Sigal Ben-Porath discusses the critical role of higher education in defending free speech and fostering democratic engagement, arguing that colleges must model open dialogue and civic responsibility if they are to prepare students to sustain democratic norms in an era of polarization.
In Chalkbeat, Laura Perna says that even though some students in Kensington see open-air drug use every day, strong school support systems and targeted interventions are helping them graduate from high school, highlighting how focused resources can make a difference in students’ educational journeys.
Richard Ingersoll says that with a school district unanimously approving a four-day week beginning in August 2026 as part of a broader trend in U.S. schools, the move highlights growing efforts to address rising teacher turnover and burnout by offering schedule flexibility and professional development time on the fifth day, even as research on its impact remains mixed.
Annie Yang and Sora Cha developed an AI-powered platform for families of autistic children that earned recognition at a recent global hackathon and is now starting pilot testing.
Membership in the NAEd is widely recognized as one of the highest honors in the field of education research, and Dean Strunk joins 10 recent Penn GSE faculty members in being recognized.
Ben-Porath co-authored a piece with faculty from Wharton and Penn Carey Law in the Guardian about how such lists have historically been a prelude to persecution and could set a precedent for broader government overreach into personal data and academic freedom.
He writes in the Philadelphia Inquirer that such lists are an affront to civil liberties and a reminder of dark chapters in history when such inquiries were used to marginalize and persecute Jewish communities.
Charlotte Jacobs, Robert Zemsky, and Jonathan Zimmerman appeared on “The Teacher’s Forum,” “College Knowledge,” and “The Re-Educated Podcast,” respectively, to discuss some of the biggest issues in education.
Karen Weaver says that as Pennsylvania schools, including Temple, Villanova, and Penn State, begin directly paying athletes under new revenue-sharing rules following federal class-action settlements, questions are emerging about how institutions will fund payments and whether equity concerns could prompt future legal challenges.
Janine Remillard highlights efforts to narrow the gender gap in STEM education, noting that teachers are encouraged to engage more female students in STEM through hands-on activities, practical lessons, and extracurricular programs to boost confidence and support long-term participation in science and math fields.
Karen Weaver says that the rise of the transfer portal is reshaping college sports as athletes like Luke Baklenko make strategic decisions about their careers, weighing playing opportunities, development, and long-term goals.
In USA Today, Michael Gottfried says that student homelessness has become a nationwide crisis impacting more than one million students, with far-reaching consequences for learning, academic progress, and long-term student success.
Karen Weaver says that with up to 25 Michigan football players considering opting out of their bowl game and the transfer portal looming, athletes are acting like rational economic agents, weighing their human capital and future earning potential amid shifting market dynamics in college sports.
Penn GSE’s Early Childhood Education and Family Studies Certificate blends research, practice, and community partnerships to prepare leaders who want to influence systems that support young children and their families.
In Education Next, Richard Ingersoll says that contrary to popular belief, national data show teacher turnover has remained relatively low and stable over time, with the rate of educators leaving the profession comparable to that of other well-educated professionals, suggesting the narrative that teachers are abandoning the field in droves doesn’t match the evidence.
Digital literacies expert Amy Stornaiuolo provides a framework to help teachers design writing assignments that ethically incorporate—or creatively dissuade—use of generative AI.
In NAFSA: Association of International Educators, Eric Hartman says that strong collaborative networks and long-term vision in international education help amplify economic, social, and cultural impact, strengthening inclusion and advancing the dignity of all people amid rising global challenges
In City & State PA, Michael Golden says that teachers and students must work to demystify common misconceptions about AI, emphasizing the importance of understanding both the risks and the powerful educational opportunities the technology presents.
In The New Jersey Herald, Matt Hartley says that smaller universities routinely undergo structural reorganizations and that Montclair State’s centralization will likely lead to the creation of new administrative roles to guide decision-making.
In the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Robert Zemsky says that the three-year college model offers a more efficient alternative to traditional four-year programs, reducing academic waste by at least a quarter while maintaining educational quality.
In Memecita, Karen Weaver says that the NIL landscape is rapidly maturing, with collectives becoming more sophisticated, athletes gaining a clearer understanding of their market value, and colleges developing policies to support responsible NIL activity.
Karen Weaver says that other athletic conferences are likely to follow in the footsteps of the Big Ten, assuming they can successfully navigate a maze of thorny legal and political concerns.
Laura Perna says the net-price calculators that universities use when establishing the cost of attendance for students are not standardized and often misleading.
Karen Weaver says that new promotional strategies focused on impact and community from colleges are a great response to recent threats to college enrollment.
Michael Gottfried says a large and growing body of research demonstrates the benefits of assigning students to teachers who share their racial or ethnic backgrounds, ranging from improved test scores and attendance to reduced suspension rates and higher graduation and college enrollment rates.
In Mark Cuban's article discussing the importance of AI, Angela Duckworth's comments on AI's usefulness as a pedagogical tool from her 2025 Penn GSE Commencement speech are quoted.
Michael Gottfried says that threatening legal action and the prospect of children being put in foster care will not solve the problem of parental negligence leading to student absenteeism.
Penn GSE was one of the hosts—alongside the PA Governor’s Office, Penn Engineering, and PennAI—of the “Unlocking AI for Public Good” summit at which experts from around the University and policymakers from throughout the Commonwealth explored how generative AI can be responsibly harnessed for public benefit.
The professor of literacy education says that it should be up to individual teachers to influence how AI will be used in their classrooms rather than enforcing institution-wide technology policies.
A new study coauthored by Penn GSE’s Michael A. Gottfried is the first to show that teachers’ ability to teach in students’ home language, combined with a shared racial or ethnic background, drives greater academic gains.
The assistant professor says that research agendas across the country have been impacted by administrative funding cuts and attitudes, which may mean longer hours for faculty.
As part of the fellowship, the Education Policy doctoral student who studies absenteeism will connect with graduate students from across campus who are all working to bridge their research and global policymaking.
Jonathan Zimmerman says that right-wing students are as eager as their left-leaning peers to censor allegedly ’problematic’ speech, and that And students across the political spectrum are biting their tongues, lest they incur the wrath of their opponents.
Robert Zemsky says that much of the curriculum in a 4-year college model is unnecessary and is pushing for the normalization of a 3-year college degree.
Betty Chandy, featured in WHYY's "The Pulse" around the 25th minute mark, says that teachers must turn their focus on the process of learning rather than the product of learning.
Julie Wollman says that low enrollment becomes a difficult calculus for higher education administrators who believe the major is important to offer but can't justify high overhead for professors to teach a very small number of students.
Eric Hartman, Penn GSE’s new director of the Executive Doctorate in Higher Education Management, argues in a Philadelphia Inquirer op-ed that Pennsylvania is better off when Americans and Chinese learn, trade, research, and innovate together.
