Despite profound benefits of high-quality early childhood education (ECE) that could address and avert educational inequities for children of color and those from low-income backgrounds, ECE in Michigan and across the nation lacks sufficient funding. Students of color and students from low-income backgrounds particularly encounter many barriers to…

The teacher is key to reforming K-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for all students (Powell et al., 2018) in the United States, and a catalyst for a competitive workforce and economic development. Reports based on Free or Reduced-Price Lunch (FRPL) and percent schools offering STEM courses, along with FRPL and…

Today, we revisit our initial stance of eliminating standardized test scores from the college admissions process to improve equity and student diversity. With refreshed data about test-optional admissions, we address the import of institutional responsiveness to redress persistent equity gaps that impact our state's workforce diversity and hiring…

High-quality career and technical education (CTE) and work-based learning opportunities can support students along a pathway to credential attainment, employment and upward economic mobility through intentional skill development and experiential learning. CTE concentration in high school can increase graduation rates while helping students build…

There are over 4 million Registered Nurses in the United States (National Council of State Boards of Nursing, 2019). To become a practicing registered nurse, one must graduate from approved educational program, pass a licensure examination, and meet the requirements of licensure in their state of residence. Despite a common licensure examination,…

As part of its effort to make universal prekindergarten (UPK) available to four-year-olds, California has recently expanded transitional kindergarten (TK) in its public schools. TK will be a full pre-K grade level in all districts by the 2025-26 school year. Other states that seek to broaden access to early care and education (ECE) can learn…

Organizations advocating for federal, state, and local level support for adult education have long relied on the power of individual story to influence both public perception and public policy. They have developed training programs, provided advocacy toolkits, and organized visits with policy makers in order to promote and sustain awareness of the…

This paper explores trade union collective voice as a mechanism for worker participation in training decision making. New Zealand is an example of a liberal market economy (LME) with relatively weak regulatory pressure on employers to engage in training. Consequently, drivers such as trade union collective voice could fill an important role in…

In 2021, California committed to providing universal prekindergarten (UPK) for all 4-year-olds and income-eligible 3-year-olds by 2025-26. UPK includes several early learning programs, including transitional kindergarten (TK), the California State Preschool Program (CSPP), Head Start, and expanded learning opportunities to provide full-day early…

One in every six adults in the United States is an immigrant. These immigrant adults contribute to the vitality of local communities and economies across the country, but many also face barriers to integration and economic mobility, including limited English proficiency, varied levels of formal education, and persistent employment in low-wage…

This Education Sector Analysis is conducted in the context of potential stability resulting in the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan; and the unforeseen impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis evaluates both the accomplishments and the challenges within the education sector in South Sudan,…

High-quality career and technical education (CTE) programs represent an effective way to provide young adults with an educational experience that prepares them for both college and career success. But not all CTE programs provide accessible pathways to a bounty of educational options without dead ends. To address the false dichotomy--college…

Too many young people cycle in and out of prison, jails, and detention centers and face probation and parole conditions that keep them locked out of opportunity. These interactions with the criminal justice system demand the need for both equitable practices and programs that support second chances and large-scale investments in decarceration.…

In today's volatile economy, we can no longer afford to underinvest in America's opportunity youth. The costs of ignoring these young people, who are disconnected from education and out of work, are too high and growing. Building skills and gaining work experience are key to young people's upward mobility, but the pandemic has all but shut off…

In 2008, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) formed a special committee to make recommendations to increase the educational attainment of Tennessee adults. Called the Making Opportunity Affordable-Tennessee (MOA-TN) Adult Strategies Group, the new committee was convened with 23 higher education officials from across the state with…