Common Factors in States That Ban Affirmative Action

Eight states have now formally banned affirmative action, prohibiting the use of race in the evaluation of college applicants. A new study by Southern Methodist University’s Dominique Baker set out to understand the political, social, and economic climate of those states prior to ban adoption. 

How School Partnerships Can Perpetuate Inequalities

Harvard University researcher Ebony Bridwell-Mitchell joins Rand Quinn, senior researcher with the Consortium for Policy Research in Education to explore how external school partnerships can perpetuate and even grow inequalities between advantaged and disadvantaged schools.

Behind the Curtain: An Exploratory Study of Undergraduate Admissions

In the wake of a national college admissions scandal, involving wealthy parents, bribes, cheating, and some of the country’s elite universities, undergraduate admissions practices – and their impact on equity and student diversity – are facing renewed scrutiny.

What Happened When Florida Made Developmental Education Optional?

In 2013 Florida made developmental education optional for the vast majority of students. Florida State University’s Toby Park led a multi-year study of the initiative, finding that it led to notable gains in course passing rates and minority student achievement.