AIM: WHAT IS PUBLIC POLICY? DO NOW: PROBLEMS AFFECTING STUDENTS

PUBLIC POLICY What the government does to fix a problem that affects a societal goal

What societal goals are these problems affecting?

PUBLIC POLICY A public policy is one or more government actions. It is the action or proposed government action intended to deal with a given social condition In other words, a government action to address a social problem

PUBLIC POLICY Example: All front seat passengers are required to wear a seatbelt in NY. What’s the societal problem? What life goal does this problem affect?

WHAT IS A PUBLIC POLICY ISSUE? MUST ANSWER YES TO ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS Is a level of government involved? Is the policy intended to have an impact on a social condition? Do the players disagree over the policy or the social condition?

GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT SOCIAL CONDITION PLAYERS

GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT Four types of government that address public policy issues: LOCAL: school district, town, county STATE: New York, any of the 50 NATIONAL: federal government, applying to entire United States INTERNATIONAL: two or more national governments or international organizations

GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT There are three elements of government involvement LEGISLATION: a law that establishes guidelines to be followed by members of society ADMINISTRATIVE ACTS: what governments do to put a law into practice JUDICIAL DECISIONS: when courts apply the law to a specific situation, this may have the effect of both administrative and legislative acts

SOCIAL CONDITION The economic and social indicators including the physical environment, and people’s behaviors and attitudes, that can be traced to the public policy in question

PLAYERS Individuals, groups, or institutions that work to shape public policies. Players can be elected officials, appointed officials, organized groups, or private individuals who seek to shape public policy.

PUBLIC POLICIES A public policy is a government action intended to deal with a social problem. Every day policies are enacted in your school, city, state, country and throughout the world that will affect your life

EXAMPLES Seaford High school requires drug-testing student athletes (LOCAL) New York enacts tougher graduation requirements (STATE) The federal government enacts a tax cut (FEDERAL) The United Nations authorizes military intervention involving US troops (INTERNATIONAL)

BRAINSTORM Any societal problem (local, state, federal) Is there a policy that solves this problem?