State of the Union 2023: Education Edition

In the 2023 State of the Union address , President Joe Biden named key education priorities, many of which are examined in LPI research.

“Any nation that out-educates us is going to out-compete us.”

How can the U.S. rebuild a world-class public education system? Federal policymakers can learn from promising practices in states, from past federal investments that resulted in equitable advancement, and from high-quality research on what works to improve learning and how federal tools and resources can support efforts at the state and local levels. In this brief, LPI outlines evidence-based policies and strategies to chart a path forward and ensure that all young people have equal access to a high-quality, world-class education.

“Let’s give public school teachers a raise.”

Offering competitive compensation for teachers is a crucial part of solving staffing shortages and strengthening the educator workforce. LPI state-by-state analysis of three key teacher wage indicators illustrates how compensation may impact state efforts to attract and retain well-prepared teachers. But compensation is just one piece of the puzzle. This comprehensive plan for strengthening the profession outlines additional evidence-based strategies for making teaching an affordable, sustainable, and fulfilling career.

“Let’s [provide] access to pre-school for 3- and 4-year-olds.”

Why does access to high-quality pre-k for all 3- and 4-year-olds matter? LPI analysis reaffirms the research on preschool effectiveness, finding that students who attend high-quality preschool programs reap benefits that can last throughout their lives. According to LPI’s roadmap for a national ECE system that works , universal pre-k needs to ensure access to integrated and inclusive programs, ensure programs are of high quality, develop and support a well-qualified workforce, and build a coherent system of governance.

“No parent should have to drive to a McDonald’s parking lot so their kid can do their homework online.”

The COVID-19 pandemic—as well as natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, and fires—have made it clear that blended distance and in-person learning will be part of the future of education and that all children need to be able to access it. LPI’s Restarting and Reinventing School framework elevates disparities in student access to high-speed internet and digital devices, and offers strategies for how policymakers and educators can close the digital divide.

“We owe [young people] greater access to mental health care at school.”

Trauma significantly affects students’ mental health and ability to learn, whether it is caused by loss and isolation experienced during the pandemic, the impacts of systemic racism, or bullying and identity threats. LPI’s research highlights effective practices and structures to create school environments where students feel safe, protected, valued, and able to learn. This framework of the essentials of community school transformation serves as a guide for creating community schools where all students can flourish in thriving school communities.

“More investments in housing, education, and job training…can help prevent violence in the first place.”

The school shooting in May 2022 in Uvalde, TX, led some people to again call for arming teachers or increasing security officers in schools. This blog highlights the research showing that more guns don’t make schools safer and offers evidence-based strategies for meaningfully and effectively increasing school safety: gun controls, reporting of warning signs, and school-based social-emotional and mental health supports.