School Improvement Grants (SIG) represent one type of governments' capacity-building investment to spur sustainable changes in America's persistently under-performing public schools. This study examines both short- and long-run effects of the first two cohorts of SIG schools from two states and two urban districts across the country. Using dynamic…

The start of kindergarten signifies the beginning of elementary school and everything that may come with it: a new building, new teachers, new expectations, and a different routine and culture. These new students transition into kindergarten from different settings, bringing with them a variety of assets and experiences. From a holistic…

In 2015, 26 two- and four-year institutions received three-year grants to implement reforms consistent with the Integrated Planning and Advising for Student Success (iPASS) initiative. Grantees committed to launch or enhance existing technologies and undertake related organizational changes that would enable them to provide more effective advising…

Millions of college students, across the nation and in California, benefit from financial aid that reduces the amount students and families must pay for tuition and fees, supplies, and living expenses like food, housing, and transportation while enrolled. In California, concerns about college costs and affordability have in recent years expanded…

In 2009 President Barack Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Dragoset, et al., 2017). The Recovery Act served as the financial umbrella which helped to allocate $3 billion to fund School Improvement Grants to support states and school districts in championing original, innovative programs as well as to hire staff to…

This evaluation report explores the evolution of the Youth Leadership Institute (YLI), an annual convening of youth leaders, youth organizers, adult allies, and educators from across New England. The report closely examines the first several years of YLI, tracking its growth and challenges through the eyes of youth, adult allies, and Nellie Mae…

What do state policies say about how to fund postsecondary education? This 50-State Comparison answers this question by searching state statutes, state rules and regulations, enacted state budget bills, and state postsecondary education agency policies that address postsecondary education budgeting and funding. According to the content of the…

In the United States, public policy and expenditure intended to improve the prospects of children from low-income families have focused on better preparing children for school through Head Start and universal pre-K. This school readiness approach differs from the dominant model of public support for early care and learning in Northern Europe,…

Today with the rise in the number of 3- to 6-year-old children enrolled in center-based early childhood programs, and a focus on program quality, it becomes imperative for educators to have a better understanding of the role research plays in establishing high-quality programs as these programs provide much of the foundation that supports early…

Over the past 30 years, the number of industry certificates awarded by colleges and universities has surged more than 800 percent, according to Lumina Foundation. At the same time, new forms of credentials--such as badges--also have emerged. And while there are more than 4,000 organizations granting certifications in the U.S., fewer than 10…

In an effort to help faculty members learn about and obtain external funding for their research, a team of scholar-practitioners within a College of Education at a large southeastern university developed a database tool that enables faculty to identify grant opportunities aligned with their research interests and provides faculty with easy access…

"Policy Patrons" offers a rare behind-the-scenes view of decision making inside four influential education philanthropies: the Ford Foundation, the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation. The outcome is an intriguing, thought-provoking look at the impact of current…

Positive school climate and supportive learning environments have a significant effect on a range of student outcomes. There are a number of assessment instruments that districts can use to measure school climate. These instruments are available from and recommended by national organizations that promote and support school climate interventions.

Given growing disparities in college enrollment by household income, policymakers and researchers often are interested in understanding whether policies expand access for low-income students. In this brief, we highlight the limitations of a commonly available measure of low-income status--whether students receive a federal Pell grant--and compare…

This article describes rural and remote teacher training in low incidence (LI) disabilities through an alternative teaching pathway (ATP) and the efforts of one university's ATP program to address the ongoing critical special education teacher shortage in rural and remote school districts. The impact of the federal investment in…