A critical policy analysis of Texas’ Closing the Gaps 2015

Abstract

This critical policy analysis uses critical race theory to provide a counter narrative to the P-16 initiative in Texas known as Closing the Gaps 2015. Findings indicate that while these reforms aim to increase educational access and achievement for people of color, they fall short of addressing systemic inequities such as enduring segregation and unconstitutional school finance policy. Using Texas as a case study illumines the ways the growing number of P-16 councils throughout the US might adapt and improve policy development and implementation to more adequately address educational inequities across racial, ethnic, and linguistic groups. The article closes with recommendations for Texas’ reiteration of Closing the Gaps 2015, titled 60x30TX, currently in revision to guide state education goals in 2016-2030.

Achieving Racial Equity From the Bottom-Up? The Student Equity Policy in the California Community Colleges

“…In addition, this study contributes to the small but expanding body of work on equity policies in higher education (e.g., Harper et al, 2009; Mansfield & Thachik, 2016; Winkle-Wagner et al, 2014). Like these studies, our analysis demonstrates that equity policies often seem to be explicitly or effectively race-neutral, which can undermine the achievement of racial equity goals and/or hamper the implementation of race-conscious efforts.…”

“…In using CPA, we add to the growing number of empirical studies that utilize this approach to understand how policies work for those from racially minoritized and other non-dominant groups. Unlike existing scholarship, which uses CPA on its own (e.g., Chase et al, 2014) or with complementary frameworks like critical race (e.g., Mansfield & Thachik, 2016) and feminist (e.g., Mansfield, Welton, & Grogan, 2014) theories, this study is the first to our knowledge that combines CPA with the concept of equity-mindedness. While both attend to transforming that which preserves and intensifies racial inequity, equity-mindedness provides sharper focus on questions such as who equity plans target as the site of remediation.…”

“…Like these studies, our analysis demonstrates that equity policies often seem to be explicitly or effectively race-neutral, which can undermine the achievement of racial equity goals and/or hamper the implementation of race-conscious efforts. This study differs in that we take a broad look at the design, formation, and implementers’ initial response (i.e., the plans) to an equity policy; other work tends to focus on one of these aspects such as Mansfield and Thachik’s (2016) design of the Closing the Gaps initiative in Texas.…”

Critical policy scholarship in education: An overview

“…Critical policy scholars also increasingly apply concepts and analytical tools drawn from critical race theory (Bell, 1993(Bell, , 2004, postcolonial theory (Spivak, 1999), and feminism (Butler, 1999;Connell, 2009) respectively to: (a) unmask structures and ideologies that subtly legitimate racial inequality in and through education (e.g. Andreotti, 2011;Cole, 2017;Ladson-Billings & Tate, 2006;Mansfield & Thachik, 2016;Zamudio et al, 2011), (b) problematize colonial legacies in, and assimilative roles of, education (Leonardo & Singh, 2017), and (c) explicate how hegemonic gender cultures and historical legacies undermine women's experiences and representation in educational policies, systems, and institutions (e.g. Bacchi, 2009;Blackmore, 2017;Marshall, 1999;Marshall et al, 2017).…”

Critical Policy Scholarship in Education: An Overview

“…Critical policy scholars also increasingly apply concepts and analytical tools drawn from critical race theory (Bell, 1993(Bell, , 2004, postcolonial theory (Spivak, 1999), and feminism (Butler, 1999;Connell, 2009) respectively to: (a) unmask structures and ideologies that subtly legitimate racial inequality in and through education (e.g. Andreotti, 2011;Cole, 2017;Ladson-Billings & Tate, 2006;Mansfield & Thachik, 2016;Zamudio et al, 2011), (b) problematize colonial legacies in, and assimilative roles of, education (Leonardo & Singh, 2017), and (c) explicate how hegemonic gender cultures and historical legacies undermine women's experiences and representation in educational policies, systems, and institutions (e.g. Bacchi, 2009;Blackmore, 2017;Marshall, 1999;Marshall et al, 2017).…”