Publications

Ideas matter. In addition to our work with clients, Bellwether Education Partners generates and gathers ideas and policy solutions, analyzes ongoing reform efforts, and writes about and discusses education and education reform. We believe that the work we do to improve education for all students benefits from thought leadership, analysis, and thoughtful discourse around emerging ideas, in order to help challenge leaders and leading organizations to think differently and improve, to coordinate efforts where possible, to inform policymakers and improve the political and policy context, and to share successful approaches with the public education field at large.

Authors

Teacher Pension Plans: How They Work, and How They Affect Recruitment, Retention, and Equity

June 4, 2019

Publication

Fed up with stagnant salaries, teachers have gone on strike all across the country over the past few years. Meanwhile, education spending is hitting all-time highs — but, by and large, the money isn’t going to teacher salaries.

Education in the American South: Historical Context, Current State, and Future Possibilities

May 22, 2019

Publication

Addressing the needs of students in this region requires deeper understanding and nuanced solutions that respond to the diversity of populations, geographies, urbanicity, and resources at work. "Education in the American South: Historical Context, Current State, and Future Possibilities", a comprehensive slide deck, aims to kick-start this discussion.

Title image for Bellwether publication

Changing Enrollment, Fiscal Strain, and Facilities Challenges in California’s Urban Schools

May 15, 2019

Publication

Title image for Bellwether publication
In our new report, "Changing Enrollment, Fiscal Strain, and Facilities Challenges in California’s Urban Schools" we analyzed enrollment trend data for district and charter schools in six of California’s urban centers: Los Angeles, San Diego, Oakland, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Fresno. In particular, we looked at how declines in district enrollment compared to growth in charter school enrollment within these communities.

California's Special Education Funding System Creates Challenges and Opportunities for District and Charter Schools

May 15, 2019

Publication

"California's Special Education Funding System Creates Challenges and Opportunities for District and Charter Schools" looks at several features of California’s special education funding system which make it difficult for districts to serve students with disabilities and limit the ability of some charter schools to make decisions about the programs and services they offer for students with disabilities. Title image for Bellwether publication

Insufficient: How State Pension Plans Leave Teachers With Inadequate Retirement Savings

March 18, 2019

Publication

“Insufficient: How State Pension Plans Leave Teachers With Inadequate Retirement Savings” establishes a framework to compare teacher retirement plans against an “adequate” annual retirement savings threshold. After defining those thresholds, the paper measures how the typical defined benefit (DB) plan covering public school teachers stacks up.

Preparing Teachers for Diverse Schools: Lessons from Minority Serving Institutions

March 10, 2019

Publication

"Preparing Teachers for Diverse Schools: Lessons from Minority Serving Institutions" looks at how schools can revise policies, practices, and curricula to address the impact of race, gender, and class, and thereby better prepare educators to serve an increasingly diverse student population.

Leading by Exemplar: Data Utilization in Head Start Programs

March 5, 2019

Publication

Title image for Bellwether publication "Leading by Exemplar: Data Utilization in Head Start Programs," March 2019 Leading by Exemplar: Data Utilization in Head Start Programs provides in-depth i

Leading by Exemplar: Instructional Models in Head Start Programs

March 5, 2019

Publication

Title image for Bellwether publication "Leading by Exemplar Instructional Models in Head Start Programs," March 2019 Leading by Exemplar: Instructional Models in Head Start Programs prov

Leading by Exemplar: Lessons from Head Start Programs

March 5, 2019

Publication

"Leading by Exemplar: Lessons from Head Start Programs" is a synthesis of findings drawn from an in-depth analysis of five high-performing Head Start programs from across the country.