University of Wisconsin–Madison
Progressive Local Government
For the 21st Century

ProGov21 Policy Library

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Year
Raising Pay in Public K-12 Schools is Critical to Solving Staffing Shortages
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2022
Level Other
State(s) All States
Source Economic Policy Institute
Policy Areas Children & Families, Education, Finance & Procurement
Public school staffing shortages have been a persistent problem across the United States, and the recent pandemic has only intensified the issue. Low pay for K-12 teachers and support staff is a long standing factor in public school staffing shortages. This report suggests ways in...
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The State of Poverty in Hawai'i: How Hawai'i's Residents Are Faring Post-Recovery
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2016
Level State
State(s) Hawaii
Source Hawai'i Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice
Policy Areas Economic Justice, Democracy & Governance
This annual report brings together the most recent available data to provide a snapshot of how low-income residents in Hawaii have fared after the economic recovery. The report highlights the topics of poverty, tax burden, housing, hunger, and education. In addition to this, the authors...
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Pre-K Is Good For Kids and For Texas: Short-Term Savings from Pre-K Estimated at Nearly $142 Million Annually
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2015
Level State
State(s) Texas
Source Child & Family Research Partnership
Policy Areas Children & Families, Education
Besides its educational and developmental benefits for children, pre-K also results in short-term and long-term savings for schools. Thanks to pre-K, Texas spent $127 million less on special education programs and nearly $15 million less because fewer kids were retained in the 2013-2014...
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An Overview: Community Schools
Type Fact Sheet or Infographic
Year 2019
Level City or Town, Other Boards and Agencies, School District
State(s) All States
Source Local Progress
Policy Areas Community Development, Education
Community schools partner with service providers, health providers, after-school programs, youth centers, and other community organizations or providers to ensure holistic attention, education, and service provision for students. This report provides research-based strategies that...
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Finishing last: girls of color and school sports opportunities.
Type Fact Sheet or Infographic
Year 2019
Level City or Town
State(s) All States
Source National Women's Law Center
Policy Areas Education, Economic Justice, Civil Rights
Half of the nation's public high school are either mostly white students or mostly minority students. Heavy minority school has large female opportunity gaps compared to white schools, in particular in areas like school sports. Policymakers should increase their effort to ensure equal...
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Teens, Employment, and the Minimum Wage
Type Fact Sheet or Infographic
Year 2017
Level City or Town
State(s) Massachusetts
Source MassBudget
Policy Areas Economic Justice, Civil Rights, Education
Income from teen workers makes up a significant portion of family income. This brief looks at who teen workers are, their contributions to family income, how a subminimum wage could affect teen workers, and whether there have been adverse effects on teen employment from minimum wage...
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Background information on charter schools
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2019
Level City or Town, National
State(s) All States
Source In The Public Interest
Policy Areas Civil Rights, Education
As educators, elected officials, and communities struggle to develop policies to strengthen and improve our education system, the role of charter schools has become a major issue. This resource provides background information and useful policy tools to help communities grapple with...
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Educator Preparation Program Report and Workforce Analysis
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2025
Level School Board, School District
State(s) Wisconsin
Source Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Policy Areas Education
The ongoing staffing challenges facing Wisconsin's schools continue to be rooted in retention. Many Wisconsin schools now employ teachers who are not considered fully prepared and qualified due to hiring and retention difficulties. School leaders can utilize this salary and total...
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Head Start and Preschool Partnerships: Lessons Learned from Preschool Development Grantees
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2019
Level City or Town, Other Boards and Agencies, School District, State
State(s) All States, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Vermont
Source PDG TA Center
Policy Areas Children & Families, Education
Partnerships between Head Start and state preschool programs can improve quality, expand access, and provide more options for families by leveraging the resources and expertise of both programs. This brief presents lessons from four Preschool Development Grant (PDG) states - Maine,...
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Forward Downtown and River Action Plan
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2015
Level City or Town
State(s) Michigan
Source City of Grand Rapids
Policy Areas Economic Justice, Housing, Community Development, Public Spaces, Transportation & Mobility, Education, Environment & Natural Resources
The GR Forward plan is a community engagement initiative to promote equitable economic growth and shared benefits across the Grand Rapids community. The brief outlines the city's plans for promoting transit-oriented development, increasing recreation opportunities, improving job quality...
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Local Reproductive Freedom Index: Evaluating US Cities 2019
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2019
Level City or Town
State(s) All States
Source National Institute for Reproductive Health
Policy Areas Civil Rights, Democracy & Governance, Health
This report evaluates health policies in 50 cities across the United States in 2019. It assigns each city a score ranging from zero to five stars based on a range of indicators related to reproductive health, rights, and justice. This report also discusses the "Model City," a realistic...
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Early Childhood Education is a Top Priority for Voters
Type Fact Sheet or Infographic
Year 2014
Level City or Town
State(s) All States
Source First Five Years Fund
Policy Areas Education, Economic Justice, Civil Rights
The bipartisan research team of Public Opinion Strategies and Hart Research recently completed a survey of 800 voters throughout the United States. It revealed overwhelming support for ensuring that children gain the knowledge and skills necessary to start kindergarten off on the...
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Opportunity-Rich Schools and Sustainable Communities: Seven Steps to Align High-Quality Education with Innovations in City and Metropolitan Planning and Development
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2011
Level School District, City or Town, School Board
State(s) All States
Source UC Berkeley Center For Cities & Schools
Policy Areas Education, Economic Justice, Civil Rights, Children & Families
This report aims to help community development and regional planning practitioners collaborate on cross-sector educational improvement efforts, increase productivity, and foster social equity. Its seven-step process recommends developing an understanding of the educational landscape,...
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A Public Interest Primer on Charter Schools
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2020
Level City or Town, County
State(s) All States
Source In the Public Interest
Policy Areas Education
The rapid growth in the number of charter schools amounts to the privatization of public education. These schools receive public education money and because of this are often referred to as “public schools,” but this is a mischaracterization. Charter schools are privately operated...
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Annual Report 2023
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2023
Level National, City or Town
State(s) All States, California, Connecticut, Minnesota, Wisconsin
Source High Road Strategy Center
Policy Areas Community Development, Democracy & Governance, Economic Justice, Education, Environment & Natural Resources, Public Safety, Transportation & Mobility
Innovative, sustainable, and equitable development practices put communities on the high-road all across the country. Municipal development strategies should promote shared growth, environmental sustainability, and resilient democratic institutions. The High Road Strategy Center rebranded...
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Learning Uninterrupted: Supporting Positive Culture and Behavior in Schools
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2017
Level City or Town
State(s) Massachusetts
Source MassBudget
Policy Areas Education
This report states the negative effects of school suspension and expulsion. It then proposes alternative discipline practices to support a positive and safe culture within schools that encourages students to engage in good behavior....
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Students Experiencing Homelessness: The Conditions and Outcomes of Homelessness Among California Students
Type Ordinance or Resolution
Year 2021
Level City or Town, County, State, School District, School Board
State(s) California
Source Learning Policy Institute
Policy Areas Education, Children & Families
A contribution to a host of previous efforts to better understand the opportunities and academic outcomes of students experiencing homelessness. The report describes the population of students experiencing homelessness in California in 2018–19 and then, drawing on earlier data from...
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City Justice Policy Advisors Network
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2023
Level City or Town
State(s) All States
Source National League of Cities
Policy Areas Civil Rights, Public Safety
The City Justice Policy Advisors Network (CJPAN) offers a peer learning platform to support local leaders in reducing jail use, addressing racial disparities, and embedding equity in community institutions. By fostering collaboration, sharing expertise, and promoting equity-driven...
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Building a Stronger Commonwealth: The Business Case for Investing in Pennsylvania's Youngest Learners
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2013
Level City or Town
State(s) Pennsylvania
Source ReadyNation
Policy Areas Education, Economic Justice, Civil Rights
The foundation for success starts in the earliest years of children's lives, when they begin to develop the knowledge, skills, and behaviors they need to do well in school and beyond. To fix our failing workforce pipeline, we need to help our children get the good start in life that...
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Moving Apprenticeship into Manufcturing’s Future: Industrial Manufacturing Technician Program Report
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2017
Level Other Boards and Agencies, State
State(s) Wisconsin
Source COWS
Policy Areas Community Development
The modern manufacturing economy requires highly-skilled workers, however widespread disinvestment in traditional apprenticeship programs threatens job quality. The IMT Registered Apprenticeship (IMT) program offers comprehensive training programs with input from employers, employees,...
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Teaching the Teachers of Our Youngest Children: The State of Early Childhood Higher Education in Maryland
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2021
Level State
State(s) Maryland
Source Center for the Study of Child Care Employment
Policy Areas Children & Families, Economic Justice, Education
Early childhood education preparation varies widely across the higher education industry. Multiple programs with differing curriculums suggest similar outcomes but produce highly variable levels of preparedness. This report focuses on the education landscape of early-childhood-education...
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The American Rescue Plan: Recommendations for Addressing Early Educator Compensation and Supports
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2022
Level National
State(s) All States
Source Center for the Study of Child Care Employment
Policy Areas Children & Families, Economic Justice, Education
Throughout the nation, early childhood educators are struggling to meet ends meet. With the passing of the American Rescue Plan Act, unprecedented funding opportunities exist to meet the wage gap of underfunded and underpaid educators. This report contains policy suggestions that...
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Early Childhood Educators Set Florida’s Kids on the Path Towards Success
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2023
Level State
State(s) Florida
Source Council for a Strong America
Policy Areas Children & Families, Economic Justice, Education
Qualified teachers are the foundation of high-quality early care and education (ECE). However, inadequate compensation and subpar working conditions for ECE workers threatens the quality of programs by leading to high levels of turnover. This report urges policymakers to invest in...
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Ohio’s child care crisis: Parents and providers out of options
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2024
Level City or Town, County, State
State(s) Ohio
Source Policy Matters Ohio
Policy Areas Children & Families, Education
Child care is a necessity for millions of families but educators are underpaid and care options are unaffordable. This report examines Ohio's child care crisis and provides recommendations for supporting providers and improving accessibility and affordability. It recommends expanding...
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Project 2025's Elimination of Title I Funding Would Hurt Students and Decimate Teaching Positions in Local Schools
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2024
Level National, School Board, School District
State(s) All States
Source Center for American Progress
Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Education
The U.S. Department of Education is the only federal agency mandated to ensure equal opportunity and accountability and to fund states and school districts for elementary and secondary education. Since its inception, Title I has been a critical program to address chronic funding and...
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