Federal law defines English learner (EL) eligibility differently for Indigenous, compared to non-Indigenous, students, allowing for broader entry into the EL category, along with its accompanying resources and services. We interviewed EL leaders from 25 state departments of education to learn about their level of understanding of the…

Mental health and well-being significantly impact students' academic performance, social interactions, and school engagement. Partnering with communities can enhance the effectiveness and reach of mental health initiatives and supports within educational settings. By collaborating with community organizations and agencies, schools can augment…

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont and Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker announced the expansion of the northeastern reciprocity agreement to include certified educators throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and beyond. As of April 21, 2022, "educators in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New…

The Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), formerly known as the Elementary and Secondary School Civil Rights Survey, is a part of the U.S. Department of Education's (ED's) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) strategy for administering and enforcing civil rights laws in U.S. public school districts and schools, including Puerto Rico.The CRDC collects a…

Nearly all states and the District of Columbia have policies requiring schools to address prevention of alcohol or drug use and abuse in high school health education curricula, according to National Association of State Boards of Education's (NASBE's) State Health Policy Database. But with the added concerns about the pandemic's impact on youth…

The "Forum Guide to Exit Codes" provides an updated taxonomy for exit codes, information on best practices related to exit coding, and case studies that highlight different education agencies' approaches to and experiences with exit coding. In 2006, the Forum addressed the need for a voluntary, common format for tracking data about when…

Following the 1983 "A Nation at Risk" report and culminating in No Child Left Behind (NCLB), states designed and implemented accountability policies to evaluate student achievement. External assessments of these policies identified substantial variability in the level of stakes associated with each system. This paper presents a…

Special education-related lawsuits are a concern to school systems. They are time-consuming, expensive, and contentious. School and parental relationships become strained when litigation is involved. This study analyzed data from the Virginia Department of Education's due process database over a 12-year period of time to note common disabilities…

This policy issue brief provides recommendations for state policymakers to generate a shared vision for student success that prepares all students for college, career and civic life. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) provides states with an unprecedented opportunity to transform K-12 education systems with new flexibility. The new law makes it…

For many states, it's been a long struggle to fund positions dedicated to helping schools integrate technology. But in Virginia, thanks to the state's forward thinking educational leaders and lawmakers, every school division has its own team of technology-integration specialists. It started with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the…

Joseph A. Spagnolo, Virginia's new state superintendent, has boldly reorganized the state education department in ways unmatched by other states. He has eliminated 99 of the agency's 531 jobs and hopes to transfer the responsibility for adult education and proprietary schools to other agencies. In this interview, Spagnolo discusses his…

This response by the Virginia Department of Education to House Joint Resolution No. 118 of the General Assembly of Virginia, which requested the Department of Education to study initiatives to advance computer-assisted instruction, is based on input from state and national task forces and on a 1986 survey of 80 Viriginia school divisions. The…

Uses Eisner's educational connoiseurship approach to illuminate larger organizational design issues and analyze and appraise Virginia State Superintendent for Public Instruction Joseph Spagnolo's reorganization plan. The analysis focuses on several design issues: fit/form, focus/function, force, and fulfillment. The Spagnolo design is constantly…

This paper describes the restructuring of the Virginia Department of Education, a process that began in 1990. Data were obtained from four sources: (1) Virginia Department of Education documents; (2) a prerestructuring study conducted by Price Waterhouse in 1989; (3) an evaluative report undertaken by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review…

Research generally influences state policy only indirectly. On the other hand, research is not utterly without influence. For example, research findings about schools and colleges which have influenced policy include: the appendices that accompanied "On Further Examination," the College Board report on the SAT score decline; the Southern…