In 2016-2017 the Department of Early Learning (DEL) is undertaking a new Racial Equity Initiative to strengthen the department's organizational capacity to advance racial equity. The outline for this initiative describes the need for "data and metrics to track results and measure the impact of DEL's actions at the child/family/community level…

Understanding disparities in school readiness among America's children when they begin kindergarten is critically important, now more than ever. In today's 21st century global economy, it is expected that the great majority of children will complete high school ready to enter college or begin a career, and assume their civic responsibilities. This…

Inequalities in education outcomes such as test scores or degree attainment have been at the center of education policy debates for decades. Indeed, the first seminal national report on the state of U.S. education--the 1966 Coleman Report--examined some of these inequalities 50 years ago. Since then, researchers have examined performance gaps by…