Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. students attend rural schools. After a two-year pandemic, issues related to funding, teacher recruitment and retention, and serving disadvantaged students have become more severe in rural school districts. In the five-part report series, "Educational Equity for Rural Students: Out of the Pandemic, but Still Out of the…

The financial services industry is highly dependent on technology and more than one-fifth of industry employees have Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) degrees. Women continue to be underrepresented in management positions in the financial services industry and in STEM degree programs. As a result, some financial services firms have…

The main objective of this study is to explore various barriers preventing students in Pakistani universities from learning online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Applying a qualitative research design, twelve (12) in-depth interviews were conducted with business school students, selected at undergraduate and graduate levels from six (06)…

Based on polling data collected by New America and Third Way, "Online Isn't Optional: Student Polling on Access to Internet and Devices" outlines which students are facing the gravest technological challenges, including the lack of reliable internet connection and the need to share devices with others in their household, both of which…

Achieving prosperity for all Americans could not be more urgent. Although the United States remains the most prosperous nation on earth, millions of citizens are losing faith in the American dream of upward mobility, and in American-style capitalism itself. This crisis of confidence has widened the divide afflicting American politics and cries out…

Education systems in under-resourced environments face several challenges, some of them exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. A possible way to address some of the challenges is to apply information and communication technologies. However, effectively integrating technology into education systems is a complex task. In this paper, factors…

Digital inclusion is key to a better and fairer economic future where every Californian can thrive. But social and physical distancing requirements necessitated by the pandemic have shined a spotlight on the dramatic digital divide facing California's workers, as well as the inequities of that divide. It's time for policies to change so that every…

Digital knowledge and skills are needed to fully participate in the society and economy of the United States. The historic $65 billion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act represents a significant federal investment in advancing digital equity and inclusion, and an opportunity to make lasting change in communities across the country. This report…

While family engagement has always been an important component for supporting student learning in school, the abrupt switch to distance learning in March has dramatically changed the role of parents and other at-home care-providers to that of teacher, tutor, counselor, and technology coach. The transition to distance learning has been particularly…

The emergence of COVID-19 in the United States in spring 2020 forced nearly all U.S. schools to transition rapidly to remote learning. However, a minority of U.S. public schools were prepared for a crisis on the level of COVID-19. Using responses to the American Educator Panels, RAND researchers investigate how schools' pre-pandemic planning…

The Public School Forum's Top Education Issues outlines the Forum's priorities on what should be at the forefront of education policy decision-making each legislative biennium, as the Forum works toward eliminating the systemic racism and inequities that exist and are visible throughout the educational system. The Top Education Issues publications…

As part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the U.S. Department of Education made available almost $3 billion for the Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER). Governors across the nation must be strategic with their use of GEER funds to support education in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This brief…

The federal government provides child development, elementary and secondary education, and educational assistance to Indian children, in a federal school system and in public school systems that predominantly receive state and local funding. The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) in the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) oversees the federally…

The transition from high school to postsecondary education is one of the most important points in a student's educational journey. Yet, as students attempt to navigate the many steps involved in accessing postsecondary education, it is also a juncture where students are most at risk of falling off track. The responses to the COVID-19 pandemic --…

Across the country, school buildings remain closed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. These school closures are a stark reminder of the important role that schools can play in the lives of children and young adults. For many students, schools are a place of stability, where they can learn, grow, and nurture relationships. They are even a source of…