Background: Youth mental health needs have worsened following COVID-19. Rising demand for school mental health services is straining capacity. Several states have added policies requiring mental health education, yet these vary widely and barriers to operationalization exist. Purpose: This paper explores the onerous landscape of mental health…

This research examines a state-level response to national political movements to decentre whiteness in American social studies education. Aiming to better understand how emotions systemically sustain and build connections to whiteness, this emotion discourse analysis examined how fear and hope shaped the content of and support for legislation…

The Massachusetts Innovation Schools initiative authorized educators to operate with increased autonomy and flexibility. This descriptive case study examines the early experiences of teachers in one innovation school. We explore the innovations teachers leveraged to build capacity, with particular attention to how they enacted teacher leadership…

Pursuant to California Education Code Section 84362, each community college district is required to allocate at least 50% of its annual education expenses, as defined by law, to the salaries and benefits of classroom instructors. This requirement ensures a significant portion of educational expenditures directly supports classroom instruction. The…

Senate Bill (SB) 1882 partnerships, codified into Texas state law in 2017, are the latest iteration of portfolio management models (PMMs) in elementary and secondary education. PMMs aim to overhaul the current governance structure of public education, granting autonomy over critical areas of school operations to school operators, while using the…

As the COVID-19 crisis disrupted schooling, recovery efforts in California included the adoption of Senate Bill (SB) 98, which mandated local educational agencies to complete Learning Continuity and Attendance Plans (LCPs). These plans act as critical snapshots of sensemaking and local policy implementation during crisis; however, their details…

Background: Tobacco retailers have an important role to play in reducing access to tobacco among youth, but in the USA, their role has become more complicated because of recent developments in policies and industry, such as the Indiana Tobacco-21 law and the rising popularity of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) products. This study…

State boards of education are well placed to advocate for more young children to be screened for dyslexia, a disability that by some measures affects up to 20 percent of the U.S. population. Boards can also ensure that identified students receive effective interventions, as those in Massachusetts and Georgia have done. This report discusses how…

Eighteen percent of principals leave their posts annually, according to the most recent federal data. Departing principals cite inadequate preparation and professional development as a key reason for leaving. Yet principal preparation programs have been slow to keep up with the changing demands of the profession. This policy update shares how…

Illinois has enacted legislative policies to provide access to higher education and state funding opportunities for undocumented students. Public Act 093-0007, Illinois RISE Act, and Illinois House Bill 3438 all have implications for Illinois four-year public universities and community colleges. This dissertation focused on understanding the…

The primary goal of this research is to examine New York State's humane education mandate, Section 809 of the Education Law; specifically, its history, barriers, and possible implementation solutions to achieve statewide elementary school compliance. It explores the educational system and its role in school compliance with the mandate. In…

Public schools and its leaders are expected to prepare America's children to be contributing and informed members of society. More specifically, public school principals in Arizona are expected to be flexible and responsive as they lead school improvement on their campuses. They are also expected to comply with mandates (particularly state) which…

Background: Recess is an integral part of a comprehensive school physical activity program. Immediately prior to the pandemic, state legislation doubled the amount of required recess, creating an opportunity to better understand how policies and practices influence recess. Purpose: To describe changes to recess due to COVID-19 and extended recess…

An ultimate goal of American universities is to provide a safe and secure environment for all who attend and operate there, but what safety looks and feels like to the individual can vary to a great degree. There are many factors that campus safety departments consider when designing their campus safety policies and regulations. One way…

Charter schools were originally intended to improve the American public education system by introducing innovative practices that could be replicated elsewhere. Charter critics and proponents alike, however, question the degree to which charter schools are truly innovative. While alarm has been raised about apparent conformity among charter…