Recent involvement in teacher education policy around a proposed stand-alone phonics course in Mississippi revealed important guidelines for researchers aiming to influence policy, including (a) build relationships with policy makers; (b) help to define problems by framing issues and proactively put forth solutions rather than waiting to respond to proposals; (c) avoid dichotomization, but instead work to build common ground; and (d) use a strategy of small wins to achieve small successes, thereby learning to negotiate the policy environment.