• Education policy can be overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be.

    Here, we break it all down-the condition of education, the impact, laws and legality of school choice and charter schools, innovation and more-so you can see how it all fits together and what it means for families. Whether it’s understanding new laws, exploring groundbreaking programs, or learning how court decisions impact your choices, we’re here to guide you every step of the way. Let’s work together to create opportunities for every student.

    The Nation's Report Card

    The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the gold standard that marks student achievement in the United States that informs us how students perform in every important core area. Knowing the score is critical to the nation’s future. Explore recent NAEP and analysis.

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    Federal Policy

    While the function of education belongs largely to the states, more than 200 federal programs have a disproportionate effect on US schooling. Learn how the various players in Washington are dealing with this and CER’s ongoing recommendations and analysis for sanity in federal policy.

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    Exploring Education Choice

    For more than a century, 37 states had clauses in their constitutions that denied parents the right to choose the best education for their children, discriminating against religion and limiting education choice programs. Thanks to cases reaching the US Supreme Court, states can now put such bigotry to bed.

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    Charter Schools Laws & Legislation

    Charter school laws matter in the success and proliferation of charter schools. Since 1996 CER has ranked state charter school laws so that policymakers and parents can understand the best conditions for great charter schools. The rankings are also a key component of a state’s Parent Power! Index.

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    Coming Soon: Reports & Publications

    From ground-breaking publications to nuts-and-bolts handbooks on school reform, CER’s insightful research has accelerated a major movement. Don’t re-invent the wheel; dive into this section to continue the fight for an education that best meets every child’s needs.

    Policy Library

    They say that people who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it. CER has spent decades documenting the trends, lessons and progress in education reform. Use this archival library to know what it takes and avoid the pitfalls of prior generations of changemakers.

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