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Report
Group of students working with teachers at a workshop.
Report
| Los Angeles Unified School District successfully implemented its Community Schools Initiative through a robust support structure that centers inclusive environments enabled by restorative practices, project-based learning, and Linked Learning pathways. While all low-income schools in the district are recovering from pandemic-era lows, these schools are improving at substantially higher rates in achievement and attendance.
Report
A teacher assists a preschool student with a stacking toy.
Report
| California’s investment in universal prekindergarten has increased the capacity of local education agencies to expand the accessibility of transitional kindergarten across the state. Ongoing challenges center on staff recruitment and retaintion, meeting the developmental and behavioral needs of younger students, securing facility space, and sustaining funding.
Fact Sheet
An educator smiles in front of a group of students in a school hallway.
Fact Sheet
| Public schools face mounting challenges, including student mental health, chronic absenteeism, academic achievement, and teacher shortages. Yet the principal's impact is often overlooked. Effective leadership strengthens instruction, builds positive climate, and stabilizes the workforce. Investing in principal preparation, support, and retention is a powerful strategy for improving outcomes and advancing equity.
Brief
An educator smiles in front of a group of students in a school hallway.
Brief
| Public schools face mounting challenges, including student mental health, chronic absenteeism, academic achievement, and teacher shortages. Yet the principal's impact is often overlooked. Effective leadership strengthens instruction, builds positive climate, and stabilizes the workforce. Investing in principal preparation, support, and retention is a powerful strategy for improving outcomes and advancing equity.
Report
An educator smiles in front of a group of students in a school hallway.
Report
| Public schools face mounting challenges, including student mental health, chronic absenteeism, academic achievement, and teacher shortages. Yet the principal's impact is often overlooked. Effective leadership strengthens instruction, builds positive climate, and stabilizes the workforce. Investing in principal preparation, support, and retention is a powerful strategy for improving outcomes and advancing equity.
Report
A teacher assists an elementary student with an assignment in a classroom.
Report
| Texas is navigating high teacher attrition and relying on uncertified teachers who can fill vacancies quickly. While the share of uncertified teachers tripled across the state between 2019–20 and 2024–25, some districts maintained high rates of certified teachers. This study sought to identify those districts and understand the local contexts that might encourage hiring and retention of certified teachers. These findings are especially relevant in the context of newly passed state legislation enabling a significant financial investment in retaining and recruiting credentialed teachers.
Blog
School Safety Blog Art
Blog
| 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.
Brief
A teacher assists an elementary student with an assignment in a classroom.
Brief
| Texas is navigating high teacher attrition and relying on uncertified teachers who can fill vacancies quickly. While the share of uncertified teachers tripled across the state between 2019–20 and 2024–25, some districts maintained high rates of certified teachers. This study sought to identify those districts and understand the local contexts that might encourage hiring and retention of certified teachers. These findings are especially relevant in the context of newly passed state legislation enabling a significant financial investment in retaining and recruiting credentialed teachers.
Brief
Two high school students wearing lab coats in a plant nursery.
Brief
| Oakland High School has reimagined learning by integrating a community schools model, Linked Learning pathways, dual enrollment, and comprehensive student supports. Grounded in strong relationships and community connections, this approach has expanded engaging, real-world learning opportunities while improving student achievement, graduation rates, and teacher retention.
Report
A group of adults assisting students with an assignment.
Report
| Lynwood Unified's deep community roots, existing network of health partners, emphasis on social emotional learning, and focus on building coordinator capacity enabled rapid districtwide implementation. Within two years, all 17 schools became community schools, yielding significant gains in student achievement, attendance, school climate, and family engagement.