The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "Opportunity." Contents include: (1) Students Deserve to Read Diverse Books --…

The Federal Work-Study (FWS) program provides over $1 billion dollars annually in taxpayer-funded financial assistance to a unique population of at-risk, economically-disadvantaged U.S. college students with limited options for employment-related development. Research on the effects of FWS participation, especially professional development, is…

When learning to implement a curriculum effectively, early care and education (ECE) teachers require ongoing feedback about their progress, along with multiple and frequent opportunities to practice. Curriculum-based coaching initiatives, in which coaches facilitate active reflection on a curriculum and mentor teachers on adapting and applying new…

This statutory report presents the activities and accomplishments of the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Inspector General (OIG) from April 1, 2024, through September 30, 2024. The audits, investigations, and related work highlighted in the report are products of OIG's mission to identify and stop fraud, waste, and abuse; and promote…

In 2000, federally funded public adult education programs provided basic skills training and English language instruction to over 2.6 million students, or about 1.5% of the U.S. adult population. By 2021, enrollment had plummeted to under 900,000, or less than 0.4% of adults. What explains these declines? This policy brief describes the evolution…

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) consistently dedicates significant resources to the oversight of Federal student assistance programs programs due to the risks associated with their complexity, high levels of funding, large numbers of program participants, and reliance on contractors. Through the office of Federal Student Aid (FSA), the U.S.…

This handout expands upon and consolidates information from the 2021 "RESTART & RECOVERY: Leveraging Federal COVID Relief Funding & Medicaid to Support Student & Staff Wellbeing & Connection" resource. It includes guidance about how states can utilize federal relief funding to expand school Medicaid to support student…

Research Connections developed this document in collaboration with the Tribal Child Care Capacity Building Center for use during the OCC National Tribal Conference 2024 on April 9-11, 2024. This resource list highlights sample resources from the Research Connections library on the Conference topic areas. It also includes links to additional…

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions and lived experiences of some low-income and first-generation students of color who participated in and graduated from the UB program. This qualitative study utilized the narrative inquiry research method to understand the lived experiences of seven former Upward Bound students. Program…

This study examines the use of individual development plans (IDPs) in a structured mentoring program as an effective mechanism for reducing identity-related anxiety for underrepresented trainees and increasing their learner agency. Social cognitive theory served to provide the theoretical framework for our implementation of IDPs and our…

Kindergarten unreadiness for children in poverty contributes to an early and persistent achievement gap in elementary school that can evolve into an opportunity gap in adulthood. This study explored the effect of the federally funded Preschool Development Grant program on school readiness for marginalized children in Southern Arizona. The…

CalFresh benefits can help college students make ends meet while attending college, but not all eligible students apply. One contributing factor may be that students are not aware they are eligible. Therefore, outreach efforts informing them of their eligibility could help increase take-up rates. To test this, we designed and conducted two…

The Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP), authorized by Congress in 2010, is one of the largest federally funded programs designed to prevent adolescent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections and prepare youth for successful transition to adulthood. PREP legislation requires grantees to incorporate into their programs content on…

This Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) Services Snapshot summarizes key data on demographics and services for children from birth to age five and pregnant women served by all Migrant and Seasonal Head Start programs. The data in this Snapshot is a subset of the annual Program Information Report (PIR) submission to the Office of Head Start.…

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, previously called the Food Stamp Program) is a key component of the U.S. social safety net. SNAP is the only social safety net program universally available to low-income Americans, and is intended to help families meet their basic nutritional needs. It can also help to stabilize the economy…