Eliminating the Department of Education won’t fix education’s dysfunctions—but neither will denying they exist
Announcing a new forum for bold ideas to build momentum Proposals to eliminate the Department of Education (ED) have been a Republican talking point since Ronald Reagan first suggested it in the early 1980s. The Trump administration’s executive order to weaken the agency is just the latest attempt. While the stated goal is to cut […]
Embracing AI in Education Can Move Us Toward a New Era of Learning
For decades, students of color and those from low-income communities have faced persistent achievement gaps in our education system. Despite countless reform efforts, these students continue to encounter barriers to accessing high-quality, personalized instruction that builds critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Now, the emergence of generative AI represents an unprecedented opportunity to transform this inequitable […]
What do parents know about Generative AI in schools?
Generative AI has led to a seismic shift in the U.S., with major implications for the present and future states of our societal systems and institutions. While these advancements could contribute to major learning gains in the classroom, they have also generated a great deal of uncertainty as educators, parents, and students grapple with the […]
2025: The Year for Hard Truths and Bold Solutions
To CRPE followers, colleagues, and friends: Happy 2025! Longtime readers will know that CRPE prides ourselves on “thinking forward.” We do make straight-out predictions from time to time, but mostly, we look around the corner at looming trends, debates, and developments and consider what it would take to get the best outcomes possible for students. […]
In Search of Opportunity: Can Families Use Education Choice to Secure More of What They Want?
As education choice programs expand, the promise of securing better educational opportunities remains unevenly realized for many families. This report examines the challenges families face and offers practical solutions to help education choice programs deliver on their potential. The report reveals that while some families benefit from education choice, many—particularly those in rural areas, low-income communities, and […]
Promising progress, fragile foundations: A five-year analysis of school innovation, 2019-2024
Over the past five years, the Canopy Project has documented innovations in K-12 education, uncovering how schools are addressing systemic challenges and envisioning the future of learning. This report highlights the progress and persistence of these trailblazing schools and offers actionable recommendations for sustaining and spreading innovation. Read the Report Report Quick Guide Key Findings […]
AI is Evolving, but Teacher Prep is Lagging: A First Look at Teacher Preparation Program Responses to AI
AI has transformed the education landscape, but are teacher preparation programs keeping pace? In CRPE’s latest report, we surveyed leaders from schools of education to understand how their faculty and preservice teachers are engaging with AI, their views on its long-term impact, and how institutions are embedding AI into their curricula. Key Findings: Schools of education […]
Breaking the “Egg-Crate” Model of Schooling
This article was originally published by ASCD. Team-teaching models provide a built-in support system for new educators, making the job less isolating. The teaching profession is increasingly comprised of new teachers. In the last three decades, both the number and proportion of new teachers have increased: There were approximately 300,000 first-year teachers in 2017–18 compared […]
Call for proposals: Research to help finish the work of pandemic recovery
Over the past four years, CRPE’s Evidence Project has tracked the pandemic’s impact on students and school systems’ recovery efforts. Earlier this year, we concluded that these collective efforts are far from complete—and face growing challenges. Academic achievement remains below pre-pandemic levels, with growth in the 2023-24 school year falling short in nearly all grade […]
When challenges never let up: School district leaders steer through hazards in Baltimore and Chicago
In the face of financial, political, and capacity constraints, leaders within the Baltimore City Public School System and Chicago Public Schools are making progress toward closing post-pandemic gaps in student learning. They’ve had to choose among imperfect strategies and navigate significant, growing challenges. At times, this has meant taking risks, following strategies they might not […]
