The problems in our postsecondary system are well established: BIPOC and lower-income students are less likely to receive four-year degrees; only 13% of students who enter community college will earn a degree within six years; rural students face significant barriers to college access; and more than 40 million Americans have outstanding student loans. How can we create a more equitable, accessible, and affordable higher education system during this crisis? By strengthening partnerships with community-based organizations and colleges, considering cancelling student debt to power economic recovery, helping undergraduates transfer schools, and putting a renewed focus on the unique challenges HBCUs are facing.

The decision to reopen schools during COVID has become a contentious and politically charged issue, with a national patchwork of full, partial, and completely-virtual returns to the classroom. How can district leaders and policymakers prioritize students’ physical safety while also meeting their social and emotional needs? The resources below explore ways decision-makers can take a holistic approach to reopening athletes and coaches can safely return to play, public agencies and community organizations can partner to serve youth, and more.

The promise of public education is to provide all individuals with the foundation they need to build the life they want. Yet, for decades, the system has failed to meet this vision. BIPOC and low-income communities are underserved and under-resourced -- a trend that the pandemic is only worsening. How can we create more equity in education? To start, we must address how issues of racial justice play out in our school systems, the digital divide is widening, and schools are increasingly becoming on-ramps to the criminal justice system.