COVID-19 and Education Resources

Across the nation, teacher shortages are causing districts to scramble to find qualified teachers in math, science, special education, bilingual education, and other fields—with the most severe shortages in the highest-need schools. On September 15, the Learning Policy Institute convened leaders from government, education, business, and parent and community organizations for a timely discussion of this critical issue.

California is in the midst of a historic drive to further educational equity and promote school success—but will the outcomes match the state’s ambitions? In its 2016 Symposium, Making it Work: Implementing California's New Vision for School Success, EdSource will offer a timely, in-depth look at these reforms. Attendees will leave with need-to-know information about the changes and the extent to which new ways of assessing success can translate into improved education outcomes.

On October 26, 2016, the Learning Policy Institute (LPI) joined with the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) to host a webinar on Building a Strong, Sustainable Teacher Workforce. Developed for state policymakers and their staff, the webinar focused on evidence-based policies and practices to recruit and retain high-quality teachers, especially in hard-to-staff subjects, schools, and regions. The recorded webinar is available for viewing.

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) contains a number of new provisions that can be used to advance equity and excellence throughout our nation’s schools for students of color, students from low-income families, English learners, students with disabilities, and those who are homeless or in foster care. The Learning Policy Institute will convene a briefing on Capitol Hill to discuss these provisions and share information from a new report that outlines the equity implications of ESSA and offers recommendations on how states, districts, and schools can leverage key provisions in the new law to improve educational opportunities, especially for our most vulnerable students.

The Alliance for Excellent Education and the Learning Policy Institute held a webinar on using the Every Student Succeeds Act and its accompanying regulations to advance equity and educational opportunity. Designed for state policymakers and education stakeholders, the webinar focused on how states can effectively design multiple-measure accountability systems to assess overall school performance and progress—including gaps in student performance—and drive evidence-based interventions and continuous improvement across all schools and for all students.

On Thursday, January 26 the Learning Policy Institute and the California School Boards Association hosted a legislative briefing on the teacher shortage and its implications for California schools and students. The program included a research presentation on findings from a recent LPI-CSBA survey, comments by local stakeholders, and recommendations for state-level policies to build a strong and sustainable teacher workforce.

On February 27, the Learning Policy Institute (LPI) and the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) held a convening on preparing and supporting quality school leaders. The program included a presentation of research and recommendations on effective principal preparation and professional learning and a panel offered local and state perspectives on the critical issue of school leadership.

Of the major population groups in the United States, African Americans face the greatest educational assessment challenges. On April 3rd and 4th ETS, ACT®, the Center for Assessment, the College Board®, the Learning Policy Institute, and the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine sponsored a conference entitled, "A Focus on Educational Assessment: Advancing African-American Education Excellence," to address these challenges in both the K–12 and college admissions arenas.

The Learning Policy Institute was well represented at the 2017 AERA Annual Meeting in San Antonio, TX, from April 27 to May 1. Staff and research fellows presented their research on a range of topics including teacher shortages, equity and ESSA, and early care and education.

High-quality professional development helps teachers learn and refine the instructional strategies needed to teach 21st century skills. This event, co-sponsored by the Center for American Progress, the Learning Policy Institute (LPI), and Learning Forward, included a presentation of findings from an LPI review of research on professional development to advance student learning. It also featured a discussion by practitioners and policymakers on how federal, state, and local policy and resources can help support the implementation of high-quality professional learning opportunities for teachers.