At CRPE, we study how public education can evolve to meet the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly changing world. Our research on innovation and the future of learning examines how schools are rethinking teaching and learning models—from personalized and competency-based approaches to the use of technology and AI—to better prepare students for life beyond school. We investigate how these innovations take shape in real contexts, what barriers and enablers schools encounter, and how systems can support sustainable change. Across this work, we aim to understand how schools and communities can design learning environments that are more equitable, adaptable, and responsive to the diverse needs of students.
In early 2025, the National Center for Education Statistics quietly announced a new record: 7.9 million public school students were identified with a disability under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Imagine a family—let’s call them the Carters—navigating their state’s school choice options. They live in a blue-collar, inner-ring suburban neighborhood with decent schools, but their second-grade son is struggling socially and academically at their public elementary school.
Across the country, school leaders are reimagining how students learn—designing models that are more engaging, effective, and connected to the world students are entering.
Concerns about student math performance in the U.S. have grown in recent years, driven by persistent disparities, pandemic-related disruptions, and stagnating or declining national achievement scores.
One of us (Carole) was recently asked what a world without colleges of education would look like. Carole’s response: “I’m not sure the world would miss us.” And she spoke as the dean of one of the largest colleges of education in the country.
As schools across the nation struggle with teacher shortages, a new study from Richard Ingersoll, Lennon Audrain, and Mary Laski points to a promising solution: redesigning the structure of classrooms and the role of teachers.
Introduction Key Findings Data and Methods Implementation of the Next Education Workforce Elements Teacher Decision-Making Influence Relationship between Team Membership and Decision-Making Influence with Teacher Turnover Conclusion Introduction For over a century, the “egg-crate model of schooling,” which isolates each teacher in an individual classroom, has shaped the teaching profession.
The biggest mistake most state education agencies (SEAs) make is not a matter of policy but of mindset: Too many assume their primary function is to monitor compliance with state and federal laws rather than be agents of change that materially impact the lives of students.
