Educators and instructional designers have used the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework to guide their design of inclusive instruction for students with and without disabilities. Despite UDL having entered its 4th decade of development and research, there have been ongoing critiques of UDL for lacking clarity in definition, challenges…

In this article, we describe a large-scale data collection effort about the environmental learning field in Maine. This approach utilized a stakeholder engagement process which included over 600 project managers, educators, and school administrators from both formal and informal education settings. Our focus on collecting data about specific…

This brief examines the New York City Public Schools' (NYCPS) Computer Science for All (CS4All) initiative's efforts to build teacher capacity and support the implementation of computer science (CS) education across K-12 classrooms. The initiative, launched in 2015, aimed to deliver high-quality CS education to all students by providing robust…

This report focuses on the NYC Computer Science for All (CS4All) initiative's efforts to build schools' capacity to expand access to CS across the district. Launched in 2015, CS4All aimed to provide a meaningful CS experience to every student at least once within each grade band (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12). As the initiative matured, it also began to…

This dissertation includes two studies, aiming to explore the status of physical education and stakeholders' perceptions of physical education in Colorado. In study one, using the PE for All Colorado model policy as a guiding framework, the purpose of this study was to explore the status of physical education in Colorado. Research questions…

Background: The pathologisation of people with disability1 has long affected the educational quality of the sexuality education they receive. Whilst concern for people with disability has been growing in some comprehensive sexuality education settings, the quality of education in these spaces is variable and typically accommodations for people…

New York City's Computer Science for All (CS4All) initiative, launched in 2015, aimed to provide all students across the system with at least one CS experience at each grade band (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12). The initiative placed particular emphasis on broadening participation among girls, and Black and Latinx students, who are underrepresented in…

Over the last two years, seven states have enacted new universal education savings account (ESA) programs or have expanded existing programs to universal or near-universal eligibility. Parental-choice advocates, who have labored for decades to make incremental inroads toward achieving greater educational freedom for families. However, the authors…

It has quickly become apparent in the past year that online learning is not only an asset, but it is critical to the continued education of youth during times of crisis. However, districts and schools across the nation are in need of guidance and practical, research-backed approaches to distance and hybrid learning. The current COVID-19 crisis has…

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a scientifically validated framework that has been included in policy like the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 and the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008. However, studies have pointed out the variability in definitions and implementation surrounding UDL. In order to clarify this conversation,…

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…

Purpose and Method of Study: The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to determine to what extent educational leaders in Houston, Texas; Miami, Florida; and the Island of Puerto Rico implemented the school emergency operations plan and recovery planning guides from the USDE before and during 2017 Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria.…

The present report is the outcome of a study on the status of OER in the Commonwealth conducted in late 2021. Considering the importance of OER in the context of the challenges posed by COVID-19, the findings shall be useful for Member States and educational institutions to mainstream OER. The overall objective is to help countries across the…

Just because a school has adopted a social and emotional learning (SEL) program does not mean it will work. This book explores the conditions needed to implement, strengthen, and sustain effective SEL, and identifies paths that schools, districts, and states have taken to create those conditions. Major themes include equity of access to…

Reading and writing translate to centuries of shared knowledge and can be expanded upon with the ability to acquire multiple tongues. In response to today's most widely spoken languages, Chinese/English and Spanish/English dual language immersion programs continue to grow across the United States. Unfortunately, the lack of uniformity in the…