Over the years, as states have sought to incorporate more inclusive and relevant academic standards and curriculum for K-12 students, they have interpreted ethnic studies in both broad and narrow terms. While most states use the term ethnic studies to describe their efforts to incorporate the knowledge and perspectives of traditionally excluded…

When the U.S. Department of Education (ED) signaled that the broad waivers for state assessments it had offered in 2019-20 would not be widely offered in 2021, it sought to balance the need for student learning data to inform pandemic recovery with the very real operational challenges states face in administering tests this year. This policy…

At least 38 states have created service areas or "districts" for each of their community colleges. However, little is known about the geographic boundaries of community college districts, the political process that defines them, and how they relate to institutional racial segregation. Given this dearth of knowledge, we studied nearly 150…

Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) are private savings accounts funded by a deposit from the state government and managed by a parent. The deposit amount varies from state to state and is typically based on the state's per-pupil amount. To use an ESA, parents withdraw their child from the public school system and use ESA funds to purchase specified…

The problem is school systems may lack detailed guidelines on how teachers make physical contact with their students and protect themselves from false accusations of inappropriate behaviors. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore the perceptions of K-8 administrators and teachers on school and school districts…

In response to Bae's (2018) "Redesigning systems of school accountability: A multiple measures approach to accountability and support," this commentary expands on some key considerations for states and school districts as they seek different ways to support school improvement while also addressing the competing demands of educators,…

State budgets temporarily crashed amid the COVID-19 pandemic and economic shutdown, placing education funding at risk. To demonstrate implications for school finance, we show that (1) school districts are racially segregated along class lines; (2) higher-poverty districts receive a greater share of funds from state, as opposed to local sources,…

Capital appropriations are an important but often forgotten component of the public contribution to funding higher education. In fiscal year 2021, nearly $13 billion was appropriated for capital projects at public institutions, representing 11.6% of the total state contribution to higher education. When compared to general operating support and…

Expanding on our previous work considering the impact of physical education policy on curriculum within the United States of America (U.S.), we undertake a critical reflection of the influence of policy work at the state level. Specifically, we focus on the impact of physical education policy (e.g. standards) within Ohio on curriculum, pedagogy,…

Sensemaking is a popular framework for studying the meaning-making dimensions of policy implementation, change initiatives, and practitioner action in education. While generative, it has traditionally offered less guidance on how certain organizational actors have formal and/or informal power to advance their version of events and how certain…

Although federal policies have promoted the inclusion of students with disabilities in educational opportunities, success remains elusive. Yet much has been learned about how best to include students with disabilities in assessments and accountability, graduation requirements, and educational programming. Based on this learning, we highlight red…

International and national assessments suggest that U.S. students' mathematics performance declines drastically as they progress to higher grades. Reforms to improve student math achievement and math curriculum have not yielded the hoped-for outcomes because improving math performance demands more systematic changes in how math teachers are…

This study investigates the associations between statewide affirmative action bans and the racial composition of undergraduate students at public 4-year colleges and universities in five states, that is, Arizona, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma. I use the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System data from 1999 to 2017, and…

Nearly one-third of workers in the United States lack digital skills, and more than 38% of those workers are required to use moderate or advanced computer skills on the job. This skills gap creates talent and growth issues for businesses of all sizes -- from large companies looking to grow and invest in the United States, to small and mid-size…

The method California uses to count students for funding purposes is an important decision that drives both resources and behaviors. For more than 100 years, California has funded school districts based on the average number of students who attend school each day. Although this average daily attendance (ADA) method was once used by many states,…