By Shira Small Photo by Erik Mclean Complex policy implementation in the United States makes it difficult to isolate a single law underpinning inequality in our school systems. Intersecting federal, state, and district policies mean that no two schools experience the same hardship — and no one bill can be signed to magically ameliorate the lack of support or resources a given school encounters. In order to improve school outcomes, it is important to understand and decode the

By Emily Reed Photo by Life Matters from Pexels Following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and numerous other unarmed black Americans, public declarations that “Black Lives Matter” and calls to “defund the police” have expanded beyond Instagram posts and Twitter hashtags. Serious calls for police reform have made their way into many sectors of public life, including education, and the Washington metropolitan area and its surrounding counties are no exception. Over

By Clare Kennedy Photo by Andrea Piacquadio Mental health is a powerful determinant of academic retention and achievement. Behaviors and conditions consequential of mental health disorders can act as internal barriers that deplete and fatigue a student of their ability to devote the degree of labor necessary for educational success. Mental health disorders decrease the potential for those struggling to access an equitable educational experience and find success within it. Poo