This study examines the relationship between Arizona's anti-Latina/o policies and changing patterns of racial self-identification for students at the University of Arizona. Using institutional data and the university's Entering Student Survey, we explored trends in racial/ethnic self-identification between two cohorts of students: one before and…

This article examines the ways in which citizenship status uniquely shapes both the access and persistence of undocumented community college students in the Central Valley of California. Drawing on more than 2 years of qualitative fieldwork, it is argued that undocumented community college students navigate an institutional landscape of…

Stakeholders have long been concerned about high school drop-out rates and associated achievement gaps between groups, specifically racial, of high school students. While significant improvements have been made to these drop-out rates at the national level, the largest group of drop-out students continues to be those of Hispanic heritage. Research…

This paper explores changes to the educational policy-making arena through case study analysis of a Massachusetts law passed in 2012 that limits seniority-based job protections for public K-12 teachers. I use data from interviews with policy stakeholders, observations of public meetings, and policy artifacts to explore struggles over democratic…

Strong school accountability systems can be a powerful tool for sending a clear message that achievement of all groups of students matters and that to be considered good, a school must serve all groups of students well. But in recent years, many states put in place accountability systems that mask disparities in opportunity and achievement rather…

Educational equity for undocumented immigrants has become a widely discussed issue in both the political and public realm of Tennessee, in large part as a result of the individual determination and collective resistance of undocumented youth living in the state. This article focuses on the ways in which undocumented immigrant youth in Tennessee…

In this essay, we explore the importance of state financial aid programs for both states and the students they serve. Effective state financial aid policy benefits from rigorous research that engages partners from a variety of roles, such as state agencies, legislative staff, and intermediary organizations. It also benefits from the engagement of…

This special report provides context and examples of new legislation impacting preparation, certification, induction, professional development, evaluation and compensation for leaders of schools and districts.

This 2017 annual report shares many of the accomplishments achieved by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools for the year. 2017 saw improvements to state charter school laws, groundbreaking research projects, and the creation of a new legal action fund that will help to defend and expand access to charter schools. This 2017 Annual…

This qualitative study examined school administrators' perceptions of the James Stronge teacher evaluation system, one of five approved evaluation systems by the New Jersey Department of Education from the Teacher Effectiveness and Accountability for the Children of New Jersey Act (TEACHNJ) in 2012. Fourteen administrators from a suburban district…

State education agencies (SEAs) are federally mandated to address discrimination in schools, including discrimination in school discipline practices, and SEAs can play an important role in helping schools and districts develop and implement more equitable, data-driven approaches to student discipline. SEAs' ability to identify challenges and offer…

The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "Education Policy." Contents include: (1) Texas Legislature Concentrates on…

College opportunity is key to ensuring that California can meet its economic goals, maintain its global standing, and keep up with technological advances. As California's economy becomes increasingly reliant on a better-educated workforce and further connected to a global marketplace for its services and products, immigrant students are poised to…

The rise of high-stakes, standardized, teacher performance assessments (TPAs) is central to the industry being created out of the regulation, policing, and evaluation of university-based teacher education In addition to reinforcing a narrow and counter-critical framework, TPAs can shift responsibility for the evaluation of teacher candidates from…

This article applies identity construction concepts to a professional and technical communication student intern's use of agency as she negotiates a unique identity for herself within a state legislature. Following a literature review, the author highlights several of the intern's key efforts to become part of this new governmental and legal…