News about our grantees, the Foundation, and the field.
The average 8th-grade NAEP science score decreased four points since 2019. These results are a warning, but they can also be a turning point. Emma Banay, Christine Cunningham, and James Ryan call for investment in K-12 inquiry-based science learning that is active, relevant, and engaging, both in and out of school.
Teachers’ time is one of the most valuable resources in education. Yet too often, much of it is dedicated to non-student-facing work. Jessica Fredston-Hermann shares three practices school and district leaders can use to help teachers reclaim time to foster deeper student engagement and improve outcomes.
Chronic absenteeism remains one of the most pressing challenges facing schools today, but the field lacks rigorous evidence on the key drivers and potential solutions to reduce it. Here, we share early lessons from five studies focused on generating actionable insights to boost attendance from Pre-K through high school.
As districts embrace the science of reading to improve literacy outcomes, there’s a real risk of squeezing out something just as vital to early learning: play. Meghan McCormick and Carly Roberts make the case that play doesn’t compete with explicit reading instruction. Instead, it helps build the very skills kids need to become strong readers in the first place.
Tutoring works—but only if school and district leaders focus on improving implementation. Pete Lavorini and Meghan McCormick analyze the latest tutoring research and list five key questions schools and districts should consider to ensure these programs deliver on their promise.
As schools grapple with increased teacher burnout and stalled student achievement, strategic staffing models may offer a path forward. Meghan McCormick details the current evidence base and our Foundation’s commitment to unlocking evidence to fuel a stronger, more sustainable teaching profession.
In Q2 2025, our foundation awarded 52 grants totaling over $32 million. Here, we highlighted just some of the direct impact and ecosystem organizations we’re proud to support.
We believe in the importance of high-quality research to drive evidence-based decision-making and, ultimately, improve educational outcomes for all children. Here, Jessica Siegel highlights the latest findings from three grantees, which underscore the role of dosage and implementation fidelity in student impact.
As states and districts work to combat chronic absenteeism in K-12, out-of-school-time providers are essential partners in boosting student engagement and attendance. Emma Banay, Hedy Chang, and Jodi Grant underscore the proven impact of high-quality programs on reducing school-day absences and urge decision-makers to prioritize them as more than an “expendable extra.”
A new whitepaper from EdWeek Market Brief examines how for-profits and nonprofits are navigating decision-making in today’s K-12 market—and where they diverge. Anthony Lucchino highlights key findings and their implications for education leaders and the philanthropic sector.