When an adult migrant begins to acquire a second language, it is often presumed that the learner is already equipped with first language literacy and can therefore transfer these same literacy skills during their acquisition of the new, second language. However, many adult second language (L2) learners lack the opportunity to develop first…

This update discusses what states are doing to mitigate the trend of parents keeping their children out of statewide assessments. Over the last few years, the United States has seen growing opposition to statewide assessments, as evidenced in the increasing numbers of parents (or guardians) who are deciding not to have their children participate…

As the most restrictive language policy context in the United States, Arizona's monolingual and prescriptive approach to teaching English learners continues to capture international attention. More than five school years after initial implementation, this study uses qualitative data from the individuals doing the policy work to provide a holistic…

Education Commission of the States and the National Center for Learning and Civic Engagement periodically review state statute, administrative code, standards, and curriculum to capture the status of civic learning across the United States. This December 2016 update comes as states prepare to implement the Every Student Succeeds Act and have…

In US public schools, linguistic diversity is growing rapidly with an increasing number of students who are learning English. Federal and state policies lay the foundation for language acquisition through (re)classification processes for English Learners (ELs). However, the classification process runs the risk of establishing separate services for…

As additional states embark on the process of implementing four-year degrees at community colleges, they can learn from others' experience for help navigating the legislative, regulatory, and program approval processes. This brief uses examples from states currently offering bachelor's degrees at their community colleges to provide guidance for…

This first educational equity report for higher education from the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) and Colorado Equity Champions Coalition (ECC) supports Colorado's goal to reach 66% educational attainment by 2025 through the implementation of strategies aimed at erasing equity gaps. In order to better understand the issues Colorado…

In the 2018-19 school year, 5,664 U.S. schools were identified as Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI), meaning that thousands of students attended schools that performed in the bottom 5% of their state's accountability framework and/or had a graduation rate below 67%. Across the nation, states, parents, educators, principals and…

In Ohio, the pandemic has forced students to pause their pursuit of a college degree or abandon their aspirations for higher education all together. The health crisis has accelerated a downward trend in enrollment in public higher education, at least for now, and thrown into sharp relief the barriers that prevent Black and brown students, and…

Guidelines for teaching California's students have changed dramatically in recent years, as state leaders have adopted new academic standards, curriculum frameworks, and instructional materials lists in an attempt to better prepare students for college and career. However, adopting high-quality standards and curriculum materials does not guarantee…

Tennessee has gained national recognition for its comprehensive strategy to increase college attainment. This report describes the development and expansion of Tennessee's completion agenda through a set of related and interlocking policies designed to produce a statewide culture of college completion, as well as the evolution of Tennessee's…

This brief arises from two distinct yet related activities currently underway within the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE). First, IDOE is preparing to review the state early learning standards. The idea for this brief arose initially in that context as a means of considering how to intentionally design and use early learning standards to…

State policies to promote postsecondary education historically have been devoted to funding and operating public colleges and universities. Increasingly, states are funding direct aid to their residents to attend public and private colleges within state borders. The majority of state aid is targeted based on the student's family income. States are…

This 15th edition of Minimum Qualifications for Faculty and Administrators in California Community Colleges is an update of the disciplines lists including those noticed to the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges (Board of Governors) at the March 22, 2021 meeting. The handbook incorporates changes that resulted from…

This brief is part of a broad landscape analysis focused on policy and practice issues related to the recognition of prior learning. The landscape analysis focuses on issues arising in the practice of the recognition of prior learning, policies that encourage or limit its adoption, and key research needs and future directions for the field. This…