This case study explains factors that prevented a predominately White suburban district from diversifying its teaching staff despite the stated desire of administrators to provide more diverse teachers for the district's students. The researcher interviewed three central office administrators, five district curriculum directors, and four…

Special education plays a critical role in ensuring equal educational opportunities for individuals with diverse learning needs. In the context of Jordan, the development of special education has made significant progress over the years, reflecting the country's commitment to inclusivity and diversity, with notable efforts from the government and…

In fall 2018, there were more than 5 million English Learners (ELs) in the United States, with about 1.9 million enrolled in grades 6-12.3 Although the federal definition applies only to elementary and secondary ELs, and postsecondary institutions are not required to report data on students' language proficiency, many ELs are enrolled in higher…

This brief is part of the Affirming Equity, Ensuring Inclusion, and Empowering Action initiative. The brief describes the emerging practice of direct admissions, including how the practice has been designed, what outcomes it has produced, and considerations for policymakers debating the implementation of a direct admissions program in their state…

Long-standing discriminatory practices and systematic barriers have perpetuated inequitable access to early childhood resources and opportunities for families living in the United States due to race and ethnicity, income, geographic location, primary languages, gender, and other characteristics. To adequately understand whether child care is…

This book offers context, research, policy, and practice-based recommendations centering college access and success for a historically overlooked population: rural Students and Communities of Color. Through an exploration of how colleges and universities can effectively welcome students from rural areas who identify as Asian and Pacific Islander,…

Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. students attend rural schools. Researchers report that at least half of public schools are rural in 12 states (i.e., Montana, South Dakota, Vermont, North Dakota, Maine, Alaska, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Wyoming, New Hampshire, Iowa, and Mississippi) (Showalter et al., 2019). Providing quality education to all rural students is a…

Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. students attend rural schools. Researchers report that at least half of public schools are rural in 12 states (i.e., Montana, South Dakota, Vermont, North Dakota, Maine, Alaska, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Wyoming, New Hampshire, Iowa, and Mississippi) (Showalter et al., 2019). Providing quality education to all rural students is a…

"Equity and Quality in Digital Learning" identifies and presents specific strategies and practices for using digital tools to reduce inequities in educational opportunities and improve student outcomes. Based on the authors' ten-year research-practice partnership with both the Dallas and Milwaukee public school districts, the book…

This study examines the digital divide and socioeconomic disparities that hinder equitable access to quality education in modern schools. This study highlights how unequal access to technology and the internet disproportionately affects students from low-income families, exacerbating existing educational inequalities. This paper defines the…

Earning a college degree is a major pathway to economic mobility. Although Black women enter college at higher rates than white, Hispanic, and Black men (for example, in 2020, Black women enrolled in college at a 40% rate, compared to 37% for White men, 31% for Black men, and 30% for Hispanic men) they still face barriers to degree completion,…

Two pandemics--COVID-19 and systemic racism--are confronting American society, and by extension K-12 schools. Both pandemics have precipitated immediate challenges that schools must navigate, and also draw attention to longstanding, chronic problems in the education system. It's more clear than ever that a return to "normal" won't serve…

In 2019, the Legislature passed Senate Bill 5082 (SB 5082), which directed the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to establish a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Committee to build upon the work of the previous Social Emotional Learning Indicators (SELI) Workgroup. The purpose of the SEL Advisory Committee is to promote and…

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted education around the world and created extraordinary new challenges for students, families, educators, and policymakers. Its impacts on students' learning and well-being are far reaching, though not yet fully understood. However, early evidence indicates disproportionate effects on students with disabilities, a…

The Education-to-Workforce Indicator Framework (E-W Framework), commissioned by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and developed in partnership with leading experts representing more than 15 national and community organizations, is designed to encourage greater cross-sector collaboration and alignment across local, state, and national data…