Moving Rivers, Shifting Streams: Perspectives on the Existence of a Policy Window

This article represents differing perspectives on the creation and establishment of the Rhode Island Arts Learning Network (ALN). At the heart of this discussion is whether or not the Rhode Island task force in charge of this process took advantage of what noted public policy analyst John Kingdon refers to as a "policy window" where policy issues move onto the government agenda and toward decision and action. "Moving rivers" refers to the presence of both major policy realignments as well as physical and demographic changes that were occurring in Rhode Island between 1999 and 2003. "Shifting streams" refers to Kingdon's description of the process of opening a policy window as three convergent streams: (1) the problem stream involving problem identification and recognition often based on indicators of focusing events; (2) the policy stream populated by disparate policy communities producing alternatives and proposals; and (3) the political stream incorporating shifts in public opinion, administration changes, and interest-group dynamics. (Contains 28 notes.)