When neighbours matter most: innovation, diffusion and state policy adoption in tertiary education

Abstract

We now have ample evidence that public policies diffuse across the American states; that is, policy adoption is due at least in part to the emulation of policies enacted in nearby states. But, policy adoption is the result of a complex process, a process that often takes years and sometimes decades to complete. According to the ‘stage’ or ‘step’ approach, the lawmaking process begins with the identification of a public problem for which redress by governments is sought and ends when programmes are implemented and effects are evaluated. Using the tertiary education system in the USA as a case, this study considers at what stage(s) in the policymaking process pressures created from neighbouring states are brought to bear. Analysis of data from state policymakers reveals that the experiences of neighbours are most pronounced during the agenda‐setting and proposal formulation stages and least during adoption.

Notes

1. The stage model also identifies two post‐enactment stages: implementation and evaluation. Our interest here concerns the pre‐enactment phase only, a focus that is reflected in the choice of informants.

2. The number of Bright Futures eligible in Florida was 136,000 in 2003, or 32% of high school graduates. Georgia had 72,249 students eligible in 2002, an eligibility rate of 56%. In Kentucky, 37,654 (70%) were eligible in 2003. Louisiana's TOPS programme had 45,226 students eligible in 2003, an eligibility rate of 33%. Mississippi's MTAG and MESG programmes had 25,496 students eligible, approximately 27% of students in 2004. Among its high school graduates in 2003, South Carolina had 35,293 eligible students (35%). Tennessee had 46,096 students eligible in 2004 (65%). Lastly West Virginia had 17,971 graduating seniors eligible in 2003, representing 24%. Estimates of eligible high school graduates for a given year were obtained from individual state agencies.

3. Subsequently, the state of Georgia adopted a core curriculum requirement for the high school classes of 2005 and beyond (Georgia Student Finance Commission, 2006b, available online at http://www.gsfc.org/hope/dsp_hop2000.cfm).

4. The following table shows the award amounts that correspond to a given GPA and additional award amounts for ACT scores:

The KHEEA website provides the following example:

If John, a high school freshman, makes a 2.8 GPA at the end of the school year, KHEAA will send him a letter letting him know he will receive a $200 scholarship for each year he attends an eligible Kentucky postsecondary institution. If he makes a 3.0 at the end of his sophomore year, he will be eligible for a $250 scholarship that will be added to the $200 scholarship and provide $450 for each year of college. This process will be repeated for his remaining two years of high school. John also takes the ACT twice during his junior year and makes scores of 23 and 24; however, he takes the test again during his senior year and improves his score to 26. He then becomes eligible for a bonus award of $428, which is based on his highest ACT score attained by the date of high school graduation, for each year he attends an eligible Kentucky postsecondary institution. (Source: The Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority, available online at: http://www.kheaa.ky.gov/keesfaqs.html#how%20much%20for%20GPA).