COVID-19 school closures initially revealed more than 75% of children lacked access to critical digital learning opportunities. Three out of four were living in the poorest 40% of households. Digital learning is impossible without connectivity and electricity. However, in places like Chad, Malawi and Niger, the proportion of people with access to…

This article argues that third space education reform can be a bridge to Muslim traditions of philanthropy and empathy (one form of which is compassion). By connecting education reform efforts to Muslim tradition, reformers will have greater success due to buy-in from local Muslim populations. By examining primary sources of Islam and using social…

In community colleges in the United States, graduation rates remain frustratingly low. Students face many challenges, including the financial costs of attending college; the demands of school, work, and family; complex institutional systems; underfunded student support services; and insufficient preparation for college-level work. To address these…

Nearly five years after the pandemic, a majority of afterschool programs are able to serve as many or more students as they served before the pandemic began. Still, most providers are concerned about their programs' sustainability and staffing capabilities. Overwhelming majorities of afterschool program providers report offering their students…

Teacher turnover in rural schools remains a primary concern for public education in the United States, especially in southern states, with higher rates of turnover. This case study examines the experiences of rural teachers in South Carolina, exploring how structural inequalities, professional identities, and social communities shape retention.…

This brief utilizes surveys to McKinney-Vento liaisons and interviews with district and school staff to understand what supports they provide, how those supports are accessed, and what barriers continue to exist to support students. Key takeaways include: (1) Districts provide considerable services to address immediate challenges. Longer-term…

Community social capital is an important mechanism for collective efficacy and civic engagement to address problems of public concern. Using panel data from four periods spanning nearly 20 years, this study investigated the effects of a federal policy supporting service-learning in higher education on community social capital as measured by an…

This article provides reflections on several key elements important for establishing and sustaining successful research trajectories and scholarship within the field. Developed by several Lightner Witmer Award recipients, the article highlights several of Lightner Witmer's experiences and pioneering contributions, including the importance of his…

In this paper, we review literature on the financing of primary and secondary education in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with a view to contributing some insights about the extent to which the region can achieve the United Nations' (UN) Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4). At the heart of SDG 4 of the UN 2030 Agenda is the desire to achieve equity…

When one thinks of the problems that face higher education,"philanthropy" probably is not a concern that rises to the top of anyone's list. Indeed, as state funding has retreated in the past decade, universities and colleges across the nation have increasingly pursued donations from corporation and the wealthy in an attempt to shore up…

Do academics, both directly and indirectly involved with healthcare, have a moral mandate to ensure that Wikipedia has the most accurate, up-to-date and understandable information? From the perspective of a physician who is also a long-time Wikipedia editor, the ethical, moral, and power dynamics of the medical community's interaction with…

An award as principal investigator (PI) is an aspiration for many post-PhD researchers. However, we know little of the actual journey from PhD graduation to achieving this goal. Using a qualitative narrative approach, this study explored how eight science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine post-PhD researchers (on contracts and…

The fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 heralded not only the creation and opening of borders but also the rapid entry of new actors and ideas into this previously isolated part of the world. This is typified by dramatic increases in the number of international research collaborations involving an ever-growing array of actors. Yet instead of…

Performance funding policies for higher education allocate appropriations to public institutions based on student outcomes such as degree completions. This study investigates whether a special science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) incentive in 13 state performance funding policies leads to greater undergraduate degree…

A consistent relationship with a caring adult can make all the difference in a young person's life. Successful mentoring relationships have been shown to increase self-esteem, improve academic achievement, and decrease the likelihood of substance abuse and delinquent acts by youth. To help ensure positive outcomes for youth, the Office of Juvenile…