The policy landscape around curriculum selection and implementation is thorny: the federal government cannot mandate any state or local curricula, state policy varies widely, and local schools and districts often lack the capacity to support and sustain detailed reviews of materials and ongoing teacher training in quality curricula. Cultural and…

Restraint and seclusion (R/S) are practices employed by schools to address severe student behavior. Although the use of R/S has been shown to have harmful impact for students, staff, and schools, there is no federal law that addresses its use in schools. A lack of a universal approach leaves each state to determine its own legislation and policy.…

Policy research established that it is possible to predict a student will drop out of school based on academic, attendance, behavior indicators. Little is known about the processes that put Early Warning Systems (EWS) in place. This case study of the Montana EWS describes the characteristics of a statewide implementation, the efficiency of the EWS…

Subsidies can make child care affordable for families with low incomes, but evidence about their effects on child care markets is limited. In this research brief, the authors study how child care subsidies for parents with low incomes in Minnesota impact local child care pricing and capacity. Findings show that an additional investment of $100 per…

Students pursuing postsecondary education opportunities are increasingly considering the return on investment that these opportunities provide, seeking higher wages and additional career opportunities that are associated with the accumulation of human capital. With limited human and financial resources, states need to be selective in which student…

To understand the complex nature of learning recognition and credit transfer in American postsecondary education and examine the systemic barriers to entry many students face as they navigate its institutions, Ithaka S+R conducted a series of qualitative interviews in fall 2024 with state and system-level leaders in Idaho, Illinois, Ohio, and the…

On September 1, 2021, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 8 (SB8), prohibiting abortions after six weeks gestation and allowing private citizens to file lawsuits against anyone who either performs or "aids and abets" an abortion after this point. To understand the broad impacts of SB8 on Texas medical students' experiences and…

Ensuring that classrooms are adequately staffed with qualified and diverse teachers has been a longstanding and growing challenge in Texas. To produce and retain more effective, diverse, and multilingual educators, Texas policymakers must expand aspiring teachers' access to pathways that meet local needs and offer robust in-school clinical…

In 2023, 2.5 million high school students participated in dual enrollment -- programs that allow them to take and earn credit for college-level courses. Research shows that dual enrollment leads to better student outcomes, such as higher graduation rates, college enrollment, and credit accumulation. However, access to these programs is…

State laws that mandate in-grade retention for struggling readers are widespread in the U.S., covering 34% of public-school third graders in 2023-24. This study investigates the impacts of Michigan's third-grade reading law on subsequent test scores and school progress outcomes for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 third-grade cohorts. Using a regression…

Civics education is a hot topic, as evidence shows that American young people appear to be losing faith in democracy itself. State education leaders must sort through fervent disputes on what students ought to learn and make good decisions on standards, assessment and accountability, as well as incentives for districts' selection of quality…

As generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) becomes more integrated into higher education, institutions struggle to communicate clear and effective policies. This multiple-methods study examines survey and interview data collected with 124 undergraduates and seven faculty members from two U.S. R1 universities regarding their perceptions of…

In this report, the authors analyze student attrition before the census date (which is the date by which community colleges count students as officially enrolled for each term) across community colleges in Texas, Kentucky, and California. They explore the magnitude of this issue, delve into the factors contributing to early student departures, and…

Access to postsecondary programs in prison has substantial benefits for both reentering individuals and their communities, but the majority of incarcerated people don't have access to programs that can set them up for a successful transition. State policymakers can play an important role in ensuring incarcerated learners have access to the…

The author examines and critiques Ohio's new education policy in the context of historical education policy.