Culture, Politics, and Policy Interpretation

Abstract

Understanding how educational practitioners make sense of and subsequently implement policy has been an increasingly important objective of the K-12 research community. This study extends this research into higher education via an in-depth case study of an urban public 2-year technical college. Drawing on sensemaking theory and critical policy analysis, five primary factors are discussed that significantly influence policy interpretation. These factors include common fixtures within higher education, such as institutional identity and self-interest, and other factors, such as national narratives and perceptions of the target population. The findings also suggest that policy interpretation can influence whether a policy improves equity or maintains the status quo. Finally, by highlighting the roles of race and power within this social context, this study identifies critical implications for how policy can be successfully implemented or, as in this case, resisted and opportunistically disregarded.