Education issues always impact local, state, federal, and presidential elections. In the past several years, they have intersected with social issues that draw more attention from the public. Recent state policies on these hot-button topics, like book bans and LGBTQIA+ issues, have put a spotlight on the impact of education policy. Read on to learn more about what’s happening with education and the 2024 elections in the United States.

Democratic vs. Republican Stances on Education

Americans’ views on education are increasingly divided based on their political affiliation. Democrats tend to hold a positive view of public schools. Democratic candidates often advocate for more funding for public K-12 and higher education. While the federal government does not have the power to control schools directly, it can tie these funds to certain requirements.

On the other hand, Republicans are generally distrustful of public schools and the U.S. Department of Education. Candidates often push for more state and local control – and even parental control – of education issues. They may argue for less federal taxation for funding for public schools. They may also support school voucher programs, which use taxpayer funds to help parents send their children to private or religious schools.

Key Education Policy Issues

Today’s key education policy issues cover a wide range of topics, from universal preschool to student loan forgiveness. In the past several years, discussions of education-related issues also bring up topics of gender identity, sexual orientation, racism, and other “culture war” issues. Here are just a few of these key topics in education.

Early Childhood Learning

President Biden and Vice President Harris have advocated for universal pre-k, making preschool free for all four-year-olds. Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee after Biden stepped out of the race, has pushed for more funding for Head Start and Early Head Start programs. These programs provide free school readiness services to young children of low-income families.

Former President Trump has not focused much on early childhood learning. Rather, he has advocated for reduced federal funding for and control of education.

K-12 Federal Funding and Oversight

Trump has proposed getting rid of the U.S. Department of Education, but he did not do so while in office. He did shift some control and oversight to state and local governments, saying they should be the ones to handle education.

The Biden-Harris administration has supported increasing both federal funding and oversight for K-12 education. Biden has especially focused on addressing learning loss and achievement gaps in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Biden and Harris have both advocated for increasing Title I funding, which supports schools with a large population of low-income students. In the past, Trump has proposed cutting those funds.

School Choice

Trump has been a strong advocate of school choice. His Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expanded 529 college savings plans, allowing up to $10,000 per year to be used for K-12 private schools. He has proposed further expanding it to allow the tax-advantaged accounts to be used for homeschooling. Trump also supports school voucher programs, which would divert tax money from public schools for parents to use to enroll their children in private or religious schools.

The Biden-Harris administration has preferred to fund and support public schools. It opposes Trump’s voucher proposals. Biden tightened regulations on the federal Charter School Program, which awards grants to schools that are publicly funded but privately operated. The new rules added transparency and accountability requirements. They also made it harder for schools managed by for-profit companies to get funding.

School Curricula

Many states have adopted laws or policies that either expand or restrict teaching certain topics involving history, race, sex, and gender. Democrat-controlled states have enacted policies that require more teaching about the history of minority groups, racial issues, and LGBTQ+ issues. Republican-controlled states have enacted policies that restrict some types of education about race and sex.

This controversy has created a divide among “red states” and “blue states.” This divide often plays out in national politics. Curriculum content is the education topic Trump seems to talk about most. While in office, Trump established the 1776 Commission to support “patriotic education” and curricula. This was in response to the New York Times’s 1619 Project, which reframed American history by centering the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans. Biden dissolved the 1776 Commission shortly after taking office.

Content censorship has expanded beyond classroom teaching and also impacts school library content. Conservative groups have fought to ban books from school libraries that contain certain content, especially LGBTQ+ topics. Trump has generally supported these efforts, while Harris has condemned book bans.

In 2023, Florida passed HB 1467 requiring elementary schools to publish lists of books in their school libraries and report any complaints to the state. After the state was inundated with complaints, this year’s HB 1285 limits the number of complaints reported by people who don’t have children at the school in question.

In response to this trend, legislators in Maryland (HB 785), Minnesota (SF 3567), and Illinois (HB 2789) all passed laws this year restricting banning books from public libraries, including the ones in schools.

Pay for Teachers

Biden and Harris have both advocated for increasing teacher pay. During Harris’ first presidential campaign, she released a plan to give teachers a salary increase of $13,500 each.

Trump wants to give states and school systems an incentive to pay their teachers based on merit. He opposes teacher tenure for grades K-12.

LGBTQ+ Students

The Biden-Harris administration has issued regulations that broaden the scope of Title IX. The law bans discrimination in schools based on sex, and the new rules expand it to include sexual orientation and gender identity. 

The expansion took effect in 24 states this August, but it now faces legal challenges in the rest of the country. The administration says the rule does not apply to athletics. Still, Republicans have argued that it would require schools to allow the participation of transgender students in girls’ and women’s sports. Trump has promised to roll back the new changes.

Eight states have passed laws requiring teachers to inform students’ parents of any change in their preferred pronouns or gender identity, even without the student’s consent. These include Tennessee SB 1810 and South Carolina HB 4624. California, however, did the opposite. AB 1955, also known as the Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today’s Youth (SAFETY) Act, bans school systems from enacting such policies.

Student Loans & College Affordability

One of the top education priorities for Biden is college affordability and student loan forgiveness. He attempted to cancel some or all debt for 43 million people, but the Supreme Court ruled he did not have the legal authority to do so. Biden’s plan offered one-time debt forgiveness of up to $20,000 in federal student loans per borrower. In April 2024, the Biden-Harris administration used a different process to propose another plan offering relief to 25 million people, on top of nearly 4.8 million who have already had their debts canceled.

Trump paused student loan payments during the COVID-19 pandemic but hopes to reverse Biden’s student loan forgiveness programs if reelected. While in office, Trump favored vocational education and workforce development. He pushed for a large increase in funding for career and technical education.

Biden has also proposed a plan for two years of free community college through a federal-state partnership. Trump has offered his own free college idea — an online school called the “American Academy” funded by “taxing, fining, and suing” private university endowments. He said the curriculum would be free of “wokeness” and “jihadism,” and students would have the opportunity to attend free of charge.

How Is Education Impacting the 2024 Elections?

The impact of education on the 2024 elections may vary depending on the issue and who it affects. Parents with school-aged children will be watching the policies that directly impact their families. Young adults, who have historically had lower turnout, are more likely to be worried about the cost of tuition and/or vocational programs.

In particular, student loans are a key concern for many Americans. Approximately 30% of American adults have at least some student loan debt, and nearly one in five adults say student loan debt will have a major influence over their vote in the presidential election.

Curriculum content and social issues may play more of a role in state-level races than in the presidential election. As states continue to pass new laws affecting local school systems, this could drive more people to the polls to vote for state and local candidates who agree with their views on either side.

Get Started With Plural

Top public policy teams across the United States trust Plural to monitor education policy issues. Plural users:

• Access superior public policy data 
• Be the first to know about new bills and changes in bill status
• Streamline your day with seamless organization features
• Harness the power of time-saving AI tools to gain insights into individual bills and the entire legislative landscape
• Keep everyone on the same page with internal collaboration and external reporting all in one place

Create a free account or book a demo today!

More Education Resources

Education and the 2024 Elections: How Is Education Impacting the Election?

Educational Equity: Strategies for Advancing Justice in Education

Freedom To Read Acts: How State Legislators Are Fighting Back Against Book Bans

The post Education and the 2024 Elections: How Is Education Impacting the Election? appeared first on Plural Policy.

Education is often touted as the “great equalizer.” It offers individuals the opportunity to transcend socioeconomic barriers and achieve upward mobility. However, the reality is far from equitable.

Disparities in educational outcomes persist. Differential outcomes often fall along lines of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and more. These dynamics underscore the urgent need for educational justice.

In this blog, we delve into the complexities of educational equity. Read on to explore strategies for promoting justice and fairness in education.

Understanding Educational Equity

Educational equity encompasses more than just equal treatment. It entails providing every student with the resources, opportunities, and support they need to succeed, regardless of their background or circumstances. “Equality” assumes a one-size-fits-all approach. On the other hand, “equity” acknowledges and addresses the systemic barriers that perpetuate disparities.

Students come from diverse backgrounds and have unique needs and strengths. This recognition lies at the heart of educational equity. Factors such as poverty, language barriers, disability, and systemic racism pose significant hurdles to educational attainment. Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach. Efforts to achieve equity must tackle inequalities at their root, rather than simply treating the symptoms.

Structural Barriers to Educational Equity

Structural barriers to equity are numerous. Efforts to address these barriers must adopt a multifaceted approach.

Funding Equity

There are many factors that contribute to educational inequity. Prominent among them is disparities in school funding. In the United States, schools are funded according to the income or property taxes of their district. This means that students in low-income areas receive less educational funding than students in high-income areas. The United States is the only major country to operate with this practice. This disparity perpetuates a cycle of disadvantage.

To promote funding equity, policymakers must adopt fair and transparent funding formulas. Resources should be allocated based on student needs rather than property or income values.

The Achievement Gap

The achievement gap is a stark manifestation of educational inequity. Students of color or who come from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds achieve poor academic outcomes compared to their white, wealthy counterparts. Addressing this gap requires targeted interventions. Schools must provide extra support and resources to students who are falling behind. Strategies might include:

• Early childhood education
• High-quality tutoring programs
• Extended learning opportunities

If implemented, these measures can help narrow the gap and ensure that all students have an opportunity to succeed.

Promoting Inclusive Practices to Achieve Educational Equity

Inclusive education goes beyond mere integration. Educators must create learning environments that value diversity, foster belonging, and accommodate the unique needs of all students. Essential components of inclusive education include, among others:

• Culturally responsive teaching practices
• Differentiated instruction
• Universal design for learning

Recognizing and celebrating students’ varied backgrounds, diversity, and individual strengths is key. By doing so, educators can build a more equitable and inclusive learning experience.

Advocacy for Educational Equity

Advocacy plays a crucial role in advancing educational justice. Effective education advocacy amplifies marginalized voices, mobilizes communities, and holds policy makers accountable. Advocates for educational justice work tirelessly to dismantle systemic barriers. They seek to achieve policies and practices that promote fairness, opportunity, and inclusion. Read below to learn about key strategies for education advocacy.

Policy Advocacy

Education advocates engage in policy advocacy at the local, state, and national levels. This may involve:

• Advocating for equitable school funding
• Challenging discriminatory practices
• Promoting policies that address the root causes of educational inequity, such as poverty and systemic racism

Community Engagement

Grassroots organizing and community mobilization are powerful tools for advancing educational justice. Advocates work closely with key stakeholders to achieve their goals. These groups might include parents, students, educators, and community members. Effective collaboration enables advocates and their stakeholders to:

• Identify shared goals
• Build coalitions
• Leverage collective power for change

Examples of community engagement include community-led campaigns, public forums, and grassroots organizing efforts. When successful, these initiatives can raise awareness, mobilize support, and hold policy makers accountable to the needs of the community.

Empowering Student Voices

Centering student voices is essential to meaningful advocacy for educational justice. Students are directly impacted by educational inequities. As such, they have valuable insights and perspectives to contribute to advocacy efforts. Empowering students as leaders and advocates helps build their confidence, agency, and sense of ownership in shaping their educational experiences. Initiatives to empower student voices include:

• Student-led initiatives
• Youth organizing groups
• Leadership development programs

These efforts provide platforms for students to advocate for change in their schools and communities.

Many states, including Massachusetts and California, have implemented student advisory boards for the state government. With the advisory boards, students have a counted vote in the legislation that impacts themselves and their peers.

Addressing Intersectional Challenges to Achieve Educational Equity

Educational inequity is an intersectional issue. It overlaps and interplays with other forms of oppression, including racism, sexism, ableism, and homophobia. Intersectional issues create compounded barriers for marginalized students.

To advance educational justice, advocates must address these intersectional challenges. Adopting an intersectional approach to advocacy requires key considerations.

Gender Equity

Gender disparities in education persist in many parts of the world. This is particularly true in access to STEM fields, leadership positions, and resources. Advocates for gender equity work to:

• Dismantle gender stereotypes
• Promote inclusive policies and practices
• Address barriers to girls’ education, such as child marriage and gender-based violence

Supporting Marginalized Communities

Marginalized communities including students of color, English language learners, students with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ students. These groups face unique challenges in education. Advocates work to ensure that these communities have:

• Equitable access to educational opportunities
• Culturally responsive support services
• Inclusive learning environments.

This may involve advocating for language access services, disability accommodations, and LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum and policies.

Success Stories in Educational Equity

Many organizations are leading the charge for educational justice around the world. From community-led campaigns for equitable school funding to student-led movements for racial justice in education, there are countless examples of advocacy efforts making a tangible difference in the lives of students. Here are a few case studies highlighting successful strategies for advancing educational equity:

The Campaign for Fiscal Equity

New York’s Campaign for Fiscal Equity (CFE) was a landmark legal and advocacy campaign. CFE successfully challenged New York State’s inequitable school funding system. Through years of litigation, community organizing, and public pressure, advocates secured a court ruling declaring the state’s school funding system unconstitutional. They won billions of dollars in additional funding for high-need schools.

The Ethnic Studies Now! Movement

Based in California, Ethnic Studies Now! is a grassroots movement led by students, educators, and community members. The movement advocates for the inclusion of ethnic studies in the K-12 curriculum. Efforts undertaken by Ethnic Studies Now! include student-led protests, community forums, and legislative advocacy. Through these efforts, the movement successfully pressured the California State Board of Education to adopt a statewide model curriculum for ethnic studies. California was the first state in the nation to adopt such a curriculum.

The Disability Rights Movement

Operating nationwide, the Disability Rights Movement has been instrumental in advocating for equal access to education for students with disabilities. The movement was crucial in the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It has also played a key role in the implementation of inclusive education practices. Disability rights advocates have fought to ensure that students with disabilities have the support and resources they need to thrive in school.

Achieving Educational Equity

Educational justice is not just a distant dream — it’s an achievable goal. Equity is within reach if we commit to:

• Dismantling systemic barriers
• Centering marginalized voices
• Advocating for policies and practices that promote fairness and opportunity for all

By embracing equity as a guiding principle and adopting inclusive and intersectional approaches to advocacy, we can create a more just and equitable education system that empowers every student to reach their full potential.

Get Started With Plural

Plural is the policy tracking tool of choice for advocates and policy teams looking to monitor education policy. With Plural, you’ll:

• Access superior public policy data 
• Be the first to know about new bills and changes in bill status
• Streamline your day with seamless organization features
• Harness the power of time-saving AI tools to gain insights into individual bills and the entire legislative landscape
• Keep everyone on the same page with internal collaboration and external reporting all in one place

Interested in getting started? Create a free account or book a demo today!

More Education Resources

Education and the 2024 Elections: How Is Education Impacting the Election?

Educational Equity: Strategies for Advancing Justice in Education

Freedom To Read Acts: How State Legislators Are Fighting Back Against Book Bans

The post Educational Equity: Strategies for Advancing Justice in Education appeared first on Plural Policy.

Since 2021, opponents of book bans have fought them at the state and local levels. Recently, opponents of book bans have shifted into the offensive as legislators in many states have filed “Freedom to Read” bills. Across jurisdictions, specific “Freedom to Read” bills vary in scope. Overall, they aim to protect access to materials that may be challenged due to partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

Illinois HB 2789

Illinois was the first state to pass such a law when Governor Pritzker signed HB 2789 in June 2023. HB 2789 requires the State Library officials to adopt the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights across Illinois. Generally, the Library Bill of Rights protects access to challenged literature. Under HB 2789, any Illinois library’s refusal to adopt these policies could result in a loss of state funding.

States That Have Introduced or Passed “Freedom to Read” Legislation

Our research team used Plural’s advanced search capabilities to analyze the issue. We found that legislators in 12 states and Congress introduced 19 “Freedom to Read” bills. See the full list here. While Illinois is the only state to have passed this legislation into law, Maryland HB 785 appears close to becoming law.

At Plural, we use our AI-powered tools to identify legislative trends before they become national news. It can be fascinating to watch these trends develop and see how they motivate new legislative activity. In the case of book banning, increased efforts to challenge books garnered significant attention. This seems to have bolstered the “Freedom to Read” movement. We will continue to monitor these competing trends, and you can too using Plural.

Get Started With Plural

More Resources for Illinois

2024 End-of-Session Report: Illinois

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The post Freedom To Read Acts: How State Legislators Are Fighting Back Against Book Bans appeared first on Plural Policy.

At Plural, we’ve followed these issues closely. We’ve covered legislation impacting race and education and legislation impacting transgender and nonbinary kids in school. We know that the results of this policy shift have been profound. The NAACP has issued a travel advisory for the state of Florida and advised black student-athletes against enrolling in the state. Across the country, book bans and challenges have surged, and school board meetings have become increasingly combative. 

The most recent policy proposal to emerge from this trend has involved authorizing school districts to bring chaplains into schools. Texas Senate Bill 763, which became law in June of 2023, is one example of such efforts. The new law allows Texas public school districts to employ or otherwise allow volunteer chaplains to provide services in schools.

The law has faced strong opposition, including from chaplains themselves. Despite this, it has sparked efforts in other states to incorporate chaplains into public school resources. Utah, Alabama, Nebraska, and Georgia are among the states to have considered similar proposals. Florida’s legislature just passed its “school chaplain” bill onto Governor DeSantis’ desk.

What Would Florida’s School Chaplain Bill Do?

Florida’s legislature passed HB 931 on March 7, 2024. Governor DeSantis will soon decide whether to sign the bill into law, veto it, or allow it to become law without his signature. HB 931 closely mirrors the Texas law, as well as many of the bills being considered elsewhere. It would allow school districts to adopt policies authorizing volunteer chaplains to provide support, services, and programs in public schools.

Under HB 931, the districts’ policies must clearly define the chaplain’s role. Parents must be informed of and consent to any services provided by chaplains. Like other school employees, volunteer chaplains will be required to pass background checks.

Summarizing Florida HB 931 With Plural’s AI-Powered Bill Summarizer

Plural’s AI-powered bill summarizer generated the following summary of Florida HB 931. Plural distilled hundreds of words into the following summary:

The final version of the bill contains notable differences from the introduced version of Florida HB 931. Plural’s AI-powered version-to-version summarizer provides the following overview:

Differences in Proposed Changes: 1) The previous version requires a vote by January 1, 2025, on adopting a chaplain policy, which is not mentioned in the new version. 2) The previous version specifies that only school districts must publish the list of chaplains, while the new version requires both school districts and charter schools to publish the list.

Plural’s AI-generated summary highlights a few notable differences. The filed version of the bill excludes the requirement for a vote on the chaplain policy. This is particularly notable, since Texas legislators included a similar provision in their law. With this exclusion, Florida legislators may be attempting to avoid political backlash — many of Texas’ largest school districts recently rejected chaplain programs. 

How are Education Advocates Reacting to School Chaplain Proposals?

Proponents of these efforts include conservative and religious groups. Education policy issues of this nature tend to fall along predictable partisan divides. However, it’s notable that five House Democrats in Florida voted in support of HB 931.

Advocates for these measures include the National School Chaplain Association, a Christian ministry aiming to serve spiritual needs in schools. Supporters argue that chaplains can play a role in meeting growing mental health needs and improving school safety. 

Opponents include the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and many chaplains themselves. They raise the uncertain constitutionality of these issues, questioning whether they violate separation of church and state. Many opponents have also noted that chaplains are already eligible to volunteer in schools, but counseling and behavioral health support should be left to trained professionals.

Where do School Chaplain Bills Go From Here?

More than a dozen states have considered school chaplain proposals. These efforts have stalled in most states. In Utah, state senators narrowly rejected a school chaplain bill prior to the end of their 2024 legislative session.

In states that do pass bills, it will take some time before new policies take effect. When they do, proponents and opponents alike will certainly be watching their impact. It’s likely that more school chaplain bills to be taken up in 2025. Legislators will look to the experiences of early adopters to formulate their arguments. 

In an unexpected twist for advocates of school chaplain bills, the Satanic Temple has voiced its support. The Satanic Temple does not actually worship Satan, but rather advocates for first amendment rights and religious freedoms. The organization has indicated its interest in participating in school chaplain programs in Florida, Iowa, and Utah.

It’s not hard to imagine how school chaplain policies could quickly lead to litigation and controversy. At Plural, we’re committed to monitoring the newsworthy issues that impact Americans. Stay tuned for more!

Get Started With Plural

Plural is the legislative tracking tool of choice for policy teams monitoring issues related to education. With Plural, you’ll:

• Access superior public policy data 
• Be the first to know about new bills and changes in bill status
• Streamline your day with seamless organization features
• Harness the power of time-saving AI tools to gain insights into individual bills and the entire legislative landscape
• Keep everyone on the same page with internal collaboration and external reporting all in one place

Interested in learning more? Create a free account or book a demo today!

More Resources for Public Policy Teams in Florida

End of Session Report: Florida 2024 Legislative Session

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Public Policy Brief Template

The post Chaplains in Schools: The Next Fight in the Education Wars? appeared first on Plural Policy.

Key Topics in the 2024 State of the Union Address

President Biden discussed several key topics central to his own and the Democratic party’s platform. These included: 

The State of Democracy 

The State of the Union address started out with a conversation on the current state of Democracy. President Biden was inaugurated immediately following the capital insurrection on January 6, 2021. Since then, he has made many significant speeches on the state of democracy in the United States. During the State of the Union, President Biden spoke directly to the current state of affairs. With regard to the upcoming 2024 election, President Biden declared that the U.S. is facing “the biggest threat to democracy since the Civil War.”

Reproductive Justice

President Biden often discusses his staunch pro-choice beliefs. This was no different throughout the State of the Union. President Biden called out his presidential predecessor for his role in Roe v. Wade being overturned. He also slammed the Republican Party’s interest in voting for a federal ban on abortion access, discussing the dangers of such a proposal. In response, President Biden called for increased federal protections for reproductive healthcare. He promised the American people that, if elected, he would protect the right to abortion and ensure abortion medications are available via the U.S. Postal Service.

Job Creation and the Inflation Reduction Act

President Biden entered office in the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Administration’s successes in COVID-19 response and recovery were a key aspect of the State of the Union address. He boasted about recovery efforts and how the country has emerged from quarantine with full access to COVID-19 vaccines.

The President also discussed increased employment rates. Over the past four years, the U.S. has seen the highest rates of job creation in the country’s history. With fifteen million jobs created in just three years, President Biden has seen the highest job creation rate of any U.S. president.

Job growth is due in large part to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a key success of Biden’s term as president. The IRA flooded state governments and the federal government with economic investments, clean energy programs, and job creation projects.

Support for Unions

Throughout his political career, President Biden has been a major supporter of Unions. In the State of the Union address, he boasted to the crowd that he was the first U.S. President to cross a picket line in support of a workers’ union. President Biden also spoke to the experiences of the middle class, including the difficulties they have faced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The middle class has endured challenges from a reduction in policies protecting them. They’ve also had fewer opportunities to unionize. President Biden concluded this portion of his address by exclaiming: “the middle class built this country, and unions built the middle class.”

The Economy

President Biden discussed the state of the economy in the United States. Since taking office, the President has signed off on and implemented policies aiming to reduce inflation across the country. He’s also supported efforts to increase job availability. President Biden stated: “wages are on the up, and inflation is on the down.”

Healthcare and New Policy Proposals

President Biden touted his ability to secure a reduction in insulin prices to no more than $35 per month for seniors on Medicare. As President, Biden has secured the passage of this measure through Congress. He has also advocated for the application of this policy throughout the United States.

On the topic of healthcare, President Biden also encouraged Congress to work with him to pass a bill allowing Medicare to negotiate prices on more than 500 essential medications. These policy proposals and passages are key goals for the Administration, as they hope to build on the legacy of Obamacare.

Housing and New Policy Proposals

The President discussed the ongoing housing crisis faced by renters, owners, and buyers across the country. He proposed a policy that would give homeowners $400 per month over the next two years to apply towards their mortgages. For renters, President Biden pointed to provisions within the IRA to build affordable housing in neighborhoods in need. In laying the groundwork for these proposals, President Biden is also signaling to Americans what another term as President would look like.

The State of Education

President Biden is a staunch supporter of public education. His wife, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, is a former public school educator and continues to advocate for education. In the State of the Union address, President Biden focused on many topics related to education.

The President signaled his support for early childhood education and universal access to preschool. He stating that students who finish preschool are more likely to finish high school and achieve a two to four year degree, no matter their background.

President Biden also mentioned his ongoing effort to decrease student loan debt, and already providing essential workers in the U.S. such as firefighters, teachers, and medics with student loan debt decreases. Last summer, the Supreme Court thwarted his efforts to cancel a significant portion of the student loan debt that plagues many Americans.

Next, President Biden informed viewers about measures to increase access to education for marginalized communities. The Administration has increased Pell Grants for low-income students. The President also announced investments in Historically Black Colleges and Hispanic Serving Institutions. 

Finally, President Biden called for increased support for public school teachers. He unequivocally announced: “Public school teachers need a raise.”

A Re-Framing of the State of Immigration 

President Biden reframed the issue of immigration from how Republicans typically discuss it. Republicans often frame immigration as a crisis of too many individuals crossing the border, seeking refugee status, asylum, or formal green cards. President Biden framed immigration as an issue of an underfunded legal and social immigration system within the United States.

The President outlined a proposal to hire hundreds more immigration case workers, lawyers, and judges. With increased staffing, the Administration hopes that court cases can go from a six-month wait to just six weeks.

The response to this proposal highlighted partisan divides on the issue of immigration. It was met with heckling from Republicans and cheers from Democrats. As such, it’s likely that this will be a highly contested policy.

Foreign Affairs

In the last portion of the Address, President Biden spoke about the ongoing conflicts internationally. Addressing his continued support for Ukraine and speaking to the aggression occurring in Gaza. Israel’s response to attacks by Hamas in October of 2023 has dominated public debate in the United States. The President began his speech by stating that Israel has the right to “go after” Hamas. He also voiced support for the return of hostages within Gaza.

Afterwards, President Biden declared that Israel has the responsibility to protect innocent civilians within Gaza. These statements come after more than one hundred days of ongoing conflict within Gaza. More than 35,000 men, women, and children have been killed, and thousands more have been injured.

President Biden urged Israel to stop blocking humanitarian assistance from entering Gaza. He also shared that the U.S. plans to create a temporary dock on the coast of Gaza to aid in the distribution of humanitarian aid. The President concluded his discussion of the topic by encouraging a six-week ceasefire in Gaza and exclaiming the necessity of a two-state solution.

The President’s remarks on Israel and Gaza were met with a variety of reactions, both from viewers at home and legislators in the crowd. The conflict between Israel and Palestinians is a hotly contested topic within the United States. Many Americans believe Israel is defending itself against Hamas. Many others view what is happening in Gaza as a genocide, especially following the International Court of Justice’s interim decision. A few Democratic legislators in the crowd held signs asking the President to call for a lasting ceasefire.

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Plural is the legislative tracking tool of choice for policy teams looking to track key public policy topics on both the state and federal levels. Interested in getting started? Create a free account or book a demo today!

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The post The State of the Union 2024: Context and Key Topics appeared first on Plural Policy.

The COVID-19 Pandemic’s Impacts on Education

The pandemic affected all levels of education, from pre-K to high school and higher education. These consequences are still being examined. The full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is not yet understood. Studies have indicated that students continue to suffer from health issues, remote learning, distance education, and shutdowns. Disadvantaged students are at increased risk of negative outcomes.

The United States has a prolonged history of educational inequality. The COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated these inequities, making them more visible in the public eye. Policymakers have been confronted with the immense need to address these challenges. Rather than rebuilding what was damaged during the pandemic, many recent education policies aim to address historical issues and build a more equitable future.

Increased public understanding of educational inequality can be an advantage for policymakers. Legislators seeking to achieve wins in education can take advantage of this momentum and pass policy improvements for their community.

Areas of emphasis for policymakers around education include: 

• Postsecondary school access and success 
• School improvement and redesigns 
• Financial equity 
• Racial equity 

These will remain essential as the U.S. grapples with the ongoing educational impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The State of Education Following COVID-19

Studies have shown that, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, students have been most affected by:

• Health issues, both their own and those of loved ones
• Levels of institutional trust
• The location and circumstances of their home life

On average, U.S. public school students in third through eighth grade lost the equivalent of half of a school year of learning in math and a quarter of a school year in reading. For students and educators to make up these significant gaps in learning and meet necessary benchmarks, it would require approximately 120-150% more lessons in each subsequent school year. Such an increase requires additional funding, time, resources, and staff.

Federal Efforts in Post-Pandemic Education Reform

President Biden was inaugurated in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many students across the country were still participating in distance learning. Since the inauguration, the Biden Administration has passed many initiatives related to education. These include support for schools to reopen safely, such as increased funding and access to resources.

American Rescue Plan

President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan (H.R.1319) into law on March 11, 2021. Aiming to accelerate and improve the nation’s response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Plan is a comprehensive legislative and budget proposal that includes financial provisions for a myriad of programs within the United States. A primary aspect of the Plan is a $130 Billion investment in public education. This represents one of the largest investments in public education in U.S. history.  

Funding, distributed throughout the country, will go towards the initiatives outlined in President Biden’s Improving Student Achievement Agenda below. Funds are to go towards building improvements such as air quality systems, salaries and benefits for staff, and increased educational programs.

President Biden’s Improving Student Achievement Agenda

On January 17, 2024, President Biden announced the Improving Student Achievement Agenda. The Agenda focuses on proven strategies that aim to accelerate students’ academic performance. The Students Achievement Agenda emphasizes three main initiatives:  

Increasing Student Attendance

There is a strong correlation between absenteeism and negative learning outcomes. As such, the Agenda places a strong emphasis on increasing student attendance. The Administration has encouraged schools to create personalized plans for students in an effort to reduce absenteeism and truancy.

Providing High-Dosage Tutoring 

The Administration has also promoted access to tutoring, particularly in disadvantaged communities. The federally-funded Americorps program aims to meet this need. Americorps fellows work with disadvantaged students to address gaps in educational attainment.

Increasing Summer Learning and Extended/After-School Learning Time 

Schools across the country experienced extensive loss in educational instruction throughout the pandemic. The American Rescue Plan includes funding to increase in-person instruction time. This includes summer learning opportunities, as well as after-school learning time.

State Efforts in Post-Pandemic Education Reform

Across the country, state efforts to address educational challenges vary. Approaches, effectiveness, and resource delegation in COVID-19 responses differ depending on the state. Democrats have placed emphasis on increased investment and equity initiatives. On the other hand, Republicans have prioritized parental rights in education and evaluated material taught in public schools.

Democratic-controlled legislatures have adopted many different approaches to educational investments and equity initiatives. In California, for example, Governor Gavin Newsom established the Higher Education Recovery with Equity Task Force in August of 2020. The task force was convened to discuss new approaches to post-secondary education preparation and workforce readiness. With a diversity of voices from across the state, the task force helped ensure that new initiatives were accessible and impactful for every community.

Legislators in Republican-controlled states are prioritizing enforcing control over the lessons taught in schools. There is a campaign for increased parental oversight in classroom instruction. This has led to widespread introductions of bills such as Parental Bills of Rights, book bans, and reviews of history and literature lessons with an eye towards countering the “woke” agenda.

Education Reform Efforts in the 2024 Elections

Education remains essential to the daily life of many U.S. citizens. Yet, education is often not seen as an issue that is quintessential to the deciding of votes in the ballot box. As such, education may become a less salient issue for politicians during this election year. Despite this, it remains essential to understand the state of education in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Track Post-Pandemic Education Reforms in 2024 With Plural

Plural is the legislative intelligence tool of choice for lobbyists and advocates monitoring post-pandemic education reforms in 2024. With Plural, you’ll:

• Access superior public policy data 
• Be the first to know about new bills and changes in bill status
• Streamline your day with seamless organization features
• Harness the power of time-saving AI tools to gain insights into individual bills and the entire legislative landscape
• Keep everyone on the same page with internal collaboration and external reporting all in one place

Create a free account or book a demo today!

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State-Specific Resources

2025 Legislative Committee Deadlines Calendar

Staying on top of key deadlines is manageable in one state, but if you’re tracking bills across multiple states, or nationwide, it quickly becomes overwhelming. That’s why we created the 2025 Legislative Committee Deadlines Calendar. Stay ahead of important dates and download our calendar today. Get started with Plural. Plural helps top public policy teams get […]

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State-Specific Resources

End of Session Report: Florida 2024 Legislative Session

The 2024 Florida legislative session saw significant activity in the realm of insurance and financial services, reflecting key themes of consumer protection, market stability, and regulatory modernization.

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The post Education Reform in the Post-Pandemic Era: Changes and Challenges appeared first on Plural Policy.

Legislative trends often emerge in the first few weeks of session. There is so much we can learn from the proposals considered across the country. In 2022, we identified trends in bills regulating discussions of race and gender in schools. That trend grew to be among the most hotly debated national issues this past year. This debate will only continue in 2024. Plural’s industry-leading open data and cutting-edge AI tools streamline and enhance legislative work.

The Biggest State Government Issues in 2024

It would be impossible to build a comprehensive list of the issues that each state will focus on in 2024. Instead, our research has allowed us to build a list of the topics which will be high on most state’s agendas this year. We’ve also identified specific proposals we see gathering momentum around the country. 

2024 Elections

Let’s get the big one out of the way first — elections will dominate political news coverage this year.  November’s elections will impact state legislative policy in a few distinct ways.

Voting Rights

Many bills related to voting rights will be considered across the country this year. In 2023, more than 1,100 bills expanding or restricting access to voting were introduced. Many of those same bills will come up again in 2024, and we expect hundreds more to be introduced. But prevalence alone does not make this our top legislative trend. The tenor and stakes of these debates will be extremely high. For better or worse, most voting rights proposals will be judged first by their potential impact on the 2024 elections. Advocates on both sides see these issues as central to ensuring a free and fair election. 

Culture Wars and Partisan Conflict

Federal elections, particularly the presidential election, will result in the nationalization of state legislative issues. Culture wars and partisan battles will prevail as legislators balance policymaking with politics. Abortion, parental rights in education, LGBTQ+ issues, and firearms regulation are areas we expect to see this dynamic play out. 

Session Logistics

Many state legislators themselves will be running for election in November. This being the case, we expect to see more sessions wrap up in a timely manner come spring. Legislators will be itching to get on the campaign trail. Fewer special sessions will take place this fall as election results signal priorities for 2025.

Affordable Housing

Housing affordability and homelessness have become a top issue at state legislatures. We recently wrote about the need for those in the housing space to monitor public policy. We expect to see proposals focused on:

• Affordable housing development
• State funding of shelters and emergency housing
• Continued action legislating the landlord-tenant relationship

Cannabis

At this point, state-level efforts to decriminalize or legalize marijuana are not novel. Despite this, recreational marijuana use remains illegal in just over half of U.S. states. Further, medicinal marijuana use is still prohibited in ten states. In Wisconsin, Hawaii, Florida, and New Hampshire, legalization will have a serious chance at passage this year. 

Even in states that have legalized marijuana, the subject remains prevalent. Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, and Ohio moved forward on legalization in 2023. However, there are significant intricacies in establishing a lucrative and regulated marijuana industry. Advocates can expect to return to their state houses frequently this year to monitor implementation plans. 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

DEI policies were an emerging legislative trend over the past few years. This is true especially at universities. In 2023, this trend accelerated. University policies regarding freedom of speech, antisemitism, and racism have garnered attacks from the right.

Utah’s HB 111 would restrict the ability of private employers to require training that includes certain concepts related to race and sex. Utah legislators have already moved the bill out of its committee; it will be voted on by the full House next. 

Education

As always, state education committees will be busy this year. Education spending represents a significant portion of every state’s budge. Because of this, debates over spending can seem omnipresent.

About two dozen states must pass a budget by the end of this session. Those that don’t will likely still consider supplemental budget packages. New York Governor Kathy Hochul rolled out a budget that will increase state-provided school funding by more than $800 million. Legislators and interested parties will have their say whether the increase is too significant or not enough. They’ll also weigh in on the allocation of the funds.

Outside of education funding, other issues related to education will be hotly debated. We see continued trends in legislation relating to:

• Parental influence in the classroom
• Race in education
• Dual enrollment
• The expansion or restriction of charter schools

Environment & Climate Change Mitigation

In 2023, California enacted some of the most significant climate-related state action. The legislature passed laws requiring climate reporting by more large companies. As states adjust to meet their climate plans, we expect to see additional legislation. Twenty-four states have established greenhouse gas reduction targets. These states must evaluate their progress and adjust accordingly. Others may consider implementing targets of their own. 

As climate change continues, climate-related disasters increase in frequency and impact. Many states find themselves regularly considering how to respond to these tragedies. Hawaii’s devastating fires that took place in August 2023 will be a key focus of the state legislative session. Lawmakers will aid in the recovery of affected communities and victims. Further, they will plan for future fires and other climate-related disasters.

Criminal Justice & Law Enforcement Reform

Criminal justice and police reform efforts have received increased attention in recent rears. The murder of George Floyd and subsequent protests in 2020 catalyzed this focus. Despite progress by advocates, there is certainly more work to be done. This session, legislators in Maryland, Georgia, Minnesota, and California will prioritize justice reform.

Crime rates are decreasing throughout the United States. Despite this, growing public concern persists regarding increased crime rates. We expect some lawmakers to respond to this growing concern.

In Georgia, the development of a massive law enforcement training center has been the subject of debate.. Disagreements between lawmakers, law enforcement, have persisted for years over “Cop City.” Community activists have fought to prevent the construction of Cop City. As development continues, lawmakers have advanced legislation that could further criminalize protest actions. Cop City represents just one clash between those on both sides of the debate over police reform.

Transportation

We will monitor many major transportation issues in 2024. Among these is the continued development of electric vehicle policy. In 2023, some states followed the federal government’s lead in encouraging the adoption of electric vehicles. Tax rebates and other incentives aimed to encourage public entities to make the switch to electric.

While many efforts have been bipartisan, most have been led by Democrats. Some Republicans remain critical of electric vehicles. These lawmakers also oppose any encouraged transition away from gas-powered cars. In 2024, we expect to see increased opposition to electric vehicles in Republican states. This might involve increased fees on electric vehicles and reduced taxes on gasoline. 

Using Plural to Track State Government Issues

Hundreds of bills are introduced as sessions kick off. It can be overwhelming to analyze legislative trends in one state, let alone throughout the country. However, keeping track of legislative trends is vital to understanding public policy. Dominant issues and trends started in just one or two states before going “viral” nationwide.

Plural makes the process of identifying and tracking legislative trends accessible and efficient. We’re committed to ensuring that every American can access high-quality legislative data. Using artificial intelligence, we leverage our data to identify trends and patterns.

Interested in learning more? Book a demo today!

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READ MORE →

State-Specific Resources

2025 Legislative Committee Deadlines Calendar

Staying on top of key deadlines is manageable in one state, but if you’re tracking bills across multiple states, or nationwide, it quickly becomes overwhelming. That’s why we created the 2025 Legislative Committee Deadlines Calendar. Stay ahead of important dates and download our calendar today. Get started with Plural. Plural helps top public policy teams get […]

READ MORE →

State-Specific Resources

End of Session Report: Florida 2024 Legislative Session

The 2024 Florida legislative session saw significant activity in the realm of insurance and financial services, reflecting key themes of consumer protection, market stability, and regulatory modernization.

READ MORE →

The post Top Issues for State Legislatures in 2024 appeared first on Plural Policy.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) refers to efforts made by organizations to create environments that value and respect differences among individuals. Over past last twenty years, there has been rapid growth in DEI investment. This is especially true within the past decade. Increased focus on DEI has primarily occurred in the private sector. However, public entities are increasingly considering DEI principles as well.

The growth of DEI policies has attracted the attention of lawmakers. Democrats have led the movement towards incorporating DEI principles into the public sector. At the same time, Conservatives have begun to push for the restriction of the use of DEI in certain settings.

Using Plural’s unmatched open data, we analyzed DEI legislation across the United States in 2023. We sought to better understand where and how this legislative trend is taking shape.

Trends in DEI Policy in 2023

In 2023, legislators considered 146 bills that proposed changes to DEI policy. These bills spanned 36 states and U.S. Congress. Eighty of such bills sought to expand the use of DEI policies. On the other hand, 66 bills proposed to restrict or eliminate the use of DEI in certain settings.

Get Started With Plural

Plural will continue to track this developing policy trend. As new developments arise, we’ll report on the progress made by both sides.

Interested in getting started with Plural? Create a free account or book a demo today!

The post DEI Legislation Tracker: DEI Policy Developments in 2023 appeared first on Plural Policy.

California’s Legislature has a total of 120 legislators, 80 Assemblymembers and 40 State Senators. The Assembly is composed of 62 Democrats and 18 Republicans, while the Senate is composed of 32 Democrats and eight Republicans.

Before the session began, Democratic leaders announced their legislative priorities:

• Housing
• Climate change
• Economic investment
• Big oil industries
• The opioid crisis
• Healthcare
• Systemic racism
• Public transportation.

Republican leaders shared their own, including: cutting government costs, tackling crime, acting on homelessness, investing in students, building water storages, and reducing wildfires.

Governor Gavin Newsom broke tradition by not delivering a State of the State address, where governors make the case for their agenda. Instead, he traveled throughout the state to share priorities. Governor Newsom’s legislative priorities include SB 2, ‘The Price Gouging Penalty Bill.’ This bill passed on March 27, 2023, and went into effect on June 26, 2023.

Key 2023 Session Data

In California, 3,036 bills were introduced during this year’s legislative session. Of those, nearly 40% (1,196) were passed by the Senate and Assembly. Governor Newsom has signed nearly 400 bills into law. He will sign many more throughout the rest of September. New laws relate to abortion, education, climate change, the LGBTQ+ community, and consumer protections.

Key Legislative Trends in California

• Gun control
• LGBTQ+ rights
• Climate change
• Abortion and reproductive healthcare
• Education
• Elections and voting rights
• Anti-discrimination
• Criminal justice reform

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The post Recapping California’s 2023 Legislative Session: The First Half of the Biennium appeared first on Plural Policy.

Key Topics in the California Legislature

Our research has highlighted the remarkable consistency of California’s legislature. Across sessions, the CA legislature is very consistent when it comes to activity, passage rates, number of bills passed, and time to passage. General information about the legislative process can be helpful for those predicting or reacting to policy. For our final blog in this series, we wanted to dig deeper. In this blog, we will go beyond the high-level of how legislators are acting, to look at what they are acting on.

We built and trained an AI model using Plural’s legislative datasets to categorize bills by their topics. Bills were assigned to 17 topic categories. We applied the model across two complete biennial sessions, 2019-2020 and 2021-2022, as well as the first half of the current biennium, 2023. Our analysis paints a picture of the legislative topics that attract the most activity in any given session.

Percent of Analyzed Bills within Each Topic Category, by Session (2019-2023)

A few insights immediately jumped out to our team as we examined this data.

Over the biennium examined, the legislature focused on Health and Social Services far more than other topic categories. Health and Social Services is a broad category, far broader than privacy, for example. It includes everything from pandemic-related safety measures to Medi-Cal reimbursement rates. Beyond the wide scope of the subject matter, this is also an area that lawmakers often highlight as a priority. It’s unsurprising to see more than 1 in 5 bills logged into this category.

More than 20% of bills introduced in 2023 fell into the Appropriations, Budget and Taxation category. This is likely overweighted, as the first year in a biennium tends to have more appropriations legislation than the second year. Despite this, no other category comes close to the level of consistent focus on Health and Social Services.

Finally, looking at this data shows the value in expanding this type of dataset. Five years of legislative data from one jurisdiction can unlock a few insights. However, the real value could come from comparing across jurisdictions or across wider spans of time.

Analyzing California’s Legislative Activity

Our analyses of California’s legislative activity over the past fifteen years has produced many interesting insights. We’ve learned that:

• A majority of passage votes to come in August in September
• Most bills receiving final passage votes will indeed pass
• Most bills that become law have a 30-35 week lifespan between introduction and final passage

Continuing and expanding this type of analysis can help better understand legislative activity. It can also give us insights into how legislative activity compares across jurisdiction and time. Here at Plural, we’re committed to using our data to help our community of public policy experts deepen their legislative insights.

Get Started With Plural

With Plural, it’s easier than ever to get and stay ahead in the public policy landscape. Get started today to:

• Access superior public policy data 
• Be the first to know about new bills and changes in bill status
• Streamline your day with seamless organization features
• Harness the power of AI to gain insights into individual bills and the entire legislative landscape
• Keep everyone on the same page with internal collaboration and external reporting all in one place

The post What Policy Topics Do California Legislators Typically Focus On? appeared first on Plural Policy.