Education

CAP Urges the Department of Education To Protect Access to Graduate Degrees and Lower Costs for Student Loan Borrowers

New Trump administration student loan policies will make postsecondary education more expensive and create new barriers for students seeking to earn graduate degrees.

CAP Comments on HHS’ Notice Rolling Back Progress Toward Improving Child Care Assistance for Low-Income Families

The Center for American Progress submitted a comment letter to the Department of Health and Human Services opposing the agency's efforts to roll back progress toward paying child care providers more fairly and lowering costs for families.

10 Policy Recommendations To Address Cellphone Use in Schools

As school leaders raise concerns about student cellphone use in schools, policymakers can look to domestic and international examples to create student-centered policies.

Putting Students Before Politics: A Conversation on the Future of America’s Education System With Rahm Emanuel

Please join the Center for American Progress for a conversation with Ambassador Rahm Emanuel as part of CAP’s “What’s Next: Conversations on the Path Forward” series.

Trump’s Attack on Child Care Funding Undermines Early Educators, Shortchanges Children, and Increases Costs for Families

The Trump administration leveraged allegations of fraud in Minnesota in an attempt to freeze essential child care funding, a move that reflects a dangerous, broader posture toward the early childhood community that threatens educators, parents, and children.

Fact Sheet: How To Increase the Retention of Early Career Teachers

A new CAP study of early career teachers explores their preparation and induction experiences and factors that affected their attrition in the field.

How To Increase the Retention of Early Career Teachers

A 2025 CAP survey of early career teachers sheds light on the experiences and factors that assisted or hindered their persistence in the field.

Moving Federal Education Programs Will Create More Bureaucracy, Not Less

The Trump administration is unlawfully using interagency agreements to continue its piecemeal dismantling of the Department of Education.

Head Start Is a Model for Supporting Child and Family Mental Health

Amid a pronounced youth mental health crisis in the United States, Head Start stands out as a crucial model for addressing the needs of vulnerable young children.

How University Governing Boards Can Protect the Independence of Colleges and Universities

Shifting toward merit-based selection of public university board members can better protect academic freedom than politically appointed boards, which have increasingly exerted influence over state colleges and universities in recent years.

The Trump Administration’s Latest Staffing Cuts at the Department of Education Threaten Children’s Success Across the Country

Cuts to staff at the Department of Education threaten the federal government’s long-term ability to ensure equal access to education for all, including children with disabilities.

How Changes to Fourth-Grade Reading Standards and Research-Backed Approaches Can Improve Reading Achievement

Four states—Alabama, Louisiana, Massachusetts, and Mississippi—have shown that adopting more rigorous literacy standards and scientific approaches to reading instruction can help reverse the decline in reading scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

Child Care Professionals Are on the Front Lines as Climate Change Risks Children’s Health and Development

Amid a changing climate and federal rollbacks to disaster relief and preparedness, early educators face an increasingly untenable child care landscape that will require state and local action.

CAP Comments on Regulations for New Loan Limits, Repayment Plans, and Program Accountability Metrics

The Center for American Progress submitted comments to the Department of Education recommending measures to protect student loan borrowers and strengthen the quality of postsecondary programs.

Trump’s ‘Compact’ With Colleges Will Put University Presidents in Legal Jeopardy

The White House’s proposed Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education is unconstitutional, unlawful, and will put universities and their administrators at direct risk from a politicized Justice Department.

Bolstering the Role of HBCUs in Federal Research and Development

Equitable R&D funding is key to unleashing HBCUs’ wellspring of innovation to improve America’s health, economic growth, and national security.

The State of Online Higher Education in 2025

Join the Center for American Progress to discuss the current challenges in monitoring and regulating online higher education.

Career and Technical Education in Pennsylvania

The Center for American Progress, in collaboration with the American Federation of Teachers, hosted an event to highlight career and technical education programs in the Philadelphia region and discuss policy opportunities to expand these programs elsewhere.

Public Education Under Threat: 4 Trump Administration Actions To Watch in the 2025-26 School Year

As public K-12 schools across the country face increasing threats from federal policies and actions, state and local leaders should prepare to respond.

Recent Trends in the Cost of College Show the Continued Importance of Federal and State Investment

A federal-state partnership can help bring down the cost of college for students, who today shoulder a greater share of the burden of financing postsecondary education than in previous generations, despite recent gains in college affordability.

Back to School, New Uncertainties: How Cuts to Public Education Threaten Student Success

Join CAP for a discussion on how state and local leaders can mitigate the effects of federal cuts to public school to ensure equal access to a quality education for all students.

CAP Comments on HHS’ Notice Affecting Head Start Eligibility Criteria

The Center for American Progress submitted a comment letter to the Health and Human Services Department opposing the agency’s unprecedented notice requiring Head Start programs to verify citizenship status in order for families to qualify for services.

Reaching a Boiling Point: State and Local Efforts To Protect Children From Extreme Heat

Join CAP for a discussion on how to protect the United States' youngest learners from extreme heat in the face of efforts to roll back climate progress.

‘We Are the Resources’: Head Start Is a Crucial Early Learning and Community Program for Families Nationwide

Despite repeated attacks on the program, Head Start has a 60-year track record of providing high-quality services that prepare young children for school and set families up for success.

Fact Sheet: What To Know About the Child Care for Working Families Act

The Child Care for Working Families Act would make child care more accessible and affordable, promote high-quality care options, and support child care workers.

The Full Cost of Attendance: Addressing Housing, Food, and Other Barriers to Community College Student Success

Although community colleges offer low tuition, students still face steep costs for essentials such as housing, food, transportation, child care, and supplies—barriers that policymakers must address to make college truly affordable.

Class of 2025 Forum: Student Perspectives on Public Education’s Value and Impact

Please join the Center for American Progress for an authentic conversation with students from the class of 2025.

About Extreme Heat, We Need to Prioritize Children

In an op-ed published by InsideSources, Hailey Gibbs highlights proven strategies that communities and policymakers can adopt to better mitigate the deadly effects of climate change for young children and infants.

10 Egregious Things You May Not Know About the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

Congressional Republicans’ radical budget and tax bill includes several less-known provisions that will increase costs, fuel the Trump administration’s overreach, and waste taxpayer dollars.

The Top 5 Ways the Congressional Republicans’ Budget Reconciliation Bill Will Harm Disabled Students

Disabled students will be disproportionately hurt by the Republican budget reconciliation bill, losing access to essential services and resources that support their education and help them become contributing members of their communities.

Preparing Rural Students for College and Beyond by Improving Access to Coursework

To better prepare rural students for postsecondary opportunities, federal and state policymakers must increase rural access to high-quality, rigorous coursework.

Debunking Myths About Head Start: How the Program Promotes Opportunity and Strengthens Families, Communities, and Economies

Decades of research illustrate Head Start’s effectiveness and its ability to meet the unique needs of local communities—along with the crucial role it plays in state and local economies.

Last School Year Was the Hottest on Record. How Do We Protect Students?

In an op-ed published by The 74, Paige Shoemaker DeMio argues that state policymakers and advocates need to step up to protect students from the deadly effects of extreme heat.

Fact Sheet: 5 Ways Community Colleges Spur Workforce Development

Community colleges support and drive workforce development to foster a more skilled and competitive American labor force.

5 Ways Community Colleges Drive Workforce Development

Community colleges play a vital role in workforce development by offering accessible education, aligning programs with industry needs, providing upskilling opportunities, fostering local partnerships, and supporting lifelong learning for diverse populations.

Who Pays for Choice? The Threat Privatization Poses to Public Education

Join CAP and NCLD for a virtual event about the growing trend of privatizing public education and unpack the real costs of school choice, revealing how it affects students, weakens local schools, and strains communities.

How the School Choice Agenda Harms Rural Students

As proponents of private school voucher programs continue to push for expansion, it is important to highlight the harms these programs can have on rural communities.

Congressional Republicans’ Proposed Budget Reconciliation Bill Imperils 4.4 Million Pell Grant Recipients

Proposed changes to Pell Grant eligibility could mean nearly two out of three recipients could lose some or all their federal grant aid and incur up to an additional total of $7,400 for a bachelor’s degree and $3,700 for an associate degree.

Betraying veterans on education: Congress is opening the gates for predators to profit

In an op-ed published by Stars and Stripes, Madison Weiss explains how congressional Republicans' plan to eliminate the 90/10 rule would open the door to deceptive college marketing schemes that target veterans.

The Sudden Loss of Federal COVID-19 Relief Funds Will Hinder K-12 Academic Progress

The recent rescission of COVID-19 relief funding for K-12 schools will harm districts and limit their ability to address learning loss and student achievement.

Stealing From Our Children: Trump’s Dismantling of Head Start Harms Children and Families

Join the Center for American Progress for an event about the Trump administration's serious threats to Head Start, leaving its future in peril and thousands of low-income families in fear of what comes next.

Executive Summary: Differentiating Between Harmful Child Care Deregulation and Helpful Reform

Instead of rolling back critical child care regulations, policymakers should streamline regulations and reduce administrative burdens that are not directly tied to child health, safety, and quality learning.

A Path Forward on Child Care Regulation: Differentiating Between Harmful Deregulation and Helpful Reform

States can and should make child care licensing reforms that ease burdens on providers and improve access—but must do so without endangering child health and safety.

Closures of Head Start Regional Offices Jeopardize Critical Services for Children and Families

A new CAP interactive shows the states affected by recent closures of Head Start regional offices, which play a critical role in administering grants and overseeing the delivery of early childhood services.

Governors’ Addresses Reveal Bipartisan, Nationwide Commitment to Early Care and Education

Governors’ 2025 State of the State addresses showcase the widespread impact of the child care crisis and an increasing recognition of the importance of expanded investments in the sector.

Moving Federal Student Loans From the Department of Education to the Small Business Administration Would Make Borrowing Riskier

A Trump administration proposal to end the Education Department’s administration of federal student loans will have significant consequences for student loan borrowers and taxpayers.

5 Things To Know About Head Start

Head Start provides educational, health, nutritional, and social services to hundreds of thousands of young children and their families every year, playing a critical role in the U.S. early care and learning landscape.

Introducing a Framework for Private School Voucher Accountability

As privatization efforts to redirect funding from public K-12 schools to private institutions continue to expand, an accountability framework for private voucher programs must be implemented to ensure positive student outcomes and thorough oversight of taxpayer dollars.

Cuts to Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid Will Leave Students and Borrowers Worse Off

The Department of Education’s latest workforce cuts, coupled with the executive order calling for the closure of the department, undermine its ability to meet legal obligations and effectively serve students and borrowers.

Department of Education Staff Cuts Will Harm America’s Children and Schools

The recent decision to slash the U.S. Department of Education’s workforce nearly in half will leave it unable to carry out its responsibilities and statutory requirements under the law.

6 Ways Congress Can Advance Workforce Development

The 119th Congress should work to expand access to education and training opportunities and create good jobs for more American workers while meeting the needs of employers and the economy.

CAP Comments on Proposed Rule on Changes to National Apprenticeship System

The Center for American Progress submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration regarding the proposed rule to update regulations that address apprenticeship labor standards and the governance of the national apprenticeship system.

Understanding the Basics of Child Care in the United States

The United States needs real solutions at all levels of government, coupled with robust public investment, to build a child care and early learning system that works for children, families, educators, and providers.

Frequently Asked Questions About the U.S. Department of Education

The U.S. Department of Education provides vital resources to schools, students, and families across the country to ensure everyone has access to a high-quality education.

What Will Happen to Your Student Loans if Trump Closes the Department of Education?

In an op-ed published by Teen Vogue, Stephanie Hall outlines what student loan borrowers can expect if the Trump administration successfully shutters the U.S. Department of Education.

Head Start funding freeze: The panic was the point

In an op-ed published by the Wisconsin Examiner, Casey Peeks discusses Trump’s funding freeze and how it continues to affect Head Start programs across the country.

Proposed Legislation Threatens To Raise Costs for Student Borrowers and Dismantle Consumer Protections

As the 119th Congress takes shape, several proposed higher education policies would roll back key consumer protection regulations and make damaging changes to the financial aid system, hurting students, taxpayers, and colleges.

The Importance of Holding Microschools Accountable

As school choice expands and new models such as microschools emerge, policymakers and advocates must ensure that these options adhere to accountability standards and do not divert critical resources from a universally accessible, high-quality public education system.

A 2024 Review of Child Care and Early Learning in the United States

Updated data on child care and early learning in the United States illustrate the urgent need for holistic public policymaking and robust investments that support young children, families, and early educators.

Reorienting Colleges Toward Student-Centered Practices

Colleges, universities, and policymakers can draw lessons from the evolution of patient-centered care in the health care system to create a more responsive and inclusive higher education system.

CAP Comment on Student Debt Relief for Borrowers Experiencing Hardship

A comment letter submitted to the U.S. Department of Education argues that proposed regulations to deliver relief to student loan borrowers experiencing hardship are urgent and necessary.

States Seek To Improve Early Childhood Outcomes Through Consolidated Governance Structures

In recent years, a number of states have moved to consolidate disparately administered early childhood programs into a single agency to improve coordination of services and reduce administrative burdens.

The Childcare Crisis Hampers Opportunity for America’s Families

In an op-ed published by Ms., Hailey Gibbs write about how a second Trump presidency could affect America’s child care crisis.

Letter to Under Secretary James Kvaal Regarding the Incentive Compensation Ban

Along with other student, consumer, and labor advocates, the Center for American Progress sent a letter calling on the Department of Education to close a loophole in the federal ban on incentive compensation.

Ensuring Digital Accessibility in K-12 Schools in a Technology-Driven Era

As technology advances and becomes more integral to K-12 education, school districts and policymakers must prioritize digital accessibility to enhance the educational experiences of students with disabilities and promote equity for all learners.

A Progressive Vision for Education in the 21st Century

This report encompasses key recommendations for strengthening the American education system across early childhood education, K-12 education, higher education, and workforce development.

Workforce Development State Strategies: A 50-State Scan of Best Practices From Recent Action

States can strengthen their workforces through fostering registered apprenticeships, establishing career pathways, providing supportive services, addressing demand in critical industries, and other measures.

Leveraging Technology To Equip K-12 Students for Success

Pandemic-Era Funding for Early Learning Programs Showcases One of the Most Important Investments the United States Can Make

Actions by the Biden-Harris administration and state policymakers illustrate how early learning investments are effective and necessary, paving the way for systemic changes to the country’s child care system.

Lessons From K-12 Education Relief Aid To Improve Federally Funded Programs

As COVID-19-era relief funding from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund winds down, federal policymakers should look toward expanding and improving existing base programs for K-12 public education to sustain vital investments.

Veterans face hidden dangers in online learning

In an op-ed published by Stars and Stripes, Stephanie Hall and co-author William Hubbard explain how the third-party contractors who manage virtual higher education programs take advantage of prospective students and can even undermine their GI Bill of Rights benefits.

Using Learning Science To Analyze the Risks and Benefits of AI in K-12 Education

Before adopting AI tools, it is important that schools think critically about whether these tools will further divorce students from how their brains are primed to learn.

Hear From a Child Care Director: How Extreme Heat Affects Young Children

Extreme heat places a strain on child care program facilities and poses risks to children’s health, learning, and development.

Fact Sheet: Local School Board Elections Matter

Local school boards help shape their communities, yet few people show up to their elections.

5 Reasons To Pay Attention to Local School Board Elections

As voters prepare for election season, they should not discount the importance of their local school boards.

Hear From a Teacher: How Extreme Heat Affects Student Learning

In rural and low-income communities, inadequate school infrastructure fails to protect students from extreme heat, negatively affecting student attendance, engagement, and achievement.

WIOA Turns 10: The Next Decade of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

Hear From a Pediatrician: How Extreme Heat Endangers Children’s Health and What We Can Do About It

Dr. Debra Hendrickson, clinical professor of pediatrics and author of The Air They Breathe, explains the risks extreme heat and climate change pose to children's health and the actions parents, communities, and policymakers can take to protect them.

Tracker: Student Loan Debt Relief Under the Biden-Harris Administration

The Biden-Harris administration has delivered historic levels of student debt relief by fixing broken programs and fulfilling promises to borrowers who had been left behind.

Investing in GEAR UP To Advance College and Career Readiness: Pathways to Success

Access to higher education remains strongly divided by race and socioeconomic status; programs such as GEAR UP that increase college readiness and enrollment for underrepresented groups are more important than ever.

How Joy and Belonging Can Help Underrepresented Students Succeed in STEM

Fostering joy and belonging in STEM has the potential to open doors for underrepresented students in both STEM education and the STEM workforce.

States want to reduce qualifications for teachers. That’s a huge mistake.

Paige Shoemaker DeMio writes in MSNBC about why teachers should be treated as trained professionals.

New Student Debt Relief Policies Fix Broken Promises and Benefit Borrowers Most in Need

The Biden-Harris administration proposed new regulations that would bring the share of student loan borrowers across the country who receive full or partial relief to about 3 in 4, targeting those who are the most likely to struggle repaying their debt.

How States and Districts Can Close the Digital Divide To Increase College and Career Readiness

To ensure that all students are college and career ready, policymakers and educators must focus their attention on closing the digital divide.

Project 2025’s Elimination of Title I Funding Would Hurt Students and Decimate Teaching Positions in Local Schools

Project 2025 would decimate more than 180,000 teacher positions and negatively affect the academic outcomes of 2.8 million vulnerable students across the country.

Executive Summary: Protecting Children From Extreme Heat Is Critical for Their Health, Learning, and Development

This fact sheet summarizes a recent Center of American Progress report highlighting the need for policymakers to take steps to develop heat standards for children and support infrastructure improvements to ensure schools, child care centers, and communities are safe and healthy places for children.

Project 2025 Would Exploit Child Labor by Allowing Minors To Work in Dangerous Conditions With Fewer Protections

The elimination of protections for young workers, if enacted, would lead more children to work in dangerous workplaces such as factories and slaughterhouses—as well as increase the likelihood of injuries and death—to the benefit of greedy corporations.

Protecting Children From Extreme Heat Is Critical for Their Health, Learning, and Development

As climate change intensifies extreme heat around the globe, policymakers must take steps to develop heat standards for children and support infrastructure improvements to ensure schools, child care centers, and communities are safe and healthy places for children.

Project 2025 Would Eliminate Head Start, Severely Restricting Access to Child Care in Rural America

If enacted, the elimination of Head Start would undermine economic growth and exacerbate inequalities among families with young children.

Project 2025 Would Increase Costs, Block Debt Cancellation for Student Loan Borrowers

The radical Project 2025 policy agenda for student loan repayment would multiply costs for borrowers, increase defaults, and end existing programs that allow borrowers to earn cancellation.

Making State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements in Higher Education Work for Students

Distance education agreements should align with the needs of students, states, and institutions—in that order.

Opinion: Baby boomers are retiring. Helping fill those work vacancies is government’s job

Veronica Goodman explains what a reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) would look like and why it’s needed right now in an op-ed published in MarketWatch.

Recommendations for Reauthorizing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

As WIOA turns 10, policymakers should reauthorize it to remake and prepare the U.S. federal workforce development system for the next decade.

In Pursuit of Justice: Fulfilling the Promise of Brown v. Board of Education

If we hope to produce an active and diverse citizenry committed to advancing democratic principles, our students must be able to learn with and from peers of different races, ethnicities, languages, faiths, and economic status.

Summit on Education: Reset. Reframe. Reform.

2024 Summit on Education: Reset. Reframe. Reform.

Investing in School Libraries and Librarians To Improve Literacy Outcomes

Libraries and librarians not only spark a love of learning; they are crucial to reversing low reading assessment scores across the country.

Fact Sheet: Using Federal Preschool Grant To Build State Early Learning Systems

The Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five program is a valuable tool for increasing families’ seamless access to early care and education programs.

K-12 Work-Based Learning Opportunities: A 50-State Scan of 2023 Legislative Action

Policymakers must work alongside educators and industry leaders to develop high-quality, equitable work-based learning models that bring these opportunities to more students.

Governors Are Calling for Investments in Early Care and Education

Echoing 2023, governors from both political parties prioritized child care and pre-kindergarten in their 2024 State of the State addresses.

6 Key Findings To Inform New Federal Policies To Relieve Student Loan Debt

Longitudinal survey data show that student loan borrowers of all degree levels experience various forms of financial hardship, which new student loan debt relief policies should work to alleviate.

States Are Taking Action To Address the Child Care Crisis

Federal COVID-19 relief funding for child care stabilization grants ended in September 2023, but a number of states have stepped up this year to address the child care needs of working families.

CAP Comments on the EPA’s Proposed Lead and Copper Rule Improvements

The Center for American Progress submitted a comment letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in response to the agency’s proposed improvements to the Lead and Copper Rule.

Executive Summary: How Federal Investments in Safe Drinking Water Infrastructure Are Improving Public Health

This fact sheet summarizes a recent Center for American Progress report highlighting the use of federal investments from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to replace dangerous lead service lines and advance public health among vulnerable communities.

How Federal Investments in Safe Drinking Water Infrastructure Are Improving Public Health

Pennsylvania and Wisconsin offer lessons for how states can remove lead service lines and protect community health by maximizing the unprecedented opportunity provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Building a Comprehensive State Child Care Agenda

Join CAP's Early Childhood Policy team to learn how the recently released data dashboard and state policymaker toolkit can be used to increase investments in child care and early learning programs.

Fact Sheet: Scaling Up High-Dosage Tutoring Is Crucial to Students’ Success

This fact sheet outlines the state of learning loss in the United States and the necessity of implementing high-dosage tutoring programs to accelerate learning and ensure student success.

Scaling Up High-Dosage Tutoring Is Crucial to Students’ Academic Success

Policymakers must take action to support states and districts in implementing high-dosage tutoring to ensure opportunities for student success.

Fact Sheet: 3 Trends in K-12 Assessments Across the Country

Reforms of state assessment systems could measure student learning more accurately and effectively, providing educators the information they need to close achievement gaps.

Transforming Accreditation by Centering Students

Negotiators coming together to revise the regulations that govern college accreditation should take a student-centered approach.

Opinion: Policymakers must strengthen — not dismantle — the college accreditation system

Madison Weiss writes in Higher Ed Dive about the need to strengthen the accreditation process for higher education institutions.

CAP Comment Urges the U.S. Secretary of Education To Protect Student Interests Amid Potential Online Program Manager Concerns

The Center for American Progress submitted a comment letter to the U.S. Secretary of Education highlighting concerns about the online program manager industry.

CAP Comment Urges NACIQI To Increase Transparency and Accountability in the Accreditation Space

The Center for American Progress submitted a comment letter emphasizing the need for the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity’s continued review of and recommendations on accreditation agencies.

Data Dashboard: An Overview of Child Care and Early Learning in the United States

The Center for American Progress has developed a data dashboard that allows users to explore national- and state-level data trends on a range of child care and early learning topics, including access to affordable care, the child care workforce, Head Start, and exclusionary discipline policies.

Related Resources on Child Care and Early Learning

This webpage offers a list of resources that can help make the case for investments in child care and early learning at the state level.

How To Expand Access to Affordable, High-Quality Child Care and Preschool

This webpage provides a menu of state policy recommendations and examples of state policies to expand access to affordable, high-quality child care and preschool opportunities.

Messaging and Communications To Promote Early Childhood Education

This webpage offers guidance on messaging and communications to promote child care and early childhood education in states.

Early Childhood Education in U.S. States

This toolkit provides information and resources to help state policymakers advocate for increased investments in their state child care and early learning systems.

Comment to Middle States Commission on Higher Education Regarding Third-Party Providers Policy and Procedures

This public comment, submitted by the Center for American Progress, asks the Middle States Council on Higher Education to clarify its proposed policy for reviewing its member institutions' arrangements with third-party providers.

House Republican Budget Threatens Public Education and Opportunity for Young People

House Republican leadership’s proposed funding bill would vastly cut support for economically disadvantaged students and eliminate important programs in the K-12 education, youth workforce development, and higher education spheres.

5 Ways Government Can Reimagine K-12 School Design in the Wake of COVID-19

State and federal governments must empower schools to redesign teaching and learning for the generations to come.

Hawkins Centers of Excellence at Minority-Serving Institutions Are Boosting Teacher Diversity

Congress must maintain funding for a long-overlooked program that is helping to recruit and support more teachers of color.

The Child Care Sector Is Still Struggling To Hire Workers

Amid a tight labor market and lack of sustainable funding, the child care sector’s shortage of good jobs persists, exacerbating its challenge to attract and retain workers.

What’s Next for Student Loan Borrowers?

After the U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Biden’s plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student loan debt per borrower in June 2023, the Biden-Harris administration is working hard to deliver relief to student loan borrowers.

The Future of Student Debt Relief: What To Expect Next

With the student loan payment pause ending in September 2023, this column helps to answer questions borrowers may have about what the Biden-Harris administration is doing to pursue debt relief and what to expect in the upcoming negotiated rulemaking that will take place from October through December 2023.

CAP Comments on the EPA’s Proposed Rule on Lead Dust Levels in Child-Occupied Facilities

The Center for American Progress submitted a comment letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in response to the agency’s proposed lower lead dust hazard standards and clearance levels for child-occupied homes and child care facilities.

5 Ways State Governments Can Support Student Mental Health

As the country faces a student mental health crisis, state policymakers must focus on instituting policies that support schools in best serving their students’ needs.

Challenges and Opportunities of Providing Free School Meals for All

The Center for American Progress’ community conversations with a Colorado school district illustrate how offering no-cost school meals is critical for students’ success and opportunities.

A Conversation With Catherine E. Lhamon, Assistant Secretary for the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education

Please join the Center for American Progress to explore the importance of nondiscrimination in education, especially in America’s colleges and universities.

K-12 Education Is Vital to Success of Biden Administration’s Investment Agenda

K-12 education needs a seat at the table when implementing new laws to boost infrastructure, green energy, and technology.

The 2023 Farm Bill Must Address Inequities in the Land-Grant University System

Despite the wide-ranging contributions that HBCUs and Tribal colleges have made to agriculture and conservation, these institutions receive fewer research and extension opportunities than their predominantly white peers.

Health Equity in Early Childhood Policy

Policymakers Must Understand How Education, Health Care, and Economic Security Shape Early Child Development

Policymaking that considers the unique developmental needs of young children, as well as their lived experiences and that of their families, can set the foundation for health and well-being throughout life.

Strengthening Early Childhood Health, Housing, Education, and Economic Well-Being Through Holistic Public Policy

The preschool years present a critical developmental period sensitive to changes in public health and social policy, for which robust investments in programs that support families can improve intergenerational outcomes.

Community-Based Strategies To Reduce Gun Violence in Schools

In addition to efforts from state and federal lawmakers, schools and communities have a critical role to play in addressing school gun violence through prevention and intervention approaches.

The Tortured Path of the Gainful Employment Rule

As the U.S. Department of Education prepares to publish its final gainful employment rule, learn more about the history of this key consumer safeguard meant to eliminate the worst actors before multitudes of students fall prey to poor practices.

5 States Addressing Child Hunger and Food Insecurity With Free School Meals for All

State governments are taking the lead in implementing no-cost school meal programs to eliminate administrative and financial burdens for students, families, and school staff.

An Overlooked Financial Aid Tool Can Help More Adults Reach College

The Ability to Benefit provision for federal financial aid is underutilized but has great potential to increase educational attainment among adults without high school diplomas.

5 Things To Know About the Child Care for Working Families Act

The Child Care for Working Families Act aims to expand access to and lower the cost of care for families, support child care workers, and address racial and gender disparities in the child care system.

Cashing in Our CHIPS: Community Colleges and the CHIPS and Science Act

5 Actions the FDA Can Take To Reduce Heavy Metal Toxins in Baby Food

As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration revises guidance for allowable levels of lead in baby food, further federal action is needed to protect all young children from environmental toxins in food products.

CAP’s Comments on FDA Draft Guidance for Lead Levels in Foods Marketed to Babies and Young Children

The Center for American Progress submitted a comment letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in response to the agency’s proposed draft guidance intended to reduce lead in foods marketed for infants and young children.

3 Ways States Can Expand and Sustain the Infrastructure Workforce by Meeting Child Care Needs

To improve recruitment, training, and retention in the construction industry, states should utilize infrastructure funds to address workers’ child care needs.

Funding for Federal Student Aid: A Defining Moment for Higher Education Programs

Jared C. Bass, senior director for Higher Education at the Center for American Progress, testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education on the importance of funding for the Office of Federal Student Aid.

How To Improve Employment Outcomes for Young Adults Leaving Incarceration

Young adults reentering communities after incarceration face many barriers to finding stable work, but forward-thinking policies can lead to better employment outcomes and safer communities.

States Can Improve Child Care Assistance Programs Through Cost Modeling

The current process states use for setting child care subsidy reimbursement rates only looks backward, building low wages and scarce resources into the future of child care.

CAP’s Comment on the Request for Information Regarding Public Transparency on the Low-Financial-Value Postsecondary Programs List

In a comment letter submitted to the U.S. Department of Education, Madison Weiss provides recommendations on the low-financial-value postsecondary programs list.

CAP’s Comment on the Income-Driven Repayment Regulation

In a comment letter submitted to the U.S. Department of Education, Bradley D. Custer discusses income-driven repayment regulation and the need for a student loan repayment system with a functional safety net.

Top 5 Actions Governors Can Take To Address the Child Care Shortage

Governors must take the lead in instituting policies that fairly compensate early childhood providers for the skilled work they perform, incentivize the creation of programs in child care deserts, and relieve families of the high cost of care.

Governors Demonstrate Bipartisan Support for Child Care and Early Education

Both Democratic and Republican governors are taking bold action to support young children and their families.

At Navajo Technical University, a World-Class Laboratory Is Building Native American Manufacturing Capacity

In the third and final installment in a series on Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), the Center for American Progress and American Indian College Fund examine how a Tribal university in New Mexico is creating engineering and advanced manufacturing career opportunities on the rural Navajo Nation.

A Minnesota Tribal College Teaches Law Enforcement in Effort To Put More Native Americans ‘Behind the Badge’

In the second installment in a three-part series on Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), the Center for American Progress and American Indian College Fund look at Leech Lake Tribal College’s law enforcement degree program and the college’s work on cultural revitalization and basic needs insecurity.

3 Ways the Biden Administration Protected Students and Borrowers in 2022

The U.S. Department of Education’s final rules on borrower defense to repayment, closed school discharge, and false certification will help protect students and taxpayers from predatory institutions.

CAP’s Comment on Accessing President Biden’s Debt Relief Plan and the Education Department’s Fresh Start Initiative

This coalition letter, led by the Center for American Progress, asks the U.S. Department of Education to work closely with the U.S. Department of Justice to distribute information about student loan debt relief to incarcerated student loan borrowers.

Strengthening Home Visiting To Promote the Health and Well-Being of Indigenous Families

The reauthorization and expansion of a key home visiting program could support better outcomes for Indigenous parents and young children.

Disparities in Housing, Health Care, Child Care, and Economic Security Affect Babies for Life

Social determinants of health, such as access to secure housing, family employment and economic stability, education, and child care, must be the focus of federal policies to support infant and toddler health.

Congress Should Guarantee Medicaid Continuous Coverage for Pregnant Women and Children

Congress has a narrow window to help preserve insurance coverage and improve both postpartum care and children’s health outcomes when the public health emergency ends.

For Native Americans, Tribal Colleges Tackle the ‘Present-Day Work of Our Ancestors’

In the first installment in a series on Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), the Center for American Progress and American Indian College Fund explore the essential role TCUs play in their communities and why investing in them should be a priority for policymakers.

The Supreme Court Censoring History and Race Would Be a Mistake

Race-conscious remedies, such as voting rights protections and affirmative action in college admissions, are supported by the Constitution, are a part of American history, and are essential to equal opportunity.

How To Make Schools Safer Without Additional Physical Security Measures

The newly enacted Bipartisan Safer Communities Act can help schools and districts create safer learning environments without resorting to implementing measures that harden schools.

After We Cancel the Debt

The Future of Higher Education in a Post-Debt Cancellation United States

Now that student debt is canceled, can we address its root causes?

Jared Bass discusses what the U.S. Congress must do next to address the root causes of the student debt crisis.

Point: Canceling Student Debt Is One of Many Steps Needed to Restore the Promise of Higher Education

Jared Bass discusses why President Joe Biden’s student debt cancellation plan was a meaningful step in what should be a broader mission of upholding the promise of higher education.

Book Banning, Curriculum Restrictions, and the Politicization of U.S. Schools

State and local officials’ efforts to undermine public education by playing politics with school curricula run against the interest of most American children and families.

Federal Investments in K-12 Infrastructure Would Benefit Students Across the Country

Equitable, dedicated long-term funding for school infrastructure is needed to ensure all school buildings are safe and conducive to student learning.

The Child Care Sector Will Continue To Struggle Hiring Staff Unless It Creates Good Jobs

Child care sites across the country are facing immense challenges hiring and retaining staff amid a shortage of good jobs, leaving parents struggling to find care and placing increasing stress on the workers that remain.

The Economic Realities of Child Care

Child care often is treated like a private family issue, but lack of access has cascading negative impacts on child care providers, small-business owners, and broader communities.

Teacher Preparation Shortcuts Won’t Solve the Teacher Shortage

Recently passed legislation that reduces training requirements for teachers will harm student learning, weaken the profession, and ignore the systemic issues that have long contributed to teacher shortages.

School Air Filtration and Ventilation Strategies To Improve Health, Education, Equity, and Environmental Outcomes

Upgrading school ventilation and air filtration is a critical part of a multilayered strategy to improve and protect health, education, the environment, and equity.

3 Things to Know Now that President Biden Has Canceled At Least $10,000 in Student Debt

Student debt cancellation is a bold step for the higher education system—and one that will benefit a wide cross-section of people and communities throughout the country.

CAP’s Comment on the Prison Education Program Regulation

Bradly D. Custer submitted a comment letter to the U.S. Department of Education on the Prison Education Program regulation.

Increasing America’s Child Care Supply

With additional funding, an existing federal subsidy program could forestall closures and supply losses in the child care sector until policymakers secure meaningful investments.

5 Things To Know About Debt Cancellation

Student debt cancellation would help people of all ages, reduce the racial wealth gap, and help borrowers weather turmoil in the student loan system.

CAP’s Comment on the Borrower Defense and Closed School Discharge Regulations

Madison Weiss and Loren Welles submitted a comment letter to the U.S. Department of Education on the borrower defense and closed school discharge regulations.

CAP’s Comment on the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program Regulation

Eileen Powell submitted a comment letter to the U.S. Department of Education on the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

Examining the Powerful Impact of Investments in Early Childhood for Children, Families, and Our Nation’s Economy

Rasheed Malik testified before the House Budget Committee on July 20, 2022, on the importance of investing in early childhood programs.

Timeline: Federal Student Loans During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This article presents a timeline of recent events related to student loans and takes a look at what’s to come for student loan borrowers.

After President Biden Cancels Student Debt

Meeting the urgency of the college affordability and student debt crisis will require bold action to restore the promise of opportunity for all Americans.

There’s a dire shortage of nurses across the US. There’s also an overlooked solution

Marcella Bombardieri and Marina Zhavoronkova outline several steps that lawmakers can take to address the nursing shortage in the United States.

Still Underpaid and Unequal

New, comprehensive data on child care workers in center-based programs—analyzing their demographics, education, experience, and wages—reveal widening pay gaps and inequality.

A Strong Start in Life: How Public Health Policies Affect the Well-Being of Pregnancies and Families

Understanding how the key social determinants of health—including housing, employment, and education—affect perinatal health is critical to ensuring that federal policies support healthy babies and families.

How the US Department of Education Can Fix Damaging Accreditation Regulations

The Biden administration must work to limit the harm of accreditation regulations rolled out under former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Why K-12 Teachers and Their Students Need Investments in Child Care

To meet the caregiving needs of the K-12 educator workforce and the developmental needs of the youngest students, the United States needs sustained, significant federal investments in the accessibility and affordability of high-quality child care.

The Alternative Teacher Certification Sector Outside Higher Education

Enrollment continues to grow in alternative teacher certification programs operated outside of colleges, but the number of students completing these programs is declining.

3 Ways Federal Investments Can Address Child Care Deserts in America

Comprehensive, sustained investments in child care can create historic opportunities to transform the system by building supply, expanding affordability, and supporting the workforce.

Addressing the Nation’s Infant Formula Crisis

Congress must act now to resolve the nation’s infant and specialty formula crisis by addressing supplies, cost, and accessibility and then take steps to prevent future shortages.

Video: How To Ease the U.S. Nursing Shortage

The nursing profession is critical to the health of the country and the economic security of millions of workers. This video shows how the nation can support its nurses.

4 Reasons the U.S. Economy Needs Comprehensive Child Care

Building the infrastructure for a robust child care system would have wide positive reverberations for the nation’s businesses and broader economic recovery and growth.

How To Ease the Nursing Shortage in America

The COVID-19 pandemic worsened a national shortage of registered nurses, making it increasingly urgent that policymakers invest in higher education, coordinate strategies to alleviate the pressures on the nursing workforce, and make the entire health care system more equitable and stable.

Fact Sheet: Easing the American Nursing Shortage

Major investments of federal funding and sustained coordination are needed to mitigate the impact of nursing shortages and improve the nation’s ability to improve the health care system.

Prioritizing Racial Equity in Student Mental Health Spending

States and school districts have rightly prioritized student mental health as they start to spend pandemic recovery dollars, but they must do more to ensure that funding also promotes racial equity.

Rural Communities Need Federal Child Care Investments

Targeted, long-term investments would help the many families in rural America who desperately need child care.

Proposed Priorities for the School Pulse Panel Data Collection

In these comments, the Alliance for Excellent Education and partners provide recommendations to the School Pulse Panel Data Collection to advance shared educational equity priorities through federal, state, and local policy and advocacy.

Proposed Changes to the Mandatory Civil Rights Data Collection

In these comments, the Center for American Progress suggests revisions to the Civil Rights Data Collection to get the data necessary to address equity gaps in education.

How Colleges and Universities Can Bring Pell Grant-Funded Programs Back to Prisons

A new process from the U.S. Department of Education outlines how higher education institutions can receive approval to offer Pell Grant-funded programs to incarcerated students.

The Case for a Longer Student Loan Repayment Pause

The Biden administration is making important changes to protect student loan borrowers, but there is still more work to do.

We can’t afford not to fix child care

Hailey Gibbs and Maureen Coffey make the economic case for a comprehensive federal child care package.

5 Strategies for Equitable Implementation of Public Investments in Child Care

States received an influx of funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to stabilize their child care industries. Key policy strategies that center equity ensure that these funds reach the people who need them most.

The American Rescue Plan Shored Up Child Care, But a Long-Term Solution Is Necessary

The American Rescue Plan provided much-needed funding to protect the child care sector from collapse, but long-term investments are critical to achieve lasting infrastructural change.

The United States Must Support HBCUs and Opportunity for Black College Students

The recent rash of bomb threats against historically Black colleges and universities is just one of the numerous signs that America is at risk of winding the clock backward when it comes to opportunities for Black students in higher education.

Educator’s View: Assessing Students Properly Requires More Than One Test. And Some of Them May Not Be What You Think

Jamil Modaffari discusses how states should be rethinking their approach to standardized testing in K-12 schools.

Child Care Spending Generates Massive Dividends

Major child care investments pay for themselves through a range of benefits, including improved child and family health, bolstered educational outcomes, and economic recovery.

The National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity: Overview and Resources

This page contains facts and resources about the role the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity plays within the accreditation system.

These 6 Priorities Show the Need for a Robust Domestic Discretionary Budget

Funding for government agencies expires on March 11; rather than pass another stopgap bill, Congress must pass full-year appropriations that adequately support the nation’s priorities and needs.

Fact Sheet: Holding Higher Education Accountable in Federal-State Partnerships

This fact sheet outlines key findings and questions for using performance contracts in federal-state partnerships for higher education.

Holding Higher Education Accountable in Federal-State Partnerships

Colorado’s experiment with performance contracts in the College Opportunity Fund offers insights into how performance contracts could be used for accountability in federal-state partnership proposals for higher education.

Q&A With CAP’s New Senior Vice President for Education, Jesse O’Connell

Jesse O'Connell, the new senior vice president for Education at the Center for American Progress, talks about the opportunities this moment offers to improve early childhood, K-12, and higher education in the United States.

Education Policies Need To Address the Unique Needs of Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities

The Center for American Progress is conducting new research that uplifts the lived experiences in public education of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. This research will advance CAP’s ongoing work to apply an explicit racial equity lens to K-12 education policymaking.

Co-Sponsoring Legislation To Advance Safe, Healthy, and Inclusive School Climates

Led by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, this letter urges members of Congress to co-sponsor the Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act, the Keeping All Students Safe Act, the Protecting our Students in Schools Act, the Safe Schools Improvement Act, and the Ending PUSHOUT Act.

Only Bold Action From Congress Will Solve the Child Care Crisis

Long-term investments in a new birth-to-five early learning system will be critical to a strong economic recovery.

Engaging the Community in School Funding Decisions

Community members highlight the importance of community involvement in school spending decisions and ways for schools to increase this engagement.

Retaining and Fostering Diverse Schools Program in the FY 2022 Budget

Led by the National Coalition on School Diversity, this letter advocates for the inclusion of the Fostering Diverse Schools program in the fiscal year 22 budget.

Supporting the Strength in Diversity Act (H.R. 729)

Led by the National Coalition on School Diversity, this letter expresses support for the Strength in Diversity Act.

The Path Forward on BBB Must Include Child Care and Universal Pre-K

Rasheed Malik writes about the importance of including child care and universal prekindergarten in Build Back Better.

Understanding the Opportunities and Challenges of Charter Management Contracts for Public Schools

A review of the common failures of contracts between management companies and the charter schools they oversee suggests some changes could help protect both students and taxpayer money.

Early Learning in the United States: 2021

These state fact sheets provide data on access to affordable child care for families, compensation for child care providers, and economic benefits of increased public investment in early learning.

Promoting Equitable Access to Quality Child Care

Increased federal investments offer an opportunity to expand equitable access to quality child care for all children and families.

How To Increase Support for Youth Leaving Juvenile Detention Facilities

Students returning home from juvenile detention centers deserve support to reintegrate into their communities, especially during the pandemic.

The Build Back Better Act Substantially Expands Child Care Assistance

The Build Back Better Act ensures child care assistance for 16 times as many young children as under current law, and in some states, it would help state child care agencies reach more than 25 times as many children and their families.

How Educators, Students, and Families Would Spend Additional K-12 Education Funding

Educators, students, and family members discuss the important investments they would make to improve the educational experience if they had additional education funding.

How the Underfunding of K-12 Public Schools Impacts Students, Educators, and Families

Students, educators, and family members describe how the underfunding of K-12 public schools has negatively impacted their experiences and opportunities.

Investing in Home Care and Early Childhood Educators Has Outsize Impacts on Employment

Proposed investments in the Build Back Better agenda would benefit a significant number of workers, particularly women and women of color; transform the home care and early childhood sectors; and lift living standards and employment prospects for millions of Americans.

Comment on FR Doc # 2021-15831

Bradley D. Custer and Ella Azoulay submitted a comment letter to the U.S. Department of Education on the administration of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

Supporting the Safe Schools Improvement Act (H.R. 4402/S. 2410)

Led by GLSEN, this letter expresses support for the Safe Schools Improvement Act.

Tell Congress: Families Deserve Affordable Child Care

The United States needs a comprehensive solution to make child care affordable for families.

The Build Back Better Act Would Greatly Lower Families’ Child Care Costs

The Build Back Better Act would ease a significant burden on middle-class families’ finances, lowering their child care costs by more than $100 per week in most states.

Budget Reconciliation Must Support a Quality Education for All Students

Ensuring a quality education for America’s students during the COVID-19 pandemic will require a range of federal and state supports, as well as efforts to build a robust economy that works for everyone.

Future of Testing in Education: Effective and Equitable Assessment Systems

This analysis of testing in schools shows what the current debate gets wrong, and how educators and policymakers can create a future where assessments are a more effective part of the teaching and learning system.

Future of Testing in Education: Artificial Intelligence

Technology and artificial intelligence can vastly improve the types of assessments teachers use to guide students in their learning.

Future of Testing in Education: The Way Forward for State Standardized Tests

There are valid criticisms about the current structure of state standardized testing in schools; the solution is not to get rid of these assessments but rather to design them differently.

More Than 125 Economists and Public Policy Scholars Agree That Investing in Child Care Is Necessary for Children, Families, and the Economy

Experts urge congressional leadership to make long-overdue investments in child care and early learning.

Helping Students Avoid the “Engagement Cliff” through High School Redesign

Author Abby Quirk explains how high school redesign efforts can improve student engagement, ensure equitable access to future career opportunities, and strengthen local industries.

Masks or Mania: Political Will Is Required to Protect Children From COVID-19

Khalilah M. Harris writes about several ways the Biden administration and Congress can ensure students are able to return to and stay in school safely this year.