Year-End Spotlight: LPI’s Top 5 Blogs of 2023

LPI’s top 5 blogs of 2023 address some of education’s most pressing issues, reflecting the nation’s profound need for educational recovery. These blogs spotlight some of the notable efforts underway across the country to create schools that support the whole child and to develop the settings in which educators can succeed and stay and students can thrive.

Below are the top blogs of 2023, selected based on the highest number of reader views.

Tracking the State of the Teacher Workforce Across States ?—?Students need and deserve highly-skilled teachers, and yet many lack access to such teachers. Access to a well-qualified teaching workforce varies by state and is impacted by a range of factors, including teacher working conditions, compensation, and school leadership as well as affordability and quality of preparation programs. This blog explains the forces at work that produce teacher shortages and links to an?interactive map ?that rates each state on how attractive and equitable its teaching workforce is and includes additional factors influencing teacher supply and demand.

Transforming Schools to Serve Our Children Well ?— Children and youth in the United States are struggling, writes LPI President Linda Darling-Hammond in a July blog. She observes that the aftermath of the pandemic has brought with it an epidemic of mental health issues, from anxiety and depression to suicidal idealization. However, she writes, there is promise to be found in the work taking place in many districts and states that are investing in community schools—both to address the nation’s tattered social safety net and to provide a catalyst for the deeper cultural and practice changes that better serve students and adults alike. The blog is one of numerous community school resources released this year. Another is LPI’s?Community Schools Costing Tool , which is designed for school administrators and community school coordinators conducting initial planning and budgeting as they establish or expand a community school.

America’s Students Need Social and Emotional Learning Now, More than Ever —?Today, more than ever, young people need the skills taught through social emotional learning (SEL) such as empathy, collaboration, conflict resolution, and self-regulation. Written in collaboration with EdTrust and National Urban League , this blog shows how SEL in schools provides children with the tools they need to succeed academically and beyond.

Restorative Justice at Fremont High School: Transforming Relationships and School Culture ?—?Taking examples from Fremont High School, LPI Senior Researcher Sarah Klevan discusses restorative approaches in education and shares key strategies for successful implementation. Since introducing restorative approaches, Fremont has reduced its suspension rate by nearly 50% and the school’s enrollment rate has also increased, even as districtwide enrollment has fallen.

California Decided to Add a New Grade to Public Schools. How Is It Going? ?—?California’s plan to provide universal PreK to all 4-year-olds could help address education inequalities and benefit over 1.4 million children across the state. Authors Melanie Leung-Gagné and Hanna Melnick explore the promising practices used by schools and districts to roll out the changes quickly and with high quality.

To learn more about LPI’s research and our efforts to inform education practice and policy with evidence, read our?2021-2023 Impact Report .