LPI In the News

Inside School Research/Education Week by Sara D. Sparks | Under the theme of "Public Scholarship to Educate Diverse Democracies," the 2016 AERA gathering examines the rapidly changing demographics in American schools and the role of education policy. Linda Darling-Hammond’s Presidential Keynote addressed how researchers can contribute to the design and framework of the "new accountability" under ESSA.

Education Dive by Erin McIntyre | With existing Preschool Development Grants becoming permanent by law under ESSA, more children will have access to early education. For greatest impact, the programs should be high-quality. This article cites the LPI Building Blocks brief, which recommends linking pre-k funding allocations with school quality and lists 10 key building blocks to consider.

Huffington Post by Joseph Bishop | Through the eyes of the parent of a toddler, LPI’s Senior Policy Advisor Joe Bishop examines the importance of early childhood education and the building blocks needed to deliver a high-quality program. He notes that ultimately, “the elements of program quality can be boiled down to one common denominator: the quality of the interactions between adults and children in a preschool setting.” 

Education News by Kristen Decarr | Drawing upon the research findings in LPI’s Building Blocks brief, which examines the key elements of high-quality early childhood education programs, the author looks at how such programs could positively impact California's 493,877 preschool-aged children currently living at or below the poverty line.  

Marin Independent Journal by Janis Mara | With the demand for teachers outstripping supply, school districts in Marin County, CA are using a number of strategies, including job fairs, to find new hires. The article cites statistics from LPI’s Teacher Shortage brief on the lack of qualified math, science, and special education teachers.

The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) by Lynn Bonner | A study co-authored by LPI Senior Research Fellow Helen Ladd found that some North Carolina schools in the state’s "turnaround" program, a federally funded program that targeted struggling schools, ended up worse than comparable schools that were not in the program. In this article, Ladd notes the federally proposed solutions don't get at the heart of the problem, which requires addressing the full array of needs of low-income students.

Studer Community Institute by Reggie Dogan |  The author references David Kirp’s opinion piece on New York City's commitment to providing universal pre-K to bolster the argument that Florida should do the same.

eSchool News by Laura Devaney | LPI's Building Blocks brief, designed to help states as they expand and improve early education programs, highlights 10 important elements of high-quality early childhood education programs so all children have an equitable start with a strong educational foundation.

Sacramento Bee by Joshua Pechthalt | With California facing a severe teacher shortage that disproportionately impacts low-income students and children of color, California Federation of Teachers President Pechthalt writes that rather than blame teachers for poor performance, what’s needed are more resources, smaller class size, social services, and excellent teachers. Remedies proposed include those outlined by Linda Darling-Hammond at the Vergara trial, including mentoring and strong teacher evaluation programs.

EdSurge | LPI was one of twelve organizations, including public school districts, nonprofit research groups, charter networks, and state education departments to receive awards ranging from $50,000 to $225,000 to design and implement new assessments. In total, $2 million was awarded through the Assessment for Learning Project, which is funded by the Hewlett and Gates foundations.