The last decade has seen persistent and sharp declines in student achievement in the United States, with 8th grade reading and math scores now as low as they have been in a quarter- century. While policymakers, educators, and families share a common desire to help students succeed, there is often uncertainty and agreement about which reforms are most likely to improve outcomes at scale.
Thirty-six states will elect a governor, and 46 states will hold state legislative elections in November 2026. This means state leaders will have the chance to actively reshape key elements of their education systems, making decisions that will affect millions of students for years to come. Some of this work is already taking place. For example, more than 40 states have passed “science of reading” laws in recent years, sparking reforms in student access to quality curriculum and teacher training.
At Arnold Ventures, we see the opportunity and the challenge of this moment. State policymakers shape many of the rules, incentives, and systems that influence student success, including accountability systems, school choice policies, teacher workforce policies, and graduation requirements. When effective reforms are adopted at the state level, they have the potential to improve outcomes for large numbers of students and create lasting change across entire education systems.
Yet many of these decisions are being made with surprisingly limited rigorous evidence. Policymakers frequently face difficult choices about how policies should be designed, implemented, and scaled without clear answers about which approaches produce lasting improvements in student achievement and long-term success.
Research over the past two decades has generated important lessons. One stands out in particular: policy design matters. The details of how accountability systems are structured, how school choice programs operate, how information is communicated to families, and how educators are supported can have profound implications for whether reforms succeed or fall short. Policymakers need more specific guidance about policy design, drawn both from existing high-quality research and new evidence about what works.
To help address these gaps, Arnold Ventures is launching the Causal Research on the Impacts of K‑12 School Policies RFP. The RFP seeks research studies that estimate the causal effects of state-level policies that are both actionable and capable of improving outcomes at scale. Given the pace of policymaking, we are particularly interested in research that can generate timely evidence for decision-makers.
“Too often, policymakers are forced to make consequential decisions without clear evidence about what works,” said Kelly McManus, Executive Vice President of Education at Arnold Ventures. “Our goal is to build evidence around reforms that are both ambitious and achievable. We are particularly interested in policies that states can realistically adopt, that can be implemented at scale, and that have the potential to improve educational and workforce outcomes for students across the country.”
The RFP focuses on three broad areas of K‑12 policy: curriculum, assessments, and accountability; school choice and governance; and teacher and leader policies. Within these areas, Arnold Ventures is interested in questions that matter directly to policymakers. Which features of accountability systems generate sustained improvements in student outcomes? How do school choice programs affect participating students and the broader education system? Which teacher-focused policies strengthen the educator workforce and improve graduation and completion rates?
Through this Causal Research on the Impacts of K‑12 School Policies RFP, Arnold Ventures will support randomized controlled trials and strong quasi-experimental studies designed to provide credible, actionable evidence. The strongest proposals will help policymakers distinguish between reforms that are merely appealing and those that meaningfully improve student outcomes over the long term. Letters of interest are due November 13, 2026.
For more information, please see the Causal Research on the Impacts of K‑12 School Policies RFP.
