Measuring the success of a public program can get complicated when the data only tells part of the story. School of Public Policy graduate student Justin Nixon encountered that challenge this summer as a fellow with the Montgomery County Council. The 10-week fellowship gives graduate students the opportunity to work alongside local decision makers on policy issues affecting the county.
Nixon’s independent research examined employment outcomes for students in Montgomery County Public Schools’ (MCPS) Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. CTE programs combine academic coursework with career-focused training across a variety of fields and include opportunities to earn industry-recognized credentials. The programs are also a priority under the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, the state’s plan to improve public education.
Nixon’s research looked at how employment outcomes for MCPS students who participate in CTE programs are measured and where there may be room for improvement. He found that the available county-level data offered limited insight into the occupations students entered after completing their programs.
That missing piece matters when trying to determine whether CTE students go on to work in fields related to what they studied. Nixon recommended expanding data collection and coordination among agencies to give the county a better understanding of those outcomes.
Near the end of the fellowship, Nixon presented his research and policy recommendations to the full County Council. A councilmember pointed him toward data he had not found during his initial research, giving him new information to consider as he refined his analysis.
Nixon learned that more data on CTE outcomes existed than he and education staffers had initially realized. However, the information did not include occupation-specific outcomes and had not been updated since the 2016-17 school year. “It was a great experience that was very useful in being able to concisely inform a group of decision makers and take feedback to refine my research,” he said.
The experience also showed Nixon another side of the policy process. Throughout the summer, he saw how research and information move through county government and help councilmembers understand the issues in front of them. The County Council’s central staff and Office of Legislative Oversight regularly research policy matters and provide analyses, reports and issue-specific briefs on topics affecting county residents and government operations. “I learned that collaboration and frequent information sharing is a key aspect of how policy is developed and implemented at the local level,” said Nixon.
Some of what Nixon observed during the fellowship was familiar from his studies at the School of Public Policy. He pointed specifically to PLCY630: Governance: Normative & Political Dimensions, taught by Associate Professor Catherine Worsnop, as the course that best prepared him for the experience.
The course introduced Nixon to concepts surrounding government institutions, including the points where political conflict can emerge. While he described the County Council as a professional environment where people were open to information, he also encountered areas of disagreement and different perspectives. His coursework gave him a foundation for understanding those dynamics as he saw them play out in government.
Nixon had previously worked on federal policy through a congressional internship and in education advocacy, but local government was new territory for him. “I saw the Montgomery County Council Summer Fellows Program as an opportunity to gain experience in local government affairs and policy matters,” shared Nixon. “I felt this would round out my professional experience giving me federal, local and advocacy skillsets.”
