We live in a world of rules and regulations that govern our lives. Education policy is thecollection of laws, rules, and regulationsthat govern how school systems, and thepeople within them, operate. In school systems, good policy enables good practice on the part of teachers and leaders.While policy is only as good as its implementation, good policies are a necessary beginning.The policy context in which we live and work determines whether we can easily navigate decisions and shape practices that help our children and teachers succeed or whether we have to spend our time fighting to gain ground for creativity, innovation, and good practices. Federal, state, and local policy decisions influence the work of teachers and by extension their ability to work with students effectively. Many