Use of force is a well-established part of American law enforcement. Roughly a thousand individuals are killed by police each year, a statistic with major ramifications for not only the individuals killed and their families but also for the students in the surrounding communities. Attitudes toward and trust in police fracture in response to police violence, and in the U.S., these fractures often occur along racial lines, disproportionately affecting Black and Hispanic students both in and out of the classroom.
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The need for data scientists in the U.S. is growing, yet groups like the Latinx population are vastly untapped when training and building the next generation of skilled workers. According to Google’s 2019 diversity report, for example, only 5.7% of their total workforce identifies as Latinx, and only 5.3% of their new hires in tech jobs went to Latinx workers. This trend mirrors a larger trend in the U.S. STEM workforce, as Hispanic workers hold only 7% of STEM jobs yet make up 16% of the workforce. Absent wider programming specifically targeting STEM, some K-12 teachers are getting creative when developing opportunities in data science for Latinx students.
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In December 2018, Betsy DeVos rescinded Obama-era guidance intended to reduce racial discrimination in school discipline. At a time when black high school students are twice as likely to get suspended than their white counterparts, this move has been shrouded in controversy. Yet amidst harsh social realities and divided political opinions, researchers like SDP Fellow Dr. Akisha Jones Sarfo are working to bring an evidence-based voice to the table. Danielle LeCourt explores Jones Sarfo’s story for Harvard CEPR’s Strategic Data Project.
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The PIER Fellowship at Harvard University’s Center for Education Policy Research is yielding far-reaching impact — and changing the way education policy leaders are trained. In this impact story, Danielle explores how three PIER fellows are impacting on Head Start, universal preschool, teacher retention, and adult education.
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