ACSA’s Governmental Relations and Management Services departments are putting out the word that they have internships available for those interested in some hands-on experience in the world of education policymaking.
Interns should be those holding bachelor’s degrees and working toward a master’s or doctorate degree. Recently two such candidates completed internships with ACSA and both said the experience was very rewarding.
“I’ve definitely gotten a lot more knowledge on the legislative process and education policy – especially with regard to education finance,” said Monica Crouch, a graduate student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
“I valued getting to know the ACSA legislative staff, and the larger context of the political process that so deeply affects what happens at the district and school level,” said Socorro Shiels, who recently assumed the post of program director of District and School Support with Santa Clara COE.
“It’s been a great learning experience,” Crouch added. “Everyone’s been very helpful. They really take you under their wing. It’s not like some other internships, where they might just throw a bunch of work at you and expect you to just sit by yourself and do it. The advocates here have been really helpful. They’ve taught me a lot of applicable skills that I’ve been able to apply in my first year of grad school.”
“I got to witness the strategic planning to counter issues at the Capitol and the way in which ACSA works with the Education Coalition to build a stronger support base. I also saw how ACSA makes sure that each issue it gets involved in is vetted through practicing educational leaders,” Shiels said.
Shiels was already working in administration, but she jumped at the opportunity to further her knowledge through the ACSA internship.
“I didn’t know there was an internship for practicing administrators in the field,” she said. “I kept hounding the people I knew to get the opportunity.”
Shiels said she expects the internship experience will help her as she works her way to her ultimate career goal of the superintendency. Crouch similarly said she thinks the knowledge gained will prove invaluable once she finishes out her last year at Cal Poly and returns to Sacramento to seek work in policy analysis.
“I would definitely recommend this internship to anyone who is working on education policy, whether it’s for their bachelor’s or master’s degree,” she said. “There is a lot of work that ACSA interns can do on bigger projects.”
ACSA Management Services Executive Brett McFadden said interns should expect to work about 10-15 hours a week in a non-paid position. But in return, they will receive invaluable, practical knowledge in the area of policymaking for education, and can expect to do significant work in assisting ACSA in its causes.
“Both Monica and Socorro did really good, solid work for us,” McFadden said. “We were very happy to have them with us while they were here, and now we have the opportunity to open the internship to others.”
For more information on the ACSA internship, please contact McFadden at bmcfadden@acsa.org, or call him at (800) 608-ACSA.