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In a commentary on school funding, Linda Darling-Hammond writes that investing wisely in education is increasingly important to the success of individuals, economies, and societies. Policymakers at the federal and state levels can play a role in ensuring schools receive equitable and adequate resources. In doing so, the country can close educational achievement gaps and increase the U.S. GDP, extending benefits to us all.
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Equitable and empowering educational opportunities are increasingly important to the survival and success of individuals, economies, and societies, but today, U.S. public schools are the most inequitably funded of any in the industrialized world. Some states, however, have had some success addressing those inequities. Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and North Carolina have substantially improved learning opportunities and there are lessons to be learned from their efforts.
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The report, California’s Positive Outliers: Districts Beating the Odds, provides insight into the California districts that are most successful at advancing the academic achievement of African American, Latino/a, and White students, as measured by standardized tests. Lead author Anne Podolsky discusses the study's key findings and their implications for local and state policymakers.
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What is the place of technology in the classroom? Some would say it doesn't belong. But a number of states, including California, are investing in technology—and for good reason.
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In 2007, the New York legislature enacted a funding formula to address disparities in education. Despite that action, racial and economic disparities in education persist. In testimony before the New York Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, LPI Senior Researcher Peter Cookson discussed research findings that explain why those disparities have persisted, New Jersey’s successful school funding reforms, and recommendations to help ensure that all students receive a sound basic education in New York.
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The Trump administration rescission of federal school discipline guidance and proposals to arm teachers is making our schools more like prisons and less like centers of learning. In this Forbes commentary, Linda Darling-Hammond discusses the wide body of research showing that these policies backfire and real school safety will come from investments in social-emotional learning and restorative justice practices.
Anne PodolskyLinda Darling-HammondChristopher Dosssean reardon
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This brief analyzes scores of students in 435 school districts scores on California’s new assessments in English language arts and math. From this group, 156 “positive outlier” districts of significant size—where White, African American, and Hispanic students achieve at higher than predicted levels relative to their socioeconomic status—were identified. What in-school factors made the most difference in student achievement?
Anne PodolskyLinda Darling-HammondChristopher Dosssean reardon
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LPI studied 156 California school districts of significant size in which students of color, as well as White students, consistently achieve at higher levels than students from similar racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds. What are these "positive outliers" doing to raise achievement and support students of all backgrounds?
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In some California school districts, students of color are reaching extraordinary levels of academic achievement—defying trends and exceeding the performance of students of similar backgrounds in other districts across the state. A new report by the Learning Policy Institute examined which districts have excelled at supporting the learning of students of color as well as White students, taking into account their socioeconomic status.
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In 2018, the Trump administration rescinded voluntary federal guidance intended to help states end exclusionary and discriminatory school discipline practices. Many states had implemented policies based on evidence-based approaches outlined in the guidance and have seen lower rates of suspensions and expulsions among all students, including students of color, and other benefits. Loss of that guidance removes an important set of resources available to states and districts to end harmful practices.
