Drawing from our experience aspolicy lead for multiple nationally recognized community college completioninitiatives over the past decade, JFF has developed a suite of policy andadvocacy services to help Student Success Centers and their partners at statesystems, associations, and institutions to influence education and public policydecisions affecting community colleges, their students,and vitality of communities and regional labor markets.

The policy and advocacy services will help Centers collaboratewith their partners to advance policies that catalyze systems change, buildcapacity and make progress toward scaling guided pathways, and accelerate theachievement and career advancement of community college students, especially those who are from low-incomebackgrounds who have been underserved. Building on the practitioner-informedstate policy framework of the Policy Leadership Trust for Student Success (theTrust), JFF will help Centers and their partners create the conditions, incentives, and structures needed tofoster clear pathways and to ensure financial stability of students to achievetheir education and career goals. The menu of services emphasizes issuesrelated to metrics, money, and systems integration, three key policy areas specifiedin the Trust’s policy framework.    

LEVEL 1: POLICY FOUNDATIONS

All Student Success Centers and their partners have access to a variety of resources and tools to guide their thinking and engagement in policy discussions, including:

• State Policy Framework and Position Papers (Launch: January–July 2018) Through its engagement with the Trust, JFF is producing a State Policy Framework and a series of position papers to provide Student Success Centers and their partners with thought leadership on state and federal policies that will most help community colleges improve student success and scale guided pathways.
• Annual Progress Report on State Policy Change (Launch: October 2018) JFF will publish a report each fall that highlights policy change across each Network state. Intended to facilitate cross-state learning, the report will track state policy adoption in areas aligned with the priorities of the Trust, the Network, and JFF.
• College Policy and Practice Inventory (Launch: First tool related to financial aid – May 2018) JFF is developing a suite of tools as a resource to Centers to guide colleges through a systematic review of institutional policies, practices, and business processes. The tools will help colleges determine the degree to which existing policies and practices support or impede student success and the implementation of guided pathways. Facilitation of the tools will provide a structure and process for institutions to plan for appropriate changes.
• Advocacy Toolkit (Launch: TBD) JFF will develop and curate tools, templates, and exemplar artifacts to help guide Student Success Centers and their partners in mapping policy influencers, allies, and assets in their states and to develop or refine advocacy strategies to influence policy decisions.

LEVEL 2: POLICY AND ADVOCACY LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

In collaboration with their partners, all Centers have opportunities to engage in policy convenings and trainings to 1) facilitate peer exchange and strategic consultation on the policy implications to their pathways work, 2) to keep abreast of major federal and state policy developments, and 3) to provide their perspectives to policy makers and influencers.

• Semi-Annual Network Convenings (ongoing) At our Summer and Winter Meetings, JFF will continue to organize sessions on key federal, state, and institutional policy issues and provide dedicated time for state teams to consider policy implications for their work and to deliberate on strategies and solutions.
• Policy Affinity Groups (ongoing) JFF will provide opportunities for Student Success Centers and their partners to engage more deeply with policy influencers around specific issues in order to inform Center work and policy decisions. JFF will organize convenings and will host Centers and partners at other national meetings of import and will facilitate ongoing discussions and actions across states. Membership in the Policy Leadership Trust is an example of one engagement strategy.

LEVEL 3: CUSTOMIZED SERVICES (Upon Special Request)

Some Student Success Center states will receive in-state support and service by JFF and national providers customized to their specific needs. Based on need and opportunity, this may include:

• Consultation on state policy agenda setting and advocacy strategy
• Policy research and analysis
• Assessment of state policy conditions and climate for change
• Neutral, third-party convening of key stakeholders
• Case-making for policy change, including testimony at policy hearings and meetings
• Facilitation of College Policy and Practice Inventory tools