5 Evidence-Based Strategies To Improve U.S. K-12 Math Achievement in Wake of 2025 PISA Results ReportSeptember 16, 2026 5 Evidence-Based Strategies To Improve U.S. K-12 Math Achievement in Wake of 2025 PISA Results Sep 16, 2026 Weadé James, Paige Shoemaker DeMio, Olivia O’Connell
Poverty Rates Diverged in 2025 but Will Likely Rise Following the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s Implementation ArticleSeptember 15, 2026 Poverty Rates Diverged in 2025 but Will Likely Rise Following the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s Implementation Sep 15, 2026 Kennedy Andara, Mimla Wardak
Amid Rising Costs, the Gender Wage Gap Deepens Affordability Challenges for Women ArticleSeptember 15, 2026 Amid Rising Costs, the Gender Wage Gap Deepens Affordability Challenges for Women Sep 15, 2026 Amina Khalique, Sara Estep
The Trump Administration’s Plan To Politicize Federal Grants Would Harm American Health and Innovation ReportSeptember 15, 2026 The Trump Administration’s Plan To Politicize Federal Grants Would Harm American Health and Innovation Sep 15, 2026 Jill Rosenthal, Sara Partridge, Devon Ombres, 3 More Haley Norris, Mariam Rashid, Ryan Mulholland
5 Evidence-Based Strategies To Improve U.S. K-12 Math Achievement in Wake of 2025 PISA Results ReportSeptember 16, 2026 5 Evidence-Based Strategies To Improve U.S. K-12 Math Achievement in Wake of 2025 PISA Results As newly released scores on the global PISA exam show U.S. students trailing other advanced nations in mathematics, federal and state policymakers must act urgently to invest in math education and prepare students for economic competitiveness. Sep 16, 2026 Weadé James, Paige Shoemaker DeMio, Olivia O’Connell
Poverty Rates Diverged in 2025 but Will Likely Rise Following the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s Implementation ArticleSeptember 15, 2026 Poverty Rates Diverged in 2025 but Will Likely Rise Following the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s Implementation In 2025, the official poverty rate decreased while the supplemental poverty rate remained statistically unchanged. Yet cuts to the social safety net signal increases in poverty in the years to come. Sep 15, 2026 Kennedy Andara, Mimla Wardak
Amid Rising Costs, the Gender Wage Gap Deepens Affordability Challenges for Women ArticleSeptember 15, 2026 Amid Rising Costs, the Gender Wage Gap Deepens Affordability Challenges for Women After widening for two consecutive years, the gender wage gap narrowed in 2025—to 84 cents for women working full time, year-round for every dollar made by their male counterparts. Sep 15, 2026 Amina Khalique, Sara Estep
The Trump Administration’s Plan To Politicize Federal Grants Would Harm American Health and Innovation ReportSeptember 15, 2026 The Trump Administration’s Plan To Politicize Federal Grants Would Harm American Health and Innovation A new proposed rule from the Trump administration would subject all federally funded grants and research to politically motivated decision-making, as well as violate the laws governing agency rulemaking and the constitutional rights of Americans. Sep 15, 2026 Jill Rosenthal, Sara Partridge, Devon Ombres, 3 More Haley Norris, Mariam Rashid, Ryan Mulholland
Wealth Inequality Has Grown During the Trump Administration ArticleSeptember 15, 2026 Wealth Inequality Has Grown During the Trump Administration The wealthiest 0.1 percent of households have gained more than 8,000 times as much wealth per household as the bottom 50 percent since the end of 2024. Sep 15, 2026 Cristina Tello-Trillo, Sara Estep, Corey Husak
2026 U.S. Job Growth Has Lagged Far Behind Optimal Levels ArticleSeptember 4, 2026 2026 U.S. Job Growth Has Lagged Far Behind Optimal Levels New calculations show the economy would need to add about 97,000 jobs per month to keep the employment-to-population ratio from declining. Sep 4, 2026 Cristina Tello-Trillo, Christian E. Weller
Opinion: A new tax on these companies would help Washington shrink the deficit In the NewsAugust 27, 2026 Opinion: A new tax on these companies would help Washington shrink the deficit In an op-ed for MarketWatch, Corey Husak outlines how a tax on shell companies could help lower the federal deficit. Aug 27, 2026 MarketWatch Corey Husak
Child Labor Violations Are On The Rise. Some States Are Making It Worse. In the NewsAugust 25, 2026 Child Labor Violations Are On The Rise. Some States Are Making It Worse. In an op-ed for The Contrarian, Veronica Goodman discusses how child labor violations have risen 54 percent in the past decade, and how some states are making this crisis worse. Aug 25, 2026 The Contrarian Veronica Goodman
Weighted Student Funding: Successes and Challenges in the K-12 Education Landscape ArticleAugust 25, 2026 Weighted Student Funding: Successes and Challenges in the K-12 Education Landscape As more school systems adopt student-based funding, early evidence shows that it successfully targets resources to students with greater needs and boosts academic achievement. Aug 25, 2026 Olivia O’Connell
Our debt trajectory is unsustainable. Tax cuts are to blame. In the NewsAugust 25, 2026 Our debt trajectory is unsustainable. Tax cuts are to blame. In an op-ed for MS NOW, Bobby Kogan argues that to meaningfully fix the United States' debt crisis, Congress must reverse this century's tax cuts. Aug 25, 2026 MS NOW Bobby Kogan
CAP Comment Letter on the EEOC’s Proposed Removal of Reporting Requirements ArticleAugust 24, 2026 CAP Comment Letter on the EEOC’s Proposed Removal of Reporting Requirements The Center for American Progress submitted a comment on the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s proposed rescission of reporting requirements. Aug 24, 2026 Sara Estep
Weighing Priorities: What U.S. Spending on the Iran War Could Fund Instead InteractiveAugust 24, 2026 Weighing Priorities: What U.S. Spending on the Iran War Could Fund Instead The House of Representatives took the first step toward passing a bill that would provide the Trump administration $73 billion to fund its already costly war in Iran. That funding, if better allocated, could provide lifesaving and life-changing services for millions of Americans. Aug 24, 2026 Jamie Friedman, Bobby Kogan, Allison McManus
Fact Sheet: Costs of Iran War Fact SheetAugust 20, 2026 Fact Sheet: Costs of Iran War The Trump administration’s war in Iran has cost at least $1,200 per household. With no end in sight, American families are paying a price. Aug 20, 2026 Ryan Mulholland, Courtney Federico, Allison McManus
Miami-Dade eliminated free school meals. They won’t be the last. In the NewsAugust 12, 2026 Miami-Dade eliminated free school meals. They won’t be the last. In an op-ed for K-12 Dive, Paige Shoemaker DeMio warns that the Trump administration's safety net cuts mean Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the nation's third-largest district, will not be the last to eliminate free school meals for students. Aug 12, 2026 K-12 Dive Paige Shoemaker DeMio
New Illinois Law Continues Momentum for Rideshare Sectoral Bargaining ArticleAugust 10, 2026 New Illinois Law Continues Momentum for Rideshare Sectoral Bargaining Illinois becomes the third state in the past two years to enact a new model for unionization and collective bargaining. Aug 10, 2026 David Madland
Teen Employment Remains Weak ArticleAugust 7, 2026 Teen Employment Remains Weak The share of teens employed has slid from a high of 50 percent in 1978 to just 30.7 percent today, with teen boys and teens of color facing the steepest declines. This trend may signal where the broader economy is heading while also revealing a narrowing pipeline of early work experience that has historically given young people a stronger foothold later in their careers. Aug 7, 2026 Jazmine Amoako, Sara Estep, Jiun Park
Executive Summary: Ending the Backlash on LGBTQI+ Issues Fact SheetJuly 22, 2026 Executive Summary: Ending the Backlash on LGBTQI+ Issues A plan to reestablish a foothold on key LGBTQI+ issues. Jul 22, 2026 Caleb Smith, Winnie Stachelberg
Ending the Backlash on LGBTQI+ Issues ArticleJuly 22, 2026 Ending the Backlash on LGBTQI+ Issues A plan to reestablish a foothold on key LGBTQI+ issues and find our way forward toward an inclusive future. Jul 22, 2026 Caleb Smith, Winnie Stachelberg
Stopping Trump’s Crypto Corruption: The Risks of the Clarity Act to Democracy and National Security Past EventJuly 22, 2026 Stopping Trump’s Crypto Corruption: The Risks of the Clarity Act to Democracy and National Security Please join the Center for American Progress for a conversation with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) on why stronger oversight and anticorruption rules for cryptocurrency markets are essential to protecting U.S. national security and our democracy. Center for American Progress and online via Zoom Jul 22, 2026
Fact Sheet: Costs of the Trump Administration’s War in Iran Fact SheetJuly 15, 2026 Fact Sheet: Costs of the Trump Administration’s War in Iran The collapse of the ceasefire will only add to the mounting defense spending, economic costs, geopolitical damage, humanitarian costs, and environmental and health harms from the conflict. Jul 15, 2026 Allison McManus, Andrew Miller, Ariana Sharghi, 2 More Dawn Le, Emily Gee
Trump’s Section 122 Tariffs Have Delivered Nothing for American Businesses, Workers, or Communities ArticleJuly 15, 2026 Trump’s Section 122 Tariffs Have Delivered Nothing for American Businesses, Workers, or Communities The Trump administration’s short-term Section 122 tariffs, which are due to expire next week, have not delivered a single policy win. Jul 15, 2026 Ryan Mulholland
The Trump Administration Moves To Tighten Grip on Colleges ReportJuly 14, 2026 The Trump Administration Moves To Tighten Grip on Colleges New rules would gut key student protections on program quality and give the federal government leverage to exert ideological control over American higher education. Jul 14, 2026 Evan Yi, Madison Weiss, Sara Partridge
Career and Technical Education Policy: A Multistate Case Study on Employment Outcomes ReportJuly 13, 2026 Career and Technical Education Policy: A Multistate Case Study on Employment Outcomes There is growing interest in scaling career and technical education, yet barriers to advancement remain. This report offers policy recommendations and case studies from states to expand these opportunities for more students. Jul 13, 2026 Veronica Goodman, Weadé James
America’s Child Care Crisis Leaves Many Families Without Access to Licensed Care ArticleJuly 9, 2026 America’s Child Care Crisis Leaves Many Families Without Access to Licensed Care The child care system faces severe affordability and supply crises, leaving more than 50 percent of young children without adequate access in 42 percent of U.S. congressional districts. Jul 9, 2026 Hailey Gibbs
Government Insiders Must Be Prevented From Profiting on Prediction Markets at the Expense of National Security ReportJuly 9, 2026 Government Insiders Must Be Prevented From Profiting on Prediction Markets at the Expense of National Security Government employees’ use of insider information to profit on prediction markets raises both national security and ethical concerns, and there are several steps Congress and the president should take, including completely banning government employees’ use of prediction markets as a condition of employment. Jul 9, 2026 Alexandra Thornton, Sadhana Mandala, Devon Ombres, 1 More Allison McManus
‘Workforce Pell’ Is Here: How Governors Can Make It Work for Students In the NewsJuly 7, 2026 ‘Workforce Pell’ Is Here: How Governors Can Make It Work for Students Madison Weiss writes in Governing about the expansion of the Pell Grant program. Jul 7, 2026 Governing Madison Weiss
The Faster Labor Contracts Act Should Be Just the Starting Point for Labor Law Reform ArticleJuly 7, 2026 The Faster Labor Contracts Act Should Be Just the Starting Point for Labor Law Reform Evidence from Canada shows that the bill could lead to a small increase in private sector union density, but pro-worker policymakers in Congress need to go further to fix the worst flaws in federal labor law. Jul 7, 2026 Aurelia Glass
Fact Sheet: Congressional Republicans’ Big Beautiful Bill Threatens Access to Free School Meals Fact SheetJuly 7, 2026 Fact Sheet: Congressional Republicans’ Big Beautiful Bill Threatens Access to Free School Meals A new CAP analysis estimates that families could be forced to spend an additional $1,900 to $2,200 per year to cover the cost of school meals. Jul 7, 2026 Evan Yi, Mimla Wardak, Paige Shoemaker DeMio
Congressional Republicans’ Big Beautiful Bill Threatens Access to Free School Meals ReportJuly 7, 2026 Congressional Republicans’ Big Beautiful Bill Threatens Access to Free School Meals Students across the country could lose access to free school meals, forcing the typical family with two children to spend $1,900 to $2,200 more per year for school meals. Jul 7, 2026 Paige Shoemaker DeMio, Mimla Wardak, Evan Yi
Making Workforce Pell Deliver: 9 Options for States To Improve Outcomes for Students and Employers ReportJuly 6, 2026 Making Workforce Pell Deliver: 9 Options for States To Improve Outcomes for Students and Employers Governors can help tailor Workforce Pell programs to provide high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand training that meets their state’s labor market needs. Jul 6, 2026 Madison Weiss
June Jobs Numbers Are Not the Boost for Workers That Was Expected ArticleJuly 2, 2026 June Jobs Numbers Are Not the Boost for Workers That Was Expected The June 2026 jobs report included strong headline numbers, but working families are still struggling to keep up amid higher inflation. Jul 2, 2026 Kennedy Andara, Aurelia Glass
Business Income Has Moved Beyond Corporations, and Tax Policy Must Follow ArticleJuly 1, 2026 Business Income Has Moved Beyond Corporations, and Tax Policy Must Follow Since the 1980s, partnerships have displaced traditional C corporations as the largest source of business income, transforming business taxation and contributing to rising economic inequality. Jul 1, 2026 Corey Husak, Mimla Wardak
The NLRB Is Throwing Out Charges Alleging Employers Engaged in Unfair Labor Practices ReportJuly 1, 2026 The NLRB Is Throwing Out Charges Alleging Employers Engaged in Unfair Labor Practices A new CAP analysis shows that, since the beginning of the second Trump administration, the NLRB is increasingly likely to dismiss charges that unions and workers file alleging that employers have committed unfair labor practices. Jul 1, 2026 Aurelia Glass
How Early Childhood and K-12 Systems Can Work Together To Support Early Literacy ReportJune 29, 2026 How Early Childhood and K-12 Systems Can Work Together To Support Early Literacy Amid declining reading scores, early childhood education and K-12 systems should work together to improve reading achievement for young children. Jun 29, 2026 Casey Peeks, Weadé James
What Is the Most Significant Gap in the Social Safety Net for American Families? In the NewsJune 27, 2026 What Is the Most Significant Gap in the Social Safety Net for American Families? In a symposium for NOTUS, Emily Gee argues that health insurance is by far the biggest social safety net gap American families face. Jun 27, 2026 NOTUS Emily Gee
Trump Rule Changes Would Kneecap Head Start In the NewsJune 26, 2026 Trump Rule Changes Would Kneecap Head Start In an op-ed for The Progressive Magazine, Hailey Gibbs argues that a proposed Trump administration rule change would exacerbate child care shortages, keep educators trapped in poverty-level wages, and ultimately harm children and families. Jun 26, 2026 The Progressive Magazine Hailey Gibbs
On the First Anniversary of the OBBBA, Millions of Americans Have Been Left Behind ArticleJune 25, 2026 On the First Anniversary of the OBBBA, Millions of Americans Have Been Left Behind One year after the enactment of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, millions of Americans are losing health care coverage and food assistance while the wealthiest households benefit from tax breaks. Jun 25, 2026 Amina Khalique, Natasha Murphy
Bipartisan and Republican-Led Coalitions Advance Fair Contracting Policies on Public Construction Projects ArticleJune 24, 2026 Bipartisan and Republican-Led Coalitions Advance Fair Contracting Policies on Public Construction Projects State and local policymakers across the political spectrum are adopting responsible bidder ordinances, prevailing wage standards, and apprenticeship utilization requirements to raise standards for workers and deliver better results for taxpayers. Jun 24, 2026 Jazmine Amoako, Karla Walter
The Interest Rate Penalty From Trump’s War With Iran ArticleJune 23, 2026 The Interest Rate Penalty From Trump’s War With Iran The war has pushed up interest rates by 0.5 percentage points, which will likely stay elevated even under an interim agreement. American households will spend an additional $4.6 billion, nonfinancial businesses will spend $12.7 billion, and the government will pay $30.8 billion more in borrowing costs this year as a result. Jun 23, 2026 Christian E. Weller
Why the National Debt Matters More Than It Used To and Why We Should Not Count on AI To Fix the Problem ReportJune 23, 2026 Why the National Debt Matters More Than It Used To and Why We Should Not Count on AI To Fix the Problem Federal debt is larger and more expensive than in previous generations. Here is a data-driven look at what that means for the U.S. economy. Jun 23, 2026 Bobby Kogan, Jared Bernstein
6 Things To Know About Vocational Education ArticleJune 17, 2026 6 Things To Know About Vocational Education There is a growing demand for vocational education that prepares students for work and leads to higher earnings. Jun 17, 2026 Veronica Goodman, Weadé James
CAP Comments on HHS’ Notice Rolling Back Progress Toward Wage and Benefits Improvements for Head Start Workforce ArticleJune 11, 2026 CAP Comments on HHS’ Notice Rolling Back Progress Toward Wage and Benefits Improvements for Head Start Workforce The Center for American Progress recently submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) opposing the revocation of a 2024 rule improving Head Start staff and educator wages and benefits. Jun 11, 2026 Hailey Gibbs, Casey Peeks
Cracking Down on Pass-Throughs In the NewsJune 11, 2026 Cracking Down on Pass-Throughs In an op-ed published by Democracy Journal, Corey Husak writes about how wealthy Americans are increasingly using complex networks of “pass-through” businesses and shell companies to avoid paying taxes, driving up economic inequalities. Jun 11, 2026 Democracy Journal Corey Husak
May’s Headline Jobs Numbers Mask Underlying Labor Market Slack ArticleJune 5, 2026 May’s Headline Jobs Numbers Mask Underlying Labor Market Slack The May 2026 jobs report shows continued job growth and a stable unemployment rate, but there are also signs that labor market weakness—including labor underutilization—is being felt by a growing number of Americans. Jun 5, 2026 Jazmine Amoako, Sara Estep
The Nationwide Child Care Crisis: Addressing Affordability and Supply Shortages Past EventJune 4, 2026 The Nationwide Child Care Crisis: Addressing Affordability and Supply Shortages A discussion about new research, the impacts on families and communities, and the actions that leaders in Congress are taking now to build toward a child care system for the future that supports the nation’s youngest learners. Center for American Progress and Online via Zoom Jun 4, 2026
CAP Urges Stronger Accountability Metrics and Greater Transparency in Federally Funded Postsecondary Programs ArticleJune 3, 2026 CAP Urges Stronger Accountability Metrics and Greater Transparency in Federally Funded Postsecondary Programs The Center for American Progress recently urged the U.S. Department of Education to reconsider proposed changes that could weaken safeguards for higher education students. As written, the proposal risks allowing low-value postsecondary programs to continue receiving federal aid, potentially steering students, especially those with limited financial resources, into pathways that fail to deliver meaningful economic returns. Jun 3, 2026 Madison Weiss
CAP Comments on Individual Tax Credit for Qualified Contributions to Scholarship-Granting Organizations ArticleJune 2, 2026 CAP Comments on Individual Tax Credit for Qualified Contributions to Scholarship-Granting Organizations The Center for American Progress submitted comments to the U.S. Department of the Treasury on the pending rules for the new individual tax credit program, which provides a federal dollar-for-dollar tax credit of up to $1,700 to individuals who donate to scholarship-granting organizations. Jun 2, 2026 Weadé James, Paige Shoemaker DeMio
Rideshare Win Could Bring Big Changes In the NewsMay 29, 2026 Rideshare Win Could Bring Big Changes In an op-ed for Progressive Magazine, David Madland argues that if a new union in Massachusetts representing app drivers is replicated nationwide, it could reverse decades of union decline. May 29, 2026 Progressive Magazine David Madland
Capping Rental Application Fees at $5 ReportMay 28, 2026 Capping Rental Application Fees at $5 With rents stuck high, a Center for American Progress proposal to cap application fees would provide renters with immediate relief. May 28, 2026 Chad Maisel
Unions Build Wealth for All Americans ArticleMay 28, 2026 Unions Build Wealth for All Americans New CAP analysis of the Survey of Income and Program Participation highlights that households with a union member have roughly two times the wealth of households without a union member. May 28, 2026 Jazmine Amoako, David Madland, Christian E. Weller
Fast Facts About Massachusetts Rideshare Sectoral Bargaining ArticleMay 26, 2026 Fast Facts About Massachusetts Rideshare Sectoral Bargaining A new state model leads to the biggest new private sector union bargaining unit in the past 85 years. May 26, 2026 David Madland
Nearly Two-Thirds of Governors Prioritize Child Care and Early Learning in Their 2026 State of the State Addresses ReportMay 26, 2026 Nearly Two-Thirds of Governors Prioritize Child Care and Early Learning in Their 2026 State of the State Addresses Amid federal funding cuts that strain state budgets, CAP analysis finds that governors are highlighting child care and early learning as priorities for their constituents. May 26, 2026 Hailey Gibbs, Casey Peeks
ExIm Reauthorization Is a Chance To Reimagine the Bank as a Potential Engine of Climate Action, Industrial Development, and Job Creation ArticleMay 21, 2026 ExIm Reauthorization Is a Chance To Reimagine the Bank as a Potential Engine of Climate Action, Industrial Development, and Job Creation As Congress considers reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank of the United States, this moment should be leveraged to improve and modernize the bank. May 21, 2026 Ryan Mulholland, Courtney Federico
2026 CAP IDEAS Conference Past EventMay 19, 2026 2026 CAP IDEAS Conference The Center for American Progress’ signature event, now celebrating its 15th year, where CAP convenes the big thinkers and doers on the center-left for a day of not only identifying the problems facing Americans, but also sharing solutions to improve the lives of all Americans. Online via Zoom May 19, 2026
Lowering the Cost of Living for American Families ArticleMay 19, 2026 Lowering the Cost of Living for American Families As families struggle to make ends meet amid rising costs, the Center for American Progress’ affordability agenda would save a typical family $4,133 per year across housing, health care, utility bills, and groceries. May 19, 2026 Emily Gee, Kennedy Andara
Hoja informativa: Un plan para hacer la electricidad más asequible en EE. UU. Hoja informativaMay 18, 2026 Hoja informativa: Un plan para hacer la electricidad más asequible en EE. UU. El plan de CAP ahorraría a los hogares más de $900 en costos de energía durante cuatro años, a la vez que construiría un mejor sistema energético que ahorraría a las familias estadounidenses miles de millones en los años venideros. May 18, 2026 Trevor Higgins, Shannon Baker-Branstetter, Michael Negron, 2 More Lucero Marquez, Kendra Hughes
The Trump Administration’s Tariffs and Iran War Will Cause Americans To Face Higher Prices This Summer ArticleMay 18, 2026 The Trump Administration’s Tariffs and Iran War Will Cause Americans To Face Higher Prices This Summer From travel to cookouts, costs are rising due to the Trump administration’s wide-ranging tariffs and its war of choice with Iran. May 18, 2026 Mimla Wardak, Amina Khalique
A Plan for American Electricity Affordability ReportMay 18, 2026 A Plan for American Electricity Affordability CAP’s plan is a combination of immediate relief and investment to lower electricity system costs and deliver more than $125 billion in residential consumer savings, or around $900 per household, over four years, with billions more in savings thereafter. May 18, 2026 Trevor Higgins, Shannon Baker-Branstetter, Michael Negron, 2 More Lucero Marquez, Kendra Hughes
Fact Sheet: A Plan for American Electricity Affordability Fact SheetMay 18, 2026 Fact Sheet: A Plan for American Electricity Affordability CAP’s plan would save households more than $900 in energy costs over four years while building a better energy system that saves American families billions in the years to come. May 18, 2026 Trevor Higgins, Shannon Baker-Branstetter, Michael Negron, 2 More Lucero Marquez, Kendra Hughes
The Trump Administration’s War in Iran Is Raising Costs for Rural Communities, Farmers, and Food Production ArticleMay 15, 2026 The Trump Administration’s War in Iran Is Raising Costs for Rural Communities, Farmers, and Food Production Rural households are paying, on average, at least $26 per week more at the pump, and an oil-dependent food supply chain means we should expect more expensive grocery prices for months to come. May 15, 2026 Anne Knapke, Mark Haggerty, Kyle Ross