This is an update to the report "Deeper in Debt: Women and Student Loans." Americans today carry $1.54 trillion in student loan debt. That number has more than doubled over the last decade--increasing at nearly six times the rate of inflation. Women are particularly burdened, holding nearly two-thirds of all outstanding loans--around…

Ever since students began returning to classrooms in the late summer and fall of 2021, countless news stories have described intense staffing shortages in primary and secondary schools. The pandemic has wreaked havoc on the country's K-12 educational workforce, with overworked educators retiring or leaving the profession, insufficient substitute…

COVID-19 has created a sudden demand for teachers who can provide effective remote learning opportunities for students and, simultaneously, has disrupted the preparation for the next generation of teaching. Because teachers are the most vital in-school education resource, supporting the teacher workforce through the disruptions created by COVID-19…

"Schools' First and Forever Responders: Preparing and Supporting Teachers in the Time of COVID-19" elevates a rationale and considerations for evidence-based strategies and innovative approaches to support teachers and teacher candidates during and following the COVID-19 crisis. Because teachers are the most vital in-school education…

This brief is one in a series aimed at providing K-12 education decision makers and advocates with an evidence base to ground discussions about how to best serve students during and following the novel coronavirus pandemic. It addresses one central question: Recognizing longstanding educational inequities, what research-backed practices can…

This hearing of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions examines COVID-19 Response and Recovery in supporting the needs of students in higher education and lessons on safely returning to campus. Opening statements were presented by: (1) Honorable Patty Murray, Chair, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; and (2)…

While a fair amount is known about effective instructional practices for students who are English learners, less is known about how these practices might look different in a distance learning context compared to the classroom. This brief, produced by WestEd as part of a collection of Crisis Response Resources, is designed to help educators make…

This document records testimony from a hearing before the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education that was held to discuss strengthening connections with students experiencing homelessness and children in foster care. Member statements were presented by: (1) Honorable Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, Chairman,…

Indefinite school closures have left some school districts unprepared to manage the necessary provisions to provide an equitable education for all students. As learning hubs were launched for at-home learning guided by parents and students, accommodations for English Learners (EL), students with disabilities, and students receiving Special…

Research shows that a diverse teacher workforce benefits all students -- especially historically underserved students in American education, in particular Black students. With a historic pool of federal education funds now available to help address the effects of the pandemic, school districts and states have a unique window of opportunity to…

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted learning for millions of students, educators, and families who had to navigate modified in-person and virtual schooling, often in difficult circumstances. The pandemic's effects continue to reverberate across the nation and produce challenges for schools that will likely be felt for years to come. In many respects,…

In early August 2020, as educators prepared for an uncertain school year, there was a worrying theme from school district homeless liaisons: numbers of identified homeless students were down--in some cases, significantly down--despite evidence of increased need. In September and October of 2020, a survey was conducted of local educational agency…

Latino degree attainment and skill development are important to the nation's need for a competitive workforce and strong civic leadership. To help Latino students enter and be competitive in the workforce, trendsetting institutions are adapting their efforts to support students' strengths and meet their needs. Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs)…

Governor Whitmer's April 2020 decision to extend the shutdown of school buildings through the remainder of the academic year came with a guarantee to preserve districts' 2019-2020 funding levels, provided they met a few basic conditions. One condition was to continue paying all district employees, even if staff members needed to be redeployed to…

In March of 2020, the United States (U.S.), like many other countries around the world, faced an international pandemic unlike any other in recent times. Elected government officials recommended or mandated the closing of PK-12 public schools. These decisive actions led to unprecedented challenges, but also unique opportunities for public…