Affirmative Action Despite two Supreme Court rulings on the issue since 2012, the future of affirmative action in college admissions is still unclear, and it remains one of the most contentious issues in the United States. Bullying Prevention and School Safety Bullying presents one of the greatest health risks to children, youth, and young adults in U.S. society today. School safety, including the prevention is bullying, is a top national priority and a key area of academic research. Common Core State Standards The Common Core State Standards, released in 2010 for English language arts and mathematics, have been adopted by 45 states and the District of Columbia. Early Education Early education, including preschool, prekindergarten, and programs such as Head Start, is a robust area of education research. LGBTQ+ Recent legal, social, and policy shifts in support of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LBGTQ) people are causing educators and education researchers to address LGBTQ issues with a new sense of legitimacy and urgency. School Choice Programs that offer students and their parents options to local public schools – including vouchers, charter schools, magnet schools, and open enrollment – are increasingly common and hotly debated. Value Added Models Over the past decade, the use of value‐added models (VAM) in teacher and administrator evaluation has grown nationally, while becoming one of education’s most controversial issues.