The Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) Board of Regents organized the State Scholarship Task Force to examine how best to redesign existing scholarship programs to meet the needs of the state without requiring additional funding. The criteria considered by the State Scholarship Task Force and their recommendations are provided. Details…

State financial aid grant programs are commonly categorized as either need-based, merit-based, or both, but their initial eligibility requirements include many more factors than just financial need and academic merit. A categorization of programs that accounts for all requirements would facilitate a more nuanced and precise understanding of state…

This article examines whether states under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) are prioritizing education leadership to improve schools. Examining all 52 consolidated plans, we found that while the federal law increases states' flexibility toward such ends, states have taken advantage to varying degrees. We argue that forces at both the state…

State postsecondary data systems contain a wealth of information--including detailed records about individuals--that allow states to analyze and improve their postsecondary education systems. The entities that maintain these systems operate in a context of concern about the privacy and security of educational records. They have both an interest in…

Although multiple studies have examined the impact of school turnaround, less is known about reforms under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). To advance this literature, we examine North Carolina's Restart (NCR) model. NCR aligns with ESSA by giving school leaders increased flexibility. Also, NCR differs from previous turnaround models by…

The purpose of this report is to provide readers with a comparative analysis of the Massachusetts workforce "system" structures and performance reporting processes compared to other states. Though the federal workforce development system is often examined in its entirety and individual state systems are at times examined independently,…

Do Washington state's targeted, public preschool programs help socially vulnerable students succeed in elementary school? In this study, we explore this question by examining the state's Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) and the Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT) program. Using statewide censuses of…

Across many states, workforce and economic development policies are typically managed by different agencies, funded through different laws and programs, and driven by different priorities and eligibility rules. This arrangement can result in a fragmented workforce and economic development ecosystem that may have negative impacts for workers and…

Immigrants and their children are a vital part of Connecticut's present and its future. Comprising 15 percent of the state's residents, immigrants have driven all population and workforce growth over the last decade and a half. In addition, about 30 percent of Connecticut children are part of immigrant families. Most immigrants in the state, as in…

Advocates for taxpayer-funded school-choice programs cite the potential of market competition to spur educational improvement and promote equity for low-income students. Meanwhile, school-choice critics lament the exodus of talent and resources from public schools, which they argue such programs necessarily cause. Most research on publicly funded…

Registered Apprenticeship and secondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs share the common goal of providing students with hands-on training paired with technical, classroom instruction to prepare them for living wage, in-demand careers. When these systems are aligned, they can strengthen one another through a reciprocal relationship.…

We examined the impact of 4-H participation on workforce readiness skill development, including personal, work, communication, and problem solving/decision-making. The study examined two levels of 4-H activities: county-level and state-level. The online survey instrument contained questions about demographics, skill development and 4-H…

"Pathways to Implementation" highlights innovative strategies and effective models in career pathways policy, implementation, and programming, as well as challenges states encounter in this work. This seven-part series addresses the key elements of Bellwether's framework for career pathways policy implementation. Each brief defines the…

The "Achieving Academic Equity and Excellence for Black Boys" (AAEEBB) grant is designed to address the academic and socioemotional needs of Black boys in Maryland Public Schools. In year two of the grant (2022-2023), 14 schools were each awarded $50,000 to implement programs that addressed recommendations from a state-level task force…

Despite the contributions of their work to the learning and development of young children, child care and early education (CCEE) educators are among the lowest paid workers in the United States and have high rates of turnover in their jobs. In a pioneering effort, Washington, DC has launched the nation's first large-scale, publicly funded program…