As a community of practice, educational psychologists are unpracticed in considering how educational policies might affect the phenomena they study. One reason is the traditional focus of educational psychology research on cross-contextual individual processes, to the practical exclusion of the political context that frames teaching, learning,…

K-12 schools in the United States significantly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions due to aging infrastructure, inefficient energy practices, and a heavy reliance on fossil fuels. Addressing these issues through decarbonization is not just important--it is becoming a critical initiative aimed at reducing environmental impact while…

Drawing on data from three levels of education policy-making in Canada, in this paper we identify variegated interactions of global circulations of sustainability discourses in education in relation to priorities and responses at subnational levels of government, including provinces and territorial ministries of education, local school divisions,…

COVID-19 school closures disrupted special education in numerous ways. During the summer of 2020, district leaders across the U.S. developed reopening plans; these plans addressed special education and a constellation of other elements of schooling, such as remote learning schedules and health protocols. By fall 2020, educational leaders sought to…

After attempting to reach full implementation of healthy and functioning Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 behavioral systems at its elementary schools through years of training and coaching, Springfield Public Schools (SPS) found it necessary to strategically invest district resources in its PBIS efforts by targeting Tier 2 and initial Tier 3 systems…

Despite increasing animal prevalence in public spaces, few districts have proactively developed policies to integrate assistance, therapy, service, and emotional support animals that are both legally sound and support the needs of individual students. Federal legislation defines a variety of animals that could accompany students, but only those…

Urban schools in many OECD countries are contending with policy trends that squeeze budgets and incentivize parent fundraising. The trend may be most pronounced and longstanding in the US, where parent groups and local education foundations have turned increasing attention to raising funds to support additional services, staff, or programs for…

The Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) is performing a four-year review of a sample of the websites of 1,504 local education agencies (LEAs) to identify whether and how these websites include information about student privacy. In each year of the study, SPPO is reviewing a nationally representative sample of 376 LEA websites, focusing on whether…

The U.S. Department of Education's (Department's or ED's) Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) and its Privacy Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) are conducting a four-year review of the websites of 1,504 Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to identify whether and how these websites include information on student privacy. The review is part of ED's…

Ms. Barnard is faced with a complex dilemma. The district administrator in charge of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) initiatives and support was presented with a case of a transgender student who wished to attend an overnight field trip and share a room with other students based on her gender identity. Although the district had made…

When San Francisco implemented a new policy to improve graduation rates and college enrollment, district officials realized their work was only beginning. San Francisco Unified School District revamped its college-ready graduation policy in 2009, hoping to increase the likelihood that students would graduate with the necessary courses to go to a…

National, state, and local educational agencies identify teacher retention as an issue of continuous importance and concern. This report addresses the issue of teacher retention through the lens of administrative effectiveness and involvement, as well as teachers' intrinsic motivations. Relevant findings include structural framing of the…

This landscape review includes a document and policy review of policies and programs across the City of Richmond, West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD), The California Endowment, and other local community organizations. Additionally, the review encompasses: (1) 15 PLUS projects from 2008-2018 for 4 clients: City of Richmond, WCCUSD,…

Indefinite school closures have left some school districts unprepared to manage the necessary provisions to provide an equitable education for all students. As learning hubs were launched for at-home learning guided by parents and students, accommodations for English Learners (EL), students with disabilities, and students receiving Special…

School leadership is a key factor in school turnarounds. The general prescription for what school leaders should do tends to be this: Set high expectations for staff and students and give strong instructional supports. Most school systems recognize how tall an order this is, given everything else the principal job entails. Even principals who are…