English learners are entitled to participate meaningfully and equally in educational programs. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) includes provisions to ensure success for all students, including English learners. However, the federal government does not prescribe specifically how states should meet these provisions; instead, it is the…

While the COVID-19 pandemic affected the education of nearly all schoolchildren worldwide, pandemic-related school closures did not affect all children in equal ways. Between March and August, 2020, I interviewed 31 parents of children with disabilities as part of a larger interview study of U.S. parents of children in grades K-12. In this…

After high school, the outcomes for youth with disabilities fail to keep up with their typically developing peers. Participation in post-secondary education, hourly earnings, and engagement in either education or employment up to six years after high school are all lower than the general population (Cameto et al., 2011). A researcher-developed…

From February to April, New America conducted over 30 interviews with experts, care providers, and union representatives, focusing on three states. This report outlines key considerations for improving care worker job quality through organizing. We also include case studies on care worker organizing in California, Illinois, Washington, and the…

The subject of public charter schools and students with disabilities is both important and sensitive. These students have the potential to benefit greatly from the smaller size and specialized focus of many public charter schools, but questions persist regarding whether all or even most charters are as receptive to enrolling students with…

The West Virginia Department of Education has crafted this document to offer policy guidance to teams and Section 504 committees in providing appropriate access for students in statewide assessments; and to assist teachers and schools to work within the framework of federal law and state policies. The guidelines are referenced by West Virginia…

The Public Health Service Act (PHSA, 42 U.S.C. §§201 et. seq.) authorizes five student loan programs administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA): (1) Health Professions Student Loans; (2) Loans for Disadvantaged Students; (3) Primary Care Loans; (4) Nursing…

In March and April 2021, conservative education leaders representing state education agencies, charter networks, foundations, think tanks, research organizations, testing companies, universities and teachers convened in a private, three-part working group to discuss the future of state assessment and accountability systems. This brief highlights…

Principals shape the academic setting of schools. Yet, there is limited evidence on whether principal professional development improves schooling outcomes. Beginning in 2008-09, Pennsylvania's Inspired Leadership (PIL) induction program required that newly hired principals complete targeted in-service professional development tied to newly…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has undergone numerous revisions since 1965 when the first federal statute dealing with the education of students with disabilities was implemented. A revision completed in 1975 instituted the concept of least restrictive environment (LRE), which demands that all students with disabilities be…

Principals have become one of the most significant factors that affect student achievement, next to classroom teachers, and the overall success of the school. Principals of Title I schools have the added challenge of serving children from low-income families. Research was conducted to determine the impact that the leadership style of the Title I…

This dissertation examines how state political partisanship influenced public school finance and student achievement during the accountability-focused No Child Left Behind (NCLB) era (2001-2015). Although education is a ladder of opportunity for disadvantaged students, U.S. federalism decentralizes most education funding to states, leaving fiscal…

The present paper aims to offer some theoretical insights into the understanding of how the cultures, policies and practices of educational inclusion of disabled people in the Brazilian national context is impacted by national and international policies, but also how far beyond they are affected by other aspects when one takes a broader…

A large group of advocates and lobbyists influence state-level public education policymaking in Texas. Unfortunately, this group often does not mirror the racial and ethnic makeup of Texas public school students, the decisive majority of whom are students of color. This article argues that a lack of diversity among state-level education advocates…

Kappan's editor talks with political scientist Sara Dahill-Brown about the new realities of educational decision making under the Every Student Succeeds Act, which follows nearly two decades of strong federal influence over K-12 policies at the state and district levels. Rather than promoting one-size-fits-all approaches to school improvement,…