Recent research from WEPC on a similar Massachusetts initiative found dramatically increased enrollment as community college was made free. Check out the policy brief below as we continue to build a fuller picture of the future of community college across the country.

Check out and share WEPC's Spring Newsletter! Updates on leadership, brand new initiatives, our latest research, and a new job opening are all below.

WEPC is hiring a Research Scientist to lead quantitative research on Connecticut's educator workforce! Boston-based, $85-100K, starts Summer/Fall 2026. Learn more below and apply by sending a letter of interest + CV to [email protected].

We're thrilled to welcome Dr. Jennifer Ash to WEPC! Formerly of NCRERN at Harvard, she'll lead PARABL — our new initiative helping education leaders build research agendas that drive large-scale policy change. Welcome, Jenn! @jenn-ash-ed-policy.bsky.social

Nearly every state is rethinking teacher licensure, but policymakers lack the research to guide those decisions. A new brief from Meagan Comb at WEPC and @cedr.bsky.social at @caldercenter.bsky.social, "Guardrails or Barriers," makes the case for closing that gap. Read the brief: bit.ly/4w1cKtx

🚨New research suggests positive learning impacts from special education across three states and larger gains than previous estimates. Full brief: bit.ly/wepcsped26 Stephanie Coffey, @joshua-goodman.com, Amy Ellen Schwartz, Leanna Stiefel, Marcus Winters, Yunee H. Yoon @buwheelock.bsky.social

#AEFP2026 has come to a close, and we are so proud of the incredible work shared by @buwheelock.bsky.social faculty, students, and WEPC partners. Thank you to everyone who engaged with our research. We look forward to seeing you again next year!

The final day of #AEFP2026 is about to start! We still have a few presentations from WEPC and @buwheelock.bsky.social faculty, including work on school enrollment shifts after the pandemic from @abigailfrancis.bsky.social and @joshua-goodman.com. Join us for the final day!

Day 2 of #AEFP2026 is underway! See presentations from WEPC and @buwheelock.bsky.social faculty, including two WEPC moderated sessions and new research on improving and diversifying the STEM pipeline from @joshua-goodman.com and @hanyuncui.bsky.social at 10:00. We hope to see you there!

Just wrapped up “Sharing the Load or Carrying the Costs?” on higher ed finance. Thank you to panelists @mdannenberg1.bsky.social, Jessica Taketa, Eyob Villa-Moges, @jwhitmore.bsky.social for a great discussion on affordability and policy! Learn more: bit.ly/wepcmassreconnect #AEFP2026

Spotlight Policy Dialogue is coming up soon at 3:15 in Vevey 1! Sharing the Load or Carrying the Cost? Policies in Higher Ed Finance Panelists: @mdannenberg1.bsky.social, Jessica Taketa, Eyob Villa-Moges, @jwhitmore.bsky.social Learn more with our new brief: bit.ly/wepcmassreconnect #AEFP2026

Day 1 of #AEFP2026 features several presentations from WEPC and @buwheelock.bsky.social faculty, including brand new research on early educator wage growth from @piacar.bsky.social. We will also be hosting a can’t miss Policy Dialogue on higher ed finance at 3:15. Join us!

In just a few days, WEPC will be at this year’s Association for Education Finance and Policy (AEFP) Conference in Chicago! Stay tuned for info on the 15+ panels and presentations from our faculty and staff, and check out a full program below. bit.ly/WEPC-AEFP2026 #AEFP2026 @buwheelock.bsky.social

🚨New research looks at early impacts of MA’s free community college policies. Early evidence suggests expanded access & a reshaping of who shows up on campus. Full brief ➡️ bit.ly/wepcmassreco... @joshua-goodman.com, @doughesm.bsky.social, Morgan Fleming, Yunee H. Yoon @buwheelock.bsky.social

Top story in today’s @NYT’s “Headlines” talks about declining enrollment & districts efforts to recruit families back to the public system. @joshua-goodman.com & @abbyfrancis.bsky.social’s recent work highlighting trends in MA suggest where to focus these efforts. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/05/u...

A powerful description of the move out of ESL to mainstream classrooms. Along with our state-level analyses (link below), it underscores the need for more thoughtful support of key transitions as we try to maintain strong academic trajectories for students. wheelockpolicycenter.org/partnerships...

This was such a great conversation about the impact of federal research funding. I think a lot of folks outside of academia don't realize the value or impact of federal research dollars- and they need to, if we want that funding to continue! Please listen & share!

Have to love a conference that kicks off w/ an elementary school mariachi band. Excited to present later today at the Education Commission of the States national forum w/ @sparccenter.bsky.social & IDOE on special education workforce shortages.

Last week just-out work by @joshua-goodman.com & @abbyfrancis.bsky.social was featured on the @educationnext.bsky.social podcast. Listen for interesting convo of key insights and implications. www.educationnext.org/the-educatio... Full policy brief at: wheelockpolicycenter.org/high-quality...

🔥What’s the only thing hotter than this week’s weather?🔥 Our new @wheelockpolicybu.bsky.social working paper: “School Enrollment Shifts Five Years After the Pandemic” In it, BU Wheelock PhD @abbyfrancis.bsky.social and I ask: Has the pandemic permanently changed families' schooling choices?

Today's @bostonglobe.com features my thoughts on the recent, rapid rise of private after school math tutoring. TLDR: These classes have been valuable for our kids and others unchallenged by current school offerings, but also likely exacerabte inequality in math. www.bostonglobe.com/2025/05/12/o...

#Earlycollege programs hold lots of promise for increasing college-going/completion rates. But access & opportunity to these innovative pathways are important to understand. We examined representation in ECPs for #EnglishLearners in MA and found... wheelockpolicycenter.org/specialized-...

Celebration Alert! BU Wheelock ranked for the first time among the top education policy programs in the nation. This highlights the programs significant contributions to shaping policy and advancing research in education! @wheelockpolicybu.bsky.social Read More: spr.ly/6181Fszrz

Terrific group of researchers @wheelockpolicybu.bsky.social!

Wohooo!

Our @buwheelock.bsky.social Ed Policy prog. is 1st at the college to be ranked in a specialization area by US News & World Reports. Celebrating our first appearance at #24! Excited to see this stellar group of faculty recognized & appreciative of our past & current leadership for continued support

Excellent dive into reasons US kids' literacy/numeracy are declining. Big culprits: decreased accountability, smartphones, Great Recession funding drops, pandemic. No signs of help on any of these fronts + Trump/Musk have killed our ability to measure outcomes. www.nytimes.com/2025/04/07/u...

A study worth reading given the impact of recent decisions to claw back remaining ESSER funds, at least some of which were going to do exactly this in New Bedford, Ma. www.bostonglobe.com/2025/04/03/m...

NEW FACULTY ALERT! @buwheelock.bsky.social is thrilled to welcome @jo-r-king.bsky.social as our newest Asst Prof of Ed Policy and incoming WEPC affiliate. Thread ⬇️ for more details.

Last week, I presented on MA K-12 public school enrollment trends at the 'Thriving in the Middle School Years' forum hosted by @buwheelock.bsky.social. Very thankful for thoughtful conversations with teachers, parents, and community members! @joshua-goodman.com @wheelockpolicybu.bsky.social

The 2025 BU Wheelock Forum has an exciting line up, starting off with best-selling author and MacArthur genius fellow @jasonreynolds83.bsky.social THIS THURSDAY 3/27. Full details and registration available at: www.bu.edu/wheelock/new... @buwheelock.bsky.social

Our very own @abbyfrancis.bsky.social wins the #AEFP2025 early morning 5K run! First timer, first finisher. Way to go Abby!

Research with restricted-use data is more precise, powerful, and relevant. Faculty and staff will be working through the weekend to answer important research questions before we no longer can. This is not normal, necessary, or efficient.

Good news! Especially for those at #AEFP2025 / @aefpweb.bsky.social who might use IPEDS: I came across this new R package that allows you to download literally all of IPEDS before it is gone! nehgov.github.io/ripeds/ I tested it yesterday and it works like a charm. Definitely recommend!

#AEFP2025 has been quite a success. We're really proud of and excited by the work and thoughtful engagement in policy-relevant, rigorous research on display by all of our @buwheelock.bsky.social faculty, students, WEPC alumni, staff and partners. Thanks for a wonderful few days!

#AEFP2025 - Didn't get enough of the special education policy conversation? Stop by 8.03 (New York Room) at 3:30 and hear @christocleve.bsky.social share impacts of new developmental delay legislation on the identification of students with disabilities in Indiana.

Two afternoon #AEFP2025 sessions being chaired by WEPC faculty including: Faculty Director Marcus Winter at "Charter School Policies & Outcomes" (7.06) and @piacar.bsky.social at "Supporting Early Childhood Workforce Teacher Compensation & Wellbeing" (8.06)

Thrilled to see BU PhD student @mingyanma.bsky.social present our work measuring the impact of the 1958 National Defense Education Act, which started the federal college loan system. I enjoy studying a moment when US politicians funded higher education as a matter of national security.

WEPC's partnership with the Indiana Dept of Ed focused on policy impact for students with disabilities & English learners is a center piece of this afternoon's #AEFP2025 sessions featuring presentations by @christocleve.bsky.social @lindseykaler.bsky.social & @josefinasenese.bsky.social

Dig in to "Teacher Staffing Challenges" at #AEFP2025's mid-morning session chaired by @oliviachi.bsky.social and featuring work of BU economics student Michael Briskin.

#AEFP2025 Morning Flash Talk re: Education Funding & Recent Policy Developments, chaired by @joshua-goodman.com and with a range of compelling presenters ⬇️

Two papers being presented now at #AEFP2025 on the Labor Market & Enrollment Trends (4.07) by @joshua-goodman.com & @mingyanma.bsky.social addressing #communitycollege and impact of historic federal investments from National Defense Student Loan Program

Featured Policy Dialogue Session up next at 3:30 What does it take to build the Evidence Base for Implementing ECE Workforce Strategies at Scale? Hear from @piacar.bsky.social @dbassok.bsky.social Sara Mead @checky22.bsky.social Michelle Maier Our white paper on topic at: buff.ly/WHhEUST

@oliviachi.bsky.social presenting new insights on trends in job applications post-pandemic at #AEFP2025. What's your guess...did they go up or down? Check out session 2.01 for the answer.

WEPC Day 1 at #AEFP2025 starts off w/ lots of coverage on the teacher workforce: @lizbettini.bsky.social @lindseykaler.bsky.social @tashnuvashaheen.bsky.social talking #SpecialEducationTeachers (Session 1.01) Marcus Winters/John Fallon in 1.11 for some new insights on changes to licensure tests.

@buwheelock.bsky.social at AEFP is off to a great start with a special pre-conference dinner with faculty, students and alumni.

We’re excited to kick things off tomorrow. Follow us and #AEFP2025 for live updates and commentary. Let’s go!

Happening now! #SPARCCenter is doing such important research, leveraging data from 7 states, covering 1.5 million students & 100,000 teachers. This will provide invaluable insights as states, such as our partner in Indiana, work to address shortages & meet student needs @lizbettini.bsky.social

@oliviachi.bsky.social shares recent work w/ MA DESE studying school leadership pipeline. Watch/listen to the convo (it's podcast like) & Check out recent snapshot capturing key facts at: bit.ly/WEPCSLS2023