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

Solving Teacher Shortages: COVID-19 Intensifies Crisis

Blog

Tackling Teacher Shortages: What Can States and Districts Do?

The current staffing crisis in public schools is taking center stage in communities throughout the country. Long-standing teacher shortages, combined with COVID-19-related absences, are stretching schools to the breaking point. Policymakers need to act quickly and strategically to address the mounting crisis and build for the long-term. Research provides a clear roadmap to guide their efforts.

Issue

Teacher Shortages

Decades of persistent teacher shortages in the United States have impacted student outcomes and well-being. This is especially true for underserved students. Kickstarted by the 2008 Great Recession, the shortage of fully prepared teachers has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. What steps can policymakers take to recruit and adequately prepare teachers and clear a path for them to enter into classrooms?

Policy Playbook

Building a Strong and Diverse Teaching Profession

The Partnership for the Future of Learning offers a set of strategies to recruit, prepare, develop, and retain high-quality teachers and bring greater racial, ethnic, and linguistic diversity to the profession. This in-depth playbook includes examples of legislation and research-based policies, a guide to talking about teacher shortages and strengthening the profession, and publications for further reading.

Interactive Tool

Resources for Reopening Schools

As schools, educators, and families return from winter break, it will be important to stay safe, especially with the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. This collection of resources brings together recent and rigorous science to inform school efforts, supporting pre-k–12 educators, administrators, and policymakers with evidence-based approaches to provide and sustain safe, in-person instruction for students.

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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.

https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/topic/early-childhood-learning

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

https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/topic/deeper-learning

Educator Quality 

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

https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/topic/educator-quality

Equitable Resources and Access 

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.

https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/topic/equitable-resources-and-access

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.

https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/topic/accountability-and-improvement

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.

https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/in-the-news

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.

https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/products/all-publications

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.

https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/topic/essa

Report

Educating the Whole Child: Improving School Climate to Support Student Success

Sep 07 2018

Each year in the United States, 46 million children are exposed to violence, crime, abuse, homelessness, or food insecurity—experiences that can affect attention, learning, and behavior. This report looks at neuroscience, science of learning, and child development research on whole child approaches to education that improve learning for all students, especially those living with trauma.

Report

Design Principles for Schools: Putting the Science of Learning and Development Into Action

Jun 08 2021

Education aims to give every student opportunities to learn and thrive, but the outdated design of our schools contributes to widening inequalities. Science provides a clear path forward: students’ knowledge, skills, and well-being can be significantly influenced and improved by learning environments that use whole child design. Key design principles show how schools can utilize the science of learning and development to reshape systems, structures, and practices to improve student outcomes.

Group of adults and children smiling and seated in a circle.

Brief

California Community Schools Partnership Program: A Transformational Opportunity for Whole Child Education

Oct 22 2021

A historic $3 billion investment in the California Community Schools Partnership Program provides an opportunity to transform schools into community hubs that deliver whole child education. Examining key elements of the new law, LPI and Opportunity Institute researchers lay out evidence-based principles of high-quality community schools implementation that are aligned with the science of learning and development and discuss the need for technical assistance.