On March 15, 2024, the Civil Rights Division (the Division) of the U.S. Department of Justice issued a resource for families and students on confronting discrimination based on religion in public schools. The document recognizes that in schools around the country, students have reported unfair treatment, bullying, and harassment because of their…

In the aftermath of the pandemic, public schools nationwide face profound challenges. Student test scores are down, absenteeism is at an all-time high, and educators are working tirelessly to bridge the learning gap. But research shows families believe that everything is back to normal or will be soon. This report explores this disconnect by…

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 "Supporting Diverse Students." Contents include: (1) Federal Departments of…

In spring 2024, the Multicounty Multitype Library Systems, supported by State Library Services, conducted a census of K-12 public and charter schools in Minnesota to learn about the status of school libraries. A total of 1,528 out of 1,777 eligible schools completed the census. The findings can help legislators, school staff, librarians, and…

"Making the Grade 2021" analyzes the condition of public school funding in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Using the most recently available data from the 2018-19 school year, the report ranks and grades each state on three measures to answer the key question: How fair is school funding in your state? The three fairness…

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 "Combatting Classroom Censorship." Contents include: (1) A Wolf in Sheep's…

This fact sheet answers several questions about enrollment in Maryland public schools, including: (1) how to enroll a child in school for the first time; (2) what to do if a child is transferring from one school to another; and (3) why proof of custody/guardianship, proof of residency, proof of age, proof of income, and immunization records are…

For two decades, Ohio's district and school report cards have been the linchpin to a transparent and accountable public school system and have highlighted student outcomes in the state's 3,000 plus public schools and 600 plus districts. Report cards offer key academic information about how students perform on the year's state assessments and how…

This data brief, featuring infographics, provides a statistical overview of students attending public schools in non-rural areas, such as cities, suburbs, and towns. It delivers essential information for school leaders, parents, educators, and other stakeholders and is updated annually.

Parents, guardians, caregivers and school administrators will sometimes disagree over whether a student may enroll in or continue to attend a public school based on the student's place of residence. The information in this manual is designed to help parents, guardians and caregivers understand New Jersey's public school residency rules and to…

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 "Students Are Speaking." Contents include: (1) Books Are for Learning, Not…

"Making the Grade" provides an annual overview of the condition of school finance in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The data in this edition gives a picture of states' investment in their public school systems in the 2019-20 school year, the historic moment when public education, and society at large, experienced the massive…

Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. students attend rural schools. Researchers report that at least half of public schools are rural in 12 states (i.e., Montana, South Dakota, Vermont, North Dakota, Maine, Alaska, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Wyoming, New Hampshire, Iowa, and Mississippi) (Showalter et al., 2019). Providing quality education to all rural students is a…

All children in the United States have an equal right to enroll and participate in public elementary and secondary schools without regard to their or their parents' or guardians' immigration status. When public schools deny equal access to education because of national origin or immigration status, the Educational Opportunities Section of the…

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 "Education Policy Issues in Texas & Georgia." Contents include: (1) What to…