Far too many Black, Indigenous, and other youth of color lack access to educational resources, including technology, enrichment activities, suitable school buildings, and diverse and effective teachers. As if resource disparities were not enough, these students are often held back by low teacher expectations, exclusionary disciplinary practices, curricula that neglect Read more
The Education Research Alliance for New Orleans has released a new study, based on a survey of almost 4,000 students, that finds Black students in New Orleans report more positive educational experiences, including less bullying and fairer discipline, in schools with a higher percentage of Black teachers. Ninety percent of Read more
The College in High School Alliance (CHSA) has released the first in a series of policy snapshots. These resources are designed to explore specific policy issues impacting college in high school programs such as dual enrollment and early college high school. CHSA’s first snapshot concerns Improving Eligibility Requirements for Dual Read more
In the United States, current approaches to helping teachers engage in ongoing skill development, and equitably reward teachers with particular skill sets aligned with advanced career opportunities, are often woefully ineffective, and sometimes even non-existent. “Micro-credentials” are a recent addition to the mix of potential solutions to these issues. Like Read more
The idea of student-centered learning is not new; teachers have long sought to design personalized, competency-based environments that are tailored to individuals and that empower students to drive their own learning. What is new is the emergence of an online learning ecosystem and, with it, the technical possibility of equipping Read more
What may be possible for education on the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic? It is hard to imagine there will be another moment in history when the central role of education in the economic, social, and political prosperity and stability of nations is so obvious and well understood by Read more
Among high school students who consider dropping out, half cite lack of engagement with school as a primary reason, and 42 percent say that they don’t see value in the schoolwork they are asked to do. During emergency closures due to COVID-19, even students who were previously highly motivated began Read more
A new report from CASEL, Advancing Social and Emotional Learning as a Lever for Equity and Excellence, calls on researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to work hand in hand to further our collective understanding of how systemic SEL can contribute to more just, caring schools and communities where all individuals can Read more
The National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE) is the leading U.S. organization studying high-performing education systems and their implications for dramatically improving American education. In The Design of High-Performing Education Systems, NCEE has distilled the accumulated insights of 35 years of research from the world’s leading systems. The Read more
As U.S. schools closed their doors this past spring in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a little-considered effect was the impact of school closures on the preparation of the next generation of educators. Teacher and leader candidates all over the country had their field experiences abruptly cut short, and educator Read more
The Learning Agency recently published a report, Education and Income: How Learning Boosts Salary, by Ulrich Boser. Key takeaways appear below: The U.S. is in the midst of an economic downturn resulting from COVID-19, with potential long lasting effects on workers and the American labor market. Unemployment is at its Read more
Writing for Inside Higher Ed, Madeline St. Amour reviews the Massachusetts early college program, which is turning out to be one of the strongest solutions to the state’s equity gap. Excerpts from the piece appear below: An early-college program targeted at underrepresented students in Massachusetts is showing strong results — Read more
As school districts deliberate over reopening schools with the COVID-19 pandemic still ongoing, the Aurora Institute has developed a report with strategic guidance on how to harness our current opportunity to transform K-12 education. Education Policy Issues for the COVID-19 Era: Policy Actions and Responses to Leverage the Moment for Read more
Writing for the Fordham Institute, Chester E. Finn, Jr. presents an explanation of what is needed to fundamentally change schooling in America. Excerpts from the piece appear below: What distinguishes problems we tackle in a serious way from those we mostly just wring our hands and protest over? What distinguishes Read more
Writing for The 74, Charlotte West reports on the growing popularity of college classes for high school students. With K-12 schools shuttered, COVID is fueling a dual-enrollment boom. Excerpts from the piece appear below: Amber Bennett was 11 when she took her first class at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Read more
The Aspen Institute has released 10 recommendations states can use to maintain student connections and relationships through the 2020-21 school year. Healthy relationships and routines undergird the development of resilience, which is needed to engage successfully in academics and in life beyond school. These dimensions of student well-being and readiness-to-learn Read more