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Policy Leadership Trust
In partnership with
Experts Involved
In 2015, JFF established The Policy Leadership Trust to marshal evidence, expertise, and insights of postsecondary practitioners to influence the direction of state and federal policy.
Community college leaders and state system officials serving on the Policy Trust identify key considerations for how policy can help more learners and workers attain credentials and skills and succeed in the labor market.
JFF promotes the Policy Trust positions through
- Strategic outreach to state and federal policy makers and influencers
- Dialog with the field of postsecondary practitioners and stakeholders
- Thought leadership in the media
Principles
The Policy Trust recommends that federal and state officials keep the following principles in mind when crafting policy solutions:
No Silver Bullets
No single policy intervention will—on its own—move the needle on student success. Good policy takes a multi-pronged approach.
Context Matters
State context matters when designing policy. What is working in one state may not work in another because of differences in political landscape, priorities, governance, capacity, collaboration, and current and past reforms.
Flow from Practice
Policy should flow from practice, not the inverse. In most instances, it is better to use policy as a tool to accelerate implementation and scaling of proven practices that are already taking hold locally—rather than attempt through policy to ignite reforms that have yet to emerge.
Sense of Ownership
Policy is most likely to be implemented with fidelity when practitioners have informed the policy process and have a sense of ownership. Practitioners should have a seat at table when policy is developed.
Incentives
Good policy creates incentives and structure to catalyze change within institutions and among systems.
Respects Autonomy
Good policy respects the autonomy of institutions over academic and student affairs.
Does Not Prescribe Rigid Implementation
Good policy does not prescribe rigid implementation.
Includes High Level Directives
High-level directives can be useful at times in steering the direction of reform, deepening commitment, overcoming resistance and creating leverage.
Publications
Report/Research
Policy Commitments and Design Principles for Equity and Advancement
JFF presents these practitioner informed policy design principles for College Promise, Career-Connected Postsecondary programs and Dual Enrollment to advise state and federal policymakers on what works to increase college and career preparedness while continuing to support and grow regional economies across our nation.
Report/Research
State Policy Framework for Student Success
This framework provides a practitioner perspective for how state policy can be designed to help, rather than hinder, the efforts of colleges and communities to improve student success and build a postsecondary-trained workforce.
Report/Research
State Policy Paper Series: Strengthening Pathways toward Postsecondary Success
The emphasis in the papers on metrics, money, and systems integration reflects the collective vision of JFF’s Policy Leadership Trust for Student Success on the appropriate role of policy in catalyzing change among systems and institutions without mandating prescriptive models. JFF commissioned the series to stimulate discussion and consideration among practitioners and policy influencers, alike.
Meet the Trust
Marcia Ballinger, Co-Chair
President, Lorain County Community College
Michael Baston, Co-Chair
President, Rockland Community College
Jackie Elliot
President, Central Arizona College
Leigh Goodson
President and CEO, Tulsa Community College
Michael Hansen
President, Michigan Community College Association
David Harrison
President, Columbus State Community College
Jennifer Haygood
Executive Vice President, North Carolina Community College System
Jack Hershey
President, Ohio Association of Community College
Russell Lowery-Hart
President, Amarillo College
Sharon Morrissey
Vice Chancellor for Academic Services & Research, Virginia Community College System
"Good policy is strategic, evidence based, and integrated."
Cynthia Olivo
Assistant Superintendent/Vice President, Student Services, Pasadena City College
Camille Preus
Executive Director, Oregon Community College Association
Madeline Pumariega
Executive Vice President and Provost Vice President of Academic Affairs, Tallahassee Community College
Yves Salomon Fernandez
President, Greenfield Community College
Carli Schiffner
Deputy Executive Director of Education, WA State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
Monty Sullivan
President, Louisiana Community and Technical College System
Randall VanWagoner
President, Mohawk Valley Community College
Tonjua Williams
President, St. Petersburg College
Members Emeritus
- Scott Ralls (former Co-Chair), President, Wake Tech Community College
- Reynaldo Garcia (former Co-Chair), President Emeritus, Texas Association of Community Colleges
- Tristan Denley, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, University System of Georgia
- Maria Hesse, Vice Provost for Academic Partnerships, Arizona State University
- Jon Kerr, Director, Basic Education for Adults, Washington State Board for Community & Technical Colleges
- Ken Klucznick, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, Connecticut State Colleges and Universities
- Lawrence Nespoli, (retired) President, New Jersey Council of County Colleges
- Mary Rittling (retired) President, Davidson County Community College
- Karen Stout, President & CEO, Achieving the Dream
