This report is part of a commissioned paper series that highlights the profound and ongoing effects of COVID-19 on educational opportunities and underscores the necessity of bold, systemic reforms to ensure equitable and effective learning environments. The papers examine evidence-based strategies to mitigate opportunity gaps, strengthen student…

Trinity Access (TA) is a post-primary initiative, in the authors' university, that offers programmes for students, teachers and schools in areas of socio-economic disadvantage. The aims of the programme include helping students develop the knowledge, networks and skills needed to make informed decisions about future educational opportunities, and…

School-based psychosocial group programs need to more adequately address the linguistic and cultural needs of emergent bilingual learners. Although research underscores the importance of culturally responsive and linguistically inclusive approaches, a comprehensive framework guiding the adaptation, implementation, and evaluation of school-based…

School leaders play an important role in implementing social emotional learning (SEL) and equitable discipline practices. A Northeastern United States school district initiated the use of SEL programs districtwide to reduce suspensions, and no follow-up has been conducted to explore how school principals adapted implementation to correspond with…

School psychologists can engage in consultation to address inequities in educational opportunities to support multiply marginalized students. This critical work is codified in the NASP 2020 Practice Model, which outlines professional and organizational principles to facilitate school psychologists' engagement in equitable, effective supports to…

Educators have shown reluctance to implement interventions aimed at improving racial equity in school disciplinary practice. Mixed methods were applied to assess and improve the acceptability of a new intervention designed to reduce racial disparities in school discipline. A descriptive concurrent parallel design was used to assess U.S. educators'…

In Chicago, despite an increase in high school graduates and college enrollment, only one in four community college students graduate within three years. COVID-19 exacerbated longstanding barriers to college success faced by students from low-income backgrounds, as well as for Black, Latino, and Indigenous students. Without proactive interventions…

Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) is an outgrowth of Response to Intervention (RtI). The various systems of support for students and school communities provided through these programs are integral to modern education and embedded in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) of 2004. While there are many benefits to…

Research and evidence on education from 33 countries in Africa reflects rich diversity andunderscores the importance of tailoring solutions to the local context. Through this research, three key actions on education emerge as points of leverage for the continent: (1) Use local education data to make informed decisions that address country-specific…

In the U.S. education system, students of color experience multiple forms of marginalization at the intersection of markers of difference. These injustices manifest in multiple forms, such as higher rates of inappropriate referrals to special education, misidentification, conferring stigmatizing labels, and subsequently placing students of color…

School closures due to the COVID-19 virus have presented schools with the responsibility to make unprecedented decisions, and have brought many deep-seated equity issues in the U.S. education system to light. Now, more than ever, it is evident that outdated, one-size-fits-all approaches to education exclude the most vulnerable students, creating…

"Augmentative and alternative communication" (AAC) refers to a wide variety of communication devices, systems, tools, and strategies that support or replace spoken language. Augmentative and alternative communication users represent a range of ages, abilities, and communication needs. Support for AAC often begins in the public school…

The U.S. Department of Education (Department) is committed to supporting State educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), and partners in ensuring that schools and preschool programs have additional tools to foster safe, inclusive learning environments that increase students' engagement and sense of well-being. The Office of…

Educators have shown reluctance to implement interventions aimed at improving racial equity in school disciplinary practice. Mixed methods were applied to assess and improve the acceptability of a new intervention designed to reduce racial disparities in school discipline. A descriptive concurrent parallel design was used to assess educators'…

Rural students often face challenges in receiving high-quality education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Yet without meaningful STEM educational opportunities, rural students might not develop the knowledge and skills needed to compete in a technology-driven workforce. The Learning by Making program (LbyM), an innovative…