Application: Different Policy Solutions to a Given Problem

“The Pressure Is On”: A Rising Issue in the Education System Author’s Name The Institutional Affiliation Course Number and Name The Instructor Assignment Due Date Section I: Problem Analysis The modern education system experiences significant challenges in optimizing learning outcomes and performance continuity for students and teachers. Alvarez et al. (2018) identified ten underpinned issues in the education system, influencing teachers and students in the classroom environment. For this White Paper, the local district school wants to emphasize ‘pressure’ as an emerging issue in the education industry. Cognitive pressure influenced the physical and psychological conditions of teachers and students. Teachers experience socioeconomic, professional, and workplace pressures due to rigid policies, financial disadvantages, and power abuse by internal management and policymakers (Alvarez et al., 2018). On the contrary, students undergo academic pressures through rigorous assessments, extensive curriculum design, and psychological competition to meet social expectations of parents, teachers, and peers. The two stakeholders reported a significant rise in stress, anxiety, and major depressive disorder due to malpractices in the education system, leading to performance pressure. This problem fosters toxic culture, unfair work conditions, and impractical stakes for teachers and students in the long run (Alvarez et al., 2018). Hence, this issue requires a systematic resolution to optimize teacher-student wellness for sustainable growth. Hence, this White Paper aims to consult the Board members of the local school district to introduce new policy reforms and strategies to address ongoing pressure as a systemic issue in the education system as a problem resolution. The Board will receive policy solutions and evaluation according to Deborah Stone’s five policy values, namely equity, efficiency, welfare, liberty, and security, to minimize emerging pressure as an undermining issue in academic settings. Section II: Potential Policy Solutions Knutson and Rumicho (2023) explained that policymaking is essential for educationists to address emerging challenges for collaborative growth. Policymaking adopts inclusivity and participation from diverse stakeholders to sustain academic outcomes. Hence, the Board of the local school district must consider the following policy solutions to minimize pressure in the academic environment for teacher-student sustainable growth. Teacher-Student Wellness Program (TSWP) TSWP is the first policy solution that the local district school could consider to address the rising pressure. Carroll et al. (2021) explained that the COVID-19 outbreak introduced new challenges for students and teachers. The post-pandemic era introduced technological reforms and social disparities for the two stakeholders, which increase performance pressures. For instance, academic settings today struggle with virtual integration, digitalization, and communication changes between teachers and students. As a result, the two parties could not exchange problems, interact through realism, and cope with emerging pressures (Carroll et al., 2021). Henceforth, TSWP will connect teachers and students with administrative bodies, professional trainers, and psychological practitioners to raise a voice about stress, anxiety, and depression (Carroll et al., 2021). Each mechanism in TSWP will increase resource accessibility for students and teachers to receive psychological and physical help to cope with challenges. Teachers and students could upskill knowledge, skills, and abilities to embrace digital transitions and virtual reality in academic settings by participating in the TSWP initiative (Carroll et al., 2021). Hence, TSWP is a potential policy solution for the local district school to minimize workplace pressure in academic settings. Flexible Curriculum Program (FCP) FCP is a substantial policy solution to address the academic pressure in local district schools. Scholarly findings suggest that the academic curriculum has failed to modify learning mechanisms and outcomes ...