|
Many students across the country don’t have access to opportunities to learn that prepare them for post-secondary life. Linda Darling-Hammond and Byron Ernest elevate examples from California and Indiana to illustrate how state boards of education can create innovative and equitable education models.
|
Across the country, many schools have adopted restorative practices in an effort to improve school climate and student outcomes while reducing exclusionary discipline. Restorative practices improve students’ academic achievement and decreases suspension rates and disparities.
|
Infrastructure at Oakland Unified School District helped to successfully implement a community schools approach by centralizing processes and systems and providing support for family engagement and professional learning and development.
|
Fremont High School in Oakland, CA, is among the many schools seeing benefits from adopting restorative practices in place of exclusionary discipline policies such as suspensions and expulsions, which disproportionately impact students of color and students with disabilities. Since implementing these policies, Fremont has reduced suspension rates and increased enrollments.
|
Exclusionary discipline (suspension and expulsion) increases risks of student misbehavior, dropout, and incarceration—and Black students are 4 times more likely than White students to experience such discipline. An alternative to exclusionary discipline, restorative practices address root causes of misbehavior and can improve academic, disciplinary, and school climate measures and reduce racial disparities.
|
Examining how Oakland Unified School District successfully implemented a community schools approach, researchers found structures that support effective partnerships, Coordination of Services Teams, community school managers, professional learning and development, and family engagement.
|
Oakland Unified School District's long-standing community schools initiative offers lessons for districts implementing a community schools strategy, illustrating an approach focused on integrating whole child educational practices and providing sustained support through centralized district infrastructure.
Daniel EspinozaMichael GriffithDion BurnsPatrick M. Shields
|
While federal funding to support the more than 1 million students experiencing homelessness has increased over the past several years, the level of funding remains meager relative to the need. Policy changes concerning funding amounts, distribution, and data collection may improve educational opportunities for these students.
|
Fifty public high schools that have been identified as “Schools of Opportunity” are founded on policies and practices that address achievement gaps by improving opportunities to learn. Kevin Welner and Kate Somerville discuss four lessons learned from these exemplary high schools.
Susan Kemper PatrickLinda Darling-HammondTara Kini
|
While high-quality preparation is critical for an effective and stable teacher workforce, only 58% of newly credentialed California teachers in 2020–21 were fully prepared in teacher preparation programs. Surveys of 60,000 California teachers who completed programs reveal who receives preliminary teaching credentials, how prepared they feel, and what factors contribute to their perceptions.
