The Education Trust

EdTrust is committed to advancing policies and practices to dismantle the racial and economic barriers embedded in the American education system. Through our research and advocacy, EdTrust improves equity in education from preschool through college, engages diverse communities dedicated to education equity and justice, and increases political and public will to build an education system where students will thrive. EdTrust advocates for students, especially those whose potential is often overlooked. We evaluate policies, practices, and dollars spent through a single lens: what is right for students. We carry out our mission in three primary ways: Analyzing local, state, and national data and use what we learn to help build a broader understanding of opportunity gaps for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds and the actions necessary to close them. Helping to shape and influence national and state policy, bringing lessons learned from on-the-ground work and from data analyses to build the

Student volunteers will participate in a youth participatory action research (YPAR) project focused on improving middle and high school college and career-connected learning. EdTrust would like to elevate the voices and experiences of students to understand how states, policies, and practices can be improved to make career exploration more equitable and comprehensive. Students would be trained as co-researchers, learning to co-develop research questions, collect qualitative and/or quantitative data, and address systemic issues in college and career exploration to lift up promising practices with established policies to ensure middle and high school students of color and students from low-income backgrounds have equitable access to opportunities that support college and career awareness and experiential learning opportunities that broaden students’ futures.