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Unlike vouchers and tax credit scholarships that do not allow parents to customize their children's education, Education savings accounts (ESAs) provide funding to pay for part-time classes at public and private schools, tutoring, curricula, services for special needs, and more. As navigating the opportunities that come with ESAs can be difficult, there is a growing movement to include "choice navigators" as an eligible expense in ESA programs, which can inform parents what educational opportunities are available and help tailor an education program for their children. This paper examines several key elements, including determining the types of navigation services that parents need in the changing education landscape; identifying best practices that states can adopt to simplify ESA navigation; tapping into the experiences of current ESA users and traditional homeschoolers; and deciding whether there are policies that can encourage an adequate supply of navigators without creating counterproductive rules.

The Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) Program, signed into law on May 9, 2019 (1002.394, F.S.), was established to provide children of Florida's families with financial assistance to attend an eligible private school of their choosing with funding equal to 100% of a given school district's average cost per student. Eligibility is limited to students whose families have annual household incomes of up to 400% of the federal poverty level (FPL), which equates to over 125% of the average median income (Miami-Dade Economic Advisory Trust, 2021). The purpose of this report is twofold: (a) to examine the movement of students between the District's schools and the FES from October 2019 through October 2022 and (b) to explore the demographic characteristics of participating students. The population for this study consisted of students in Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) who participated in the FES from August 2016-17 to October 2022-23. The sample consisted of four groups of FES participants: (a) students who did not previously attend a location in M-DCPS, (b) students whose prior school indicated participation in the FES, (c) students whose prior school was a location in M-DCPS, and (d) students assigned to any non-FES location in M-DCPS whose prior school also indicated participation in the FES.

This study provides one of the first causal estimates of the impact of housing on academic outcomes. While college students are too often dismissed as a privileged and healthy part of the population, researchers increasingly observe housing insecurity among college students. This problem worsened during the pandemic, underscoring the link between housing, employment, mental health, and wellness. Housing is of particular importance as a critical basic need for today's undergraduate students. The study takes place before and during the ongoing pandemic, thus providing a unique opportunity to understand the short-term impacts of housing on belongingness, mental health, and academic outcomes for the five cohorts studied. This research was conducted with these questions in mind: (1) Does this scholarship influence student well-being as measured by belongingness, mental health, and/or financial wellness?; and (2) Does the provision of a housing scholarship have an impact on student retention or completion? Findings from the study suggest that rent-free community housing supports provide greater financial well-being, mental health, and postsecondary educational impacts.

The Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) Program, signed into law on May 9, 2019 (1002.394, F.S.), was established to provide children of Florida families with financial assistance to attend an eligible private school of choice. Funding is equal to 100% of the district average cost per student. Eligibility is limited to students whose families have annual household incomes of up to 375% of the federal poverty level with priority given to those whose incomes do not exceed 185% of the federal poverty level. Program capacity statewide was initially 18,000 students for 2019-2020 and is set to expand annually by one percent of state public school enrollment. Presently, over 78,000 students are enrolled in the program statewide (Step Up for Students, 2022). FES recipients remain eligible until high school graduation (or age 21), regardless of income. Siblings of FES recipients are also eligible. The scholarship is administered by the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) and funded through the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP). As of October 15, 2021, 18,005 (or more than one in 19 of the District's students) are enrolled in the FES. The purpose of this report is twofold: (a) to examine the movement of students between the District's schools and the FES from October 2019 through January 2022 and (b) to explore the demographic characteristics of participating students. It should be noted that the movement into and out of the FES may have been impacted by school closures, distance learning, and other influences due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Central Florida Urban League (CFUL), which focuses on combating the social, racial, and economic challenges that African American communities face, believed remote learning would exacerbate educational and economic gaps. Recognizing both the need to stave off academic losses and the opportunity to implement a long-term option for achieving better academic results, CFUL opened Whitney M. Young Academy, a microschool designed to meet the individual needs of low-income, African American students. This brief describes the CFUL microschool model and discusses key lessons.

School choice critics argue that choice programs drain resources from public schools and therefore harm students who remain in them. Because policymakers are tasked with balancing their states' budgets and ensuring that their public schools meet educational provisions in their states' constitutions, they are concerned with the fiscal effects of these programs. More than two dozen studies have examined educational choice programs' effects on students enrolling in nearby public schools. Researchers have conducted a handful of systematic reviews of competitive effects research and, more recently, a meta-analysis of this body of research. In each of these reviews, researchers conclude that students who remain in district schools after exposure to educational choice programs tend to experience modest educational benefits. But the question remains whether educational choice programs lead to higher costs for taxpayers or fewer resources for students who remain in public schools. This report summarizes the fiscal effects of educational choice programs across the United States from an analysis of 40 private educational choice programs in 19 states plus D.C. The programs in the analysis include three education savings accounts programs, 19 school voucher programs, and 18 tax-credit scholarship programs. The report also provides context by presenting basic facts about the size and scope of each program, in terms of participation and funding, relative to each state's public school system. It presents the facts on taxpayer funding disparities between students using the choice programs and their peers in public schools.

Despite the myriad of challenges that families, students, teachers and policymakers faced in 2021, the momentum to transform education did not waver. New opportunities for students unfolded in more than a dozen states through expanded private and public school choice. An additional 1.7 million students gained eligibility for private choice alone, and strong investments by states supported learning options, with an impressive total of more than $1 billion for new choice programs and funding for charter schools. States also invested deeply in closing the digital divide and building better workforce training and college acceleration programs. Florida set an example with a comprehensive education-to-workforce package that was supported by ExcelinEd's Pathways Matter policy research and resources. And states continued to strengthen early literacy through policy improvements and new funding totaling $330 million in Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Tennessee and Wisconsin alone. This year's annual report touches on state accomplishments; thought leadership highlights; and the 2021 National Summit on Education. Remaining sections focus on providing families with access to the learning environment that best fits their child's needs; ensuring every student has equitable access to the digital superhighway; supporting every student in gaining in-demand skills for lifelong success; guaranteeing every child receives academic support to learn, succeed and achieve their full potential; and fiscal accountability. [For the 2020 report, see ED619617.]

Education reformers have long lamented America's persistent racial and socioeconomic achievement gap and framed school choice as a means to provide low-income students of color trapped in failing schools with a ticket to a better education. Yet when parents who participate in school choice programs in states like Georgia or Indiana have been surveyed, at least half of them cite safety as a primary motivating factor. Florida's Hope Scholarship program, signed into law on March 11, 2018, enables students who have been subjected to bullying--regardless of disability status, income, or district school performance--to transfer to another public school or provides them with a tuition tax credit scholarship to use at an approved private school. To inform ongoing and potential state-level debates around anti-bullying voucher or tuition tax credit programs, this paper describes the basic mechanics of Florida's anti-bullying scholarship, the political origin and debate around its passage, and the program's implementation to date.

How can institutions and communities accelerate Latino student success? Examples of "Excelencia" is the only national effort to identify and promote evidence-based programs accelerating Latino student success in higher education. Since 2005, "Excelencia" in Education has recognized over 300 programs making a positive difference in the lives of Latino students at the associate, baccalaureate, graduate, and community-based organization levels. "Excelencia" is committed to leveraging these programs to build a national community of common cause toward Latino student success. In 2020, "Excelencia" recognizes 4 programs as the 2020 Examples of "Excelencia," one in each respective category--associate, baccalaureate, graduate, and community-based organizations--for their evidence-based practices, cultural relevance, and commitment to intentionally serve Latino students. In addition, "Excelencia" recognizes 16 programs as 2020 Examples of "Excelencia" Finalists also effective in improving Latino student success at institutions and in their communities and highlights 17 innovative/up-and-coming programs that are making a positive impact on the success of their Latino students identified as Programs to Watch. [Additional funding was provided by Ad Astra, the Trellis Foundation, Pepco, and Facebook. For the 2019 report, see ED599622.]

To innovate for the future and improve equity, while also protecting foundational and proven principles that support high-quality education, ExcelinEd is committing to 5 goals over 5 years to impact 5 million students. Those goals hold the key to impactful and far-reaching changes in education, with the power to transform schools, students' lives, communities and America's future. ExcelinEd's work is laser-focused to bridge the digital divide; close learning gaps; empower families with opportunity; strengthen pathways to college and career; and reimagine learning. The pages of this report capture the policy solutions and progress toward that vision. [For the 2019 report, see ED619667.]

Existing state policies to support the costs of apprentices' classroom training at colleges are a patchwork. Some states have implemented effective subsidies to support credit-bearing apprenticeship offerings without any cost to the apprentice; other policies are well-intentioned but counterproductive. Across the country, though, many states already have the policy groundwork to support college classes for apprentices, even with rather modest investments. In this brief, I explore the advantages and drawbacks of four current approaches to funding the classroom component of apprenticeship and provide recommendations for policymakers looking to support college-connected apprenticeships in their state.

Private school choice programs are rapidly gaining traction, with nearly 450,000 student participants in 2019--an increase of 300,000 students in just 15 years. This report evaluates how well some of these programs prepare students for college by examining college enrollment and completion data from the Florida Tax Credit scholarship program, the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, and the Washington, DC, Opportunity Scholarship Program. Unlike previous research on private school choice, this body of work takes a long-term approach, focusing on college enrollment and graduation rates rather than student satisfaction and test scores. Over the past three years, this research has demonstrated that private school choice programs yield varying results on graduation rates, with positive outcomes for students in the Florida and Milwaukee programs and no statistically significant positive or negative outcome in DC. This report presents the most up-to-date data and proposes topics for future research that would better equip policymakers to make decisions. The updated data in this report show more consistent positive effects of Milwaukee's private school choice program, and the results in DC still show no significant effect, even as we broaden the sample to include more students. [Additional funding for this report was provided by the Bill and Susan Oberndorf Foundation and by Kate and Bill Duhamel.]

Large numbers of qualified students do not apply to and enroll in college. Yet, earning a college degree is one of the primary pathways for economic success and is increasingly required for good jobs and high wages. A number of programs and practices aim to improve college readiness and enrollment, including "Take Stock in Children's® (TSIC's®) Facilitating Long-term Improvements in Graduation and Higher Education for Tomorrow" ("FLIGHT") program. "FLIGHT" provides mentoring, scholarships, and additional support services to help disadvantaged middle and high school students stay on track for graduation, apply to college, and enroll in college. "FLIGHT" students also have access to college transition and retention services in their first three semesters of college. This "What Works Clearinghouse" (WWC) report, part of the WWC's Transition to College topic area, explores the effects of the "FLIGHT" program on student success. The WWC identified six studies of "FLIGHT," and one study met WWC standards. [For the full report, see ED594579. For the Intervention Snapshot, see ED594578.]

Private school choice options are being proposed and adopted in numerous states across the country. As of the spring of 2019, 62 private school choice programs were in operation in 29 states and the District of Columbia, serving more than 400,000 children. Although growth in private school choice programs and enrollment has been considerable over the past decade, the percentage of private schools participating in school choice options varies considerably by program. Understanding how program design impacts the supply of private schools participating in these programs will be critical for policymakers as they work to create and expand education choice options for families. This report considers whether certain regulations governing school choice programs reduce specialization and diversity in the supply of private schools that participate. Expanding on the prior analysis of the impact of regulations in three locations, the authors chart how schools self-identify prior to and after switching into private school choice program environments in each of the five locations. The authors found that private school leaders in all five locations are more likely to classify their schools as less specialized than they were prior to entering the programs. The authors also found evidence to suggest that more homogenization occurred in more highly regulated voucher programs. These findings suggest a potential homogenizing effect of regulations on school supply, limiting the diversity of the private school market. These findings also suggest policymakers should carefully weigh the costs of regulating private school choice programs, as overregulation could reduce specialization and diversity of school supply in a given school choice program, limiting the options that are available to families.

In November 2018, EdChoice and ExcelinEd administered a first-of-its-kind survey of Florida private school leaders. The survey results demonstrate three things: (1) private schools in Florida are affordable; (2) they have the capacity to serve many more students; and (3) capacity could be further expanded if more tuition assistance was made available to families. Schools reported that the largest barrier to expanding capacity is the inability of families to pay tuition. This is despite the fact that half of private schools in the state charge less than $8,000 per year in combined tuition and fees (far less than is spent per student in Florida public schools), while more than three in four schools provide families with private financial assistance. The survey results show private schools would welcome expanded choice programs in the state, that they typically accept students with special needs, and that most schools administer nationally norm-referenced tests to monitor student learning.

Focused on educational quality, innovation and opportunity--both within and outside of the traditional system--ExcelinEd advances a broad range of student-centered policy solutions that are successfully: (1) increasing student learning; (2) Readying graduates for college and career; and (3) Advancing equity. This year's annual report highlights the 2019 National Summit on Education Reform; 2019 thought leadership; early literacy; school accountability; education funding; college and career pathways; next generation learning; public charter schools; private education choice; and fiscal accountability. One-page spotlights on Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah are included. [For the 2018 annual report, see ED594612.]

In 2014, Florida became the second state to enact education savings accounts (ESAs), a relatively new form of educational choice that empowers families to utilize state funding to customize K-12 schooling options beyond just private school tuition, which is all that's allowable under a more traditional voucher program. Now called the Gardiner Scholarship, the parents of more than 10,000 children with special needs throughout Florida used an ESA to tailor their children's education to meet their unique learning needs during the 2017-18 school year. This study examines how parents in Florida used their ESA funds during the first two school years of the program using data from Step Up for Students, which issued 99 percent of the ESAs during the 2014-15 school year and 95 percent of the ESAs during the 2015-16 school year. It also compares customization rates in Florida with those in Arizona, which in 2011 became the first state to establish ESAs. Families in Florida are fully embracing the customization afforded to them through the flexible Gardiner Scholarship ESA option. As ESAs expand in states across the country, the ways in which parents use these innovative accounts suggest more strongly than ever that a one-size-fits-all approach to schooling fits only some.

A full year of progress in advancing education reform across America is documented in each of the Foundation for Excellence in Education's Annual Reports. This report presents the broad range of initiatives that the Foundation for Excellence in Education is working on--policies that personalize the learning experience for students, that challenge them with college- or career-ready expectations, that prioritize early-grade literacy, and that hold schools accountable to parents and taxpayers. Following a section describing the Foundation for Excellence in Education (Excel"in"Ed), a national leader in the education reform movement, this report provides a year in review to illustrate Excel"in"Ed's accomplishments. Also provided are reports on the following topics: (1) Highlights from the 2018 National Summit on Education reform; (2) Early Literacy; (3) School Accountability; (4) Education Funding; (5) College & Career Pathways; (6) Next Generation Learning; (7) Public Charter Schools; and (8) Fiscal Accountability. Policy Solutions are included, as are state profiles. [For the 2017 report, "Advancing Opportunity, Innovation & Quality in Education. 2017 Annual Report", see ED590700.]

Although several studies have documented the effects of statewide private school choice programs on student test scores, this report is the first to examine the effects of one of these programs on college enrollment and graduation. Using data from the Florida Tax Credit (FTC) Scholarship program, we find that low-income Florida students who attended private schools using an FTC scholarship enrolled in and graduated from Florida colleges at a higher rate than their public school counterparts. [Additional support for this study was provided by the Bill and Susan Oberndorf Foundation and Kate and Bill Duhamel.]

This report follows up on previous work that examined the fiscal effects of private school voucher programs. It estimates the total fiscal effects of tax-credit scholarship programs--another type of private school choice program--on state governments, state and local taxpayers, and school districts combined. Based on a range of assumptions, these programs generated between $1.7 billion and $3.4 billion in taxpayer savings through the 2013-14 school year. That is equivalent to up to $3,000 per scholarship student. In general, tax-credit scholarships allow taxpayers to receive full or partial tax credits when they donate to nonprofits that provide students with private school scholarships. Eligible taxpayers can include both individuals and businesses. Some supporters of tax-credit scholarships argue that they give taxpayers more freedom than vouchers to support the types of education that align with their values and preferences. Vouchers, on the other hand, "compel taxpayers to financially support forms of education to which they may object." For the period covered in this analysis, there were 21 tax-credit scholarship programs operating in 17 states. Of those, the author added 10 (covering seven states) in this report. All but two of the programs analyzed are the largest in the country. In total, the 10 programs that were analyzed represent 93 percent of all scholarships awarded in tax-credit scholarship programs today. Programs analyzed in this report are: (1) Arizona Original Individual Income Tax Credit Scholarship Program; (2) Arizona Low-Income Corporate Income Tax Credit Scholarship Program; (3) Arizona Lexie's Law for Disabled and Displaced Students Tax Credit Scholarship Program; (4) Arizona "Switcher" Individual Income Tax Credit Scholarship Program; (5) Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program; (6) Georgia Qualified Education Expense Tax Credit; (7) Indiana School Scholarship Tax Credit; (8) Iowa School Tuition Organization Tax Credit; (9) Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program; and (10) Rhode Island Tax Credits for Contributions to Scholarship Organizations. There are certain challenges and considerations that generally apply to evaluating the fiscal impact of any school choice program. Two key factors that apply to all programs: (1) variable costs per student, meaning those costs that are directly associated with a given student and that would not be spent if that student were not enrolled; and (2) the number of students who would have attended public schools without the financial assistance from the tax-credit scholarship program (aka "switchers"). In some states, there is also a third factor: (3) the proportion of scholarships that are given to students who receive more than one scholarship. Appended are: (1) Scholarships Awarded in Tax-Credit Scholarship Programs; (2) Surveying Scholarship Organizations; (3) Considerations and Complicating Factors; and (4) Tax-Credit Scholarship Program Tax Credit Caps.

Recruiting and retaining talented individuals into the teaching workforce, especially in schools in underserved urban and rural communities, is challenging when college graduates face more lucrative professional alternatives and often carry significant student debt. Two promising approaches to attracting and keeping teachers in the profession are to offer loan forgiveness or service scholarships to prospective teachers--similar to what the medical profession has used to attract practitioners into underserved communities. Existing research on teacher and physician loan forgiveness and service scholarship programs suggests that, when the financial benefit meaningfully offsets the cost of professional preparation, these programs can successfully recruit and retain high-quality professionals into fields and communities where they are most needed.

Every child deserves the chance at a great education and the American dream. Unfortunately, decades of student achievement data reveal that the increasingly costly U.S. district school system does not provide an excellent education for all students. State lawmakers around the country are now seeking ways to enhance the ability of families to choose among not only schools, but online classes, personal tutors, and other educational service providers. Lawmakers in five states have passed laws allowing eligible students to receive an Education Savings Account (ESA) instead of attending their assigned district school or a charter school. Under these ESA laws, the state deposits public funds into private bank accounts that parents can use to purchase a variety of educational products and services. However, nearly 40 states have constitutional provisions prohibiting the use of public funds at religious schools. These so-called Blaine amendments were originally motivated by anti-Catholic sentiment more than a century ago. State courts have interpreted some Blaine amendments in a manner that may pose an obstacle to private-school-choice laws, including ESAs. Fortunately, lawmakers can design ESAs to avoid such constitutional issues. This paper will explain how legislators can design an ESA that is privately funded through tax-credit-eligible contributions from taxpayers, similar to tax-credit scholarship programs around the country. Tax-credit-funded ESAs would empower families with more educational options while enhancing accountability and refraining from coercing anyone into financially supporting ideas they oppose. Because they are funded through voluntary contributions rather than public funds, tax-credit scholarships have a perfect record of constitutionality at the U.S. Supreme Court and at every state supreme court that has considered the issue. In Blaine amendment states, tax-credit ESAs could be a lifeline to families in need. The following are appended: (1) Transparency and Accountability; and (2) Resources.

As school choice programs expand in the United States, it is crucial to consider how the design of these programs shapes the supply and demand of parents' educational offerings. To better understand the school choice landscape from the viewpoint of current and would-be participants in choice programs, the authors administered an extensive survey in Spring 2014 to leaders of private schools in Florida, Indiana, and Louisiana. From Florida's relatively longstanding and lightly regulated tax-credit scholarship program to Indiana and Louisiana's younger and more heavily regulated state-funded voucher programs, these programs share some qualities while differing considerably on others. In total, 954 school leaders participated in the survey. The overall response rate was 29 percent, which is relatively high for a lengthy Internet survey. The survey reveals a number of important themes policymakers should consider when designing school choice programs: (1) School leaders identify the opportunity to serve more disadvantaged students as a primary reason for participation; (2) School leaders tend to be less satisfied with the academic preparation of choice students and the involvement of their parents compared to the nonchoice students and parents at leaders' schools; (3) In all three states, high rates of respondents reported that scholarship amounts are inadequate to cover the full cost to educate a child at their school; (4) Across these three states, school leaders' plans for future participation largely reflect current participation levels; (5) Leaders of participating schools identified a number of concerns they have as participants in their state's choice program; and (6) While leaders of nonparticipating schools cited a number of concerns that factored into their decision not to participate, concerns about possible future regulations were the most cited across all three states, followed by concerns about the effect of participation on schools' independence, character, or identity. Two appendices are included: (1) Survey-Collection Details and Characteristics of Respondents; and (2) Details of the State Scholarship Programs.

In 2010, Hillsborough Community College (HCC), a large multicampus institution in Tampa, Florida, worked with MDRC to create the Mathematics Access Performance Scholarship (MAPS) program to help academically underprepared community college students succeed in developmental math. MAPS provides an incentive for low-income students referred to developmental math to take their math courses early and consecutively, get help with math in an on-campus Math Lab, and strive for passing grades or better, in exchange for a modest scholarship contingent on performance. MAPS is part of the national Performance-Based Scholarship (PBS) Demonstration, which is testing performance-based scholarships with varying student populations and program requirements. MAPS offered eligible students the opportunity to earn a performance-based scholarship of up to $1,800 ($600 per semester for three semesters) for successfully completing a three-course sequence--comprising Beginning Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, and a first-level college math course--within a period of three consecutive semesters plus a summer term. MAPS is the only program in the PBS Demonstration that provides an incentive for a specified course sequence. MDRC used a random assignment design to study the effects of MAPS compared with HCC's standard services. Academic outcomes were tracked for all sample members for two years. The findings at HCC, like those across the PBS Demonstration, are modest but positive: (1) More than 90 percent of program group students earned a MAPS award in the first semester, but scholarship receipt rates declined in the second and third semesters; (2) MAPS students were much more likely to visit a Math Lab than control group students; (3) MAPS helped move students further along in the math course sequence, and MAPS students also accumulated more credits overall -- in part because of their greater progress in math; and (4) The program had no discernible impact on students' retention. Appendices include: (1) Selected Baseline Characteristics, by Research Group; (2) Survey Response Analysis; (3) Impact Tables; and (4) Key Cost Terms.

This report provides a framework for understanding the impacts of state government statutes regulating private schools, regulations distinct to a given school choice program, and any regulatory growth over a program's lifespan. Examining school choice programs in operation for at least a few years provides important context and comparisons for policymakers considering additional regulations on current programs, as well as for school choice advocates pursuing new or expanded programs. In this report, the author attempts to address several core questions: (1) How do the regulatory environments before the enactment of private school choice programs compare to the regulatory environments brought about by those programs? (2) To what extent do private school choice programs change the existing relationship between state governments and private schools? (3) What types of regulations burden private schools the most? Has the nature of the regulatory burden changed over time? The author highlights findings from the report and recommendations for proponents of school choice that include: educate policymakers, the media, and the general public on the longstanding regulatory relationship between state governments and private schools. Also included are the appendices: (1) Statutes Analyzed for Figures and Tables with Programs' Statutes; (2) Additional Tables; (3) Types of School Choice Average Program Scores for Each Regulation Category's Removal; and (4) Current School Choice Programs within the Analyzed Program Types.

Performance-based scholarships were developed to help tackle some of the financial obstacles facing students in the postsecondary education system. In general, these scholarships aim to help reduce the financial burdens of low-income college students, and are structured to help incentivize good academic progress. Performance-based scholarships were evaluated in six states across the U.S. with eight educational institutions and one state-level intermediary. The postsecondary institutions involved were all community colleges or non-selective four-year colleges, all of whose populations contain predominantly low-income students. The studies each use a random assignment research design, the "gold standard" in program evaluation. The study results reported performance-based scholarships are a promising way to tie additional financial aid to academic benchmarks and improve outcomes for low-income students. These studies showed that performance-based scholarship programs can be replicated in diverse contexts across the United States and that they work for different types of students in these settings: the scholarships generally have positive impacts on students' academic performance. Together these trials produce highly reliable estimates of the impacts of performance-based scholarships. Tables are appended.

In today's economy, employers' demand for an educated workforce is steadily rising. Policymakers, education leaders, and communities across the country recognize the need to improve college attendance and success, but are constrained by the current budgetary environment. Meanwhile students themselves face mounting college costs, and financial aid has not been able to keep pace. Performance-based scholarships aim to help reduce the financial burdens on low-income college students while providing incentives for good academic progress. Students are generally paid at multiple points during the semester if they earn a certain number of credits with a "C" average or better. MDRC is currently evaluating performance-based scholarship programs in six states. Interim results suggest that these programs do improve students' performance and increase the number of credits they earn, and in some states where data are available, they also appear to reduce student debt. In one location, the program also increased the proportion of students earning a degree. They work in a wide range of institutions and for a wide variety of students, including those normally at risk of performing poorly.

Many proponents of private school choice take for granted that schools won't participate if government asks too much of them, especially if it demands that they be publicly accountable for student achievement. Were such school refusals to be widespread, the programs themselves could not serve many kids. But is this assumption justified? A new Fordham Institute study provides empirical answers. Do regulations and accountability requirements deter private schools from participating in choice programs? How important are such requirements compared to other factors, such as voucher amounts? Are certain types of regulations stronger deterrents than others? Do certain types schools shy away from regulation more than others? Among the study's major findings: (1) Regulations that restrict student admissions and schools' religious practices are more likely to deter school participation than are requirements pertaining to academic standards, testing, and public disclosure of achievement results; (2) Curriculum and testing requirements ranked among the least important considerations for school leaders, with just 25 percent citing state assessment rules as very important in their decision to participate or not; (3) Only 3 percent of non-participating schools cited governmental regulations as the most important reason to opt out; (4) The reasons most cited by school principals for participating in voucher programs were expanding their mission in the community (87 percent), helping voucher-eligible families already enrolled in their schools (75 percent), and aiding needy children in the community (72 percent); (5) About one-third of non-participating private schools cited a lack of eligible families in their vicinity as key to their decision to shun the program; and (6) Catholic schools are most likely to participate in choice programs, regardless of the regulatory environment. [Foreword by Chester E. Finn, Jr. and Amber M. Winkler. Additional support was provided by the Lovett and Ruth Peters Foundation and the Randolph Foundation.]

Louisiana has emerged as one of the most fascinating states in the nation for education reform. The state's creative response to rebuilding the New Orleans education system in the wake of Hurricane Katrina is now considered a potential model for reformers across the nation. Governor Bobby Jindal has carried the reforms further in pushing for "opportunity scholarship" vouchers in New Orleans, the grading of public schools A-F, and an effort to curtail social promotion of children needing additional reading intervention. More recently, Governor Jindal called for the adoption of one of the boldest parental choice measures ever: expanding the scholarship program statewide. Designed to help low- and middle-income families in underperforming public schools, this program would empower more parents to choose the best schools for their children. In considering this proposal, Louisiana policymakers would benefit from studying the policy success of a neighboring state. Florida got a big head start on Louisiana in enacting reform, and the Sunshine State's success proves that Louisiana can do better. Governor Jindal's 2012 choice initiative resembles a bolder version of one of Florida Governor Jeb Bush's signature reforms: the A+ Opportunity Scholarship Program. The figures to follow demonstrate that the Florida program helped in improving the academic performance of struggling Florida public schools. Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exams will demonstrate the benefits of Florida's head start in adopting a comprehensive set of education reforms. In addition, evidence regarding the efficacy of parental choice programs around the nation will be provided. Louisiana has adopted some key elements of the Florida reform strategy as part of the Pelican State's overall K-12 reform effort. The adoption of one the nation's largest parental choice plans will only help spur further improvement for students in need of more effective learning environments. (Contains 5 figures and 22 endnotes.)

In the first decade of the 21st century, the nation, the states, and colleges and universities began to grapple with the challenges of globalization, changing demography, the implications of the digital era, and of a less expansive public sector. Although not a transformative period for higher education, the decade saw significant innovations in teaching and learning, intense policy ferment, and debates over the future of colleges and universities and their roles and responsibilities in American society. Parts one and two of this book describe several of the most interesting and significant developments in higher education, and in public policy, reported by leading journalists in the field of higher education. In part three, observers of American higher education comment on critical issues facing colleges and universities, the states and the nation. Most of the chapters appeared in their original form in editions of "National CrossTalk," a publication of the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. Most of these articles were published between 2000 and 2011. Where appropriate, brief updates of these stories have been appended. The articles selected for this book focus on issues that remain relevant to policy and practice. The chapters describe, explain and interpret key events and issues as they were experienced, observed and debated. Part One, Institutions and Innovations, contains: (1) A Quiet Counterrevolution: St. John's College teaches the classics--and only the classics (Kathy Witkowsky); (2) Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture: For outsiders, the school's unusual practices can be shocking (Kathy Witkowsky); (3) "Plain Living": Berea College makes a commitment to the welfare of its students and its community (Robert A. Jones); (4) An Experiment in Florida: Gulf Coast University tries faculty contracts, no tenure (William Trombley); (5) An Unknown Quantity: Olin College students, faculty and administrators create an innovative new university from scratch (Jon Marcus); (6) New Campus Still Faces Obstacles: After being postponed for a year, UC Merced hopes to open in fall 2005 (William Trombley); (7) Interdisciplinary Curriculum: Newly established University of Minnesota Rochester has a radically different approach to higher education (Kathy Witkowsky); (8) Remote Access: Western Governors University offers "competency-based" higher education, at a distance (Kathy Witkowsky); (9) Indiana's "Eighth University": Western Governors University brings its "competency-based" approach to the Hoosier state (Kathy Witkowsky); (10) A Collaborative for Academic Excellence: El Paso's partnership program boasts impressive gains in student performance (William Trombley); (11) "Early Colleges": Innovative institutions attempt to reshape the transition from high school to college (Ron Feemster); (12) New Teacher Education: Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation program brings change, one state at a time (Susan C. Thomson); (13) Daring to be Different: Rio Salado College has won a reputation as both outcast and innovator (Pamela Burdman); (14) The World's Community College: Diversity in action at LaGuardia (Ron Feemster); (15) The Virginia Plan: State's community colleges confront the need to do more with less (Robert A. Jones); (16) Technological Transformation: An ambitious national effort to use technology more effectively in large introductory university classes (Kay Mills); (17) Math Emporium: The use of technology has changed the way Virginia Tech's introductory math classes are taught (Kay Mills); (18) Redesigning the Basics: Tennessee's community colleges use technology to change their approach to developmental reading and math (Kay Mills); (19) Keeping Them in College: East Carolina University's efforts to improve retention and graduation rates (Don Campbell); (20) Bringing "Dropouts" Back to College: The University of New Mexico's Graduation Project is the first of its kind among the nation's public universities (Robert A. Jones); (21) Where the Boys Aren't: For young males, the drift away from academic achievement is a trend (Robert A. Jones); (22) Charles B. Reed: Cal State chancellor strives to promote quality and diversity in the nation's largest four-year college system (Kathy Witkowsky); (23) The Engaged University: Northern Kentucky University is building closer links to its community (Jon Marcus); and (24) Investing the Stimulus: Metropolitan State College of Denver uses federal funding to reposition itself for the future (Kathy Witkowsky). Part Two, Policy, contains: (25) Does California's Master Plan Still Work? Separate higher education systems pursue different mandates, while participation and graduation rates decline (Pamela Burdman); (26) Performance-Based Budgeting: South Carolina's new plan mired in detail and confusion (William Trombley); (27) "Outcome Funding": Tennessee experiments with a performance-based approach to college appropriations (Robert A. Jones); (28) Colorado's "Grand Experiment": Voucher program could give the state's colleges a new lease on life (Pamela Burdman); (29) Is it a Shell Game? Colorado's controversial new way of handing out its higher education money (Susan C. Thomson); (30) "Truth in Tuition": Illinois' novel answer to skyrocketing rates (Susan C. Thomson); (31) HOPE Springs Eternal: Georgia's scholarship program, a model for the nation, experiences financial pains (Don Campbell); (32) Financial Challenges: Oregon's Opportunity Grant program must overcome new hurdles due to the recession (Kathy Witkowsky); (33) Indiana's 21st Century Scholars: A new community college system and college prep curriculum are improving the state's position (Susan C. Thomson); (34) Ohio's Brain Drain: Reform of public higher education is intended to change perceptions and retain graduates (Jon Marcus); (35) Hard Times: Tuitions rise, services cut, as university officials try to ride out a severe economic downturn (Jon Marcus); (36) Kentucky's Rocky Road: Recent reform legislation produces results, but faces tough challenges (Kay Mills); (37) The "Seamless System": Florida's flurry of dramatic changes in the governance of public education (Jon Marcus); (38) Virginia Tries Restructuring: Financial stress leads to new arrangements between state and campuses (Robert A. Jones); (39) "Effectiveness and Efficiency": The University System of Maryland's campaign to control costs and increase student aid (Kay Mills); (40) Florida's Unnatural Disaster: The state's economic bubble has burst, leaving higher education in a double bind (Jon Marcus); (41) Calamity in California: State's battered budget leads to huge fee increases and less access to public universities (Jon Marcus); (42) Overcrowded and Underfunded: New York's public university systems, and beleaguered students, are an extreme example of national trends (Jon Marcus); (43) Diminishing State Support: Pennsylvania reduces state aid amid relentless tuition hikes and record enrollments (Kay Mills); (44) UK Adopts "Top-Up" Tuition Fees: British Universities prepare to compete in a more "American" system (Jon Marcus); (45) Austerity Measures: Students protest as a cash-strapped government lets British universities triple their fees (Jon Marcus); (46) The Celtic Tiger: Ireland invests heavily in higher education, and benefits mightily (Jon Marcus); and (47) The Presidential Treatment: The Obama administration makes big advances, faces tough challenges, in higher education policy (Jon Marcus). Part Three, Perspectives, contains: (48) An Interview: Clark Kerr (Patrick M. Callan); (49) The Senior Slump: Making the most of high school preparation (Michael W. Kirst); (50) Not Ready for College: States must have a systemic, comprehensive agenda for college preparation (David Spence); (51) Recessions Past and Present: Higher education struggles with state cuts, rising tuitions and a climate of uncertainty (David W. Breneman); (52) An Assessment of Academic Freedom: How anti-terrorism measures have impacted the higher education community (Robert M. O'Neil); (53) An Interview: Derek Bok (Kathy Witkowsky); (54) Killing Academic Freedom Softly: The muzzling of professors who do not enjoy the luxury of tenure (David L. Kirp); (55) An Interview: John Sperling (Carl Irving); (56) The Online Learning Boom: Tailoring college to the needs of working adults (Gene I. Maeroff); (57) College Presidents, or CEOs? Presidential pay is escalating at a time when institutions are cutting budgets (Robert Atwell); (58) The Dark Side of Merit Aid: Funding for merit programs has greatly expanded, often at the expense of need-based financial aid (Donald E. Heller); (59) Changing the Subject: Costs, graduation rates and the importance of rethinking the undergraduate curriculum (Robert Zemsky and Joni Finney); (60) The West Virginia Experience: Creating a sustainable public agenda for higher education (Brian Noland); (61) Application Madness: For many parents, the college admissions process leads to panic (Anne C. Roark); (62) Enduring Values, Changing Concerns: Increasing necessity and declining availability of higher education creates a challenge for many Americans (John Immerwahr); and (63) Making the Middle Class: Don't let the recession fool you--postsecondary education is more valuable than ever (Anthony P. Carnevale and Michelle Melton). An index is included.

Recently released figures from U.S. Census Bureau make one point with stunning clarity: The face of America is changing. And rapidly. Consider the numbers: The U.S. population grew by about 9 percent between 2000 and 2010, rising from 281 million to nearly 309 million. During that decade, the number of Latino residents increased by 43 percent--nearly ten times the growth rate of the nation's non-Latino population. Today, Latinos make up almost one-sixth of the U.S. population. By 2050, experts say, one in four Americans will be Latino. The current "Focus" takes a detailed look at this historic demographic shift and shows how it affects college-going and college success among Latino students throughout the nation.