Advocating for the Common Good

Jane West is an independent education policy consultant based in Washington, DC. She began her policy work as an intern in the U.S. Senate for Sen. Lowell P. Weicker (R-CT) in 1983, where she went on to serve as staff director for the Subcommittee on Disability Policy of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP). She has been active in policy making for over forty years, working for a range of federal government agencies as well as national organizations, including the Presidential Task Force on the HIV Epidemic, the National Council on Disability, the Social Security Administration, the U.S. Department of Education, the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation, the National Network of State Teachers of the Year, the Higher Education Consortium for Special Education, and the Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children. She has written and spoken extensively on policy and advocacy in education and disability and served on the faculties of the University of San Francisco, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Maryland, and Virginia Commonwealth University, designing and teaching public policy courses. For more information, see https://www.janewestconsulting.com/

I have worked in the Washington, DC, policy space since 1995. Watching Dr. Jane E. West in action, and now reading her book, solidifies for me that Dr. West is one of the most exceptional policy experts I have worked with and witnessed in action. This book, Advocating for the Common Good, is a must-read for anyone who seeks to engage in advocacy and understand the who, what, where, when, and whys of policy making. Dr. West’s four 'P's provide an excellent framework for the reader. I highly recommend this book to anyone who seeks to make a difference through policy and advocacy.

• List of Tables, Textboxes, and FiguresAcknowledgments Author’s NoteIntroduction1 PeopleThe Iron TriangleCongress Congressional Staff and Congressional CommitteesRelationships Are EverythingThe Executive BranchInterest GroupsProfessional and Trade AssociationsBusiness or Corporation AssociationsPublic Interest GroupsThink TanksWhat Do Interest Groups Do in Relation to Policy and Advocacy?Political Action Committees and 501 © (4)s CoalitionsGovernment Relations/Lobbying Firms LobbyingBeyond the Iron TriangleThe CourtsSocial Media and the PressPublic OpinionConstituentsGrass Roots Movements and OrganizationsExperts The Culture of Policy Making vs. the Cultures of Other SectorsRepresentation Matters Takeaways: People2 PoliticsMajorities and Minorities in CongressSeniority in CongressThe White HouseElection CyclesParticipating in Election CampaignsTransition to Office after Winning an ElectionBipartisanshipTakeaways: Politics3 ProcessPart I: Summary of the Literature on Public Policy Making Processes Framework #1: The Cyclical FrameworkProblem DefinitionAgenda SettingPolicy FormulationPolicy AdoptionPolicy ImplementationPolicy Evaluation Framework #2: Policy Streams Part II: Congressional ProceduresHow a Bill Becomes a Law: The Seven Steps of Regular OrderBill IntroductionThe Committee Receives the Bill Possible Referral to SubcommitteeHearings and MarkupsFloor ConsiderationConference CommitteePresident’s SignatureThree Core Legislative Processes: Budget, Appropriations, AuthorizationBudget Process ReconciliationDeeming ResolutionsAppropriations ProcessMandatory and Discretionary SpendingEarmarksAuthorization ProcessOther Congressional ProcessesOversight and InvestigationsConfirmationsSenate and House RulesCommittee on Rules of the House of RepresentativesFilibuster and Cloture in the SenatePart III: Executive Branch ProcessesExecutive OrdersFederal Rule Making Before the Proposed RuleThe Proposed RuleBefore the Final RuleThe Final Rule After the Final Rule Negotiated Rule MakingOther Key Federal Agency Functions Related to Policy MakingGuidance Takeaways: Process4 PolicyWhich Comes First: The Problem or the Solution?Policy Tools GrantsAppropriationsCivil RightsAccountabilityData CollectionEnforcement MechanismsResearchIndividual BenefitsTax CodeRequirements Related to Implementation by Federal AgencyWhat is Good Policy?The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Use of Standardized Assessments in Federal Education Policy: Point/Counterpoint The ADA: A Remarkable PolicyNCLB and Its Derivatives: The Use of Standardized Assessments in Federal Education Policy—a Cautionary Tale Race to the Top 2009Teacher Preparation Regulations 2011–2017Lessons LearnedTakeaways: Policy5 AdvocacyAdvocating with Congressional OfficesFirst and Foremost: Build a RelationshipPrepare for MeetingsProvide Background Information, Data, and StoriesRefine Your Message So It Will Be Heard by Your AudienceBe Prepared with No More than Three "Asks"Offer Invitations to Speak or VisitDon’t Get Mad or Argue or Talk Politics Always Follow UpKeep Showing Up Add Your Voice to a National OrganizationAdvocating with the Executive BranchArtifacts for AdvocacyCommittee and Subcommittee Activities: Hearings, Markups, and MoreOther Statements from Members of CongressStatus of Bills IntroducedReports from the Congressional Research ServiceDocuments from the Government Accountability OfficeDevelopments from the White House and Federal Agencies Connecting Research, Practice, and Policy Participating in a Committee Hearing or a Town Hall Meeting Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Advocacy ActivitiesImpact of the January 6, 2021, Events at the Capitol on Security Measures In ClosingTakeaways: AdvocacyWrapping UpReferencesIndexAbout the IntervieweesAbout the Author