Federal law requires that state accountability systems include "another academic indicator" for elementary and middle schools in addition to academic achievement. Nearly all states use a measure of student longitudinal growth as their other academic indicator. But how should states decide which growth model to use? The Center for…

Since the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004, U.S. state IDEA programs have been required to report annually on a set of performance indicators. Indicator 8 of the Part B State Performance Plan is the "percent of parents who report that schools facilitated parent involvement as a means of…

The U.S. law governing special education, the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), requires that students with disabilities be provided a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). However, given the interpretive latitude within the law and the wide discrepancy in how this law is applied,…

In this inquiry, we examine P-12 music administrators' present and future role in the provision, regulation, funding, and improvement of music teacher professional development (PD). We asked: (1) How do P-12 music administrators' shape PD policies and practices within their school systems? and (2) What might a robust and cohesive suite of PD…

As of the 2022-23 school year (SY), approximately 1.37 million pre-K through Grade 12 students in the United States -- nearly 3% of the total pre-K through Grade 12 population -- were identified as experiencing homelessness. Homelessness affects a diverse range of young people across America. Students experiencing homelessness often face far…

The 2015 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act placed a 1.0% cap on the participation of students with disabilities in the alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS). U.S. Department of Education regulations clarified that states must develop participation guidelines and a definition of…

This paper provides an analysis of government-supported workforce development programs in the United States and selected states as of the end of 2024. We provide an overview of the topic of workforce development, defining this to include activities and funding mechanisms that aim to increase the skills of workers and help them succeed in the labor…

"The State of Career Technical Education: Credentials of Value" report draws on a 2024 national scan of state practices, a 50-state survey, and interviews with state leaders to gather insights and strategies for improving the identification, validation, incentivization, and data collection related to credentials that support learners'…

Early Intervention (EI) aims to lessen the effects of developmental delay by providing services to infants and young children. Newborn screening (NBS) is a public health program that identifies infants with treatable conditions, although many conditions put children at risk of developmental delay even after medical intervention. The purpose of…

Many are concerned about the large decline in K-12 student achievement since 2019. And rightly so, given what it signals about student learning and later life outcomes. Less noted is the pre-pandemic sustained decline in student achievement growth that followed 30 years of increases. We examine the nature of achievement decline as measured by…

Access to high-quality early care and education (ECE) supports healthy child development, accelerates academic achievement, reduces educational inequality, and catalyzes economic growth. The benefits of ECE are even greater among economically disadvantaged children, children with disabilities, and multilingual learners. However, despite these…

More Latino students are attending college than ever before, bringing urgency to remove financial barriers that stand in the way of their academic goals and the promise of the American Dream. As the fastest-growing group within the national and postsecondary population, Latinos are vital to our nation's prosperity and progress. Seal of…