Advances in state education data systems are helping schools understand and meet the needs of learners from early education through college and the workforce. Each state has adhered to key principles for protecting student data privacy. In the report "Lessons in Data Privacy for Education Leaders. Policy Guide," (ED625423) leading…

School leaders, specifically principals, play a pivotal role in shaping student learning outcomes. The benefits of strong leaders extend beyond academic achievement, such as reductions in absenteeism and exclusionary discipline. While quality principals are critical for creating and sustaining quality schools, the staffing pipeline is facing…

This 50-state comparison assesses the K-12 school safety policies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The information presented in this interactive resource gives an overview of relevant laws in each state and does not reflect how these laws may interact with other state or federal policies. The interactive resource does not include…

Open enrollment is an integral part of state public school choice policies. This datapoint captures enrollment provisions that apply specifically to students in foster care, including enrollment priority and educational continuity. [View the full "50-State Comparison: Open Enrollment Policies 2022" here:…

The population of English learners (ELs) in K-12 schools continues to grow. Between the 2009-10 and 2014-15 school years, the percentage of English learners increased in over half of the states, and in 2017, English learners made up 10.1% of the total student population. Research suggests that in their transition to English, non-native speakers…

Age requirements for free and compulsory education help policymakers ensure that students receive the benefits of early education and support a reduction in dropout rates. Depending on the state, students are required to attend school for as few as nine years and up to 13 years. However, exemptions exist on both sides of the K-12 spectrum to…

Charter schools are semi-autonomous public schools that receive public funds. They operate under a written contract with a state, district, or other entity (referred to as an authorizer or sponsor). Charter school laws vary from state to state and often differ on several important factors, such as who may authorize charter schools, how authorizers…

Across all 50 states, there are different ways in which states allocate K-12 and special education funding to districts. Education Commission of the States has collected information on states' primary funding models, base per-student funding amounts, student attendance count methods, and funding for special education, English language learners,…

Intradistrict open enrollment policies allow students to transfer to another school in their resident district. This datapoint captures district open enrollment requirements, reasons for denying student transfer, and exceptions to open enrollment policies. States with a "No" or "Not permitted" entry explicitly prohibit…

Interdistrict open enrollment policies allow students to transfer to a nonresident (receiving) district. This data point captures district open enrollment requirements, reasons for denying student transfer, and exceptions to open enrollment policies. States with a "No" or "Not permitted" entry explicitly prohibit interdistrict…

The "50-State Comparison: State Policies on Postsecondary Tuition Setting, Capping and Freezing" details the highest level of policy, by state, that addresses the authority to set tuition for the four-year and two-year public sectors. This resource shows whether a state law, rule or regulation requires a tuition cap or freeze for…

This datapoint captures provisions in state policy that explicitly address racial integration or balance in schools and court or federal desegregation orders. [View the full "50-State Comparison: Open Enrollment Policies 2022" here: https://www.ecs.org/50-state-comparison-open-enrollment-policies/.]

Open enrollment is an integral part of state public school choice policies. This datapoint captures enrollment provisions that apply specifically to military-connected youth, including advance enrollment, enrollment priority, and educational continuity. It does not capture states that have adopted the Interstate Compact on Educational…

Open enrollment is an integral part of state public school choice policies. This datapoint captures the student groups prioritized for admission through open enrollment as defined in state policy. State admissions lottery provisions are included when relevant. [View the full "50-State Comparison: Open Enrollment Policies 2022" here:…

Ensuring the safety and security of students is vital to creating a positive learning environment. Active shooter situations at postsecondary institutions resulted in about 150 casualties between 2000 and 2017. This prevalence of gun violence at postsecondary institutions, which is often viewed in the context of larger conversations around gun…