The various education jobs available within the federal government are some of the most important jobs in terms of setting federal education policy, budget amounts, and much more. The federal government is home to the largest education-centered bureaucracy in the country, with a significant number of policy analysis jobs, advisory jobs, budgetary and financial analysis jobs, and training programs. For teachers who wish to work in Washington, D.C., or in one of the numerous federal education outposts in states across the country, the opportunities are numerous and actually quite lucrative.
Educational Policy Analyst
Educational policy analysts work at both the state and federal levels, though their job differs quite a bit. At the state level, the policy analyst is concerned primarily with how to get their state to perform well on state tests. They’ll work on things like creating new standardized testing schemes, new lists of standards, and new curriculum requirements for statewide adoption. That’s not quite what the policy analyst does at the federal level.
Instead, those who take this job in a federal capacity will be concerned for the wellbeing of teachers and students in all 50 states. Their goal will be to compare state outcomes and look for shortfalls, and relate those shortfalls to a potential shortcoming in federal policy. Policy analysts will also work to identify new funding sources, ways to integrate next-generation programs like universal preschool, and new methods of encouraging college students to become teachers and fill the many vacancies that lack qualified candidates each year.
Budgetary and Spending Analysts
Federal education regulations require a significant amount of capital, and many educators with a background in educational policy will fill roles that analyze the federal budget, look at how education funds are being spent, and recommend changes for smarter or more efficient spending that can produce even better outcomes, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Though often employed within the Department of Education, budget analysts can also find themselves working in Congress or within the White House. In these roles, however, they’ll serve more as advisors than analysts.
Education Policy Advisors
Members of Congress aren’t inherently informed about educational policies and practices, which means they require advisors to inform their policy view on how to improve education in their own district and across the country. Advisors are typically seasoned educators and veteran policy analysts at the state or federal level, with a significant amount of professional context that can help shape policy for better outcomes nationwide. Their jobs may only last as long as the elected official’s term, however, so these professionals often secure jobs as policy analysts later in their career.
Related Resource: Teaching Jobs in High Demand
Federal Government Jobs Are a Rewarding Way to Work in Education
The federal government does a lot of hard work when it comes to setting education policies and aligning expectations with teachers’ abilities. Educators who have classroom experience and a fondness for helping to analyze and set policy will find that these jobs are extremely rewarding and offer unparalleled opportunities to change the very face of the typical classroom. With jobs that include everything from policy analysis to electoral politics, budgetary policy, and advisory roles, there’s simply no shortage of ways to determine how the government next attempts to fix what is often described as a “broken” system. The education jobs available within the federal government therefore require unique insight and virtually guarantee a unique experience each day on the job.
