Type Of Content: Blog Post

Denise Forte’s Commencement Address to the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, Class of 2026

Denise Forte, president and CEO of EdTrust, delivered prepared remarks on May 6th, at EdTrust’s 30th anniversary celebration

Proposed federal graduate loan limits threaten to hit low-income students and students of color the hardest, potentially shutting thousands out of advanced degree pathways or forcing them into the costly private loan market to fill the gap

The political climate surrounding education has made the work more complicated than ever for school leaders and teachers

Access to education during incarceration is one of the most reliable pathways to economic stability after release

Texas’ latest teacher workforce data offers an early look at how the state’s educator pipeline may be shifting. While it is still too soon to draw sweeping conclusions about the long-term impact of recent policy changes, the new numbers point to encouraging movement in teacher attrition, certification, and hiring trends

Proponents claim federal vouchers will help public school students through supplemental services, but cuts to safety-net programs and increased funding for unaccountable private schools will ultimately cause greater harm than benefit

The president’s budget request contradicts the recommendations in its “Reimagining IES” report, which calls for strengthening education data and research — not gutting them

The removal of sensitive locations protections is creating unnecessary trauma for students, teachers, families, and the broader school community