Virtual charter schools--public charter schools that operate entirely or mostly online--largely depend on self-paced, asynchronous (accessed at any time) instruction and often rely on parents to act as instructors, according to the US Government Accountability Office's (GAO's) review of a nationally representative sample of virtual charter school…

Since 2017, over 300 presidentially-declared major disasters have occurred across all 50 states and all U.S. territories. Many of these disasters have had devastating effects on K-12 schools, including those in socially vulnerable communities for whom disaster recovery is more challenging. The Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster…

Rising college costs have outpaced federal grant aid and placed more of the financial burden on students and their families. Children's Savings Account (CSA) programs help families, especially lower-income families, save for college--and other postsecondary education--by providing financial contributions and possibly other supports. A Senate…

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted learning for millions of students, educators, and families who had to navigate modified in-person and virtual schooling, often in difficult circumstances. The pandemic's effects continue to reverberate across the nation and produce challenges for schools that will likely be felt for years to come. In many respects,…

States use their accountability systems to identify low-performing schools, which can receive added support and are expected to improve. Alternative schools serve students whose needs are not met in a regular school. They often serve at-risk students who are struggling academically or behaviorally. Given this unique population, the Government…

The Department of Education (Education) created Race to The Top (RTT) under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to provide incentives for states to reform K-12 education in areas such as improving the lowest performing schools and developing effective teachers and leaders. In 2010, Education awarded 12 states nearly $4 billion in…

Examines value-added student achievement levels of 74 school districts named as litigants in "Tennessee v. Small School Systems v. McWherter" and compares them with those of 64 nonlitigating districts. Although litigant districts have achieved greater fiscal equity, student achievement has not significantly improved. (Contains 11…

Results of the second year of the New Jersey Minimum Basic Skills Tests in reading and mathematics, mandated by the New Jersey Public School Education Act of 1975, are summarized. Approximately 397,000 students in grades three, six, nine, and eleven were tested. Results of the tests showed that a smaller percentage of sixth-grade students met…

The General Accounting Office (GAO), at the request of the House Committee on Education and Labor, Subcommittee on Elementary, Secondary, and Vocational Education, conducted studies on the extent and cost of testing in the United States, the experience of Canada in testing, and initial efforts to set standards for judging student performance on…

A review of literature and a survey of approximately 40 percent of 4,688 public, private, and parochial school principals and 60 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I institutions provide information on the effects of NCAA Rule No. 48, which mandates new academic criteria for the athletic eligibility of college entry level…

Research reveals that parental involvement in their children's education improves attendance, increases academic achievement, improves student behavior and study habits, and generates positive attitudes toward schools. The demands of work and family can act as barriers to involvement. Some parents are discouraged by a fear of incompetence and…

The United States has experienced a significant increase in educational attainment since the 1970s. Young adults in school today are more likely than their parents to finish high school, attend college, and graduate from college. Yet, in California the share of working-age adults who do not have a high school diploma or certificate of General…

This collection of papers addresses improvement of programs for the growing numbers of limited English proficient children in America. Included are: (1) "Improving Conditions for Success in Bilingual Education Programs," (2) "The Role of English as a Second Language in Bilingual Education," (3) "The Role of Research in…

Research shows that failure in adequate school performance is the rule for the poor. Courts should recognize the inequalities in educational opportunity caused by family income inequality and declare that the failure of public schools to respond to this inequality constitutes a violation of the equal protection clause. (MLF)

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) established 2 flexibility demonstration programs--State- and Local-Flex--that allow up to 7 states and 80 school districts to redirect up to 100 percent of certain NCLBA programs funds. The General Accounting Office (GAO) was asked to determine factors that affect states' and districts' decisions about whether…