Argentinian philosopher Enrique Dussel (1977, 1977/1985) is a foundational figure in the tradition of liberatory education and decoloniality, having written significant contributions to educational theory. However, existing decolonial analyses of language learning pedagogy and policy have not engaged with his writings, specifically those on…

In 2024, fewer than one in four US youth felt like they belonged to a group that expresses itself politically, and 44 percent of young nonvoters were disinterested or disliked the candidates. In a moment where many adults of all ages are dissatisfied with politics, polarization, and American governmental institutions, the state of youth civic…

While civics learning was marginalized in an era of standardized testing and fiscal constraints, more states are incentivizing students, schools, and districts to foster civics learning and engagement opportunities through civic diploma seals and school recognition programs. With an eye toward equitable implementation, these early adopters…

The authors completed a national study of K-12 civics and history education in 2021, and after collaborating with over 300 teachers, practitioners, scholars, and students, released "Educating for American Democracy: Excellence in Civics and History for All Learners." The EAD report analyzed the current citizenship education landscape and…

School library media specialists often lead the charge for media and information literacy in schools, and where there is instruction, libraries are the primary hubs for it. As they craft policies and build infrastructure for media literacy instruction, state leaders should leverage librarians' expertise. It should not be solely their…

In most states across the country, public K-12 enrollment is declining. This is a decade-long, national trend that accelerated with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and is projected to continue. Although enrollment decline varies substantially among and within states, many states have put temporary or permanent policies in place to address the…

Over the past three decades, tax-credit scholarship (TCS) policies have helped hundreds of thousands of American families provide their children with the learning environment that meets their individual needs. Until recently, TCS policies were the most-used form of private school choice. Now available in 21 states, more than 330,000 students…

While the use of generative AI (genAI) in K12 schools is increasing, it is poorly understood from a policy perspective. There are significant tensions in technology integration in education between public interests for social good and pressure from educational technology companies to view schools as markets. This study examined genAI policy…

Background/Context: Restorative practices have gained traction across the United States, featuring in at least 21 state education codes and numerous district policies. The existing research on its effectiveness underscores the implementation process, particularly fidelity, as a key determinant in whether restorative practices will accomplish their…

This paper presents results from a survey of parents of school age children in Louisiana to understand their knowledge of and attitudes toward sex education. Louisiana adolescents rank amongst the highest in the nation for teen births and sexually transmitted infections. Louisiana does not require instruction in sex education at any grade level.…

This report presents findings from two studies examining accommodations policies and research on alternate assessments based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS). This policy analysis and literature review revealed several key insights about accommodations for AA-AAAS, with far-reaching implications for policy, practice, and…

Like many policymakers across the globe, Tennessee policymakers have adopted theoretically substantial teacher evaluation reforms since the early 2010s. Although research suggests that the introduction of redesigned systems has not affected teacher or student outcomes, on average, specific accountability- and developmental-oriented policy levers…

The Trump administration's push to scale back the federal role in education could mean more autonomy for states. But this increased decision-making power will also make state K-12 accountability more important than ever. States must ensure education funding is used effectively, especially for those students furthest from opportunity. While some…

Lawmakers are debating a bill to add Wisconsin to the growing list of states banning K-12 students from using cell phones in schools during instructional time. Of the 309 districts and charter schools responding to a recent survey, most already restrict student cell phone usage to common areas, with smaller districts tending to favor more…

This policy analysis examined the intersection of a statistical model and locus of control to recommend an accountability model that best upholds the criteria of equity, efficacy, and impact on student learning for Missouri schools. Using Eugene Bardach's eightfold path and informed by the quality education in schools framework, this analysis…