FutureEd

💡 “First decide what we want for students, then ask whether AI can help us get there,” said Chris Agnew managing director of Stanford’s AI Hub for Education AI Hub for Education at Stanford University at the SCALE Initiative at Stanford University. FutureEd spoke with Agnew about a learning-centered approach to integrating AI in classrooms, what the research says about its potential to support teaching and learning, and where educators and policymakers should focus as the technology continues to evolve. Read his Q&A with FutureEd at Georgetown's Tara Moon at the link in the first comment.

📊Updated: Our explainer on K–12 public school enrollment declines has been updated with the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau. Between fall 2019 and fall 2024, public school enrollment fell from 50.8 million to 49.4 million—a loss of more than 1.4 million students, or 2.8%, in just six years. The updated data confirm that the long-term patterns—including which student groups and states are experiencing the largest declines—remain largely the same. future-ed.org/k-12-public-sc…

🎙️ Future U has officially wrapped up its 9th season. Hosted by Jeff Selingo and Michael Horn, the podcast continues to offer thoughtful conversations about the future of higher education and the challenges and opportunities facing colleges and universities. You can find Season 9 and past episodes on the FutureEd website. future-ed.org/futureu-podcas…

🚨 New Report 🚨 Policymakers have invested heavily in expanding career pathways for high school students, but many young people still lack the guidance they need to navigate these options and make informed decisions about their futures. In our latest report, "Future Shock: The Crisis in Career Navigation", Senior Fellow @Anne_S_Kim examines why so many students feel unprepared to make choices about college and careers despite growing investments in career-connected learning, the consequences of inadequate career guidance, and innovative programs and technologies that are helping students chart stronger paths from school to careers. Read the report here: future-ed.org/future-shock-t…

📊 Education, by the numbers: According to research from @afterschool4all , more than half of children who wanted to participate in a summer program in 2024 were unable to access one. Among families whose children could not enroll, 38% cited cost as a barrier, making affordability the most significant obstacle to participation. For more education statistics, check out the Index on our homepage: future-ed.org

How much can a simple change in “default” enrollment policy expand access to advanced coursework? A new study by Daniel Alejandro Vargas Castaño, Dareem Antoine, and Trey Miller finds that shifting from opt-in to opt-out enrollment for advanced courses significantly increases participation in advanced coursework, though not evenly across student groups. Read the research notes: future-ed.org/research-notes…

🚨 New Report 🚨 AI is reshaping America’s schools faster than most educators and policymakers were prepared for. While students are already using AI, many schools remain uncertain about how to respond. In "Digital Trailblazers: Lessons from a School on the Frontier of Artificial Intelligence", FutureEd Policy Analyst Tara Moon examines how Washington Leadership Academy, a D.C. public charter high school, has integrated AI into teaching and learning while confronting challenges around academic integrity, creativity, privacy, and the evolving role of teachers. The report highlights both the opportunities and challenges AI presents for schools, and warns that without stronger policy guidance and support, many students risk being left behind. Read the report here: future-ed.org/digital-trailb…

FutureEd is tracking several important webinars in education this week: 📌 The AI Agenda: Exploring the Trump Administration’s Approach to AI Literacy and Use (@NewAmericaEd) — Tuesday, 12pm 📌 The Big, Beautiful Federal Scholarship Tax Credit: Delivering on Its Promise (@AEIeducation) — Tuesday, 4:30pm 📌 Middle and High School Math: How to Get Struggling Learners on Track (@educationweek) — Thursday, 2pm Explore these and more on FutureEd’s Events page: future-ed.org/events/

In our latest research notes, Giana Loretta summarizes a study that finds Black elementary students in Georgia consistently report worse perceptions of school climate than their peers, with these gaps more than doubling between 2017 and 2023. The disparities persist even after accounting for school characteristics such as student-teacher ratios, average teacher experience, and disciplinary rates, suggesting deeply rooted differences in how students experience safety and belonging at school. Read the research notes: future-ed.org/research-notes…

🎙️“Our mission is economic development, not conferring degrees. It is job training. The degree is a means to that when it makes sense to the labor market.” In the latest episode of the @futureupodcast, @jselingo and @michaelbhorn interview @bettersworth about Texas State Technical College’s experimental funding model, which is determined entirely by student employment outcomes. Bettersworth discusses the process of getting buy-in from state policymakers, cutting degrees that do not generate returns on investment, and forecasting emerging occupations to create curricula that proactively meets labor market demands. Listen here: future-ed.org/futureu-podcas…

In a new commentary originally published in @The74, Maureen Tracey-Mooney and Thomas Toch examine a General Services Administration proposal that would require recipients of federal funds to comply not just with civil rights law, but with the Trump administration’s interpretation of what counts as discrimination, including DEI efforts. As a result, states and school districts could lose funding or face legal consequences for efforts to increase teacher diversity—despite research showing it improves outcomes for all students. Read the commentary: future-ed.org/trump-administ…

🥗 State policymakers are advancing student nutrition and school meal policy in this year's legislative sessions. FutureEd is tracking 170 school nutrition bills across 39 states, with proposals focused on stronger nutrition standards, expanded free meal access, and more locally sourced food. This tracker will be continuously updated as bills move through the legislative process. Explore the tracker here: future-ed.org/legislative-tr…

“Centrists and progressives champion policies that, if combined, would raise student achievement, fortify public education, and win votes. But joining forces would require each to compromise and embrace elements of the other’s agenda they don’t like.” In a commentary originally published in The Washington Monthly, FutureEd director Thomas Toch examines the divide within the Democratic Party on education, and outlines a path forward to bring the two factions together. Read the piece: future-ed.org/a-path-forward…

Chronic absenteeism remains a persistent challenge, and state legislators are taking action across the country.📝 FutureEd’s updated 2026 tracker now includes 67 bills from 22 states and D.C. addressing student attendance, including four that have been enacted in New Jersey, Utah, Oregon, and Virginia. Explore the tracker: future-ed.org/legislative-tr…

📊 Education, by the numbers: According to research by Sohil Malik, @MatthewAKraft, and Grace Falken, nearly 10,000 U.S. schools are located within a quarter mile of a hazardous site with acute exposure risk. Native American students are 124% more likely than white students to attend these schools. For more education statistics, check out the Index on our homepage: future-ed.org

"Educators build capability in students when learning connects to real world challenges, and when students learn to use the tools shaping the future with judgment and confidence. When capability is missing, students can do everything we ask—enroll, persist, earn credits—and still not be ready for what’s ahead. This gap between access and capability is one of the most urgent crises in American education today", writes @TequillaBrownie, FutureEd Senior Fellow and @TNTP Chief Executive. Read our latest commentary on why closing this gap must be central to the next era of education reform: future-ed.org/a-new-strategy…

Notable leadership transitions are underway in education. 🔑@SecBBridges, former New Jersey secretary of higher education, is now a senior advisor at @WhitebdAdvisor. 🔑@KatieCarroll222, former Virginia deputy superintendent of school performance and support, is now senior director of policy and program at @PIEnetwork. Explore The Churn, FutureEd’s tracker of the latest leadership changes in the education sector: future-ed.org/news/the-churn/

In 2023, the Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard decision ended race-conscious college admissions. In our latest research notes, Giana Loretta highlights new evidence that the ruling reduced both the likelihood that high-achieving underrepresented minority students enroll in highly selective colleges and overall campus diversity at those institutions. Read the research notes: future-ed.org/research-notes…

DiMarco: Attendance overall has improved since COVID, but statewide averages mask huge gaps between Black & Latino students and their white peers buff.ly/6hPuoAZ