After analyzing state standards and textbook excerpts, all the fourth graders in Ms. Yoo's classroom convened and discussed why the nonwhite suffragists were missing and what they could do about it. The students agreed that textbooks and standards "can't include everybody," but they also concurred that the stories of Indigenous, Black,…

This article explores the many ways in which states can and are addressing racial equity in problem solving and policymaking. The authors explore national data that make the case for addressing bias and advancing equity in state policy; share strategies and best practices for engaging families and communities; and provide examples of policies that…

In recent years, unequal access to high-quality preschool has emerged as a growing public policy concern. Because of data limitations, it is notoriously difficult to measure disparities in access to early learning opportunities across communities and particularly challenging to quantify gaps in access to "high-quality" programs. Research…

This report provides educators and policymakers with information they can use to celebrate their successes, understand their unique challenges, and set meaningful goals to increase opportunity for all students. It is important to note that while AP® Exams are valid measures of students' content mastery of college-level studies in specific academic…

This is a collection of papers from a 2001 symposium at Harvard University entitled "State Merit Aid Programs: College Access and Equity." After a Foreword by Gary Orfield, the seven papers are (1) "State Merit Scholarship Programs: An Introduction" (Donald E. Heller); (2) "Merit Scholarships and College Access: Evidence…

The quality of education received by children in the southern states will be greatly impacted by technological change, which will present educators with both unprecedented opportunities and substantial risks. As the four model programs described in this paper illustrate, advances in telecommunications and computer hardware and software can be used…

Provides an exploratory assessment of financial support levels in districts with different proportions of Black children in seven southern states. The range of support varied considerably among the states. (IRT)

Examines the rituals of racial exclusion present in some public schools in southern Georgia. The author discusses the impact of these discursive practices relative to the continuing problem of self-imposed segregation in schools and posits some possible courses of action. Extended implications of these practices are illustrated through interviews…

This report examines efforts by 12 formerly segregated states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia) to desegregate their higher education systems and increase educational opportunities for black and other minority students. It found that none of the…

A central dream of American parents is sending their kids to college. What used to be unusual has now become a necessity if young people are to have a secure life in the middle class in a post-industrial economy. As such, one basic goal of higher education policy should be to make certain that this opportunity is not foreclosed by a family's…