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More than 5 million children in the United States live in deep poverty, including nearly 1 in 5 Black children under the age of 5. These numbers will no doubt grow, given the explosion of the health and economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, more than ever, school systems need a more robust, reliable, and valid measure of students experiencing deep poverty in order to align services and supports with student need.
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National estimates show that during the 2015–16 school year, nearly 11.4 million days of instruction were lost due to out-of-school suspensions. Disciplinary actions that remove students from the classroom, coupled with lost instruction caused by COVID-19, have resulted in high rates of learning loss, particularly for students of color and students with disabilities. As students’ opportunities to learn continue to diminish, educational inequities persist.
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Pandemic-related school closures have underscored the essential role that home-school partnerships play in supporting the needs and ongoing development of students. This is particularly true for students with disabilities, whose educational plans can include the provision and coordination of multiple services. Teachers and school district staff share how they are strengthening communication with families and tapping new tools and resources to support students with disabilities.
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To chart a path forward as the nation grapples with the impact of a global pandemic and systemic racism, federal policymakers can advance research-based policies that have been shown to foster equity and opportunity. This resource describes key policies that can help accelerate efforts to ensure that all young people have equal access to a high-quality, world-class education.
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Shifting sociopolitical and policy dynamics have put a spotlight on systemic inequities and the need for school systems to implement policies that advance equity. This research synthesis examines education policy research from the past 15 years to illuminate how scholars have investigated reforms intended to redress inequity and what actions the field may undertake to inform equitable schooling and policymaking.
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Student poverty was a concern in the U.S. even before the COVID-19 pandemic, when 1 in 5 children already lived in low-income families. This study evaluates the shortcomings of commonly used child poverty measures, including the Free or Reduced-Price Lunch program, and proposes alternatives.
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As poverty rates grow in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic a new study evaluates the shortcomings of commonly used child poverty measures and proposes alternatives.
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Those of us who work in education must acknowledge that our school systems have been complicit in perpetuating systemic racism, including through the criminalization and marginalization of Black children. Our goal in this moment must be to dismantle these discriminatory policies and replace them with approaches that honor the dignity of the lives of Black children as they do of all children.
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Schools, districts, educators, and families are not equally empowered to switch to distance education in response to the pandemic. Educators, policymakers, and partners have taken on the essential work of bridging the technology gap, but tactical interventions alone are insufficient. Another challenge—and opportunity—brought on by the COVID-19 crisis is the need to shift to next-generation instructional models characterized by collaboration, student agency, and opportunities to learn in diverse settings.
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To make the most of federal funds through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, districts and states should invest in systems, structures, and supports that increase long-term capacity and produce immediate benefits for historically underserved students. Here are five evidence-based and equity-focused investments to support students and schools grappling with the impact of the COVID-19 crisis.
