The K-12 Education Policy team is committed to developing policies for a new education agenda rooted in principles of opportunity for all and equity in access.
Students go over their drawings during an art class. (Getty/Michael Robinson Chavez/Los Angeles Times)
K-12 Education applies an explicit race and resource equity lens to our policy and research agenda. We set a standard where equity is centered in all education policymaking and practice, and where institutional racism is called out and addressed as a barrier to progress.
We are dedicated to preparing all students for college, civic engagement, and the workforce. We recognize the importance of the K-12 education system in providing every child with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in higher education and a changing workforce.
We recognize that no education reform effort can be successful without teachers. We are working to modernize and elevate the teaching profession so that teachers receive the training, pay, and respect they deserve and all students have access to high-quality teachers.
We know that funding matters in education, and there are both racial and socioeconomic disparities in investment and opportunities. We are fighting for increased investment and more equitable funding systems so that schools and students receive the resources they deserve.
The K-12 Education team is grateful to be part of several great coalitions that allow education advocates and community members to share information, coordinate advocacy, brainstorm policy proposals, and more.
Public Education Big Table Coalition
This coalition represents a group of education, civil rights, disability, research, and community organizations working on K-12 education policy and advocacy.
This national coalition of diverse education organizations and educators sought to transform the systems and policies that support teachers to ensure all students have access to great teaching.
Major Initiatives
The K-12 Education team has worked with partner organizations on major initiatives aimed at strengthening different parts of the U.S. education system.
Our team believes that education policymaking should be developed with support from the community. We collaborate with community-based groups to hold conversations with educators, administrators, students, and parents and incorporate these stories and insights into our policy proposals and advocacy. Here are some of the organizations we have worked with.
We are deeply committed to the role of education in building an equitable and just society. Our approach is to apply an explicit racial equity lens to problem-solving. That lens requires us to engage the communities and people most deeply impacted by education policies in our research, advocacy, and coalition-building. A combination of professional expertise and expertise from the lived experiences of community members allows us to develop and advocate for ideas that will expand opportunity, build a strong democracy, and advance an inclusive economy, both now and in the future.
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.
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.
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: 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.
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.
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.
