⚡️#Rural #Teacher Spotlight⚡️“My students can see how science works in real life… They’re not just learning about water quality in a textbook. They’re protecting their own community.” — Linda Rost, a science teacher in rural Baker, Montana, has built a model of rural #STEM education. 🔗

Stay connected to the conversations shaping education and research. Our ResearchEd newsletter brings fresh insights and new findings straight to your inbox. Sign up for our newsletter here 🔗 buff.ly/XKsYETX

We’re still feeling ⚡️ energized ⚡️ from our time spent at the Coleridge Data Beyond Borders Conference. ▶️ Our key takeaway ▶️ data capacity work must be treated as core infrastructure, not just a back-office or IT initiative.

School districts are getting creative with their budgets: investing in clean energy while reducing recurring costs. #Rural #schools already face tight budgets. With renewable energy, schools can reduce a major recurring cost. 🔗

Like anyone else, students need information to make good decisions. Amidst student loan policy uncertainty, students need a transparent tool to manage student loan debt. Read the argument for bringing back visual progress trackers 🔗 buff.ly/L8Le7v7

One professor applied medical‑style huddles to help students identify teaching strategies in action. “Huddles take less than 15 minutes, yet they have transformed the way my preservice teachers learn… They help move pedagogy from theory to action.” Read the full article here 🔗

Concerned about federal data? The Data Health Checker is a simple way to check the current strength and reliability of our federal data systems. Organized by dataindex.us, a collaborative effort dedicated to monitoring changes in federal datasets. Access the tracker here 🔗 buff.ly/ybEgh95

The US Department of Education’s proposed “do no harm” earnings test risks penalizing programs that prepare students for socially essential yet low‑wage careers, like early childhood education, social services, & allied health. Read more about the test's advantages & disadvantages 🔗

Our Winter 2025 Newsletter is packed with updates, insights, and a few things we’re genuinely excited about. If you haven’t had a moment yet, you can read it anytime right here 🔗 buff.ly/I8maITZ

Measuring graduates' underemployment is, well, complicated. A new report by Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce demonstrates that the commonly used measure frequently overestimates underemployment. 🔗

Supporting rural teachers is essential to sustaining vibrant rural communities; collective learning doubles investments. Rural Educator Ecosystem: Community of Learners brings together Rural Teacher Corps programs from across the country to share knowledge. Dig into the outcomes 🔗

Michelle Foley and Sam Comai were thrilled to join the D.C. Policy Center’s State of D.C. Schools event last Wednesday. Thanks to their annual systemwide overview of public education in the District of Columbia, we know that D.C.’s public schools are making forward momentum 🔗 buff.ly/c6mCPdQ

NEXT WEEK, we’re presenting with Emily Gueco at the Coleridge 2026 National Conference about our #collaborative work with four broad-access colleges, representing #rural, #Tribal, and #minority-serving #institutions, to build #data #capacity. 📋️Conference Agenda 🔗 buff.ly/cERI9HT ➡️ See you there!

One university is using 🎨 vision boards 🎨 make #financial #planning approachable. #Faculty and #staff note that #students’ #goals increasingly center on financial security rather than leisure. Learn about how vision boards can relieve the pressure from financial planning 🔗 buff.ly/p4WscIy

The Supreme Court’s 2023 ban on race‑conscious #admissions has reshaped #diversity patterns nationwide. The central concern ➡️ students of color are now more likely to enroll at lower‑graduation‑rate institutions. Read more 🔗 buff.ly/alvXlTQ

#Education majors dominate amongst #college #graduates in #rural counties. Yet, that share is shrinking rapidly among younger generations, mirroring national teacher‑pipeline challenges. Dig into all the data about education majors here 🔗 buff.ly/1pxX4bn

#ICYMI (In-Case-You-Missed-It) Monday: the US Department of Education released a report titled “Reimagining the Institute of Education Sciences: A Strategy for Relevance and Renewal.” Reforms to IES could have significant implications for #researchers, #universities, and #students. 🔗

Ever wondered how #intergenerational #partnerships in #education could work? Through #mentoring, #tutoring, club #leadership, and music support, older volunteers form authentic relationships with #students that boost their #confidence and #attendance. 🔗 buff.ly/ryHf34r

#College is still worth it. “Debt‑adjusted earnings” show that college remains a worthwhile investment for most #students. The problem? Loans consume a meaningful share of early‑career income. Discover the #policy #solutions to relieve #debt #burden 🔗

Major disruptions to the #federal CCAMPIS #childcare grant program have left #rural #student #parents scrambling for #affordable #care mid‑year. #CommunityColleges now face difficult decisions about closing classrooms, cutting services, or relying on temporary local funding. 🔗

Nationally, #teacher #shortages remain a challenge. An acute problem for #rural #schools, where vacancies more greatly impact #staff and #students. State and local governments can take steps to end the rural teacher shortage. Get all the #policy recommendations 🔗

We’re presenting with Emily Gueco at the Coleridge 2026 Conference, sharing the work we've been co-developing with #institutions to build #data #tools enabling them to track progress on key #student #success #metrics. Don’t miss it! ➡️ March 24–27, 2026, Arlington, VA 📝 Register 🔗 buff.ly/JQdXjuB

#School #closures typically save far less money than #districts expect. Research shows that shuttering schools disrupts communities, increases student travel times, and leads to short-term declines in test scores, especially for low‑income and minority students. 🔗

#Student #voice is necessary for program improvement. But it also encourages students to stay engaged. When #students saw their input lead to #action, they became more invested, more present, and more engaged in their #learning. Learn more about meaningful student voice practices 🔗

Stay informed with the latest ResearchEd insights delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for our newsletter with this link! 🔗 buff.ly/j49h1jT

📲 What will be the role of #technology in the #classroom? #Faculty positions range from enforcing strict no-tech policies to fully embracing new tech tools, and everything in between. What’s clear from #students: pen-and-paper note-taking does help their concentration. 🔗

Talking Data Equity special event with U.S. Federal Data Leaders! They’ll be introducing two new data tools: 1️⃣ Health Checkup for U.S. Federal Data, 2️⃣ Field Guide to Federal Data. 🗓️ February 27th at noon ET. ✨ Register here ✨ buff.ly/YbmbTRk Organized by We All Count. #FedData #DataEquity

For many college students, picking a major takes time and revising LEARN MORE: bit.ly/3ZTjZVu

#Student grant #aid is abundant but poorly targeted. The “high‑tuition, high‑aid” model can deter low-income students from applying. As a result, #affordability# gaps persist. Progress requires reorienting aid towards students with real financial need. 🔗

#Rural #Teacher Spotlight! Kailyn Hoesman, dedicated to becoming a rural teacher to give back to the communities that helped shape her, shares how #PlaceBased #Education principles can help #students thrive. Learn more about Kailyn’s mission 🔗 buff.ly/FiJ0TA3

#DualEnrollment work-based courses allow high school #students to gain #college #credit and practice #workplace #skills. #Tennessee, in collaboration with Jobs for the Future, is testing the DE-WBC model. New case studies from the pilot program are live! 🔗

The Education Department #ED will no longer automatically require #private #college owners to assume personal liability for federal aid access. #Student #advocates argue the rollback increases the risk of fraud, especially among for‑profit institutions. 🔗 buff.ly/nLE2OXG

Did you get a chance to read our Winter 2025 #Newsletter? If not, you can still read it here! 🖇️ buff.ly/r6uMHRV

Timing the transfer from #CommunityCollege to a #Bachelors program is more important than we thought. New research shows that each additional year before transfer sharply reduces the likelihood of earning a bachelor’s degree. 🔗 buff.ly/6C3UQtI Photo by Allison Shelley/Complete College Photo Library

📍 Today’s the day: the FirstGen Forward Virtual Intermediaries Convening is finally here. It’s always energizing to gather with people committed to advancing student success. See you all there! Info 🔗 www.firstgenforward.org/virtual-inte...

Degree #Apprenticeships are on the rise with the potential to address #workforce shortages in fields like #teaching and #nursing. Research from New America shows that access to programs remains uneven. One challenge to overcome: sustainable funding. 🔗

Spotlight on the WY Rural Teacher Corps! Hear first-hand from 3 RTC members about their rural teaching experiences. “Rural to me has changed meaning. It once meant to me the middle of nowhere.… Now, rural means an area where communities have meaning.” - Torin 🔗

FirstGen Forward is hosting a First-Generation Graduate & Professional Student Symposium virtually! ➡️ The last day to register for free is today:

Interested in building work-based dual enrollment pathways at your #HigherEducation institution? Check out the Jobs for the Future #DualEnrollment Roadmap, featuring #HigherEd key milestones and an implementation toolkit with templates. 🔗

#Federal cuts to SNAP, Medicaid, and education programs are deepening hardship across #California. Surveys show that 30% of Californians are cutting back on #food. Learn about how the #economic #stress is impacting #education and how the state intends to respond 🔗

Reminder that the FirstGen Forward Virtual Intermediaries Convening is coming up on February 12, 2026! We’re looking forward to hearing real-world impact stories and build connections that strengthen data use and collaboration across institutions. 🖊️ Register here! buff.ly/qp3fFOB

A #student in Florida shares her meaningful experience in #DualEnrollment. Yet, #students are intimidated by dual #enrollment because they don’t fully understand the trade‑offs. More needs to be done to provide students with earlier #information & stronger #advising. 🔗

#Rural #schools stand firm, preserving the 4-day school week. Local #advocates argue that a 4-day school week is more practical for #students with long travel distances and helps #school #administrators manage tight #budgets. Discover what’s happening in New Mexico 🔗

#Rural #youth #apprenticeship programs are transforming student career preparation and proving that rural programs can strengthen local economies. Discover rural apprenticeship success strategies from two case studies🔗 buff.ly/hn0fVIz #YouthApprenticeship #RuralEducation #CommunityImpact

When districts build system-level supports, community schools can implement high-quality programs that improve student outcomes, like reducing chronic absence. Learn about urban and rural community school networks 🔗 buff.ly/WcFwSi3 #EducationPolicy #CommunitySchools #SchoolTransformation

Black, Latino, and Indigenous students overwhelmingly see college as valuable and cite personal growth and confidence as primary benefits. This 2024 study drew on surveys and focus groups from #TRIO programs and highlighted the critical role #research plays in advancing #equity. 🔗

Despite underfunding, HBCUs have an outsized impact; they’ve produced 80% of Black judges. Learn directly from an #HBCU alumnus' story about the transformative power of HBCUs. 🔗

The student loan debt crisis is a racial equity issue. Black students carry 46% of the total debt in the University System of Georgia despite making up only 25% of the student population. Dig into the full report 🔗 buff.ly/R3DLo8J #StudentDebt #Equity #HigherEd #StudentLoans #FinancialAid

Black student unions provide essential community and advocacy power for Black students. Funding cuts to these student unions are threatening their existence and forcing them to find off-campus spaces. 🔗 buff.ly/74vShUH #HigherEd #BlackCommunity #StudentUnions

This Martin Luther King Day, we want to reflect on what it means to act. An action doesn’t have to be big to be meaningful. What small actions in daily life can help us evolve personally and effect change in our communities?