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Since our November 8th election, educators across the country have been stunned by the increase in racial slurs, bullying, and graffiti featuring swastikas and hate speech on campuses, emulating what children saw and heard in the presidential campaign. While deeply disturbing, the explicitness and widespread public eruption of hate speech of all kinds gives us a direct opportunity to create a curriculum of civility and caring, and to unseat the tacit bigotry that is often under the surface in schools.
Effective school design can support the whole child by providing high-quality academic learning, promoting strong interpersonal relationships, and offering authentic and culturally sustaining instruction.
Evidence shows that adequate and equitable financing of public schools improves a range of outcomes for all students, yet disparities in school funding shortchange many children in the United States.
Growing research demonstrates the benefits for all students of teachers of color. Evidence also points to promising practices to help teachers of color overcome the unique barriers they face and expand diversity in the teaching workforce.
The Racial Equity Leadership Network (RELN) is a fellowship program for district leaders who are committed to addressing persistent disparities in their systems and ensuring that race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status are not predictors of student success.
Research shows that the use of restorative practices improves achievement, reduces disciplinary and achievement gaps, and supports students’ mental health while making schools safer.
Inclusive, well-resourced, high-quality schools that ensure all children have opportunities to learn and thrive are necessary to overcome historical and contemporary social and educational inequities.
Effective systems of accountability and continuous improvement support schools and districts in assessing progress, identifying needs, and overcoming barriers to teaching and learning.
On Friday, November 6, 2015, in Washington, DC, the Learning Policy Institute and Jobs for the Future held a timely discussion of how U.S. schools can provide a more equitable and empowering education for all young people. The event featured a discussion of two reports recently released by Jobs for the Future.
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.
