecting the level of student learning and satisfaction (Lee, Dapremont, & Sasser, 2011). Lee and his colleagues have found out that the students who had enrolled in smaller classes were more satisfied with the nursing program than those in larger ones were. Education achievement is one of the main factors that have influenced the formulation of class-size reduction policies (Leufer, 2007). These laws are essential to ensure that students get a high quality education, which is vital for professional growth (Chingos, 2012).
The issue of class size is gaining momentum in the nursing field as more students enroll in online courses. The present challenge is that policy makers and educators are yet to agree on what constitutes the ideal classroom size (Leufer, 2007). The role of nursing advocacy is to build consensus among various stakeholders to develop appropriate policies (Needleman & Hassmiller, 2009). Quality and safety are the hallmarks of nursing practice. Conversely, nurses cannot provide effectual care if they do not receive adequate training (Leufer, 2007). It is imperative for nursing professionals to support legislative frameworks that will enhance student achievement.
Summary
The nine-hour practicum at Senator Rene Garcia’s office provided the platform for gaining experience regarding the formulation of policies. Two reasons informed the choice of Senator Garcia. First, his education background in health administration means that he is conversant with issues related to the management of the health care system. Second, his assignments in the health policy committee have provided for him the platform to influence health and human services legislation. As such, an interaction with his staff was essential to gain knowledge of the processes involved in the formulation and implementation of public laws.
I played a fundamental role in assisting the staff at the senator’s office to organize community events. My other volunteer duties involved conducting research and engaging with the constituents. My greatest experience was learning about the State’s policy formulation and implementation procedures. The most valuable lesson that I learned from this practicum is that policy-making is an elaborate and complex process. The employees underscored the importance of mobilizing grassroots partners, as well as developing a strong coalition. The essence of this activity is that the passage of bills requires massive support from legislators, citizens, and other stakeholders.
References
Cheadle, J. E. (2008). Educational investment, family context, and children’s math and reading growth from kindergarten through the third grade. Sociology of education, 81(1), 1-31.
Chingos, M. M. (2012). The impact of a universal class-size reduction policy: Evidence from Florida’s statewide mandate. Economics of Education Review, 31, 543–562.
Harris, D. N. (2009). Toward policy-relevant benchmarks for interpreting effect sizes: Combining effects with costs. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 31, 3–29.
Lee, S., Dapremont, J., & Sasser, J. (2011). Nursing students’ perception of class size and its impact on test performance: A pilot study. Nursing Journal of Education, 50(12), 715-718.
Leufer, T. (2007). Students’ perceptions of the learning experience in a large class environment. Nursing Education Perspectives, 28(6), 322-326.
Needleman, J., & Hassmiller, S. (2009). The role of nurses in improving hospital quality and efficiency: Real-world results. Health Affairs, 28(4), w625-w633.
Whitehurst, G. J., & Chingos, M. M. (2011). Class size: What research says and what is means for state policy. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution.