In "Navigating School Board Politics," Carrie R. Sampson examines the political power of the US education system's publicly elected school boards, the reality of how they apply that power, and the resounding impact of their governance. The work makes the case that school boards, as both the direct link between local communities and…

Purpose: We describe charter school leaders' beliefs and practices as they relate to student transportation in three choice-rich cities. Research Methods/Approach: Data come from a multiple comparative case study of district and charter school leaders' perceptions and implementation of transportation policies in three choice-rich cities with…

The California Community Colleges (CCC) system is the largest, most diverse public college system in the nation. As the system works to improve outcomes for all students, and in response to the racial climate in the United States during 2020, the system's Chancellor's Office released a call to action, asking all colleges to address systemic racism…

As outlined in the 2024 National Educational Technology Plan; digital health, safety, and citizenship skills reflect the full set of knowledge and habits students can adopt to protect themselves and others in online spaces. For schools and districts, protecting student health and safety while those skills develop means taking an approach that can…

Despite a growing recognition of the significance of student transportation for promoting equitable school choice, to date, there has been limited understanding of the implementation of school transportation policies, particularly in choice-heavy settings. Moreover, little is known about the challenges associated with managing student…

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…

Increasingly fraught disputes over education have elevated local school boards as key sites of inquiry. In this critical ethnography, we examine how ostensibly neutral school board rules, routines, and relations play out in practice. We asked, How do (queer) youth of color proponents, white opponents, and white allies of an anti-oppressive…

Reclassification, the process by which English learner (EL) students exit EL classification, often determines ELs' access to mainstream academic coursework. While existing research finds that many students who demonstrate English proficiency do not reclassify, few studies evaluate policies that effectively reclassify eligible students. This study…

Since 2017, hostile anti-LGBTQ+ educational bills rapidly expanded. Using traditional and critical policy analysis across three Midwestern states, we examine (1) whether state and local policymakers (n = 60) adopted trans-inclusive protections aligned with the 2017 federal "Whitaker" ruling, (2) the spread and scope of state and local…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act has deep roots in the civil rights movement; however, the legislation, as currently applied, has done little to address racial inequities in services students with disabilities receive. Too often, schools, districts, and states focus on complying with the regulations, while failing to make necessary…

AGB has been collecting data and tracking trends on the composition of college and university governing boards since the late 1960s, and on the composition of foundation governing boards since 1985. "Policies, Practices, and Composition of?Governing Boards of Colleges, Universities, and Institutionally Related Foundations 2021" and its…

This product is part of a series of practitioner briefs highlighting ways that education leaders can increase educational equity by building supportive learning environments that will meet all students' social and emotional needs. MDRC, The Alliance for Education Excellence, and The Education Trust recently released a brief that summarizes lessons…

Amy Yarborough, a veteran teacher and curriculum resource leader in a rural district in Virginia, facilitates a professional learning community focused on social justice and equity-oriented instructional practices. When allegations of teaching critical race theory are reported via the state's email tip line and community social media groups, Amy…

The confusing variations of terminology that connect "home" with instruction warrant special care in relation to students with disabilities. The underlying core of these varying terms amounts to three distinct placement options in relation to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), here identified as homebound…

What should an educational leader passionate about all students do when they are told educational equity is not allowed in their district? What does a director of Indigenous education do when funding earmarked for Indigenous students is redirected to other school priorities? What should be done when the very teachers who need training in cultural…