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Leaders in higher education face increasing pressure to ensure their institutions are well-positioned to adapt to our changing world. As part of responding to these demands, a growing number of institutions have established dedicated teams of in-house experts to support this work and the culture change around it, broadly termed academic change or academic innovation. This report details methods and findings of a comprehensive survey of academic innovation department leaders in colleges and universities across the United States. The survey received responses from 138 academic innovation leaders who shared details on the scope of their work, the structures and institutional resources supporting it, their impact, and their perspectives on contemporary challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic and its influence on postsecondary learning. Ten years after the first such survey, findings included evidence of increasing staffing and budgets, evolving priorities, shifting reporting structures, and technological advancement. Implications include expanding research and professional communities for this relatively new functional area within US higher education, recommendations for institutional leaders, and a focus on supporting continued growth. As a result, the report serves as a census of academic innovation units in an array of US colleges and universities, with details relevant for benchmarking and further research. The following are appended: (1) Data tables for all survey items; (2) Participating institution list; and (3) Survey instrument. [This report was produced by the University of Michigan, Center for Academic Innovation and Quantum Thinking. Additional sponsors for this report include: Class Technologies, Acadeum, Intelliboard, Auburn University, Biggio Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning Leading Academic Change, EdPlus at Arizona State University, Bentley University, University System of Maryland, William E. Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation, POD Network in Higher education (POD), and SAB Creative & Consulting.]

Get A Skill, Get A Job, Get Ahead (G3) is a state-funded last-dollar scholarship program for students enrolling in eligible associate degree, certificate, and noncredit occupational training programs in the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) in five high-demand fields: early childhood education, healthcare, information technology, public safety, and skilled trades (construction and manufacturing). Launched in the 2021-22 academic year, the G3 initiative aims to increase enrollment, persistence, completion, and labor market success for low-to-middle-income learners. G3 has evolved over the past two years along with VCCS priorities to include a specific focus on boosting college enrollment and success of adult, Black and Hispanic, and low-income learners. In this brief, the authors highlight early insights from a study of G3 implementation and outcomes. Early analysis by VCCS shows that colleges are making progress in increasing enrollment in the five high-demand fields listed above. The authors draw on published enrollment and outcome data from VCCS and interview data collected from eight of the 23 community colleges implementing the G3 program to examine college-level G3 outreach, recruitment, and enrollment strategies and the process for awarding G3 aid.

The Accountability Plan is an annual report that is closely aligned with the Board of Governors' 2025 System Strategic Plan. This report enhances the System's commitment to accountability and strategic planning by fostering greater coordination between institutional administrators, University Boards of Trustees and the Board of Governors regarding each institution's direction and priorities as well as performance expectations and outcomes on institutional and System-wide goals. Contents include: (1) Introduction; (2) Strategy; (3) Performance-Based Funding Metrics; (4) Key Performance Indicators; (5) Enrollment Planning; and (6) Definitions.

This study explores the underrepresentation of Black and Latinx students in California's community college Dual Enrollment (DE) programs. The study investigates how DE staff describe an understanding and commitment towards equity for Black and Latinx students in DE programs and how staff engage in equitably aimed praxis to serve Black and Latinx students through practices and collaborations between feeder high schools. Using a Critical Policy Analysis lens, the research highlights how Black and Latinx students are prioritized through equitable practices focused in advising and outreach. However, not all DE staff prioritize Black and Latinx through practices. Despite this, scant instances reveal that collaborative efforts between DE programs, high schools, and districts improve DE services and outcomes, though majority of K-12 partners are absent from collaborative efforts led by DE programs. The study emphasizes the need for increased collaboration between K-12 partners and integrating equitable approaches to DE outreach and advising to engage and recruit Black and Latinx students. This research advances the conversation of equity in DE programs and offers insights for addressing participation gaps among Black and Latinx students.

This report is the result of the participation of hundreds of students, families, school educators, and researchers who dedicated their time and energy to investigating the critical role that families and communities play in ensuring students and schools can flourish. It is a culmination of over two years of collaborative research and hundreds of conversations on six continents. While there were unique findings in each school, district, and country, six powerful lessons stand out across geographies and contexts. This research report delves into these lessons and how to build greater family, school, and community partnerships as seen through the eyes of families, educators, and students who shared their beliefs on, experiences with, and trust in schools. After venturing into government schools across rural and urban districts in Sierra Leone to facilitate conversations with families and communities, one of the lead researchers noted that there is a crucial and symbiotic relationship between schools, families, and communities that are often overlook.

West central Georgia has become a burgeoning center for advanced manufacturing and logistics. With facilities for global brands across automotive, agriculture, tech, and biotech industries, the region (which includes Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson, Heard, Meriwether, and Troup counties) has experienced a 100+ percent surge in job demand for manufacturing engineers, machine operators, and material assembly shift technicians alone. This case study explores a cross-sector response to upskilling and reskilling talent in the region through West Georgia Technical College's establishment of a Regional Workforce Training Center, which has fostered impactful employer partnerships to drive skill acquisition for entry-level talent and incumbent workforces, enhance workforce diversity, and meet the evolving needs of both businesses and the community at large.

The Wallace Foundation commissioned Research for Action and McClanahan Associates to study how out-of-school time intermediaries (OSTIs) responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and the role they could play in supporting communities moving forward. Citywide out-of-school time (OST) systems encompass a wide variety of afterschool and summer programs and associated provider organizations, youth participants, and their families. These systems were stretched during the COVID-19 pandemic and the national racial reckoning to respond to community needs in new and more equitable ways. Also impacted were OSTIs that manage OST systems within individual cities. OSTIs operate through various governance structures and perform a range of coordination functions intended to ensure quality, access, and equity in OST systems so that all youth have access to the unique out-of-school resources and opportunities they need to thrive.

The Institutional Effectiveness Partnership Initiative (IEPI) launched in 2014 as a collaborative effort to help districts promote student success and improve their fiscal and operational effectiveness. The initiative focuses on four major aspects of institutional effectiveness: 1) student performance and outcomes; 2) accreditation status; 3) fiscal viability; and 4) programmatic compliance with state and federal guidelines. IEPI works in alignment with all California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office (Chancellor's Office) divisions and supports several statewide priorities, including currently and formerly incarcerated education and the California Conservation Corps. Thanks to the state investments in IEPI, the Chancellor's Office is able to support college efforts as they contribute to statewide goals, including but not limited to: (1) Reducing and erasing equity gaps in student completion and retention; (2) Reducing regional gaps; (3) Hastening equitable placement in Math and English, accelerating faculty, staff and administrative diversity; (4) Cultivating opportunities for courageous leadership that prioritizes equity in mindset and practice and/or fostering innovations in cultivating a more equitable, inclusive and transformative teaching and learning ecosystem; and (5) Diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) implementation on college campuses. This report includes activities funded pursuant to Section 194 of the State Budget Act of 2022 and progress toward college and district institutional effectiveness indicator goals. This report reflects the period from July 01, 2022, through June 30, 2023.

Globally, climate change disproportionately affects women and girls, intensifying and heightening their vulnerability to natural disasters, food insecurity, caregiving responsibilities, displacement, and related challenges as well as hindering opportunities for their social and economic empowerment (UN Women 2022). In Bhutan, as temperatures rise, the country has become increasingly vulnerable to a multitude of climate-related threats and disasters like glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), with implications for the well-being of all and with heightened risk for girls and women (NCWC and UNDP 2020). In the face of these challenges, Bhutan has taken on ambitious climate goals through its climate leadership and environmental stewardship. Though Bhutan also has a strong track record in achieving gender-focused educational milestones--with over 90% school enrollment at gender parity and a largely matrilineal society--patriarchy is strong and ingrained, and there is much to be done to achieve gender equality. Furthermore, efforts within the three areas of climate, gender, and education still mostly operate in silos, with little intersectoral work. This policy brief presents results of the research conducted through two focus group discussions with 16 girls (ages 13-18); an online survey of 52 district education officers; and interviews with eight organizations from the government, civil society, and international partners from June to August 2023 in Thimphu and Paro. The study explored girls' understanding of climate change and its impacts on them (individual level), what and how climate education is taught in the education system (systems level), and who and what the different actors are doing and could potentially do collaboratively (ecosystem level). The findings of this study clearly indicate that there is a need to rethink and reframe climate literacy in Bhutan in ways that recognize the gendered impacts of climate change and promote learning spaces and pedagogical approaches for supporting Bhutan's green growth and climate strategies. Gender-invisible approaches to climate, climate education, and climate literacy have neither effectively addressed the gendered impacts of climate change nor promoted the learning and participation of girls and women in climate action. Therefore, this policy brief proposes gender-transformative climate literacy (GTCL) as a novel solution path for a green and gender-equal future. GTCL would be an interdisciplinary approach that challenges underlying gender inequalities within the context of climate change while endeavoring to reshape societal gender norms and attitudes. At the nexus of climate, gender, and education, GTCL would empower individuals to actively engage in climate action and decision-making processes while promoting gender equity to achieve a reality where climate and gender are embedded within the teaching and skills training functions of the education system. The education system is an untapped space to advance climate action by developing skills for a climate-informed, climate-resilient individual. Incorporating GTCL within education would present a window of opportunity to strengthen climate literacy while highlighting and reshaping gender dynamics and norms.

CADRE interviewed researchers to learn about their most effective strategies for recruiting and retaining participants for STEM education research. While there are no shortcuts to successful recruitment, a sustained commitment to understanding and addressing the needs of a district and its teachers is key to long-term success. In this new brief, CADRE share practices that have proven successful for experienced researchers.

High-quality work-based learning opportunities enable students to develop necessary skills and contribute to positive employment outcomes. State leaders are recognizing the value of work-based learning experiences -- not only for individuals but in service of state attainment and workforce development goals. As leaders recognize the value, financial incentives can help offset costs associated with offering, engaging in and supporting work-based learning and serve as one tool to address barriers to access and expansion of work-based learning. Informed by a 50-state policy scan, this Policy Brief highlights key elements of financial incentives in state policy for each group: students, employers, and education institutions and intermediaries. Each section is informed by a 50-state policy scan and state examples are included throughout.

In this report, we share insights from a Research-Practice-Industry Partnership (RPIP) that explored mathematics instructional practices with support of digital mathematics tools. RPIPs bring together researchers, practitioners, and product developers, with each party having an equal voice, in a rapid-cycle model for edtech research and development. We framed this RPIP using the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL): provide multiple means of Engagement, Representation, and Action & Expression. These principles support learner variability, improve accessibility, and are closely aligned with mathematics education research, which highlights the multimodal nature of mathematics and the need to use and connect multiple representations to help students develop understanding of mathematics concepts. [This report was produced in partnership with Creativity Labs with funding support from Texthelp.]

The K-12 teacher workforce is relatively large--each year, nearly 4 million teachers are employed in U.S. elementary and secondary schools. Turnover in these schools is high relative to earlier periods--16% of teachers left their school in the 2021-2022 academic year. In addition, there is evidence that teacher quality standards have been lowered in order to fill open positions. The problem of teacher turnover raises a number of recruitment and retention issues of interest to policymakers. The Higher Education Act (HEA) is the main federal law containing policies designed to address these issues. Title II of the HEA authorizes grant support for schools that prepare new teachers. Title IV of the HEA authorizes financial support to encourage people to stay in the teaching profession in the form of student loan forgiveness and other benefits. Congressional consideration of potentially reauthorizing the HEA is ongoing, with the introduction of numerous bills to amend current law and address teacher recruitment and retention. This report describes the history of federal teacher recruitment and retention policy, current policies in this area, and related issues that may arise as Congress considers reauthorizing the HEA.

Clinical practice opportunities are critical elements of teacher preparation. However, the landscape is extensive, encompassing an ever-growing variety of preparation models, from centuries-old traditional student teaching to newly minted registered apprenticeships. The purpose of this paper is to create a clinical practice lexicon for the profession that includes: (1) a definition for the two key types of clinical practice--(a) practice opportunities prior to full-time teaching and (b) full-time student teaching; and (2) an outline of the six common models of clinical practice, including defining characteristics and the efficacy of these models in preparing teachers for the classroom.

This literature review, aligned to National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ) Clinical Practice Framework, explores various components of clinical practice and how they affect a range of outcomes, including aspiring teachers' feelings of preparedness, their entry into teaching, their retention in the classroom, and perhaps most importantly, their effectiveness once they are running a classroom of their own. This review primarily relies on published, peer-reviewed research and working papers, but includes some work by prominent organizations and task forces in the field to supplement areas where research is scarce and to provide more insight into the views of the field.

Early childhood education (ECE) is becoming a global policy priority, especially in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) where there is commitment to invest in the youngest learners. Building on system-level mappings in 2015 and 2017, this report delves into the status of ECE systems in the Pacific region as of 2022. Based on a comprehensive desk review and primary data collection involving ECE focal points from the ministries of education across the 15 PICTs, this research report highlights key strengths, gaps, and opportunities for enhancing ECE service delivery. Explore the findings and recommendations to see how these insights can inform advancements in early childhood education systems in the region.

The colleges, universities, and postsecondary career-preparation institutions of Indiana, and the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE) value the diversity of our students, their identities, their backgrounds, and their learning experiences. They are committed to helping them succeed and recognize that their success supports educational attainment goals and the economic and workforce goals of Indiana. Credit for prior learning (CPL) is awarded for college-level learning gained through knowledge, skills, and competencies obtained outside formal classroom environments. It is affirmed of the value of these learning experiences, which are often applied, practical, and workforce-relevant, and equivalent to the learning outcomes provided directly in institutions. Using rigorous assessment methods, the use of CPL in support of diverse institutional missions, to accelerate credential completion for students, and to signal to students that they belong in college Research indicates that CPL boosts student retention and credential completion rates, with positive outcomes regardless of race, ethnicity, and income level. This guidance presents: (1) CPL Value Statement; (2) Program and Service Design; (3) Transcription, Transferability, and Data; (4) Standards for Assessing CPL and Quality Assurance (Curriculum); (5) Community, Workforce, and Employer Partnerships; and (6) Glossary of Terms.

Creating a strong clinical practice experience for every teacher at scale requires that three core actors--prep programs, school districts, and states--work together. This framework sets out the six focus areas of clinical practice backed by research and supported by the field as the most important to build a quality clinical practice experience. It further identifies the actions that these core actors can take in each area. Based on survey responses of hundreds of practitioners from teacher prep programs and school districts, the authors learned that while their programs have much to be proud of, they also recognize that they are missing opportunities to deliver an exceptional clinical practice experience. This framework can help the core actors identify the aspects of their clinical practice programs that are already aligned with the evidence and illuminate opportunities to improve.

High-quality career and technical education (CTE) and work-based learning opportunities can support students along a pathway to credential attainment, employment and upward economic mobility through intentional skill development and experiential learning. CTE concentration in high school can increase graduation rates while helping students build employability skills that can support positive outcomes in the workforce. When CTE concentration is paired with opportunities for postsecondary credit or a quality work-based learning experience, students are more likely to attain postsecondary and workforce credentials, successfully enter the workforce and earn higher wages. The Education Commission of the States staff members interviewed state leaders and policymakers, including state education agency staff, state workforce development agency staff, higher education agency staff and district leaders in Delaware, Iowa, Maryland, North Dakota, South Carolina and Washington to better understand how they align CTE and work-based learning policies and programs with workforce needs. This Policy Brief highlights key findings from the interviews, including insight into obstacles and promising practices in increasing student access, program quality and stakeholder engagement.

In 2022, the Boston Opportunity Agenda, the Birth to Eight Collaborative and the City of Boston's Office of Early Childhood partnered in the development of this survey of hundreds of early education professionals in the city of Boston, and then expanded its reach to total more than 600 respondents across the state. In it, educators and administrators shared their demographics and educational background, as well as elements of their work experience, wages, and more. Taken together, the data portray a diverse workforce of dedicated professionals who also must manage low wages and long hours in a system that seeks to attract thousands of new workers to replace retiring workers and meet the need for more available early education seats.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been a catalyst for transformation in K-12 through initiatives, including diversifying teaching pipelines, starting new schools, and establishing programs designed to meet the aspirations of students far away from quality opportunities. HBCUs and their alumni have played powerful roles in K-12 public education, including charter schools. Alumni are leading outstanding charter learning institutions with exceptional student outcomes, and some HBCUs have partnered with charter schools in effective ways including integrating charter schools on their campuses. This arrangement provides students with a unique experience in which they are introduced to the promise and prestige of higher education earlier in their educational journey. Utilizing that expertise and record of achievement is especially important now. America's public schools lag behind those of our international competitors, both in terms of student attainment and educational equity. The lasting influences of a global pandemic, particularly for lower-income students and students of color, have magnified the challenges of our outdated K-12 system -- one that was not working well for many students even before COVID-19. This report examines the potential for HBCUs to make high-stakes decisions about who is able to start new public schools, what outcomes those schools should meet, and what to do when adults fail students.

Transforming education systems to be fit for the 21st century is the common thread for creating inclusive and equitable societies resilient to conflict, climate change and economic crises. Now is the time for increased investment in African education systems. This paper describes: (1) the state of Africa's educational landscape; (2) innovative approaches to increase education financing; and (3) what can be done to put education back at the forefront of Africa's policy agenda while sparking improved outcomes across the entire education spectrum. [Additional collaborators for this paper include the African Development Bank and the African Union.]

The STEM Transfer Partnership (STP) initiative seeks to create systemic change within STEM degree pathways in Washington through collaboration between teams of faculty and staff from nine pairs of two-year and four-year institutions across the state. These teams are supported by Community College Research Initiatives (CCRI) to work together to improve STEM transfer processes by serving as institutional context experts and determining the focus of their efforts (see Cate et al., 2022 for more details). STP teams have worked within institutional pairs for eighteen months to understand and dismantle obstacles to low-income STEM transfer students' bachelor's degree completion. This brief examines into the factors propelling their change and also highlights the tangible strides made by STP teams in their pursuit of fostering positive transformations.

While research indicates that relationship-centered environments support student learning and success, it has been difficult to redesign secondary schools based on the factory model in ways that center relationships, particularly at the secondary level. This brief to the full report focuses on efforts to advance relationship-centering schooling in high schools. It examines the Relationship Centered Schools (RCS) campaign, a youth-led effort supported by Californians for Justice (CFJ) and conducted in collaboration with educators and district leaders. The study focuses on two settings--the Long Beach Unified School District and Fresno's McLane High School--and the efforts of local actors to center relationship-building as a catalyst for change.

Texas depends on a talented workforce to fuel its economy, and Texans depend on our public education system to prepare them for the jobs of today and tomorrow. But unfortunately, workforce and public education systems often operate independently, making innovation and improvement difficult. Between now and 2036, over 70% of the jobs in Texas will require a postsecondary credential. But far too few Texas students will possess those credentials. Only 22% of Texas eighth graders currently earn a postsecondary degree or credentials within six years of high school graduation. This article examines the Texas Tri-Agency Workforce Initiative. It brings together the Texas Education Agency (TEA), the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), and the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). The Tri-Agency is focused on three priorities: (1) Pathways: Support efficient and flexible pathways to earning degrees, certificates, and other credentials linked to high-wage, in-demand jobs; (2) Support: Ensure students receive the support necessary to succeed at all stages of their education in their transitions to the workforce; and (3) Infrastructure: Create a robust infrastructure for interagency collaboration around common goals, data, and processes to ensure improved student outcomes and meet employers' needs.

College costs and persistent workforce shortages have prompted educators, policymakers, and employers to shift the conversation on the transition from school from a narrow "college for all" emphasis to a broader "postsecondary education" and "career pathways" perspective. This paper describes an innovative effort to address these challenges in New Hampshire, focusing on a set of programs that follow a "hyperlocal" approach to career pathway development. Seeking to expose participants to careers in high-demand areas, the programs simultaneously address specific, local industry, community, and individual needs. Their purpose is to increase the likelihood of social mobility by using career exposure and hands-on involvement to spur interest and motivation toward additional education and training in promising fields. The research reported focused on programs that target youth approaching the secondary-postsecondary transition. The paper begins by briefly describing New Hampshire's unique demographic characteristics as they relate to the state's approach to education and workforce development. The characteristics help to understand the challenges involved in helping individuals make the transition from secondary education to postsecondary roles. The study's main findings focus on key elements of career pathway programs that align with the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation's (NHCF) hyperlocal model. Excerpts from participant interviews across six programs help to show what works in different career pathway sites, in terms of realizing effective collaboration among partners and providing learners with a positive experience. The paper concludes with a discussion about areas of ongoing need both within and outside of individual pathway programs.

To support and better understand how to scale effectively, in 2020, the Millions Learning project at the Center for Universal Education (CUE) at Brookings joined the Global Partnership for Education's (GPE) Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (KIX), a joint partnership between GPE and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), to facilitate a cross-national, multiteam, design-based research and professional support initiative called Research on Scaling the Impact of Innovations in Education (ROSIE). Since 2021, ROSIE has brought together 15 researcher and practitioner teams working in 30 low- and middle-income countries to study the process of scaling education initiatives for impact. This brief reflects on the 15 KIX teams' experiences to shed light on the role of champions in the scaling process. The brief introduces a typology of champions and ways of working with them as it also shares examples of how scaling teams are identifying champions and managing common challenges to the engagement of champions (such as time constraints, personnel turnover, and cultural dynamics).

To support and better understand how to scale effectively, in 2020, the Millions Learning project at the Center for Universal Education (CUE) at Brookings joined the Global Partnership for Education's (GPE) Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (KIX), a joint partnership between GPE and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), to facilitate a cross-national, multiteam, design-based research and professional support initiative called Research on Scaling the Impact of Innovations in Education (ROSIE). Since 2021, ROSIE has brought together 15 researcher and practitioner teams working in 30 low- and middle-income countries to study the process of scaling education initiatives for impact. This brief reflects on the 15 KIX teams' experiences to shed light on the role of research in the scaling process. The brief distinguishes between research for scaling and research about the scaling process itself, discusses different ways KIX-ROSIE teams are conducting and using research in their scaling work, and identifies some of the research challenges and solutions that emerged.

The evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) presents an unprecedented opportunity for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to lead in an era characterized by rapid technological advancement and societal transformation. This report explores the integral role HBCUs--with their history of academic excellence and commitment to inclusivity--can play in steering the AI revolution, ensuring that the Black community remains at the forefront of educational, economic, and social progress. Institutional leaders, faculty and instructors, and instructional support staff can benefit from the findings of this report, which is presented in the following sections: (1) Why AI Matters and the Unique Role of HBCUs in the AI Revolution; (2) An AI Policy and Practice Framework for Institutional Development; (3) AI and Curricular Innovation; (4) The Importance of Industry Partnerships and Student Development; and (5) AI at HBCUs: A Path to the Future. [This report was created in collaboration with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.]