The Center for American Progress’ K-12 Education team is committed to developing policies for a new education agenda that is rooted in the idea of opportunity for all, with equity in access at the center. This agenda focuses on five key components: (1) applying an explicit race equity lens to policy development; (2) preparing all students for college, civic engagement, and the future workforce; (3) modernizing and elevating the teaching profession; (4) dramatically increasing investments in public schools and improving the equity of existing investments; and (5) bringing a balanced approach to charter school policy.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
