This research project aims to explore the recommendations of diverse preservice elementary teachers in an urban teacher preparation program in the southwestern United States. Using humanizing pedagogy and research as the theoretical framework, the data includes two focus group interviews, state, district, and programmatic policy documents, and participant-generated artwork that depicts a more inclusive future in teacher preparation policy. Throughout the data, participants discuss the implications for a current professional attributes policy used within their preparation program and imagine what a more humanizing and inclusive policy could be like in the future. Data was analyzed using critical discourse analysis. Three themes emerge in the findings: 1) modeling gendered citizenship; 2) challenging perfectionism; and 3) thinking beyond English-only policies. Modeling gendered citizenship refers to the ways participants expect elementary teachers to socialize their students and model what they believe is culturally appropriate behavior in and out of school. Challenging perfectionism refers to how the participants recommend being able to personalize their teaching craft and adapt their practices based on their students' needs. Lastly, thinking beyond English-only policies refers to how participants imagine a future in teacher preparation wherein they are welcome and encouraged to use their multilingual skills in their teaching to support their students' learning. This research aligns with the conference's theme because of its empahsis on developing an equitable and inclusive future in teacher preparation.

The policy landscape concerning First Nations students in Australia has been increasingly focused on improving educational outcomes, school retention and completion, and student wellbeing. In NSW, this has seen greater attention toward the importance of quality teaching practices that integrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and pedagogies across the curriculum. For the intended improvements to be realised, effective policy and quality teaching must advance in tandem.

Teachers implementing the Aboriginal Education Policy (AEP) face a tension between complying with policy mandates, confidently employing quality teaching practices for First Nations students, and striving for authenticity in their approach. Teacher disconnection from policy design, lack of confidence in policy decision-making, fear of making errors in policy enactment, and the system's prioritisation of policy compliance all contribute to this tension. Additionally, the perception that policy is separate from quality teaching threatens the smooth integration of quality, equitable teaching practices.

Grounded in the understanding that both principals and teachers are crucial policy actors, this study utilises Ball’s (2003; 2005) toolbox approach to explore how teachers interpret and enact policies promoting equity and cultural understanding, with a particular focus on the AEP. Using qualitative methods including interviews and document analysis, this research investigates teachers’ perspectives on their roles as policy actors and their efforts to authentically integrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and pedagogies into their teaching practices.

While educators acknowledge the import of building genuine relationships with students and communities, and engaging in culturally responsive teaching, they often find it challenging to exercise agency and autonomy in policy enactment within a performance and metrics-driven environment. There is an urgent need to reform and reframe policy and policy enactment as a dynamic, context-dependent process that is synonymous with quality teaching. Only then will equitable educational opportunities for all students be possible.

This paper focuses on Florida’s House Bill 1647: K-12 Education (HB 1467), also known as the Curriculum Transparency Bill. The exploration of different interpretations of educational policy among elementary English Language Arts school teachers of grades 3-5 in Florida, United States, and the impact these interpretations have had on their pedagogical choices was explored. This qualitative case study investigates the varying interpretations of HB 1467 within its real-life context. Data collection methods include in-field observations, semi-structured interviews, and analysis of policy-related documents. This study ascribes to Karl Weick’s (1995) Sensemaking Theory, which connects individuals’ psychological and sociological ideas to make sense of the world around them. Karl Weick emphasized that sensemaking is the ongoing process through which people give meaning to events and experiences to understand them and take necessary action. Teachers collaborate with their peers in education by sharing ideas, insights, and experiences to improve their practices, reduce ambiguity, and adapt to change. How teachers make sense of educational policies determines their pedagogical choices, but what happens when there are many interpretations of the same educational policy? Teachers’ sensemaking of this policy has led to practical and pedagogical variances in classrooms across Florida. This has prompted many teachers to remove classroom libraries, resulting in learning inequities among students across the state. This policy has created a whirlwind of emotions, reactions, and interpretations. Implementing educational policies often leads to diverse interpretations and practices among educators. This study aims to reconcile these tensions by proposing a new educational social contract. This contract, which emphasizes collaboration, equity, and innovation, offers a beacon of hope for the future of education in Florida. It is urgent, as it will help ensure that all students receive a high-quality education, regardless of the specific pedagogical choices made by teachers.

Societal and political shifts influence the field of language education. Political, economic, social, and cultural factors mold language policies and practices. Therefore, the language education policy in Israeli Arab schools is significantly influenced by the specific political and social context of Arab-Palestinian citizens in Israel. This national group remained in their homeland following the 1948 war and later became Israeli citizens. This study delves into the language policy in Arab schools in Israel from 1948 to the present, taking into account the distinctive experiences of the Palestinian Arab minority in Israel, mainly focusing on political and identity-related questions.

Over the years, the linguistic landscape of Palestinian Arabs in Israel has evolved, leading to changes in the status of different languages. In Arab Palestinian schools in Israel, Arabic is the first language, Hebrew is the second language, and English is taught as a third language. This research examines the emphasis on each language in language education, the reasoning behind various language education policies, the pedagogical approaches utilized for each language, and the student's language skill achievements. The goal is to assess the degree of multilingualism in Arab schools in Israel by analyzing the successes, challenges, and difficulties encountered in acquiring these languages. This qualitative study will analyze five components of language education policy: curriculum, learning materials, assessment, interviews, and archives.