Opinion: State, federal cuts to education programs will hurt Lehigh Valley students, employers Opinion: Investing in the education of the Lehigh Valley’s children is crucial to our long term economic well-being.

"Unfortunately, schools in Pennsylvania and across the nation are under attack and facing financial shortfalls. This is a result of decisions by both the state and federal governments to reduce or eliminate critical funding."
www.mcall.com/2025/05/16/o...

Becoming “Student-Ready”: Faculty Mind-Sets and Student Perceptions of Instructional Strategies Employed in Corequisite-Paired Courses As states and institutions continue to move away from traditional developmental education, many are embracing corequisite remediation as a strategy to reduce attrition and time-to-degree. In tandem...

Community colleges are shifting from remedial courses, responding to research showing they hinder degree completion. Our study finds that innovative, student-ready teaching strategies are also critical in boosting student success. www.tandfonline.com/eprint/T6CW6...

Holistic Student Supports for Postsecondary Success - Research for Action In the United States, postsecondary education has become essential for economic success. Whereas a generation or two ago, a high school diploma was often enough, most employers today expect candidates...

Holistic student supports are reshaping postsecondary pathways. Our latest blog examines evidence-based strategies that address academic, financial, and social barriers to student success. www.researchforaction.org/news-events/...

Ever wondered who’s behind the research at RFA? Meet our amazing team of education researchers! 📝 Fun fact: We have marathon runners, amateur chefs, and even a ukulele player on staff! 🎸🍳 Get to know us: www.researchforaction.org/meet-the-team/

PA’s school funding disparities are among the worst in the nation. High-poverty districts receive less, not more, than their wealthier peers, a pattern unlike most states. We have both a moral and legal imperative to correct this decades-old policy failure.
www.pennlive.com/opinion/2025...

Our Publications - Research for Action RFA is committed to sharing our research with a diverse audience of education practitioners, policymakers, philanthropies, and the community.

Start here. www.researchforaction.org/our-work/our...

Did you know? Since 2020, RFA has published a range of studies focused on:

✳️ Teacher recruitment and retention strategies

✳️ The impact of policy changes on teacher well-being

✳️ Innovative pathways into the profession

✳️ Equity and representation in the teaching workforce

This #TeacherAppreciationWeek, we celebrate the vital role of teachers & spotlight our latest research that informs policy and practice to support the teaching workforce. Explore our recent publications and join us in honoring educators everywhere by becoming more informed about the profession.

We are privileged to witness the incredible dedication of educators in our work every day. This #TeacherAppreciationWeek, we challenge you to honor the heart and soul that countless teachers pour into our youth. Their impact lasts a lifetime. #ThankATeacher

We're celebrating Dae Kim's selection as a William T. Grant AQC Scholar at ICQCM (@jhu.edu)! This well-deserved recognition highlights Dr. Kim's dedication and expertise in critical data science. We're excited to see all that he will accomplish through this fellowship. Congratulations, Dae!

Just released: RFA’s latest newsletter!

Stay informed on:
• Funding inadequacies in Pennsylvania
• A new project on teacher effectiveness
• Insights on out-of-school time program funding

Don’t miss out. Subscribe now for research that drives change: www.researchforaction.org

Pennsylvania must end educational inequity and ensure all children attend quality schools | Opinion In Pennsylvania, school funding often defies common sense.

Pennsylvania must end educational inequity and ensure all children attend quality schools | Opinion
.@davidblapp
www.pennlive.com/opinion/2025...

Pennsylvania must end educational inequity and ensure all children attend quality schools | Opinion In Pennsylvania, school funding often defies common sense.

Pennsylvania’s school funding gaps are among the nation’s worst. @davidlapp.bsky.social’s latest op-ed calls for urgent action to ensure ALL kids have access to quality education and finally shed PA’s reputation as a “state of inequity.”

🔗 Read more: www.pennlive.com/opinion/2025...

Our Publications - Research for Action RFA is committed to sharing our research with a diverse audience of education practitioners, policymakers, philanthropies, and the community.

Find them all here. www.researchforaction.org/our-work/our...

At RFA, we believe research has the power to transform education systems and create a more equitable future for all students. Our latest reports expose school funding inequities, the impact of student mobility on English Learners, and the challenges faced by students experiencing homelessness.

Districts with the biggest funding gaps have TWICE the rate of economically disadvantaged students (70% vs. 34%). The trend holds for other students with high needs, including those experiencing homelessness, in special education, and learning English. www.researchforaction.org/research-res...

The Challenges of Implementing Corequisite Courses in California Community Colleges - Research for Action As more community colleges move away from developmental education and encourage students to enroll in introductory, transfer-level coursework to complete their math and English requirements, it is…

CA community colleges are adopting corequisite courses, as they reform traditional #DEVED. Corequisites CAN work, but RFA's 5-year study shows mixed outcomes in CA. Why? Variations in implementation & barriers like registration & unit load are factors.

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Join us and help us spread the word. docs.google.com/forms/d/12qw...

By co-constructing solutions alongside the communities they serve, Black teachers help create actionable strategies that directly address issues head-on, and their involvement ensures that research outcomes are rooted in the realities of underserved communities, fostering transformative change.

Research shows that Black educators bring essential cultural, social, and historical insights to their work, enabling them to challenge biases and assumptions that often go unexamined in traditional professional development settings.

Black teachers engaged in PAR have demonstrated a commitment to addressing educational inequities and advocating for justice.

𝐑𝐅𝐀 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐨-𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭. This is an opportunity to contribute your expertise, shape research that directly impacts your work, and advance equitable education practices

PAR, which involves collaborative inquiry and solution-building within communities, offers Black educators a platform to address systemic inequities while contributing their unique perspectives and lived experiences to the research process.

#ATTN - Black teachers play a critical role in shaping equitable and inclusive educational systems, and their participation in participatory action research (PAR) projects is vital for advancing a just education system.

Report details inequities in Pennsylvania's most underfunded school districts Almost three-quarters of Pennsylvania school districts have a funding adequacy gap each year, including several in the Pittsburgh region, a new report...

Report details inequities in Pennsylvania's most underfunded school districts

State of Inequity: Disparities in Pennsylvania School Districts by Degree of Funding Adequacy - Research for Action

The current reality: In Pennsylvania, 364 out of 499 school districts are inadequately funded, resulting in a staggering $4.8 billion statewide funding gap. This inequity severely impacts educational opportunities and outcomes for students. www.researchforaction.org/research-res...

Our new 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑰𝒏𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒚 report by @davidlapp.bsky.social outlines how we can turn this vision into reality by:1️⃣ Eliminating funding gaps2️⃣ Increasing investment in underserved districts3️⃣ Committing to equity in education

Imagine this: Every student in Pennsylvania has access to:📚 High-quality teachers🏫 Fully resourced schools🎓 The support they need to succeed...

Representation matters: Why we need diverse teachers in Pennsylvania schools • Pennsylvania Capital-Star Representation matters: Why we need diverse teachers in Pennsylvania schools.

Building inclusive classrooms starts with diverse educators. In Pennsylvania, we've found a significant gap between the diversity of teachers and students. Check out this insightful piece exploring why teacher diversity matters and learn more about our research:

We offered a paid research internship for seven Black high school students who designed a youth participatory action research project exploring their Black peers’ experiences with their teachers and interest in becoming one. Here is some of what they said.

#youthvoiceweek