Policy Rhetoric, Realities, and Burdens - Using Critical Policy Analysis to Center At-Promise Student Success in the McNair Program

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dawugda

Educational policies intended to support first-generation, low-income, and racially minoritized students may overlook the lived realities these students experience in college. Instead, students in compensatory education programs can face additional marginalization. Using critical policy analysis principles to frame a three-phase qualitative study, the research examines interviews and McNair program policy documents to surface hidden policymaker assumptions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages27

Reading Time1 h 8 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Study design

Key findings

Implications for federal policy

education policy analysis archives A peer-reviewed, independent, open access, multilingual journal Arizona State University | Volume 32 Number 71 November 12, 2024 | ISSN 1068-2341 | | --- | --- | Policy Rhetoric, Realities, and Burdens: Using Critical Policy Analysis to Center At-Promise Student Success in the McNair Program1 Nathan A. Hutcherson & Raquel Muñiz Boston College United States Citation: Hutcherson, N. A. & Muñiz, R. (2024). Policy rhetoric, realities, and burdens: Using critical policy analysis to center at-promise student success in the McNair program. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 32(71). [https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.32.8715](https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.32.8715) Abstract: Educational policies designed to benefit students from first-generation, low-income, and racially minoritized backgrounds do not always consider the realities these students experience during college. Instead, students participating in compensatory education programs can endure further marginalization. Using critical policy analysis’ core tenets as guiding principles to frame our study and guide our analysis, we conducted a three-phase qualitative analytic study. We examined interviews with students and McNair program policy documents to interrogate policymakers’ hidden assumptions and the (de)centering of minoritized student perspectives in the McNair program policy. Students in the program discussed varied and conflicting definitions of success, such as learning they did not want to attend graduate school—a primary goal and measure of success for the federal government. They also highlighted advisors as a source of support. By centering the 1 This project was supported by Boston College's Research Incentive Grant and Research Expense Grant. experiences of students, our findings highlight this critical gap and draw attention to the administrative burdens placed on at-promise students, emphasize the need for holistic socioemotional support in federal policy, and underscore the powerful role of supportive faculty and staff. Keywords: critical policy analysis; at-promise students; student success; administrative burdens; McNair Retórica política, realidades y cargas: Uso del análisis crítico de políticas para centrar el éxito de los estudiantes at-promise en el programa McNair Resumen: Las políticas educativas diseñadas para beneficiar a estudiantes de primera generación, de bajos ingresos y de grupos raciales minorizados no siempre consideran las realidades que estos estudiantes experimentan durante la universidad. En cambio, los estudiantes que participan en programas de educación compensatoria pueden sufrir una mayor marginación. Utilizando los principios fundamentales del análisis crítico de políticas como guía para enmarcar nuestro estudio yorientar nuestro análisis, realizamos un estudio analítico cualitativo en tres fases. Examinamos entrevistas con estudiantes y documentos de política del programa McNair para interrogar las suposiciones ocultas de los responsables políticos y la (des)centralización de las perspectivas de estudiantes minorizados en la política del programa McNair. Los estudiantes en el programadiscutieron definiciones variadas y conflictivas de éxito, como aprender que no querían asistir a la escuela de posgrado, que es un objetivo principal y medida de éxito para el gobierno federal. También señalaron a los asesores como una fuente de apoyo. Al centrar las experiencias de los estudiantes, nuestros hallazgos destacan esta brecha crítica y llaman la atención sobre las cargas administrativas impuestas a los estudiantes en situación de vulnerabilidad, enfatizan la necesidad de un apoyo socioemocional integral en la política federal y subrayan el papel fundamental de profesores y personal de apoyo. Palabras-clave: análisis crítico de políticas; estudiantes at-promise; éxito estudiantil; cargas administrativas; McNair Retórica política, realidades e encargos: Usando análise críti

FAQs

What is the main concern about education policies for at-promise students?

The policies may not account for the realities students experience in college, leading to further marginalization for participants in compensatory education programs.

How does the study examine student success in the McNair program?

It uses a three-phase qualitative analytic approach, examining interviews with students and McNair program policy documents to interrogate policymakers’ assumptions.

What does the research find about definitions of success and student support?

Students described varied and sometimes conflicting definitions of success, and they highlighted advisors as a source of support, while the findings stress administrative burdens and the need for holistic socioemotional support.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dawugda