LPI Blog

September 9, 2026 | More than 700,000 young children from low-income families rely on Head Start for preschool and other support. A proposed federal rule could make the program harder to access and lower quality, with potential ripple effects for public schools.

July 28, 2026 | Student achievement improves from having teachers of diverse backgrounds, and while states have made progress in strengthening and diversifying the educator workforce, recent federal actions could affect those efforts. Despite these federal changes, states can implement evidence-based strategies to protect and build their educator pipelines and improve student outcomes.

July 15, 2026 | States are working to close the teacher shortage gap, but a new wave of federal policy changes is likely to make it harder and more expensive to enter and stay in teaching, threatening to stall state progress when the educator workforce needs it most.

May 26, 2026 | Investing in school principals may be the highest-leverage strategy to address education's most pressing challenges — from teacher retention to student achievement. Strong preparation, ongoing professional development, and better working conditions help principals build the thriving schools every student deserves.

May 1, 2026 | Paid teacher residencies can help states recruit, prepare, and retain effective, diverse educators. California and Texas have found ways to fund these programs through strategic staffing models, offering a roadmap for other states facing teacher shortages.

April 28, 2026 | American schools spend over $4 billion annually on physical security technologies like AI weapons detection and surveillance, yet evidence for their effectiveness is thin and some have caused student harm. Research consistently shows that safety is better achieved through trusting relationships, positive school climates, and mental health supports—not hardware.

March 4, 2026 | Across party lines, the states achieving the strongest and most lasting student outcomes share a common set of evidence-based strategies. From Massachusetts to Mississippi, high-achieving states all invest in equitable and adequate school funding, teacher quality, and coherent instructional systems.

December 15, 2025 | States across the country are rethinking high school to give students stronger skills and more relevant learning experiences. Their efforts offer a clearer picture of how policy shifts can create schools that better prepare students for life after graduation.

December 9, 2025 | State leaders from California and Kentucky joined LPI's opening Legislative Prep Session webinar and shared how community schools are helping students succeed in their states. They discussed the ways that locally driven strategies, grounded in research and community partnerships, are improving achievement, attendance, and student well-being in states across the political spectrum.

November 18, 2025 | As schools grapple with post-pandemic learning setbacks, a powerful and evidence-based approach is helping students rebound. Community schools—rooted in deep family engagement, expanded learning, and integrated supports—are driving some of the strongest learning gains in the nation.