Report on the Condition of Education 2023. NCES 2023-144

The "Report on the Condition of Education" is a congressionally mandated annual report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Using the most recent data available (at the time this report was written) from NCES and other sources, the report contains key indicators on the condition of education in the United States at all levels, from prekindergarten through postsecondary, as well as labor force outcomes and international comparisons. There are core indicators that are updated every year and spotlight indicators that provide in-depth analyses on topics of interest to education agencies, policymakers, researchers, and the public. At the broadest level, the Condition of Education Indicator System is organized into five sections: family characteristics;preprimary, elementary, and secondary education;postsecondary education;population characteristics and economic outcomes;and international comparisons. The Report on the "Condition of Education 2023" encompasses key findings from the Condition of Education Indicator System. The full contents of the Indicator System can be accessed online through the website or by downloading PDFs for the individual indicators. [For "The Condition of Education 2023": At a Glance, see ED628291. For the "Report on the Condition of Education 2022. NCES 2022-144," see ED619870.]

Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: FY 21. Finance Tables. NCES 2023-301

This set of tables introduces new data for national and state-level public elementary and secondary revenues and expenditures for fiscal year (FY) 2021. Specifically, these tables include the following school finance data: (1) revenue and expenditure totals;(2) revenues by source;(3) expenditures by function and object;(4) current expenditures;(5) revenues and current expenditures per pupil;(6) expenditures from Title I funds;and (7) revenues and expenditures from COVID-19 Federal Assistance Funds. The tables chosen for this report demonstrate the range of information available when using the National Public Education Financial Survey (NPEFS). [For "Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: FY 20. Finance Tables. NCES 2022-301," see ED619372.]

School Management during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study = COVID-19 Pandemisi Sürecinde Okul Yönetimi: Nitel Bir Arastirma

The aim of the research was to reveal the school management process during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research was designed on the basis of case study in qualitative research paradigm. Maximum variation sampling was used in the study. As such, 15 school principals with various years of experience, serving at various school levels were included in the study. Data was obtained from a semi-structured interview form with 11 items. Inductive analysis was utilized in data analysis. The primary finding of the study was the precautions taken by school principals during the pandemic. These are physical precautions, informative precautions, and productive precautions. Another finding was that school principals made their best effort to fulfill their duties and responsibilities in-school, out of school, and regarding their leadership roles. Lastly, school principals problems mainly revolved around two groups: the resources of the school and students, and the decisions made, regarding educational and instructional processes.

The Rising Tide That Lifts All Boats: Investing Stimulus Dollars with an Equity Focus

The recent federal American Rescue Plan (ARP), passed into law by Congress, provides an unprecedented investment in education, giving schools and districts access to funds to address the needs of students more holistically. "The Rising Tide that Lifts All Boats: Investing Stimulus Dollars with an Equity Focus," provides several specific strategies that districts, schools, and educators should consider to optimize the positive impact of stimulus dollars on students, especially those with disabilities. This resource encourages decision-makers to be mindful of the need to pace the allocation of resources over the entire authorized period to optimize the impact of all efforts in a comprehensive way.

Assessing University Governance and Policies in Relation to the COVID-19 Pandemic

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, universities around the globe have taken numerous extraordinary measures and implemented many changes to their strategic, operational, and academic activities. Currently, there is a transformation taking place from the emergency decision-making in the early stages of the pandemic towards reflection and resolution on how the past months can shape governance and strategy. Higher education institutions have been facing challenges with the alignment of their university governance for their strategic and operational plans. Presently, university leaders have prioritized risk management and financial management over all else. Unfortunately, due to these priorities, university responses to the pandemic took the top-down approach of management, rejecting the shared governance structures and collegial practices of the institutions. The pandemic has accelerated the openness to change by creating an emergency or steering response team led by university presidents and provosts, with sub-teams focusing on operations and other academic advisory groups working together to deal with the fast-rising scenarios. The consequence is a clear flow of information and strong communication across the institution, which sequentially builds on mechanisms to respond to the secondary effects of the pandemic. Moreover, higher education institutions are continuously facing challenges with their strategic alignment of business objectives in order to have a diverse educational system in response to the pandemic. "Assessing University Governance and Policies in Relation to the COVID-19 Pandemic" presents the latest research and studies investigating information on university governance and adapting previous, existing, and proposed models for the current pandemic. This book is comprised of chapters contributed by various leading international authors to discuss and analyze all aspects of university governance in relation to their impact on strategies in finance, sustainability, academic issues, research, faculty and students, leadership, campus, employment and recruitments, and more. This is an essential text for university presidents, strategic planning authorities in universities, college deans and academic department chairpersons, government authorities and policymakers, researchers, students, and academicians.

Addressing the Impact of COVID-19 on the Early Care and Education Sector

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated challenges in the early care and education (ECE) sector, including: preexisting structural flaws, insufficient funding mechanisms, sector fragmentation, inadequate support for the workforce, and inequalities, such as the lack of access to high-quality care among low-income, rural populations, and communities of color. Addressing the impacts of the pandemic and the resulting economic recession on the ECE sector will require that state, local, and tribal decision makers use available COVID-19 relief funds to mitigate those impacts while also laying the foundation for longer-term solutions. This rapid expert consultation identifies mitigation strategies that could be implemented to achieve these goals. These strategies include: (1) Reduce the rate of closures, (2) Assist the ECE workforce, (3) Modify subsidy reimbursement and payment policies, (4) Improve coordination of the ECE sector and funding systems, and (5) Integrate data systems across provider and funding types.

District Leaders' Concerns about Mental Health and Political Polarization in Schools: Selected Findings from the Fourth American School District Panel Survey. Data Note: Insights from the American Educator Panels. Research Report. RR-A956-8

Policymakers had hoped that the 2021-2022 school year would be a chance to recover from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic--related disruptions to schooling. Instead, media reports of staff shortages, heated or even violent school board meetings, increased student misbehavior, low student and teacher attendance, and enrollment declines suggest increased -- rather than decreased -- problems during this third pandemic school year. To learn about the prevalence of these challenges nationwide, RAND researchers surveyed 359 district and charter network leaders in the American School District Panel between October 25, 2021, and December 10, 2021. Survey results suggest that districts are confronting serious challenges in the 2021-2022 school year that might be getting in the way of student learning. Although some challenges, such as student and staff mental health, are nearly universal across districts, other challenges are more localized. Historically marginalized districts are confronting extra challenges this school year, such as getting students back in school and low teacher attendance, while a higher percentage of historically advantaged districts are encountering political polarization about COVID-19. [For the companion report "Flux in the Educator Labor Market: Acute Staff Shortages and Projected Superintendent Departures. Selected Findings from the Fourth American School District Panel Survey. Data Note: Insights from the American Educator Panels. Research Report. RR-A956-9," see ED617372.]

Evidence Based Funding in Illinois: A Discussion of Equity in Urban Education

In this pilot study, we examine the realities of differential funding structures across the US, which disproportionately disadvantage historically marginalized communities (Black and Brown students) and students living in poverty, contributing to an intractable opportunity gap. Prior research indicates that equitable funding can, in fact, decrease the opportunity gap between dominant and non-dominant-culture students. We use the new funding structure in Illinois as a case study in funding equity that should be applied nationally. We critique the current funding structure of public schools in general, which has defamed the public sector in favor of school choice, vouchers, and charter schools--all with less oversight than public schools and structured to profit from public monies. Finally, we address the impact of COVID19 on existing funding inequities.

Report on the Condition of Education 2022. NCES 2022-144

The "Report on the Condition of Education" is a congressionally mandated annual report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Using the most recent data available (at the time this report was written) from NCES and other sources, the report contains key indicators on the condition of education in the United States at all levels, from prekindergarten through postsecondary, as well as labor force outcomes and international comparisons. There are core indicators that are updated every year and spotlight indicators that provide in-depth analyses on topics of interest to education systems, policymakers, researchers, and the public. At the broadest level, the Condition of Education Indicator System is organized into five sections: family characteristics, preprimary, elementary, and secondary education, postsecondary education, population characteristics and economic outcomes, and international comparisons. The "Report on the Condition of Education" 2022 encompasses key findings from the Condition of Education Indicator System. The Indicator System for 2022 presents 88 indicators, including the 23 indicators on crime and safety topics, and can be accessed online through the website or by downloading PDFs for the individual indicators. [For "'The Condition of Education 2022': At a Glance," see ED619873. For the "Report on the Condition of Education 2021. NCES 2021-144," see ED612942.]

Progress and Potential: The Innovations of Pandemic Learning Communities Led by Leaders of Color

In partnership with researchers around the country, CRPE conducted 22 case studies of community-based pandemic learning communities to learn more about the experiences of those who participated. This paper synthesizes lessons from seven initiatives that were led by community leaders of color to assess what they may cumulatively teach us about advancing racial justice in K-12 educational spaces. We found: (1) COVID-19 created a window of opportunity for leadership and innovation in communities of color, (2) Leaders of color drew on similar practices when designing the programs, including hiring staff of color, avoiding punitive discipline practices, adopting culturally relevant pedagogy, and supporting student and family well-being, (3) Leaders saw programs as a way to put advocacy proposals into action, (4) Parents reported high levels of satisfaction with the programming, and (5) Funding, expertise, and school reopenings challenge the future of these programs.

Digital financial literacy among adults in India: measurement and validation

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has considerably promoted the usage of Digital Financial Services (DFS) in India. Therefore, exploring the various determinants influencing the DFS users is crucial for the DFS providers to understand their customers better. This study aims to identify, measure, and validate the determinants of Digital Financial Literacy (DFL) from the Indian adults who use Digital Financial Services. A sample of 384 adult DFS users from India was surveyed using a self-administered questionnaire in 2021. A multidimensional scale was developed to measure the Digital Financial Literacy in this study. The results exhibit that Digital Knowledge, Financial Knowledge, Knowledge of DFS, Awareness of Digital Finance Risk, Digital Finance Risk Control, Knowledge of Customer Right, Product Suitability, Product Quality, Gendered Social Norm, Practical Application of Knowledge and Skill, Self-determination to use the Knowledge and Skill and Decision Making are the determinants of DFL among the adults in India. Further, the users of DFS without DFL will face numerous challenges such as inability to complete the transaction, financial loss and privacy breach, etc. Hence, the study concludes that DFL is prerequisite to use DFS effectively.

Pods in Action: Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Making the Most of a Rich Network of District Partners

Cleveland came into the pandemic with a history of collaboration among civic organizations and schools. In summer 2020, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) and partners--community organizations, funders, and out-of-school-time organizations--saw that students were in a crisis and came together to establish full-day remote-learning pods for their most vulnerable students. Key Lessons: (1) By establishing strong connections and shared goals, out-of-school-time program providers and community organizations can collaborate quickly with school districts to support students and create opportunities for greater student engagement and learning during a crisis--and strengthen relationships for long-term collaboration;(2) When learning-pod organizers have support from a mix of robust city-wide coordination and assured operational funding, charitable donations, local and state funding, and an active local philanthropic sector, they can provide learning-pod hosts with guidance and a set of standards for the level of service students will receive--such as supervision for a minimum of eight hours per day for four days a week, staff training, and observance of public-health precautions;and (3) Preliminary data suggest that students who attended Cleveland learning pods had higher attendance rates and grades than students who did not.

The K-12 Pandemic Budget and Staffing Crises Have Not Panned Out - Yet: Selected Findings from the Third American School District Panel Survey. Data Note: Insights from the American Educator Panels. Research Report. RR-A956-3

This report presents school district leaders' views about staff turnover, hiring, and districts' financial outlooks at the end of the 2020-2021 school year. Based on the survey responses of 292 district leaders from the American School District Panel (ASDP), the authors found that teacher and principal turnover had not increased substantially beyond pre-pandemic rates in most districts. They also found that a majority of school districts have increased or are trying to increase their number of staff--especially for substitute teachers and mental health staff--for the 2021-2022 school year. District leaders also reported budget concerns. Four in ten district leaders anticipate a fiscal cliff around the time coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) federal aid expires in September 2024, and over half of the districts that anticipate a funding increase from federal stimulus funds are concerned about their ability to spend the money, even though virtually all district leaders said that they have some level of discretion in how to spend those funds. Although districts' reported impacts have not led to much-feared budget and staffing crises for their school districts, these survey findings suggest systemic problems that could outlast the COVID-19 pandemic. [For a related report, "Technical Documentation for the Third American School District Panel Survey. Research Report. RR-A956-6," see ED615291.]

A Case Study in Mitigating COVID-19 Inequities through Free Textbook Implementation in the U.S

COVID-19, in addition to disrupting the global education system in general, is widening the economic and racial gaps institutions have spent years trying to address. The economic reality is that students who work to support themselves, their families, and purchase educational materials needed to succeed have been disproportionately harmed. This article discusses how the global COVID-19 pandemic is compounding structural inequities inherent in higher education. This requires faculty to reevaluate their role as agents of change in a world that is fundamentally different than it was a short time ago. The experience of one liberal arts institution in the U.S. who moved all courses to free materials in under six months will be recounted as an example of what is possible during extraordinary circumstances if students are truly prioritized during strategic planning.

Equity and English Learners Post-Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, immigrant and linguistically diverse families have both borne the brunt of America's job losses and are overrepresented in professions that are considered essential to the country's response and recovery. Children in these households have experienced increased economic and food insecurity, instability in their child care, and trauma. Moreover, language barriers, poor digital literacy skills among parents, inequitable access to appropriate digital devices and robust internet, and lack of digital instructional resources for English learners (ELs) affected the quality of students' home learning environments during remote learning. Predictably, ELs have experienced setbacks in their English language development, academic learning, and social and emotional health due to more than a year of interrupted learning. As the pandemic recedes, schools approach normalcy, and a historic investment of federal education dollars flows to states and school districts, state education leaders face the exceptional responsibility of charting a new course for public schools and the ELs whom they serve. In this article, Julie Sugarman begins by emphasizing the need for states to provide technical assistance to schools on the use of state and federal funds and monitor whether schools used equitable shares of those funds on resources specifically tailored to EL needs. She goes on to discuss: sources of data that policymakers can access for useful information about how well schools serve ELs;ways state and school systems can ensure teacher training and professional learning for EL specialists and general classroom teachers;and strategies school districts found themselves experimenting with to inform and support ELs and their families during the pandemic.

A Strategic City-Based Framework for Effectively and Efficiently Educating Students with Disabilities

Charter schools' autonomy and flexibility provides them with the opportunity to find ways to close the performance gap between students with and without disabilities, but deep-seated, systemic challenges often cause individual charters to struggle to do so on their own. For cities with an established charter sector, a city-wide, collaborative strategy involving all stakeholders to overcome these systemic challenges is proposed. By working together, charter schools can fulfill their potential with regard to educating students with disabilities. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, identifying effective strategies to accelerate learning for students with disabilities and optimize the flexibility extended to charter schools is essential. This brief introduces critical components of a strategic, city-based framework, along with details regarding how this multi-pronged approach can drive systemic and sustainable change that will lead to better access and outcomes for students with disabilities. Each component has value independently, but when combined in a coherent manner so that each augments the others, the framework has the potential to ensure that students with disabilities have access to a robust continuum of educational opportunities in districts that have widespread public school choice and, in particular, charter schools. If individual charter schools, regional government officials, authorizers, and funders work together to create a new system that spreads the responsibility, incentivizes schools to support students with disabilities, and nurtures talent to support these goals, charter schools can be agents of change for closing the gap between students with disabilities and the general education population. [This paper is the result of a collaboration with Pathway 2 Tomorrow: Local Visions for America's Future (P2T).]

Achieving Racial Justice in PreK-12 Education

The road to achieving racial justice in the nation is marked by times of unspeakable tragedy followed by resilience and recovery and unexpected setbacks overcome by reinvention. As the nation emerges from a devastating and deadly pandemic, it stands again on the precipice of recovery and reinvention. Many school districts have returned to normal, with the majority of students and teachers back in the classroom. Yet what is needed to propel the nation towards a more just society is a collective understanding that we cannot just go back to normal. The pandemic illuminated a narrative that the advocates for racial justice in education have been working tirelessly to both highlight and change: Normal was not good enough, especially for students of color. And despite much progress in providing opportunities and access in service of educational equity, disturbing racial inequities remain. As regulators and advocates, state boards of education have a crucial role to play in creating and maintaining a racially just system, from setting the requirements for teacher and school leader preparation programs so they foster a diverse workforce, to establishing statewide learning standards that require culturally relevant teaching and curriculum. In this article, John B. King Jr. and Denise Forte examine how progress is possible, however back to normal is not good enough.