Research Reports and Studies

The State Board of Education periodically conducts research and other activities that result in the publication of reports, papers and other materials. In addition, members of the Board often participate as members of commissions, task forces and study groups which produce reports. This site contains research and studies conducted by the Board and select reports published by commissions on which members of the Board served.

Annual Report to the Governor and General Assembly

2022 Annual Report (PDF)

2021 Annual Report (PDF)

2020 Annual Report (PDF)

2017 Annual Report (PDF)

2016 Annual Report (PDF)
2015 Annual Report (PDF)

2013 Annual Report (PDF)
2011 Annual Report (PDF)
2010 Annual Report (PDF)

Report on Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights Violations

Act 70 Report (PDF)

Appendix C Act 70 Survey Results (PDF)

Report on Public School Entity Data Collection Reduction

Act 86 of 2016 directed the State Board of Education to review existing data collection requirements for public school entities in the areas of finance, human resources, food services, transportation, child accounting, athletics, health and special education. The Board was directed to submit a report of its findings and recommendations on data collection requirements that are redundant, overly burdensome or no longer necessary to the Chairman and Minority Chairman of the Education Committee of the Senate and the Chairman and Minority Chairman of the Education Committee of the House of Representatives. Below is the report issued by the Board in January 2017.

Report on Public School Entity Data Collection Reduction (PDF)

School Library Study

House Resolution 987 of 2010 directed the State Board of Education to work with PDE to conduct a study of library services for students in kindergarten through grade 12 in each public school building in the Commonwealth. Learn more about School Library Study.

Benefits and Detriments of Mandating Dating Violence Education

Act 104 of 2010 directed the State Board of Education to conduct a study of the benefits and detriments of mandatory dating violence education and to submit a report of its recommendations to the Chairman and Minority Chairman of the Education Committee of the Senate and the Chairman and Minority Chairman of the Education Committee of the House of Representatives. Below is the report issued by the Board in January 2014.

The Benefits and Detriments of Mandating Dating Violence Education in the Public Schools of the Commonwealth (PDF)

Common Core Alignment Study

Evaluation of the Alignment between PA Academic Standards and the Common Core Standards (June 2010) (PDF)
Implementing the Common Core Standards in PA: Reflections from the Field: A State Board of Education White Paper (PDF)

Report of the College Textbook Policies Advisory Committee

Updated Report of the College Textbook Policies and Advisory Committee (November 2021) (PDF)
Textbook Affordability Report (PDF)
Update to the Report of the College Textbook Policies Advisory Committee (PDF)
Report of the College Textbook Policies Advisory Committee (September 2018) (PDF)

Master Plan for Basic Education

Master Plan for Basic Education (PDF)

Master Plan for Higher Education

Master Plan for Higher Education (September 2005) (PDF)

Report on The Cost of Higher Education in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania enrolls more students in higher education than all but three states in the country. Higher education options abound, ranging from community colleges to public and state-related universities to a broad array of independent institutions. Pennsylvania also can boast of having one of the largest need-based grant aid programs in the country. The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) annually distributes grant aid to Pennsylvania college students across the Commonwealth.

Despite all of these merits, the cost of attending college in Pennsylvania is a serious and growing concern. This issue has been exacerbated by recent reports of a student loan crisis that threatens to constrict access to affordable loans and further reduce postsecondary education options.

The Cost of Higher Education in Pennsylvania (November 2008) (PDF)

Report of the Governor's Commission on College and Career Success

This report of the Governor's Commission of College and Career Success makes recommendations to ensure that today's high school graduates are prepared to be the citizens and workers that the commonwealth's economy demands.

Governor's Commission on College and Career Success (PDF)

Education Costing-Out Study

Pennsylvania's Education Costing-Out Study was requested by the General Assembly in House Bill 185 of 2005 and overseen by the State Board of Education. House Bill 185 directed the State Board to conduct or provide for a comprehensive statewide Costing-Out Study to arrive at a determination of the basic cost per pupil to provide an education that will permit a student to meet the state's academic standards. Learn more about Education Costing-Out Study.

PSSA Validity Study

As part of Pennsylvania's examination of the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA), the Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO) investigated whether PSSA scores are appropriately related to other measures of education achievement. Learn more about PSSA Validity Study.