"Pathways to Implementation" highlights innovative strategies and effective models in career pathways policy, implementation, and programming, as well as challenges states encounter in this work. This seven-part series addresses the key elements of Bellwether's framework for career pathways policy implementation. Each brief defines the…

Athena Swan was established in 2005 with the goal of advancing the careers of women in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine) subjects in higher education. Since then, it has expanded its remit in various ways and has generated some controversy. This paper explains how Athena Swan operates as a policy-scoring scheme,…

Though researchers have documented the consequences and causes of chronic absenteeism, there is limited empirical evidence about what schools and districts are actually doing to improve attendance. This study presents evidence about the types of attendance practices that forty-seven high-absenteeism districts in Michigan are planning and…

The Partnership Model of School and District Turnaround is Michigan's policy for improving student outcomes in its lowest performing schools. In compliance with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) identifies as Partnership schools those in the bottom 5% of the Michigan School Index System and…

The case captures leadership challenges related to recent legislation promoting parents' rights and the tensions that emerged from new mandates affecting the school's inclusive culture. The principal finds himself balancing the needs of parents, teachers, and students while staying true to his commitments and ethics. Challenges include growing…