The Education Trust

06/10/2026

It’s graduation season! High school seniors are celebrating this major milestone and planning for their future. Will they go on to college? It depends. For too many students, the decision not to attend college isn't about ambition, it's money.

A new poll found that 67% of high school graduates who chose not to go to college cited cost-of-living expenses as a key reason. Rising costs for housing, transportation, food, and other essentials are shaping students' educational choices in significant ways.

We need to find more ways to make college more affordable — not just tuition, but the total cost of attendance so more students can achieve their dreams and realize their full potential.

What do you think is the solution? Tell us in the comments.

Read the article: https://bit.ly/4ehrgFx

06/10/2026

The latest NAEP Long-Term Trend results show some encouraging signs of recovery for younger students, but they also reveal persistent inequities that continue to impact Black and Latino students and students from low-income backgrounds.

For example:

🔹Only 45% of Black 13-year-olds met the benchmark for foundational reading skills, compared to 58% of all students.

🔹Just 50% of Black students and 57% of Latino students demonstrated foundational math skills at age 13.

🔹We must invest in proven solutions that help every student thrive.

Read EdTrust President and CEO Denise Forte’s full statement on what these results mean and what policymakers should do next:

Statement of EdTrust President and CEO Denise Forte on NAEP Long-Term Trend Results

06/09/2026

The 2026 KIDS COUNT® Data Book is out now! Produced by , this annual report provides trusted data on how children and families are faring in every state across the country. This year’s enhanced KIDS COUNT index adds scores alongside rankings to better show where progress is happening and where kids need more support. Download the report to explore the latest child well-being data and trends: https://bit.ly/26DataBookFB

06/08/2026

✨Episode 5 of the edUnplugged podcast is out now! In this episode we sat down with the executive director of Sesame Workshop, Kay Wilson Stallings!

In this episode we discuss the show’s powerful legacy and its ongoing mission to provide free, high-quality educational content to all children, especially those in under-resourced communities. From teaching letters and numbers to modeling empathy, inclusion, and resilience, Sesame Street has always been a steady pillar of early education for 54 years.

Who is your favorite Sesame Street character?

🎧Tune in now on Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube or visit edtrust.org/podcast

06/05/2026

When Black communities lose political power, students often lose opportunities.

Our CEO, Denise Forte, explains why protecting voting rights is essential to protecting educational opportunity in a new Word in Black op-ed.

Read the full piece: https://edtru.st/4g3WeDn

06/05/2026

🌈 Feel Good Friday

This week, we’re celebrating students who are creating spaces of belonging for their peers.

As tensions around transgender student policies grew in their California district, members of a high school Q***r Student Union focused on fostering joy, connection, and support. Through student-centered events like cookie decorating, tie-dye activities, and Pride Night, they helped LGBTQ+ students and allies find community and encouragement.

Their efforts remind us that every student deserves to feel welcomed, respected, and valued at school. 💙

Check out the full article: https://bit.ly/3PWV2XX

06/05/2026

🌈 Pride Month is a time to celebrate authenticity, community, and the power of being heard.

That's why EdTrust is encouraging eligible students to participate in the 2027 National School Climate Survey from , who is gathering insights from LGBTQ+ and Two-Spirit students about their experiences in schools, helping educators, advocates, and decision-makers better understand how to create environments where every student can learn, belong, and succeed.

If you are or know someone who’s 13+, identify as LGBTQ+ and/or Two-Spirit, and attended a K–12 school in the U.S. during the 2025–26 school year, we encourage you to share your story.

📝 Take the survey: https://bit.ly/4uePhmy

Together, we can help ensure that all students are seen, heard, and supported.

06/05/2026

In Plyler v. Doe, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) challenged a Texas law that attempted to deny undocumented children access to public schools by charging tuition. The organization successfully argued before the Supreme Court that all children - regardless of immigration status - are protected under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

As MALDEF reflected on the 40th anniversary of the decision, Plyler v. Doe “changed this nation” by ensuring that millions of children could dream of a better future through education. The impact of the ruling continues to be felt today in classrooms and communities across the country.

06/05/2026

Denise Forte joined Laura Meckler of The Washington Post, Charles Barone of National Parents Union, Shavar Jeffries of the KIPP Foundation, and Michael Petrilli of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute at the Education Writers Association National Seminar for a thoughtful conversation about the future of education reform.

The discussion explored everything from literacy and accountability to school choice, student achievement, and the policies shaping educational opportunity across the country.

Throughout the conversation, Denise emphasized an important truth: education is connected to the issues families care about most, including economic opportunity, affordability, workforce readiness, and long-term success.

Across the country, schools and communities are demonstrating what is possible when students have access to strong instruction, high expectations, and meaningful opportunities. The challenge before us is ensuring those opportunities reach every child.

Because all students deserve the chance to thrive.

06/04/2026

What happens when states decide what knowledge matters?

💭Who gets centered?
💭Who gets erased?
💭Who is represented in curriculum?

In this powerful piece, EdTrust’s Senior VP, Wil Del Pilar, Ph.D., explores how decisions about curriculum and knowledge aren’t neutral, they shape opportunity, identity, and the future of our classrooms.

Because when states narrow what students learn, they narrow down what students believe is possible.

Read the article here 🔗

When states decide what knowledge matters, students lose choices, communities lose voices, and public higher education loses its purpose.