The 2020 Census risks undercounting thousands of young Colorado children, depriving communities of federal funding and political representation for the next decade. Children under age 5 are more likely to be missed by the census than any other age group, with children of color, non-English speakers, and kids living in high poverty communities at…

Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation (TG) provides critical support to schools, students, and borrowers at every stage of the federal student aid process--from providing information on how to pay for a higher education including financial aid options, to facilitating successful loan repayment after graduation. This 2016 issue of "State…

The Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) is a network of charter schools designed to improve the educational opportunities available to low-income families. KIPP schools seek to boost their students' academic achievement and, ultimately, prepare them to enroll and succeed in college. This paper provides the most thorough analysis to date of the…

At the request of the United Way of Greater Los Angeles, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) undertook this analysis of the teacher policies in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). A coalition of civil rights groups were also involved in this project, including Parent Organization Network, Families in Schools, Alliance for a…

Everybody knows that healthy school buildings contribute to student learning, reduce health and operating costs, and ultimately, increase school quality and competitiveness. However, 55 million of the nation's children attend public and private K-12 schools where poor air quality, hazardous chemicals and other unhealthy conditions make students…

College graduation rates for minority students are often shockingly low. Most institutions have significantly lower graduation rates for black students than for white students. This report demonstrates that these high-failure rates are not inevitable: Some institutions are graduating black students at a higher rate than white students. The report…

This report presents the conditions of children of color in the state of Washington, with statistics about economic support, health, and safety. Comments from leaders of color and other true stories help explain the situations reflected by the numerical data. It is important to note that most children of color in Washington live in solid families…

This paper discusses one of the arguments that has been advanced against the use of standardized college admissions tests: the notion that their use leads admissions officers to reject non-Asian minority students on the basis of small and insignificant differences in scores. In the aggregate, the disadvantage minority students face as a result of…

This report describes achievement gaps found in the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS), North Carolina, compares the status of the WCPSS to achievement in the past, and compares WCPSS to other similar school systems and national data when available. On almost all academic measures, white females were the most successful students in the…

This report is the second in a series of periodic updates on the achievement gap among various demographic groups in the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS). For this report, students academic success in WCPSS was studied, based on outcomes such as achievement test scores, dropout rates, and course enrollment. In some areas, the gaps in…

The Montgomery County (Maryland) school system evaluated its Success for Every Student Plan, an initiative designed to bring all children in the county's schools, regardless of race or socioeconomic status, to the same high achievement levels. The program was evaluated through school system records with attention to 12 outcomes. An average of 60%…

This preliminary report marks the first step in the efforts of a task force formed by the Council of the Great City Schools to reduce the gaps in student achievement by race, income, language, and gender. The report is based on data from 48 major urban school districts. A mixed picture has emerged. Some districts are placing their primary focus on…

This report presents the results of a five-year longitudinal study designed to examine the effect of career-based comprehensive school reform on creating a successful high school experience and preparing youth for the adult world of postsecondary education and work. The study included three feeder patterns of middle schools, high schools, and…

This study describes the importance of rural education in each of the 50 states, and suggests the urgency with which state policymakers should address the needs of rural schools and communities. The study compared states on two gauges of concern for their rural schools and communities. The rural importance gauge examines how important it is to the…

As part of a series of studies on the concerns and aspirations of American teachers, this report illustrates the concerns of teachers, students, and law enforcement officers about the increasing violence and fears of violence in U.S. schools. The survey is based on interviews with a nationally representative sample of 1,000 teachers from grades 3…