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Students who attend high-quality preschool programs reap benefits that can last through school and their lives, according to a review of research by the Learning Policy Institute. The study includes reviews of rigorous evaluations of 21 large-scale public preschool programs which find that children who attend these programs are more prepared for school and experience substantial learning gains in comparison to children who do not attend preschool.
On February 28, 2019, the Learning Policy Institute hosted a forum examining where we stand today with regard to realizing the promise of educational equity outlined in Brown v. Board of Education. The forum featured experts who shared lessons learned from efforts to fulfill Brown’s promise and analyze approaches being taken to ensure that school system design helps prepare students to be effective participants in our diverse democracy.
On Thursday, February 21, the Learning Policy Institute and EdSource co-sponsored the forum, Reaching for Equity and Excellence: California’s Educational Progress and the Path Ahead. The event was designed to highlight education exemplars in California and spur dialogue among stakeholders about progress, challenges, and next steps for California.
On February 5th, the Learning Policy Institute and the National Urban League hosted a webinar entitled, “Using School Climate Data to Meet Student Needs" on how states are measuring, collecting, and reporting on a variety of school climate and social and emotional learning indicators under the Every Student Succeeds Act.
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In late December, 2018, the Trump administration rescinded Obama-era guidance on school discipline that has helped improve school safety and student achievement across the country. In advance of that decision, Linda Darling-Hammond and Chris Edley cautioned against this move in a commentary in The Hill. They explained that after states adopted the guidance, suspensions and expulsions—which are given at much higher rates to students of color—were reduced significantly as were school-based firearms incidents.
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A recent long-term study concluded that the effects of high-quality preschool programs last long into adulthood, and that because of higher projected income and diminished likelihood of incarceration, every dollar invested in quality preschool could generate a two-dollar return. Unfortunately, without a commitment by policymakers to invest in children’s education, this “powerful vaccine” won’t survive.
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School discipline can be a lose-lose proposition for both students and teachers but “empathic discipline,” a strategy combining discipline with rapport, can be used to good effect. Researchers are investigating how teachers can be supported in their use of this strategy and how it can be used to improve outcomes for "troubled" students.
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Historically, U.S. schools have been rated based largely on student performance on an annual summative test. With the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), state accountability systems now feature additional measures of student and school success, including academic growth. These factors are critical if we are to create accountability systems that recognize the contributions that schools make to student progress, while reducing bias against educators and schools serving students in diverse, high-poverty communities.
Governor-elect Gavin Newsom has pledged to significantly expand early education in California. But with more than 3 million kids aged 5 and under in the state, what would it take? In partnership with EdSource and Policy Analysis for California Education, LPI participated in a discussion with leading early education experts on how to achieve this ambitious goal.
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Under the Every School Succeeds Act (ESSA), states are able to use 5-, 6-, and even 7-year graduation rates in their accountability systems. This expanded measure of student success creates new opportunities for students who need extra time to earn a diploma, often the most vulnerable in our schools, including English Learners, students with special needs, and homeless and transitional youth.
