Three-quarters of a century after Milton Friedman popularized the idea, universal school vouchers have suddenly become a reality in 17 states since 2021. These new policies promise to be one of the most far-reaching reforms in U.S. education history. We make two contributions to understanding this policy. First, we provide a rich description of…

Trauma-informed pedagogy recognizes childhood trauma and its influence on students' behavior, health, and ability to learn. By utilizing trauma-informed pedagogy, teachers can help children who have experienced trauma build resiliency. To determine if pre-service teachers are being trained in trauma-informed pedagogy, a systematic review of…

The shortage of qualified teachers has become a growing concern across the United States. Teacher licensure reciprocity policies vary among all states and licensure types. The impact of these policies on recruiting qualified teachers is not yet fully understood. This study aimed to explore the relationship between teacher licensure reciprocity…

For states to succeed in their efforts to improve reading instruction, they must ensure teachers are prepared to implement and sustain scientifically based reading instruction. The states most successful in leveraging policy to improve reading outcomes for students have taken a cohesive and comprehensive approach focused on improving teachers'…

The goal of a Comprehensive K-3 Reading Policy is to ensure all students read on grade level by the end of 3rd grade. A comprehensive policy ensures early identification of struggling readers and establishes intensive reading intervention for K-3 students who need more support to become successful readers. The policy focuses on demonstrated…

This study evaluates the implementation of policies and practices related to prior learning assessment (PLA) for military training and experience in Colorado community colleges. Through conducting interviews and a document analysis, this case study aimed to provide policy and practice recommendations for states, systems, and institutions to…

Background: Children residing in households with very low food sufficiency (VLFS), where there is "often" not enough to eat, are more likely to experience academic, health, and psychological challenges. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a temporary universal free school meals (UFSM) policy was implemented, improving food access for children…

Portraits of a Graduate (POGs) have become popular in education over the past decade as states and districts work to better define the knowledge and skills that students should master before high school graduation. The impetus for the development of POGs comes from several converging factors in the educational landscape. As states and districts…

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…

To prepare future generations to serve their nation and lead its advancement, it is vital that their educators are well prepared and can teach diverse student populations effectively. Precisely because of the critical importance of highly prepared educators, equal opportunity to enter the US educator workforce remains a key issue. Ethnoracially…

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 reference societies as an "externalization" process are often used to justify borrowing policies from abroad, a concerted attempt to understand how "power" influences this process, particularly regarding "semiperipheral" references to the periphery, remains absent. This article explores the externalization…

State and local government decisions about how school funding is raised and allocated have profound impacts on American public education, and in recent years, experts have documented large increases in one type of spending in particular: public pensions. Because most data on school district pension expenditures are at the state level, it has so…

In most states, occupational therapy practitioners are restricted from advancing to formal school leadership positions. The absence of pathways to leadership may limit the ability to fulfill AOTA's Vision 2025 and Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). This study investigates how limited opportunities for career advancement affect school practice…

This mixed methods research explores superintendents' beliefs about and engagement in state education policymaking processes. Through interviews with 58 superintendents and a national survey of superintendents, I find that superintendents feel their voices have value in state policymaking spaces; however, actual policy engagement is relatively…