This brief from Child Trends is the second in a series examining timely topics that are relevant to Black families and children in the United States. It sheds light on the role of federal policies in creating, maintaining, and addressing inequities brought about by structural racism, with a specific focus on access to early care … Read more
According to a recent survey of public and private four-year higher education institutions, the majority of institutions that dropped ACT and/or SAT admission requirements due to the pandemic are unlikely to bring them back. The survey was commissioned by ACT Inc., the owner of the ACT exam, and estimates that around 50 percent of four-year … Read more
New research from the New England Public Policy Center explores socioeconomic and racial test-score gaps in metropolitan areas of New England, accounting for state school-aid policies and poverty segregation. Northern New England states have the smallest average test-score gaps, although these states are also less racially diverse. In terms of poverty segregation, the study found … Read more
Child Trends reviewed the available literature on improving program engagement, but found little methodologically strong research that could guide programs with actionable suggestions. Moreover, the existing research is often conducted with program participants and misses the youth who are least likely to participate in programs. In the review of available literature, four basic themes emerged as … Read more
New research from Brookings uses administrative data from state departments of education to examine the effectiveness of free school meals for all students on school performance. With the uneven rollout of the Community Eligibility Provision between districts (whereby communities with high shares of free and reduced-price eligible students could eliminate applications and uniformly serve all … Read more
New research from the Administration for Children and Families explores the relationship between the price of center-based child care and measures of quality in those centers. Using data from the 2021 National Survey of Early Care and Education, the authors find that there is little relationship between reported prices and quality of care measures: for … Read more
The Office of the Administration for Children & Families reports that paying for child care can place a burden on households, especially those with low incomes. Currently, there is a dearth of knowledge regarding whether households obtain higher-quality child care when they pay higher prices for that care. To that end, this research brief uses … Read more
This Snapshot identifies the nonparental care arrangements lower-income households, with at least one working parent, use to care for children under age 6 (not yet in kindergarten). This Snapshot is based on data from the 2012 National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE) household survey, a nationally representative survey of households with children under … Read more
In advance of anticipated attention to school segregation under the Biden administration, a new piece from the Brookings Institution identifies a less explored axis of segregation: that of English Learners (ELs). Making up 10 percent of students nationwide, these learners are most often elementary school aged, and disproportionately concentrated in high-poverty schools. Specifically, ELs are … Read more
Scholars from the Brookings Institution collected data on 2017-2018 high school graduation rates from 37 states (including Maine) and found that despite interstate variation in overall graduation rates, in each state assessed, boys graduation rates were lower than girls (82 versus 88 percent overall). The U.S. Department of Education requires states to report overall graduation … Read more
