Welcome to Learning Policy Institute

The Learning Policy Institute conducts and communicates independent, high-quality research to improve education policy and practice. Working with policymakers, researchers, educators, community groups, and others, the Institute seeks to advance evidence-based policies that support empowering and equitable learning for each and every child. Read More

Blog

Monitoring Chronic Absence Is Key to Creating an Equal Opportunity to Learn

More than eight million students are chronically absent each school year. ESSA creates an opportunity for states and districts to address chronic absences as a key strategy for creating greater educational equity. This blog, part of the Realizing ESSA’s Promise series, provides guidance on how states can equip districts, communities, and schools to take a comprehensive approach to improving attendance.

Book

With the Whole Child in Mind: Insights from the Comer School Development Program

The School Development Program (SDP) established by child psychiatrist James P. Comer and the Yale Child Study Center, is grounded in the belief that successful schooling—particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds—must focus on the whole child. With the Whole Child in Mind describes SDP’s six developmental pathways and explains how the program's nine key components create a comprehensive approach to educating children for successful outcomes.

Brief

Expanding Access to a College- and Career-Ready Curriculum

College- and career-readiness is an important factor of student success. This brief describes how states can use data on college- and career-readiness to measure and expand access to curricula that prepare students for the modern economy. It is part of the report Making ESSA’s Equity Promise Real: State Strategies to Close the Opportunity Gap.

Brief

Teacher Shortages in California: Status, Sources, and Potential Solutions

Teacher shortages have been worsening in California since 2015. The state’s investment of nearly $200 million in programs aimed at recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers, will take time to yield the desired results. California needs to make additional investments to rapidly build the supply of qualified teachers where they are most needed and create incentives for experienced, effective teachers to re-enter and remain in the classroom.

View More Publications

Early Childhood Learning 

High-quality early learning provides young children, particularly those from low-income households, with the foundation that research shows improves academic success and provides long-term benefits.

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Deeper Learning 

The Learning Policy Institute explores three key components of deeper learning strategies: * Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment * College, Career, and Civic Readiness * School Organization and Design

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Educator Quality 

We explore three key components of educator quality: * Evaluation and Career Development * Professional Learning * Recruitment and Retention

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Equitable Access and Resources 

Equitable distribution of financial and other critical resources, including access to high-quality educators, college-preparatory curriculum, and support services, creates the foundation necessary for every child to succeed.

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Accountability and Improvement 

Effective accountability systems ensure adequate and equitable resources and enable ongoing improvement. They do this by providing the information, capacity building, and support needed to identify strengths and challenges, and make necessary improvements.

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In the News 

Media outlets around the country turn to the Learning Policy Institute’s research and staff for evidenced-based insight into critical issues facing our schools and students.

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Publications 

The Learning Policy Institute publishes and widely disseminates its research and analysis to contribute to public knowledge and policy decision making. All LPI publications are subject to rigorous research standards and external peer review.

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Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) 

The Learning Policy Institute has produced an extensive collection of resources to inform and guide policymakers and stakeholders in the development of state ESSA plans.

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Report

The Promise of Performance Assessments: Innovations in High School Learning and Higher Education Admissions

Jan 18 2018

A new study looks at the use of performance assessments for both K-12 learning and college admission, placement and advising. The study is the first research produced through Reimagining College Access, a national initiative of the Learning Policy Institute and EducationCounsel that for the first time brings together k-12 and higher education policy and practice leaders to recognize and foster high-quality k–12 performance assessment systems.

Video

The Power of Performance Assessments: Oakland Unified’s Graduate Capstone Project

Oct 26 2017

In the Oakland Unified School District, a yearlong Graduate Capstone Project provides an opportunity for students to research, analyze, and become experts in a topic of their own choosing. LPI’s video shows how this complex project, which is used as a districtwide performance assessment, is building students’ ownership of their own learning and helping them develop and use critical thinking and communication skills.

Webinar

Webinar: Increasing Opportunities for Deeper Learning

Feb 15 2018, 3:00 PM EST

On February 15, LPI held the first webinar in a series that explores why deeper learning is crucial for students in today’s innovation economy and how we can achieve greater equity in access to deeper learning. This webinar addressed ways schools and school districts can improve academic achievement—particularly among students who are farthest from opportunity—through engaging students in learning that focuses on meaningful mastery of subjects, critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration and other skills necessary for college, career, and civic participation in the 21st Century.