Effect of a federal law on state policy process and on local implementation

Abstract

This study described the state policy-making process as it was affected by the impact of the 1976 Federal Vocational Amendments.

The roles of the state level actors were investigated in order to explain the process by which policy was developed. The impact on the local division was analyzed in terms of importance, action taken, and impact as these related to the issues of Sex Stereotyping, Local Advisory Council, Vocational Guidance, and the Assurances on Administrative and Fiscal Matters. The data were first viewed in aggregation and then as perceived by type of respondent, as well as by size, type, and geographical region of the school division.

The major findings of the study were:

1. That the policy-making process at the state level was a complex array of assignments, committees, state officers, and staff.

2. The State Plan and Accountability Report Committee was the most influential actor in the policy process with the State Advisory Council placing second in importance.

3. In terms of prior action before the 1976 Vocational Amendments, little had taken place at the local level.

4. In terms of impact, the 1976 Vocational Amendments had only a moderately low to moderate effect on school organizations as reported by Superintendents and Vocational Directors.

5. As reported by respondents, school division size, type, and geographic region, only the issue of Sex Stereotyping produced an adjudged difference in impact.

6. Partial correlations across the relationships of importance to impact, importance to action taken, and action taken to impact revealed moderate to low relationships.

7. The conclusions of this investigation were, at the state level, that the development of the Five-Year Plan for Vocational Education was carried out with very few changes from the draft that was formulated by the State Plan and Accountability Report Committee and that the State Plan and Accountability Report Committee played a unique and important role in the policy process. At the lowest level, the 1976 Vocational Amendments required the local divisions to focus attention and resources on the selected issues. Although the Amendments required the school divisions to take action, only a moderate effect had been reported by the localities on their school division organization.

At the local level, the 1976 Vocational Amendments required the local divisions to focus attention and resources on the selected issues. Although the Amendments required the school divisions to take action, only a moderate effect had been reported by the localities on their school division organization.