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The compounding effects of systemic racism and the coronavirus pandemic have posed significant challenges to students, practitioners, and schools, particularly for Black and Latinx students who have borne the brunt of structural inequities. But these events have also created an opportunity for educational leaders to rethink school structures to better address the needs and nurture the assets of young people in the short and long term. This brief describes how schools can ameliorate--rather than exacerbate--racial inequities with research-based practices that advance a restorative approach to schooling and make learning environments more supportive, equitable, and anti-racist.

After many years of teacher layoffs, a change is underway in California: With new money in the system, districts are hiring again, and they cannot find enough qualified teachers to fill their vacancies. Shortages in many fields and locations across the state have been provoked by a steep decline in candidates preparing to teach, coupled with an increase in demand fueled largely by teacher attrition and schools' reinstatement of previously cut staff positions. This has triggered a rapid increase in the issuance of permits and credentials for underprepared teachers. A majority of voters polled are concerned about the shortage and support actions to mitigate its impact. This analysis shows the genesis of the current shortages, evaluates the factors that will determine future trends, and makes recommendations for addressing these problems. [For the full report, see ED606333.]

After many years of teacher layoffs in California, school districts around the state are hiring again. With the influx of new K-12 funding, districts are looking to lower student-teacher ratios and reinstate classes and programs that were reduced or eliminated during the Great Recession. However, mounting evidence indicates that teacher supply has not kept pace with the increased demand. This report examines indicators of current shortages, discusses their impact on students, analyzes factors that influence teacher supply and demand in California and nationally, and recommends policies to ensure an adequate supply of fully prepared teachers for the fields and locations where they are needed. California must take purposeful steps now if the state is to avoid more acute, widespread shortages of teachers. Earlier state policy initiatives were greatly reduced or terminated during the era of state budget cuts. Reinstating incentives for teacher recruitment and retention will be a critical component of a thoughtful strategy to address the emerging teacher shortage. Based upon this analysis and prior research, the authors offer the following policy recommendations for consideration: (1) Reinstate the CalTeach program; (2) Create incentives to attract diverse, talented individuals to teach in high-need locations and fields; (3) Create innovative pipelines into teaching; (4) Increase access to high-quality preparation programs that support teacher success in high-need districts and fields; (5) Ensure that all beginning teachers have access to a high-quality support and mentoring program; (6) Provide incentives that support teachers' ability to stay in or re-enter the profession; and (7) Improve teaching conditions by supporting administrator training. [For the research brief, see ED606335.]

No longer limited to the classroom, educators move to close the gap between school and the real world. Transforming high schools has been likened to turning an ocean liner around: It involves slow progress seemingly measured in inches, rather than yards or miles. This report discusses how educators move to close to gap between school and the real world.

This once sleepy community, founded by Mormon missionaries in 1855 and jumpstarted by gambling 85 years later, now gobbles up real estate faster than a conventioneer chowing down at a midnight buffet. Every day of the week, two acres of Las Vegas area land are developed for commercial or residential use in a frenetic drive to accommodate the 50,000 newcomers who pour in each year. These transplants come from all over the world and all walks of life, looking for a fresh start and a chance to cash in on their piece of the American dream: an affordable house, a steady job, and a good school for their kids. The booming economy is good news for Las Vegas and for Nevada, but it creates big challenges for the area?s schools. The Clark County School District, which stretches across 8,000 square miles in southern Nevada, is like no other in the nation. As the fastest-growing school district in the country, it faces the annual challenge of building 12 schools, hiring 2,000 teachers, and accommodating 12,000 new students.