A significant problem in Texas education is that many school districts need adequate educational facilities. The age and condition of the educational facilities affect student achievement. Bond referenda are generally the sole source for facility financing, thus making the passage of school bonds critical. The purpose of this study was to examine…

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…

In 2022, the state department released new standards and a competency-based education curriculum. Simultaneously, the Toledo Creek School District has experienced an unprecedent shift in the student population demographics. The shift has resulted in two distinct zones, east and west, with income averages on the two extremes of the income spectrum.…

The Individuals with Disabilities Act, IDEA (2004) mandates that students with disabilities (SWD) be educated in the least restrictive environment. Inclusion of SWD alongside their general education peers promotes access and inclusivity. The current reality is that public school general educators often lack the necessary resources to adequately…

The Houston Independent School District (HISD) is seeking a $4.4 billion bond aimed at addressing critical infrastructure and educational needs. Branded as "Renew HISD," the package would rebuild and modernize over 40 campuses, upgrade HVAC systems, improve campus security, and expand early childhood and career and technical education…

School districts across the country are receiving billions of dollars in federal relief aid. The unprecedented size of this investment -- three separate aid packages providing nearly $200 billion for K-12 education alone -- presents both an enormous opportunity and a challenge for state and local education leaders. The principle question is, how…

Public School educational leaders from around the United States are confronted with choices in how to invest resources that can create the greatest impact for students. An often-overlooked area of investment is early childhood education. As defined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), this is the period of…

The "statewide system of support," a feature of Congress's 1994 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, provided an organizational framework for a "managerial" approach to school improvement that was accelerated in No Child Left Behind (2001). When Congress temporarily flooded states with economic…

The New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED) was faced with ensuring its local education agencies (LEAs)--comprising 89 school districts and 100 charter schools--had sufficient support to effectively use American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to meet students' most pressing needs. NMPED turned to the Region 13 Comprehensive Center (R13CC) in 2021…

To address the increased needs of students and schools resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government has enacted a series of three relief and stimulus bills -- the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA), and the American Rescue Plan…

Districts and schools are receiving once in a life-time funding through the American Recovery Plan (ARP) to address the learning needs of students over the next few years, especially those who have been most impacted by a year of remote or hybrid learning. State education agencies (SEAs) including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, outlying…

This qualitative, phenomenological case study was to determine the impact the state accountability system has on school improvement practices for schools that have been designated under the statewide system of support. Nine district and school level leaders were interviewed from one suburban school district designated as…

State early childhood administrators are planning to strategically invest the federal appropriations in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) to address disruptions in children's care and learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. State leaders must consider how this one-time funding can be used effectively while understanding the context around…

California's Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) was signed into law in 2013, and represents the most significant change in California education finance and governance in 40 years. It moves additional funds to districts with students in poverty, English language learners, and foster youth. The LCFF sends supplemental funds to districts based on…

The purpose of this document is to lay out a framework for the nation's large city school systems to spend new COVID-19 federal dollars strategically and effectively. It sets out overarching goals for the use of funds; articulates broad investment strategies; defines principles for the effective use of funds; articulates things that school…