In this study, the authors sought to explore superintendents' understandings of the various influences on how their districts implemented a 100% virtual learning experience for students for the 2020-2021 academic year. Understanding these influences allowed the authors to develop a framework for leading redesigns of learning systems in long-term…

In this essay we explore how pernicious social narratives affect schooling and suggest rethinking leadership may ameliorate issues of injustice in education. We reject the idea that school leaders must necessarily be politicians who serve as bureaucratic management-oriented functionaries. We claim instead they are intellectual leaders who might…

Simplification of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) entails significant changes to the FAFSA and the methodology for determining eligibility for federal financial aid for the 2024-25 academic year. The changes to the FAFSA form that were mandated by the Simplification Act delayed implementation and shifted the timeline for…

This mixed-methods study synthesizes Standards-Based Grading (SBG) literature, analyzes 249 Arkansas administrators' survey responses using OLS regressions, and identifies themes through in-vivo coding of qualitative feedback. Results show more SBG support among liberal, elementary-level administrators in larger, economically diverse districts.…

Despite the need for Response to Intervention (RTI) in secondary grades, research is scant with most studies exploring state-level policy guidance and RTI implementation surveys in classrooms. Additionally, state and federal policy has generally been vague regarding specific information for RTI implementation in literacy. Our national survey…

"Castañeda v. Pickard" (648 F.2d 989, [5th Cir. 1981]) was a significant legal case in the history of educational policy for non-native English-speaking students in the United States. The case established a three prong 'test' for programs for those students, including the right for students to have an educational program based on sound…

Purpose: Civic education in the United States has received renewed attention in state-level policy making. Yet defining what citizenship education entails has been long-contested terrain. This study explores the extent to which recently adopted civic education state policies are consistent in policy messaging around desired civic outcomes and…

Policies for talented students with disabilities, or twice-exceptional students, exist in very few states across the country. Historically, families of twice-exceptional students have found most of their support though implementation of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) or 504 Accommodation plans. Yet, there is no federal mandate for gifted…

Teacher shortages continue to be a challenge for state policymakers, and while national media coverage paints a picture of widespread shortages, a closer examination reveals that shortages tend to be concentrated in specific subjects and schools. The primary policy response to shortages is often to recruit more teachers, but research demonstrates…

This datapoint captures provisions in state policy that explicitly address racial integration or balance in schools and court or federal desegregation orders. [View the full "50-State Comparison: Open Enrollment Policies 2022" here: https://www.ecs.org/50-state-comparison-open-enrollment-policies/.]

Open enrollment is an integral part of state public school choice policies. This datapoint captures enrollment provisions that apply specifically to military-connected youth, including advance enrollment, enrollment priority, and educational continuity. It does not capture states that have adopted the Interstate Compact on Educational…

Open enrollment is an integral part of state public school choice policies. This datapoint captures the student groups prioritized for admission through open enrollment as defined in state policy. State admissions lottery provisions are included when relevant. [View the full "50-State Comparison: Open Enrollment Policies 2022" here:…

This brief addresses the importance of a unifying vision for education and workforce that draws upon and regularly uses postsecondary CTE data to measure progress and guide state policy and practice. It is the first in Advance CTE's Advancing Postsecondary CTE Data Quality Initiative (PDI) series highlighting five states participating in a…

The vast majority of funds for pre-K through grade 12 public schools in the United States -- nearly $800 billion or over 90% -- come from state and local funding sources. States, not school districts, are obligated to ensure that all students have access to the resources they need to succeed. States can take steps to reduce disparities between…

State legislators have the opportunity to create and support legislation that positions data as a tool to help decisionmakers at all levels take action to support student success. This checklist can serve as a guide to crafting legislation that addresses education data. It applies specifically to education data legislation which includes bills…