free educational articles for students

Articles for Students

Scholastic Classroom Magazines combine authentic texts with digital resources to ignite student engagement and raise achievement in every content area. 

These free articles cover some of our most popular topics, from current events to social and emotional learning. Share them with your students, share them on social media, or just check them out for yourself!

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Awesome Articles for Students: Websites and Other Resources

All of these sites are free.

In today’s digital world, we seem to be surrounded by news. Clickbait, anyone? Yet the pervasive and often intrusive nature of internet news articles belies the fact that many of these sites are behind a paywall, biased, or feature low-quality reporting.

Still, online articles are a great starting point for all kinds of learning assignments across the curriculum. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best free article websites for students. Many of these sites offer not only high-quality topical articles on every subject, but also ideas for lessons, such as questions, quizzes, and discussion prompts.

Student Article Websites

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CommonLit With thousands of high-quality, Common Core-aligned reading passages for grades 3-12, this easy-to-use literacy site is a rich source of English and Spanish texts and lessons. Search by theme, grade, Lexile score, genre, and even literary devices such as alliteration or foreshadowing. Texts are accompanied by teacher guides, paired texts activities, and assessments. Teachers can share lessons and track student progress with a free account. 

DOGOnews News articles featuring current events, science, social studies, world events, civics, environment, sports, weird/fun news, and more. Free access to all articles. Premium accounts offer extras such as simplified and audio versions, quizzes, and critical thinking challenges. 

CNN10 Replacing the popular CNN Student News, CNN 10 provides 10-minute video news stories on current events of international importance, explaining how the event fits into the broader news narrative. 

KiwiKids News Created by a New Zealand primary school educator, Kiwi Kids News features free articles about health, science, politics (including U.S. political topics), animals, and the Olympics. Kids will love the “Odd Stuff” articles, which focus on unusual news, from the world’s biggest potato to centenarian athletes. 

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PBS NewsHour Daily News Lessons Daily articles covering current events in video format. Each lesson includes a full transcript, fact list, summary, and focus questions. 

NYT Daily Lessons/Article of the Day The New York Times Daily Lessons builds a classroom lesson around a new article each day, offering thoughtful questions for writing and discussion, as well as related ideas for further study. Perfect for practicing critical thinking and literacy skills for middle and high school students, it’s a part of the larger NYT Learning Network , which provides an abundance of activities for students and resources for teachers.

The Learning Network Current event articles, student opinion essays, movie reviews, students review contests, and more. The educator resource section offers top-notch teaching and professional development resources. 

News For Kids With the motto “Real News, Told Simply,” News for Kids strives to present the latest topics in U.S. and world news, science, sports, and the arts in a way that’s accessible to most readers. Features a coronavirus update page .

ReadWorks A fully free research-based platform, Readworks provides thousands of nonfiction and fiction passages searchable by topic, activity type, grade, and Lexile level. Educator guides cover differentiation, hybrid and remote learning, and free professional development. Great resource for teachers.

Science News for Students Winner of multiple awards for journalism, Science News for Students publishes original science, technology, and health features for readers ages 9-14. Stories are accompanied by citations, recommended readings, glossaries, readability scores, and classroom extras. Be sure to check out Top 10 tips to stay safe during an epidemic . 

Teaching Kids News A terrific site that publishes readable and teachable articles on news, art, science, politics, and more for students grades 2-8. Bonus: The Fake News resource section links to online games about fake news and images. A must for any digital citizen.

Smithsonian Tween Tribune An excellent resource for articles on a wide range of topics, including animals, national/world news, sports, science, and much more. Searchable by topic, grade, and Lexile reading score. Lesson plans offer great ideas for the classroom and simple, usable frameworks for implementing these in any grade. 

Wonderopolis Have you ever wondered if llamas really spit or if animals like art? Every day, the award-winning Wonderopolis posts a new standard-based article exploring intriguing questions such as these. Students may submit their own questions and vote for their favorites. Be sure to check out “Wonders with Charlie,” featuring acclaimed writer, producer, and director Charlie Engelman.

Youngzine A unique news site for young people that focuses on climate science, solutions, and policies to address the myriad effects of global warming. Kids have an opportunity to express their views and literary creativity by submitting poetry or essays. 

Scholastic Kids Press A multinational group of young journalists ages 10-14 report the latest news and fascinating stories about the natural world. Features sections dedicated to coronavirus and civics.

National Geographic Kids A fine library of articles about animals, history, science, space, and—of course—geography. Students will enjoy the “Weird But True” short videos, featuring fun animations about oddball topics.  

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Greater Good Science Center • Magazine • In Action • In Education

Our Best Education Articles of 2021

Our most popular education articles of 2021 explore how to navigate some of this year’s challenges—including grief, boredom, and isolation—while uplifting our capacity for connection, belonging, and healing. Several articles also highlight how character, conscience, and kindness can guide us toward greater meaning in our lives.

If you are looking for specific activities to support your students’ and colleagues’ social and emotional well-being in 2022, visit our  Greater Good in Education website, featuring  free  research-based practices, lessons, and strategies for cultivating kinder, happier, and more equitable classrooms and schools. And for a deeper dive into the science behind social-emotional learning, mindfulness, and ethical development, consider our suite of self-paced online courses for educational professionals, including our capstone course, Teaching and Learning for the Greater Good .

Here are the 12 best education articles of 2021, based on a composite ranking of pageviews and editors’ picks.

How to Help Students Feel a Sense of Belonging During the Pandemic , by Mary C. Murphy, Kathryn Boucher, and Christine Logel: Belonging and connection in the classroom contribute to success and well-being, particularly for marginalized students.

Four Ways Teachers Can Help Students Develop a Conscience , by Vicki Zakrzewski: How do kids develop a sense of right and wrong—and what can educators do to help them act on their conscience?

How to Help Students of Color Find Their Power , by Brandy Arnold: Project Wayfinder is helping Black and Latino students explore their identities and goals.

What a Children’s Book Taught Me (and My Students) About Grief , by Lauren McGovern: Teaching sixth graders about grief helped teacher Lauren McGovern after the loss of her son.

36 Questions That Can Help Kids Make Friends , by Jill Suttie: A question-and-answer exercise may help middle schoolers build friendships, including with kids of different ethnicities.

How to Make This Hard Transition Back to School With Your Students , by Amy L. Eva: Here are three ways educators can support their students (and each other) this fall.

A Different Way to Respond When Kids Do Something Wrong , by Joanne Chen: Restorative practices—taking responsibility, making amends, and seeking forgiveness—are an alternative to strict punishments and blame.

What Do Kids Mean When They Say They’re Bored at School? , by Rebecca Branstetter: Boredom can be a temporary emotion or a sign of a deeper issue, says a school psychologist.

How to Help Students Be the Best Version of Themselves , by Karen E. Bohlin and Deborah Farmer Kris: When students are facing challenges, educators can help them reflect on—and act on—what matters to them.

Four Character Strengths That Can Help Kids Learn , by Carol Lloyd: Research suggests that fostering character strengths can help children be better students.

How Educators Can Help Make a Kinder World , by Vicki Zakrzewski: By integrating character education, SEL, and mindfulness, schools can cultivate the inherent goodness in students.

Three Strategies for Helping Students Discuss Controversial Issues , by Lauren Fullmer and Laura Bond: Here are research-based ways to facilitate civil discourse in the classroom.

Bonus: Science of Happiness Podcast Episodes

Episode 94: How to Craft Your Life : When the world around you changes, so can your goals. Our guest, Patty Brown, tries a practice to tap into a new sense of purpose.

Episode 96: Don’t Be Afraid of Your Anger : What happens when we suppress our anger? And what if we tried to work with it instead? Our guest, Soraya Chemaly, tries a practice to harness her inner fierceness to care for herself.

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17 Useful Article Sites for Students

January 11, 2022 //  by  Kay Bancroft

As the popularity of student-led learning grows, so does the importance of providing our learners with safe and accurate research sources. While we want to encourage school students to explore their interests, we have to remember that the internet offers a vast supply of information, some of which is unregulated.

We want to help you guide your students to accurate and trusted resources, which is why we've done the hard work for you and found 17 of the best websites for student research.

Sites For Younger Students (K-5th Grade)

1. national geographic kids .

National Geographic Kids features content that is mostly focused on animals and the natural world but also has information on social studies topics too. The site offers educational games, videos, and other activities. Students can also find out 'Weird But True' facts and tour countries around the world.

Learn more: National Geographic Kids

2. DK Find Out!

DK Find Out! is a fun site covering many topics, such as science and math, along with content that is less commonly covered such as transportation, language arts, and computer coding. The site is easy to navigate and includes videos, quizzes, and fun facts.

Learn more: DK Find Out!

Epic! is a digital library and e-reader website and app with a collection of over 40,000 children's books. Students can search for texts and also be assigned texts to read by their teacher. Free accounts are available to use during the school day.

There is also a built-in dictionary feature and a large number of 'read to me' texts, which are excellent for students who may not be able to read independently yet.

Epic! also includes an educational video library, magazines, and options to track student activity. Some texts can also be downloaded for offline use if access to an internet connection is an issue.

Learn more: Epic!

4. Ducksters

Ducksters is quite a text-heavy site, so best for use with older students who have already developed independent reading and note-taking skills. It offers a range of social studies and scientific content, but it is an especially great resource for researching the US and world history. Along with written content, the site also has a collection of games for students to play.

Learn more: Ducksters

5. BrainPOP Jr.

BrainPOP Jr has a huge archive of videos on a broad range of topics. Each video is around 5 minutes long and kids will be tickled by the two main characters, Annie and Moby. This is a great resource to use if you've taught your students how to take notes from watching videos, although the transcripts for each video can also be accessed. The website also includes quizzes and activities for students to complete after watching the videos.

Learn more: BrainPOP Jr.

6. Kids Discover

Kids Discover is a vast, award-winning library of non-fiction content for students, featuring interesting articles and videos that will have them hooked! Students will need an account but there is some free content available.

Learn more: Kids Discover

7. Wonderopolis

Head to the Wonderopolis website and explore the world of wonders! The content on this site covers a wide range of educational topics. Articles have embedded photos and videos for easy access, and the search tool will help students find the information they need.

Learn more: Wonderopolis

8. Fact Monster

Fact Monster combines reference materials, homework assistance, educational games, and fun facts for kids. From the solar system to the world economy, Fact Monster has a wide range of information that your students might find useful in their research.

Learn more: Fact Monster

9. TIME for Kids

TIME for Kids aims to nurture today's learners and tomorrow's leaders with original news articles and interviews. Help your students grow the critical-thinking skills required to become active global citizens. The site is geared towards helping students understand the news and world around them.

Learn more: TIME for Kids

Sites for Older Students (6th Grade -12th Grade)

10. brainpop.

The older sibling of BrainPOP Jr, BrainPOP is aimed at older students and features videos based on a higher level curriculum. Tim takes over from Annie to interact with Moby, and the videos cover more information at a greater depth while at a faster pace.

Learn more: BrainPOP

11. Newslea

Containing a vast range of educational content, your students are sure to find the resources they need at Newslea. Material is aligned to academic standards and also includes wellness activities. You will need to subscribe to this site in order to access its content, but certain types of funding are available.

Learn more: News ELA

12. New York Times

The New York Times has the latest, up-to-the-minute articles informing your students of current events happening around the world. Be mindful that this is a news site aimed at adults, and so you should think carefully about the age and maturity of your students before directing them to this site. The site has a vast collection of online articles that students may find useful in their research.

Learn more: New York Times

13. National Public Radio (NPR)

Again, another NPR is another site of excellent journalistic material that is geared towards an adult audience. A great place to direct students if they are looking for reputable coverage of current events.

Learn more: National Public Radio (NPR)

14. National Museum of American History

The National Museum of American History website is a useful resource for exploring history and viewing artifacts. The website also provides suggestions to other Smithsonian pages that might be of use to your students' topics of research.

Learn more: National Museum of American History

15. How Stuff Works

'How Stuff Works' is an interesting collection of videos and articles which explain, well, how things work! Great for any curious student who wants to dig a little deeper into the science behind something.

Learn more: How Stuff Works

16. History

Did you know that the well-known 'History Channel' has a site where you can read articles about important historical events? Events are categorized in a variety of ways, making it easy for students to find what they are looking for.

Learn more: History

17. Google Scholar

Now, Google Scholar is not a website where students can view information. Think of it more as a tool created to help readers find the literature of a scholarly nature on the internet. From the search bar, students are able to locate peer-reviewed papers, books, theses, abstracts, and journal articles from a range of academic publishers. It is a great tool for helping your students find and explore educational resources.

Learn more: Google Scholar

Internet Safety

It's worth noting that while these sites are designed for children and teenagers, advertisements may still pop up or students may be tempted to stray to different sites. We recommend that you always check out a site yourself before recommending it to your students. It might be wise to consider teaching an online safety lesson before starting any kind of online research project with your students.

You could reach out to your technology department for help with this. There are also some great ideas for lessons on sites such as Teachers Pay Teachers.

The Library

Don't discount your school library for excellent resources and access to texts! Connect with your school librarian and provide them with a list of research topics. They are usually more than happy to dig out some age-appropriate texts and check them out for you to use in your classroom.

However, we all know that one student with a super-specific and obscure interest, and that's when the internet can be an invaluable tool! Online resources are also excellent for when students don't have access to hard copy books, such as during remote learning.

Librarians can also tell you about any sites or databases your school subscribes to and how to navigate online texts you may have access to.

Taking Notes and Plagiarism

Along with teaching students about internet safety, it's also imperative to teach them how to take notes properly and avoid copying straight from the text.

Again, there are some great lessons and videos out there on how to take notes and write research in our own words. Students will definitely need some time and practice with it, but it's a useful topic on which to have a class discussion before they get started.

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The 50 best short articles & essays to read for students, the capital t truth by david foster wallace, this is the life by annie dillard, things we think we know by chuck klosterman, why does it feel like everyone has more money than you by jen doll, phoning it in by stanley bing, the fringe benefits of failure, and the importance of imagination by j.k. rowling, 50 more articles about life, love and relationships, crazy love by steven pinker, no labels, no drama, right by jordana narin, the limits of friendship by maria konnikova, 50 more articles about love and relationships, words and writing, writing, briefly by paul graham, write like a mofo by cheryl strayed, 20 more articles about writing, the same river twice by david quammen, you can't kill the rooster by david sedaris, scars by david owen, 100 more short memoirs, a brief history of forever by tavi gevinson, school for girls by jasmin aviva sandelson, 50 more articles about growing up, why we play by eva holland, why sports are for losers by matt taibbi, 50 more articles about sports, keep your identity small by paul graham, the muggle problem by ross douthat, 75 more articles about politics, notes of a native son by james baldwin, a letter to my nephew by james baldwin, a place where we are everything by roxane gay, 30 more articles about race, what no one else will tell you about feminism by lindy west, bad feminist by roxane gay, 10 more articles about feminism, holy water by joan didion, how to disagree by paul graham, so what if mountain dew can melt mice by chuck klosterman, 150 great articles and essays.

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Science News

Free science resources for educators and parents.

Schools around the world have closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, leaving parents and teachers scrambling to figure out how kids can learn at home. We can help! Science News Explores and the Science News in High Schools Digital Library offer a variety of free, age-appropriate STEM resources for kids from fifth through 12th grades. 

Science News Explores 

Stay up to date on the latest news and science discoveries with articles written in a kid-friendly way. Science News Explores offers helpful resources for at-home learning, including:

• Experiments . Learn science by doing science! Using real scientific research projects as a guide, Science News Explores shows kids how to apply the scientific method to make their own experiments at home.
• Explainers . Ever wonder how scientists read brain activity, or how the greenhouse effect works? Use this series of articles to explore core science concepts behind the news, including the new coronavirus.  
• Discussion Questions . Some articles come with questions that students can answer before, during and after reading to enhance comprehension.
• Let’s learn about . This new series mixes STEM learning and fun. Stories are paired with relevant educational resources, a new word find puzzle and fun content such as videos from elsewhere on the Web. 

For more info on the free resources Science News Explores offers, check out our guide for kids and parents .

Science News in High Schools

The Science News in High Schools Digital Library has dozens upon dozens of original STEM-related exercises, all tied to Science News articles. Whether you’re looking for material about evolution, space, chemistry, climate change, public health or anything in between — we’ve got you covered. Use these resources to engage students with core high school concepts or to build virtual lessons for your students.

• Comprehension questions and Discussion prompts . Ask students to read an article and answer the related questions to check their comprehension, or engage them in a conversation that makes connections to current events and across fields of science.
• Activities . Experiments, along with exercises on data analysis, diagramming and designing research projects, put students at the center of their learning. Use these activities at home or to increase virtual collaboration among students.
• Paired articles . Most exercises connect to a Science News article and a Science News Explores version, written at a lower reading level, to best meet each child’s needs.
• Student worksheets and answer keys . Downloadable worksheets are easy to print out, and answer keys make it simple to check the work.

Search the Digital Library using any keyword to find resources to engage your kids. You can also use the filters to narrow by exercise type, science topic and NGSS-DCI Alignment codes.

The Science News in High Schools program serves nearly 5,000 public high schools across the United States and worldwide. If you’re interested in receiving free Science News magazines plus educator resources next school year, sign up here .

We hope these resources help you through these challenging times. Have a question or a suggestion about these resources? E-mail [email protected] .

Subscribers, enter your e-mail address for full access to the Science News archives and digital editions.

Not a subscriber? Become one now .

Ten Websites with Free Articles and Passages

This summer, after attending a reading workshop, I’ve made it my goal to amp up and improve my guided reading and shared reading instruction. With this in mind, I’ve been rounding up ten websites with free articles and passages for upper elementary, and I thought I would share those with you.

“Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with any of the above websites or am I receiving any form of compensation. These are simply some websites that I enjoy using as a teacher with my classes.”

• Read more about: graphic organizers , reading , reading response

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Best Educational Websites for Kids: Top Picks for Learning and Fun

Melanie Smith

The best educational websites for kids are so fun that children don’t even realize they’re learning! These platforms typically offer lots of ways to support kids’ classroom learning, and even help them get ready for their first day at school.

Below we’re going to round up the best options for your children to enjoy, including free learning websites for kids and a look at some of the most popular platforms.

The Best Educational Websites for Kids

More educational websites for kids, khan academy.

Credit: khanacademy.org

• For Ages: Pre-Kindergarteners to College Students

Khan Academy is a non-profit platform that offers learners, teachers, and parents a vast library of standards-aligned lessons, videos, articles, and practice questions. You can find everything here from pre-Kindergarten math activities all the way through to college-level programming lessons—and everything in between.

Whether you’d like an introduction to philosophy for your third grader, some science practice questions for your ninth grader, or an internet safety lesson for the whole family, you’ll find an amazing array of resources on the Khan Academy website. All of the content is geared towards kids and designed to be immersive—plus, the personalized learning model means that children can learn at their own pace, without pressure.

Starfall Education

Credit: starfall.com

• Cost: Free basic access, subscription required to access all content
• For Ages: Kindergarteners to Grade Five

This educational website offers games-based learning for kindergarteners to fifth graders and features plenty of resources for parents and teachers to help support children’s learning, too. The focus is very much on fun and accessibility, and it’s quick and easy to get started with the platform.

Starfall was originally developed by teachers and has been operating for over twenty years. It’s founded on the belief that play, exploration, and positive reinforcement are the keys to engaging and motivating kids to learn. As well as helping children develop their reading skills, the platform also provides lessons and resources in languages, arts, and math.

PBS Education

Credit: pbslearningmedia.org

• For Ages: Pre-Kindergarteners to Grade Twelve

Although designed for teachers, this is one of those free educational websites that are super useful for parents and kids, too. The platform offers a wide range of curated and curriculum-aligned lesson plans, interactive activities, and resources on topics including English, maths, science, art, the social sciences, engineering and technology, health and physical education, and world languages.

Topical collections focused on specific learning objectives can also be found on the platform, to help really get your child interested and engaged in a subject. These collections include American Sign Language, the US History Collection, and Election Central.

Credit: logiclike.com

LogicLike is an engaging educational platform designed for children from kindergarten to fifth grade. This website offers a variety of logic puzzles and games that help develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills in a fun and interactive way. With a focus on logical reasoning, the platform provides resources for both parents and teachers to support children’s learning journeys.

LogicLike is developed by a team of educators and experts in child development, ensuring that the content is both educational and enjoyable. The platform aims to make learning an adventure, encouraging kids to explore different types of puzzles and challenges that stimulate their minds. From math problems to language puzzles, LogicLike covers a broad spectrum of educational topics that keep children engaged and motivated.

Unlock your child’s potential with LogicLike . Start their journey towards better logical reasoning and problem-solving skills today by signing up for free!

Credit: funbrain.com

• For Ages: Kindergarteners to Grade Eight

The great thing about educational games is that kids are so busy having a blast that they don’t even notice how much they’re learning at the same time! The popular education platform Funbrain hosts a huge range of vibrant games designed specifically to be age-appropriate and support kids’ learning. As well as games, you’ll also find videos, worksheets, and stories on the site, and a math zone and virtual playground for younger children.

Funbrain offers lots of opportunities to support your child’s reading, with a library of online kid-friendly books including Diary of a Wimpy Kid , My Father’s Dragon , The Cat That Broke the Internet’s Back , and Judy Moody Predicts the Future .

ABCYa! Learning Games and Apps

Credit: abcya.com

• Cost: Free, or subscribe to unlock additional content
• For Ages: Pre-Kindergarteners to Grade Six+

ABCYa! is one of the top platforms for educational games and apps, and has been featured in The New York Times , Scholastic , and Parents . You’ll find over three hundred games on the site, all of which have been designed by parents and teachers, and underpinned by the idea that kids learn better when they’re having fun. All of the games are categorized by subject and age, with topics available including math, pattern recognition, typing, and much more.

Kids will love apps such as Create a Car, Donut Drop, and Word Bingo, which are effective ways to solidify school learning and introduce new subjects. Although there is plenty of free content to enjoy, to unlock all the platform’s apps and games you’ll need to purchase a subscription, which starts at $9.99 a month.

National Geographic Kids

Credit: kids.nationalgeographic.com

• For Ages: Pre-Kindergarteners to Grade Eight

Educational websites don’t get much more exciting than National Geographic Kids! Your child will relish exploring the extensive array of resources about countries, cultures, habitats, and animals which include interactive games and maps, articles, video clips, and Homework Help. The latter is a great way to support children with their school projects or research.

The best thing about this platform is that the resources available are continually expanding, so kids will always find new content to delve into. The site is friendly, engaging, user-friendly, and designed to be entertaining, making learning about the world around them a breeze.

Read also: Mastering Milestones: What Do Kids Learn in Kindergarten?

Sesame Street Pre-School Games

Credit: sesamestreet.org

• For Ages: Pre-School

The Sesame Street show has been entertaining young kids and helping them learn for generations, and its online platform, packed with games for pre-schoolers, is continuing the tradition. On the site, kids will find podcasts, games, interactive activities, and much more, all designed to enhance their learning and boost their well-being.

Parents love the fact that they can create their own playlists of videos and games for their kids to navigate, and the podcasts make for educating entertainment even on the go. As well as plenty of content designed to help kids get started with math and reading, there are sections on emotional well-being, autism, and even financial education, all geared specifically to the needs of very young children.

CoolMath4Kids

Credit: coolmath4kids.com

• For Ages: Grades One to Twelve

For kids needing a quick refresher on a math topic they’ve already studied, or an introduction to a new math subject, CoolMath4Kids could be really helpful. The platform boasts loads of math games, activities, quizzes, and brain teasers, and the content covers addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and fractions.

The site developed back in 1994, remains committed to making math enjoyable and fun—and even cool—and over the years has helped millions of visitors get to grips with the subject. The printable flashcards available are also a great resource for kids studying for a test or exam.

Credit: pbskids.org/games

• For Ages: Pre-Kindergarten to Grade Twelve

A veritable treasure trove of educational resources for kids of all ages, PBS Games covers an extensive range of topics from science and math to reading support to world languages to health. The site is extremely user-friendly and searchable by grade and subject, with content also helpfully linked to national and state standards, so you can see exactly how each activity will support your kid’s school learning.

The variety of resource types will keep kids engaged; they can discover videos, lessons, audio recordings, images, games, and other materials on the platform to pique their interest. As a parent, you can curate content for your child, to create a unique learning experience that’s most suitable for them.

• Cost: $16.50 a month, free thirty-day trial period available
• For Ages: Kindergarteners to Grade Two

An eye-popping ten thousand educational activities can be found on ABCmouse including puzzles, games, read-to-me books, songs, and loads more. Subjects covered are reading, math, science, and art and colors and the site has been certified as kid-safe by Coppa, for parental peace of mind.

The platform deploys a step-by-step learning path model that guides and motivates children as they move through the levels, with the rewards system providing further encouragement. Even the most reluctant of learners will be keen to engage with the site’s content. Parents appreciate that there are no distracting ads or external links on the ABCmouse website—and the Adventure Academy offers further learning adventures for older kids who are ready to move on.

Mystery Science

Credit: mysteryscience.com

• Cost: $119 a year for home use

Especially useful for those homeschooling their kids, the Mystery Science platform offers a comprehensive and complete standards-aligned curriculum, designed to teach each subject in full. However, its resources can also be used to support school learning or as a refresher course. Mystery Science really stands out with its innovative approach designed to get kids excited by and engaged in science; it’s all about engaging investigations, fun experiments, and both written and 3D assessments.

Each lesson comprises a combination of hands-on learning tasks and assessments, along with videos and e-books that can be used to continue learning. Shorter videos paired with writing prompts are available, too, as mini-lessons, for ultimate flexibility and adaptability.

TED Talks for Kids

Credit: ted.com/playlists

• For Ages: Kindergarteners to Grade Twelve

TED Talks have long been known for their ability to inspire, engage, and educate, and there’s a whole TED Talk platform specifically geared to kids. The subjects of the talks are dizzyingly varied, and whether you’d like to give your kid a grounding in a new subject or simply open their minds to something entirely unexpected, you’ll find it on this site.

Some of the highlights on TED Talks for Kids include A Performance of Mathemagic, which sees mathemagician Arthur Benjamin have a race with calculators to solve a math problem and tackle a brain-busting mental equation, Hands-On Science with Squishy Circuits, and Underwater Astonishments.

Art for Kids Hub on Youtube

Credit: youtube.com/user/ArtforKidsHub

• For Ages: Kindergarteners+

Kids will love Youtube’s Art for Kids Hub, for its huge range of how-to videos, guiding them through creating everything from painting a Mother’s Day bouquet to sketching a fun cartoon character. Each video is full of positive energy, and designed to get kids excited about art and confident to try out new techniques. Videos follow a simple, kids’-pace, step-by-step format, with one of the host’s kids usually joining in the lesson, too. Budding artists that are ready for a challenge will find harder videos to try.

Whether you’d like to get your kid interested in art, are looking for a rainy day activity , or are seeking some how-to art videos that you can enjoy as a family, the Art for Kids Hub could be the perfect platform.

How Stuff Works

Credit: howstuffworks.com

• For Ages: Grade 8+

Kids ask the best questions. As parents, we’re regularly caught out by inquiries such as ‘Why are deserts hot?’, ‘What causes certain smells?’ and ‘What’s a subpoena?’ Happily, help is at hand with the brilliant educational website which has in-depth answers to all these questions and hundreds more! The content is largely geared towards older kids, and covers a wide range of subjects from science to engineering, from ethics to culture, and from history to legal systems.

As well as the entertaining articles, kids will also enjoy the videos, crosswords, riddles, puzzles, and quizzes, to help consolidate what they’ve learned and encourage them to keep learning.

And as for why deserts are hot? It has to do with several factors, the key of which is the low specific heat capacity of rock and sand, meaning they retain little heat during the day, causing temperatures to rise quickly once the sun rises.

Credit: resource-bank.scholastic.co.uk

• For Ages: Pre-Kindergarteners to Grade Six

The Scholastic website is packed full of resources for parents to help their kids learn at home, with the aim of developing key skills, boosting their understanding, and reaching their full potential. Topics and areas of learning are clearly organized, allowing parents to easily find the right content for their child.

As well as educational games, standalone worksheets, and arts and crafts projects, Scholastic offers a comprehensive library of resources to help children get ready for school for the first time, designed to build self-esteem and essential skills. Reading lists and book activity packs are also a useful addition, to help expand kids’ classroom learning or at-home studies.

Old Farmer’s Almanac for Kids

Credit: almanac.com

• For Ages: Grade Two+

An educational platform with a difference, the Old Farmer’s Almanac for Kids is focused on the natural world and our interactions with it. Children will enjoy finding out about things like moon phases, and what to look out for in the night sky month-by-month, how to get started growing their own fruit and vegetables, and exploring the many kid-friendly recipes.

This site is a wonderful way to help kids reconnect with the world around them, and understand how natural cycles fundamentally affect the foods we grow and eat. The Old Farmer’s Almanac has been regularly published since 1792 and, in its new digital format, is set to keep going for the foreseeable future.

Gus on the Go

Credit: gusonthego.com

• Cost: $3.99
• For Ages: Pre-Kindergartener and Kindergartener

Young children can dive into a fun adventure learning Spanish, French, Greek, Hebrew, or one of the platform’s other thirty available languages, via the Gus on the Go app. Ten interactive lessons for each language include vocabulary reviews and exciting games to keep kids’ attention on their learning. While the app costs $3.99, the Ingush version, as an endangered language, is free. This is part of the company’s drive to protect vulnerable languages and promote language diversity.

Parents highly rate the educational, intuitive, and interactive nature of the app, reporting that their kids have enjoyed learning via the platform and have been keen to discover more. On the Gus on the Go website, you’ll also find a library of free printables, to further help your child as they gain proficiency in a new language.

Daria — World Music for Children

Credit: dariamusic.com

• Cost: Free, with additional resources available to purchase
• For Ages: Pre-Kindergartener+

This award-winning website is all about making exploring and playing music fun for kids of all ages, from kindergarten to elementary school to middle school and upward! On the platform, children can discover interesting instruments from around the world, and not only have the opportunity to hear how they sound but even make their own versions at home. These include didgeridoos from Australia, box drums from Latin America, and shekeres from Africa.

Daria — World Music for Children may be particularly helpful for bilingual kids or those who are learning another language, as there are many songs on the platform with lyrics in both English and Spanish, Hebrew, Zulu, Yiddish, Arabic, and Quechua.

Credit: storyplace.org

• For Ages: Pre-Schooler

Want to help your pre-schooler start their learning to read adventure? Check out the StoryPlace website to find stories and activities they’ll love, helpfully arranged by theme. The site aims to act as a virtual library for children and, as well as all the fun content on offer for kids, parents can find plenty of information here on early literacy.

To give you an idea of how the platform works, say you choose the Pet theme for your child. They’ll have access to an online story to enjoy, and a related activity, video, and reading list, to keep the learning and exploring going.

To ensure your child’s safety while they explore these educational resources, consider using the Findmykids app . It allows you to monitor their online activity and keep track of their whereabouts, giving you peace of mind. Download Findmykids today and keep your child’s learning journey safe and secure!

Kaspars Grinvalds/Shutterstock.com

Looking for more educational inspiration for your little learners? These websites are also all worth checking out:

• Night Zookeeper , from $9.92 a month. Free trial available.
• Brainscape , some free content, subscription is required to unlock all content, which costs from $9.99 a month.
• Quizlet , limited version free, subscriptions cost from $7.99 a month.
• CodeWizardsHQ , $149 per course.
• LeapFrog , $7.99 a month, free trial available.
• SplashLearn , from $7.99 a month.
• TIME for Kids , free.
• Nick Jr , free.
• Exploratorium , free.
• CoolMath , free.
• DOGOnews , free.
• Monterey Bay Aquarium Learning from Home , free.

Get Set for Happy Little (and Big!) Learners

fizkes/Shutterstock.com

The best educational websites are immersive and fuse fun activities with high-quality learning, combining games, videos, interactivities, and more. Whether you want to support your kid’s in-class learning, give them an introduction to a new topic, inspire them, or simply offer them some educational entertainment, use the list above to find the right platform. When kids are motivated, engaged, and having fun, they not only learn more effectively—but are keen to learn more.

Is there a particular educational platform or website your kids use that you’ve been really impressed with? Are there any your child loves that don’t feature in our list? We’d be interested to know about them—drop us a line in the comments box below.

Which website is best for kids’ learning?

While the best educational website for your child will depend on their age, needs, and preferences, some of the most popular are Khan Academy, Starfall Education, and ABCYa!

Which website is best for learning for free?

There are many free educational websites out there, including Sesame Street, PBS Kids, Starfall, and National Geographic Kids. All of these platforms are completely free to use.

What is similar to ABCMouse but free?

Khan Academy is a similar platform to ABCMouse, but parents and kids can access its content for free. PBS Education is also a good alternative to Khan Academy.

Is Khan Academy Kids free?

All of the content, including lessons, videos, and resources on the Khan Academy platform is totally free to access and use.

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The Big List of Free Teaching Resources for All Ages and Subjects in 2023

Loads of fun and interesting lessons, videos, activities and more.

According to the U.S. Department of Education , teachers spend an average of $479 of their own money on classroom supplies per year. That’s why WeAreTeachers is all about free teaching resources. We’re always on the lookout for sites and sources that offer lesson plans, printables, videos, and all the other things teachers need to make their lives a little easier. Our list has options for pre-K through high school, in every subject. In short, there’s something for every teacher!

To start, we’ve got lots of terrific options right here on our site. Take a look at some of these top roundups. Then, be sure to browse the site for anything else you might need.

• Free Printables from WeAreTeachers
• Awesome Websites for Teaching and Learning Math
• Best Free and Paid Reading Websites for Kids
• Fantastic Free Science Videos for Kids and Teens
• Top Free and Paid Sources for Teacher Clipart
• Free Sites and Apps To Use With Google Classroom
• Free Jamboard Ideas and Templates for Teachers
• Amazing Educational Virtual Field Trips

Now, on to the rest of the big list of free teaching resources!

Annenberg Learner

Check out this site for both multimedia K-12 classroom resources and teacher professional development podcasts and learning activities.

Sample lessons: Art Through Time: A Global View , Amusement Park Physics Interactive , A Biography of America

Sponsored by the Kennedy Center, ArtsEdge provides arts-centered, standards-based resources for K-12.

Sample lessons: Animal Habitats , Five Artists of the Mexican Revolution , Creating Comic Strips

Audubon for Kids

Nature activities, videos, games, DIY projects, and lessons to inspire children to explore and feel connected to the natural world.

Sample lessons: How To Make Hummingbird Nectar , Migration Story Interactive Game , Birds of Prey Poetry

Learn to code with these one-hour tutorials designed for learners of all ages in over 45 languages.

Sample lessons: Dance Party for grades 2+ , Tractor Traversal for grades 6+ , Space Adventure Code Monkey for grades 2-8

Free collection of reading passages in all literary and nonfiction genres for grades 3-12. Passages come with text-dependent questions that help you track student progress.

Sample lessons: Life Isn’t Fair—Deal With It , Who Was Anne Frank? , Witchcraft in Salem

Common Sense Education

Use this site for help teaching digital citizenship, and learn about the latest ed-tech.

Sample lessons: Your Rings of Responsibility , Keeping Games Fun and Friendly , Digital Drama Unplugged

Core Knowledge

The Core Knowledge Foundation provides open access to content-rich curriculum materials for preschool through grade 8, including the Core Knowledge Curriculum Series™.

Sample resources: Social Skills Posters , The Human Body , Ancient Egypt

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

This is one of the most well-known research labs for birds and birding. They’ve got a quality selection of activities and lessons, with K-12 options.

Sample lessons: Investigating Evidence , BirdSleuth Investigator , Flap to the Future

Student-appropriate news articles, with original and simplified options. You can also listen to the article, a terrific option for struggling readers.

Sample articles: Electreon Wants To Transform Roadways Into Charging Stations , Meet the New Millipede Species Named After Taylor Swift , Guess What? Fish Can Do Basic Math!

Sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities, this site provides tons of materials on teaching classic literature like Moby Dick or Lord of the Flies . You’ll also find lots of great resources for social studies, civics, and language arts.

Sample lessons: Examining Utopia & Dystopia in The Giver , Hopi Poetry , The Realism in Magical Realism

Education.com

With lots of printable worksheets and activity ideas, this site is a must-bookmark for teachers. You’ll get a limited amount of free resources each month. Or you can sign up for a very affordable membership for unlimited access.

Sample activities: Math Crossword Puzzle , Firework Science , Understand Volume Using Sugar Cubes

Education World

Education World is a complete online resource for teachers, administrators, and school staff to find high-quality and in-depth original content. They offer more than 1,000 free lessons.

Sample lessons: Wacky Weather , What Would Oprah Say? , Changes in Habitat

EVERFI offers free digital courses that are interactive and standards-based. The focus is on real-world learning, with courses offered in financial literacy, STEM, social-emotional learning, health, and wellness.

Sample lessons: FutureSmart—Middle School Financial Education , The Compassion Project , Honor Code Bullying Prevention Curriculum

Games, books, videos, and printables for kids in grades pre-K to 8, all free! Resources are broken down by grade level, making it easy to find what you need.

Sample resources: What on Earth , Inkster , Penguin Drop

Textbook publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has compiled a big collection of activities for grades K-12. Activities, lessons, downloadables, videos, and more!

Sample resources: My Number Story , 90-Second Science , How To Write for TV

Jumpstart offers free teaching materials, including activities, worksheets, and lesson plans, for K-5 teachers.

Sample lessons: What a Wonderful World , Art of Recycling , Power Up Math

Khan Academy

Teachers everywhere rely on Khan for practice lessons and enrichment for their students. They have an especially robust high school section, with AP prep on a variety of topics.

Sample lessons: AP/College US History , Growth Mindset Activities , Intro to Multiplication

Learning for Justice

Formerly named Teaching Tolerance, this amazing site provides free resources that emphasize social justice and anti-bias to K-12 educators.

Sample lessons: Lessons From Goldilocks , Singing for Peace , Making Cents of Privilege

Library of Congress

Teach kids the proper way to use primary sources with lessons. Then, use the primary source sets here for research on lots of topics.

Sample lessons: Getting Started With Primary Sources , Alexander Hamilton Primary Source Set , Baseball Across a Changing Nation Set

Literacy Design Collaborative

LDC is a national community of educators that provides literacy-rich assignments and courses (organized by collection) across content areas.

Collections include: K-6 Civics Collection , National Writing Project Collection , NBCT Authors

NASA Science Space Place

Search hundreds of resources by subject, grade level, type, and keyword. These lesson plans and teaching materials support K-12 STEM curriculum. Includes a wide variety of at-home lessons as well.

Sample lessons: Explore Mars: A Mars Rover Game , Make a Balloon-Powered Nanorover , Parachute Code Message

National Gallery of Art

Teachers can borrow teaching packets and DVDs for a whole school year! Plus find lots of online help for teaching art.

Sample lessons: Elements of Art: Shape , Rousseau in the Jungle , Gordon Parks Photography

National Geographic

Bring National Geographic to your classroom through lesson plans, maps, and reference resources. Don’t miss Explorer Magazine , their free online publication for grades K-5.

Sample lessons: Wild Horses of the Outer Banks , El Nino , Traces of Ancient Rome in the Modern World

National Women’s History Museum

In addition to lesson plans, the free teaching resources here include National History Day projects and the Suffrage Resource Center.

Sample lessons: Songs of Protest , African American Activists, Little Rock Nine

Nature Lab is the Nature Conservancy’s youth curriculum platform, which provides lesson plans, videos and activities, and virtual field trips.

Sample lessons: How Dirt Works , Fighting Fire With Fire , Recording the Rainforest

The New York Times Learning Network

Teach and learn with the Times. Articles and questions, writing prompts, and lesson plans that coordinate with the New York Times Learning Network for teens. This site also provides access to professional growth resources and webinars for teachers, plus activities for students.

Sample lessons: 28 Ways To Teach and Learn About Poetry , Listen to Five of the World’s Newest, Wildest Instruments, 19 Ways To Teach the 19th Amendment

Newsela is a database of current events stories tailor-made for classroom use. Stories are both student-friendly and available in different formats by reading level.

Sample texts: Checking the Facts About U.S. Birthright Citizenship , The Human Heart as a Work of Art, Helping Endangered Lemurs Hang On

National Science Teaching Association promotes excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all. This site gives teachers access to NSTA magazines for students and teachers and lesson plans.

Sample lessons: Slippery Slide Design , Figure Skating Physics , Wolves in the Wild

OER Commons

Whatever you’re teaching, chances are you’ll find helpful lesson plans, activities, printables, texts, and more on OER Commons. Hubs and Groups give teachers a chance to connect and collaborate too.

Sample lesson: 1619 Project: The Idea of America , The 1992 L.A. Civil Unrest , Natural Disasters: Weather Bingo

It’s no secret that textbooks are incredibly pricey. OpenStax is out to change that by providing quality digital texts for free.

Sample books: Calculus , World History , Sociology

PBS Learning Media

Free, standards-aligned pre-K-12 instructional resources including lesson plans, videos, and interactives.

Sample lessons: What Happens When a Language Dies? , The Origami Revolution , The Spread of Disease

PepsiCo Recycle Rally

Recycle Rally is a terrific free program that helps schools set up a recycling program and offers rewards for participation. Their Resource Library has lots of free articles, printables, and activities.

Sample lessons: Lesson Plan: Don’t Waste Lunch! , Amazing Recycling Facts You Probably Don’t Know , How To Make a Tote Bag From a T-Shirt

Get leveled reading passages with accompanying vocab and question sets for K-8. Teachers get free access to use with their students.

Sample articles: Warriors of New Zealand , Rituals for Making Tea , Life Story: Zora Neale Hurston

ReadWriteThink

NCTE’s site has thousands of standards-based resources for teachers and students of English.

Sample lessons: Color Poems—Using the Five Senses to Guide Pre-Writing , Teaching About Story Structure Using Fairy Tales , A Blast From the Past With Nuclear Chemistry

Scholastic Teachers

Free teaching resources by grade, including articles, book lists, and collections of lesson plans and teaching ideas.

Sample resources: Tips for Teaching Poetry , The Best Collections for Your Next Author Study , Our Favorite Graphic Organizers for Teaching Reading and Writing

You already know YouTube has lots of great videos to use with your students. But not all schools allow access to the site. That’s where SchoolTube comes in. Share videos safely, and get content you can trust.

Sample content: Math With Mr. J , Vicki Cobb’s Science Channel , TeacherCast Educational Network

Science Buddies

Choose from hundreds of videos, STEM challenges, and lesson plans. Also, find a vast collection of hands-on science experiments and projects for K-12.

Sample lessons: What Animals Need to Survive , Engineering Design Challenge—Paper Airplanes , Paper Roller Coasters: Kinetic and Potential Energy

Seacoast Science Center

Seacoast Science Center’s Your Learning Connection is packed with lessons, activities, and resources to support at-home learning and empower children to investigate nature. Each weekly issue explores four themes—Get Outside!, Our Ocean, STEM Activities, and Art & Nature—with lessons, videos, and activity sheets.

Sample lessons: Honeycomb Moray Eel , Star Gazing , Nature Scavenger Hunts

Share My Lesson

Share My Lesson houses over 420,000 free lesson plans and activities, organized by grade and topic.

Sample lessons: Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? Stories , Coordinates and Straight Line Graphs , The Effect of the Population Explosion

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A Guarantee of Tuition-Free College Can Have Life-Changing Effects

A mailer sent to low-income students with that promise led to a major jump in enrollment at the University of Michigan, according to a new study.

Highly selective colleges have long struggled with racial and economic diversity. At 38 such institutions in the United States , more students come from households in the top 1 percent than from those in the bottom 60 percent. That is in part due to who applies to the universities: Many high-achieving students from a low-income or minority background don’t think they can get in to a prestigious institution, let alone pay for it—despite the fact that many such colleges have generous financial-aid packages—so they end up not applying.

A new study , however, found that a few extra dollars on a university’s part might go a long way in terms of changing that calculus for low-income students. The working paper, published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, examined the effects of a targeted-outreach campaign for low-income students at the University of Michigan.

Read: The missing black students at elite American universities

The campaign, known as the High Achieving Involved Leader ( HAIL ) Scholarship, encourages highly qualified, low-income students to apply to the university, promising them four years of education free of tuition and fees. Students are sent a personalized mailing with all of the information, which costs the university less than $10 each to produce and send out; the students’ parents and school principals are also contacted separately. And the offer of free tuition isn’t contingent upon filling out financial-aid forms such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid ( FAFSA ).

The researchers, led by the University of Michigan economist Susan Dynarski, found “very large effects of the HAIL scholarship offer on application and enrollment rates at the University of Michigan and more generally on college choice.” Students who received the mailing were more than twice as likely to apply to the University of Michigan compared with a control group. The percentage of low-income students enrolling at the university more than doubled as well—from 13 percent in the control group to 28 percent in the group of students who received the mailer.

The HAIL Scholarship is a new program, but even without it the students would likely have been able to attend the University of Michigan free of charge—90 percent of similarly situated high-achieving, low-income students receive full-tuition scholarships. But HAIL makes that fact explicit: It isn’t that students can apply and have the chance to afford the college—if they apply and are accepted, it is guaranteed .

The study shows one way to tackle the phenomenon known as “ undermatching ,” which is when high-achieving students don’t attend the most selective college they could get into. It’s something researchers have studied and worried about for several years now, since it tends to occur most frequently among low-income students. While it has been argued that there’s too much attention being focused on getting low-income students into a small number of elite colleges, as I’ve previously written, students who undermatch are less likely to graduate than their peers who don’t, and they forgo a range of social benefits accrued from attending an elite college.

Read: When disadvantaged students overlook elite colleges

In some cases, the students enrolling at Michigan wouldn’t have gone to college at all had they not had been contacted. “One-quarter of the enrollment effect (four percentage points) is driven by students who would not have attended any college in the absence of the treatment,” the authors of the report wrote. “The balance would have attended a community college or a less selective four-year college in the absence of the treatment.”

For the researchers, the next step in evaluating the program is to track its effects on students’ choice of major, graduation rates, and, in the long term, lifetime earnings. But for now, the results “show that a low-cost, low-touch intervention can strongly affect student application and enrollment at selective colleges.”

This is the second study in the past week showing the positive effects of a guarantee for low-income and minority students. A study published by the American Educational Research Association found that undermatching is reduced when low-income students know that their admission is ensured through state policy. The study examined the University of Texas system and its “top 10 percent plan,” which guarantees admission to students in the top 10 percent of their high-school class.

In both the Michigan and Texas studies, the students were given clear information that going to college—and to an elite college, at that—was a real possibility. As Kalena Cortes, an associate professor at Texas A&M and one of the Texas study’s authors, said , “Demystifying college-admissions policy is a pathway to greater inclusion.”

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Is free college a good idea? Increasingly, evidence says yes

Subscribe to the brown center on education policy newsletter, douglas n. harris douglas n. harris nonresident senior fellow - governance studies , brown center on education policy , professor and chair, department of economics - tulane university @douglasharris99.

May 10, 2021

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In just a few short years, the idea of free college has moved from a radical idea to mainstream Democratic thinking. President Biden made free college one of his core campaign planks , and one that the first lady has been promoting for years. In his recent address to Congress, the president also signaled that he is ready for legislative action on a scaled-back version of the idea as part of his American Families Plan .

Two weeks ago, the nonprofit College Promise (CP)—led by Martha Kanter, who served as President Obama’s undersecretary for education—also released a proposal that will influence the free college debate. (Full disclosure: I previously advised the Biden campaign and presently advise CP, but have received no compensation for these efforts.)

In today’s polarized environment, the free college idea stands out for its bipartisan support. A majority of self-identified Republicans has supported the notion of free college in some polls. In fact, one of the first such statewide programs was put in place by Bill Haslam, the former Republican governor of Tennessee. While this could go the way of Obamacare, which faced strong GOP congressional opposition despite the law’s origins with Republican Mitt Romney, free college seems different. Biden’s latest plan only applies to community colleges, which focus on career and vocational education of the sort Republicans support, as opposed to universities, which many Republicans view as hostile battlegrounds in a culture war.

But I am less interested in the politics than the evidence of effectiveness. I have studied college access for many years and run two randomized control trials of financial aid , which produced some of the first causal evidence on free college in Milwaukee. Two years ago, Brookings released the first installment of the Milwaukee work, which I carried out with a team of researchers. Since then, we have collected more data and learned more about how students responded over time. Below, I summarize our just-released study (co-authored with Jonathan Mills), compare our results to other financial aid programs, and then discuss implications for the Biden and CP proposals. Consequently, I conclude that the evidence increasingly favors free college and “open access aid” more generally.

What Did We Learn in Milwaukee?

I developed The Degree Project (TDP) in 2009 as a demonstration program in partnership between the nonprofit Ascendium (then known as the Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation and Affiliates) and Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS). TDP offered all first-time 9 th graders in half of MPS high schools $12,000 for college as “last-dollar” aid. Students could use the funds for college if they graduated from high school on time with a GPA of 2.5 and a class attendance rate of 90%. Also, as is the norm with free college programs, students had to fill out the FAFSA and have at least one dollar of unmet need. The aid could be used to attend any of the 66 public, in-state, two- or four-year colleges in Wisconsin. Ascendium provided up to $31 million to fund the grant and, as the main program administrator, sent regular letters to remind students about the program and its requirements. The organization also worked with school counselors to support students becoming eligible for the funds and preparing for college.

TDP was announced to students in the fall of 2011. Using anonymized data, we then tracked students’ high school, college, and life outcomes for eight years, and we recently received data extending through when students were roughly 22 years old. As a rare randomized trial, we could estimate the effects by comparing the control and treatment group outcomes. Here is what we found:

• For students who met the performance requirements, the program increased graduation from two-year colleges by 3 percentage points . This might seem small, but the denominator here is comprised of low-income 9 th graders. Half of the control group did not even graduate from high school, let alone college. The effect amounts to a 25% increase in two-year degrees.
• The framing and design of the program as free two-year college changed student decisions in ways consistent with what free college advocates suggest. The $12,000 maximum award amount was selected because it was sufficient to cover tuition and fees for a two-year college degree. The fact that TDP made two-year college free, but only reduced the cost of four-year college, was clearly communicated to students. This appears to explain one of our main results: Student enrollments shifted from four-year to two-year colleges. This is noteworthy given that students could use the funds at either two- or four-year colleges. In fact, students likely would have been able to use more of the $12,000 if they had shifted to four-year colleges. The only plausible reason for shifting to two-year colleges is that they were really attracted to the idea of free college.
• The “early commitment” nature of the program had some modest positive effects on some high school outcomes . Students learned about TDP in their 9 th grade year, giving them time to change their high school behaviors and college plans. Although it did not improve high school academic achievement, we find that TDP increased college expectations and the steps students took to prepare for college. TDP recipients also reported working harder because of the program (even though this did not show up in the academic measures). This highlights the fact that free college might also help address not only college-going rates, but the long-term stagnancy in high school outcomes.
• The merit requirements undermined the program’s effectiveness . Though the 2.5 GPA and 90% attendance and other requirements were arguably modest, only 21% of eligible students ended up meeting them. So, they ended up excluding many students. We also tested the two main ways that the merit requirements could have been helpful: (a) merit requirements might provide incentives for students to work hard during high school and better prepare for college, and (b) merit requirements might target aid to students who respond to it most. We find no evidence of either benefit. While students did work harder (see point [3] above), this appears to be due to other elements of the program, not the merit requirements.

Overall, these results suggest that aid is most effective when it is “open access”—that is, aid with early commitment and free college framing, but no merit requirements.

What about the evidence beyond Milwaukee?

Our study also reviews other research on financial aid, including federal aid, state merit aid programs, and the newer “promise scholarship” programs that mimic free college. Our study is not alone in finding that financial aid improves student outcomes. In fact, the vast majority of the most rigorous studies find positive effects on college attendance and college graduation. Given the strong average benefits of college, we can expect follow-up studies to show effects on employment earnings, voting, and other outcomes.

What about the costs? Open access aid is more expensive to be sure. More students receive aid and the aid levels per students are larger than traditional financial aid. Is it worth it? Our analysis suggests it is. We carried out new cost-benefit analyses of multiple programs, including TDP, but also other actively studied programs in: Kalamazoo, Michigan; Knox County, Tennessee; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and one statewide program in Nebraska. We also used estimates of the average effects of aid taken from prior literature reviews. All of these programs pass a cost-benefit test. That is, the effects on college outcomes, and the effects of college outcomes on future earnings, is much larger than the cost to the government and society as a whole. Moreover, it appears that benefits-per-dollar-of-cost are at least as high with open access aid as with more restricted programs. This means that open access aid provides greater total benefits to the community as a whole.

Back to the Free College Proposals

What do these results mean for President Biden’s and CP’s proposals? The table below provides a side-by-side comparison. The main difference is the level of detail. This reflects that the CP plan was designed to align with, and flesh out, the Biden campaign proposal. Perhaps the only substantive difference is that the CP proposal (and the Milwaukee program) includes private colleges. The Biden campaign documents exclude private colleges, though the American Families Plan just says “free community college,” signaling alignment with the CP plan. Both proposals are clearly in the category of open access aid.

There are numerous similarities between these provisions and the Milwaukee program that my team and I studied. All three programs make two-year college free (or nearly so) for all students without income requirements and through early commitment of aid. All three require the FAFSA and high school graduation. Importantly, unlike both the Biden and CP proposals, the Milwaukee program had merit requirements, which undermined its success. This is partly why our evidence is so relevant to the current debate.

Some might wonder why the president has scaled back the proposal to just free community college. This reflects that the idea of free college—even the “scaled back” version—is such a marked departure from past policy, especially at the federal level. Free community college alone would still be arguably the largest shift in federal higher education policy in the past half-century.

Caveats and Concluding Thoughts

We cannot make policy from evidence alone, but it can and should play a key role. Sometimes, policy ideas have such limited evidence of effectiveness that it is difficult to make any plausible case for a large-scale, national program. In other cases, there is enough promise for pilot studies and competitive grants to establish efficacy. With free college, we seem to be well beyond that point. In addition to decades of results on general financial aid programs, we have a growing number of studies on state and local programs that all show positive evidence—the “laboratory of democracy” at work. The idea of a large, federal free-college program therefore has more and more credibility.

A decade ago, it was not at all obvious that this is what the evidence would show. There was really no evidence on free college programs when we started this project back in 2009. Also, there were good reasons to expect that such a large increase in aid would suffer from “diminishing returns”—the idea that the next dollar is less effective than the previous one. This could have made free college more costly than the benefits could justify. Now, we know better.

I do still worry a bit about other factors and challenges. For example, the above analyses can only capture the immediate effects of financial aid, yet a federal free college program is such a marked departure in policy that it could alter political and market forces operating on higher education in unpredictable ways, perhaps even lowering college spending and quality. Also, if the proposal remains focused on community colleges, then this will shift students out of four-year colleges and into colleges that currently have very low completion rates. There are also other ways to increase college affordability and access that do not require free college (e.g., increased Pell Grants and income-based loan repayment), some of which target funds more narrowly to the most disadvantaged students. And there are many details to be worked out as the president’s allies in Congress try to generate sufficient support without (a) sacrificing core principles, or (b) creating new problems that can arise when grafting new federal programs on to widely varying state contexts.

Still, it is not often that an idea comes around that addresses a widely acknowledged problem and has both research support and a fair degree of bipartisan political support. The stars seem aligned to make some form of national free college a reality. The more evidence we see, the more that would seem to be a step forward.

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The Promise of Free College: How Indian River State College is Making Dreams a Reality

July 2, 2024  Indian River State College

As the cost of higher education continues to soar, many students find themselves facing a daunting financial barrier to achieving their academic goals. Indian River State College is changing that narrative with our groundbreaking Promise Program.

Nicholas Geniti, Indian River State College Promise Program Coordinator, recently sat down with Laura Midkiff, host of River Talk on WQCS, to share some exciting insights about this initiative that's transforming lives across our community.

What is the Promise Program? In a nutshell, the Promise Program offers two years of tuition-free education to eligible high school graduates in our service area. That's right – free college education! It's not just a dream; it's a promise we're making to our local students.

Who Can Benefit? If you're a recent high school graduate from Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, or St. Lucie counties, listen up! The Promise Program could be your ticket to a brighter future. The best part? There's no GPA requirement to apply. We believe in giving every student a chance to succeed.

What's Covered? The Promise Program covers the cost of an Associate Degree. We're removing as many financial obstacles as we can to ensure our students can focus on what really matters – their education.

How to Apply? The application process is straightforward:

• Complete the Promise Pledge
• Apply to Indian River State College
• Complete the FAFSA and residency information
• Enroll full time
• Submit your high school transcripts

The Promise Pledge deadline has passed for the 2024-25 academic year, and the deadline for remaining requirements is July 29.

The process is simple! And remember, our team is here to help you every step of the way.

Why It Matters Nicholas put it best when he said, "We want to make sure that finances are not a barrier for students to pursue higher education." This program is about more than just free tuition – it's about opening doors, creating opportunities, and building a stronger, more educated community.

The Impact Since its inception in 2022, the Promise Program has helped over 4,000 students pursue their dreams of higher education. That's 4,000 lives changed, 4,000 futures brightened, and 4,000 reasons to believe in the power of accessible education.

Looking Ahead As we continue to grow and evolve, we're excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. The Promise Program is just one way that Indian River State College is committed to serving our community and preparing our students for success in the modern workforce.

Are you ready to take the next step in your educational journey? Visit our website at promise.irsc.edu or email [email protected] to learn more about how the Promise Program can help you achieve your goals. 

Remember, at Indian River State College, we're not just promising a better future – we're making it happen, one student at a time.

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Finish Your FAFSA, Find Your Future: Solutions for Black Students and HBCUs Navigating the FAFSA Rollout

In April , I outlined the challenges Black students and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are facing with the rollout of the new Better FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form, a dynamic that has since led to a multitude of challenges, setbacks, and concerns among students, caregivers and educators as completing the form is a prerequisite for college students to receive federal student aid such as grants, work-study funds, and loans.

As an advocate for HBCUs and the Black college community, Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) sought immediate solutions to these issues and pledged to assist its member schools and students filter through this additional layer of complexity, that has created more hurdles for Black students attempting to access and secure the financial aid that is crucial for their educational journey.

Through a critical grant of $1.1 million from the ECMC Foundation , TMCF’s ‘ Finish Your FAFSA: Find Your Future ’ campaign, taking place from June 24 - Aug. 31, will create an intentional effort to boost FAFSA completion rates with a multi-faceted approach which will include a targeted ad campaign, a website with completion information and FAQs, informational webinars and office hours to provide guidance on the completion process, and the establishment of a call center with trained peer facilitators, who will connect directly with incoming and returning students (and their guardians) who have yet to complete the FAFSA form. The initiative, which will also provide employment for 54 students from member schools for 10 weeks, allows institutions additional resources for direct engagement to boost FAFSA completion.

As the country’s largest champion exclusively for the Black college community, TMCF is dedicated to providing direct and comprehensive support to HBCUs and their students and to expedite the process, we have already initiated outreach to all HBCUs. Through partnership and funding provided by ECMC, TMCF will conduct a strategic campaign to convey the positive outcomes from finishing the FAFSA forms, such as access to critical loans and grants that provide for a better foundation for the future, freedom to explore opportunities and experiences, new friends, and a university family that HBCUs have historically provided for Black students seeking a higher education.

While we are proud of these efforts, it is not realistic to expect them to completely prevent the erosion in enrollment that this well-intentioned, but poorly executed process has created for HBCU students and their respective institutions. While TMCF and HBCU leaders are continuing to engage with the U.S. Department of Education to not only find immediate solutions but also resolve the future implications that this dynamic may have created, together, we are actively urging government leaders to take steps to safeguard and support HBCUs and their students during the ongoing implementation of the Better FAFSA.

As TMCF continues our unwavering support and advocacy for the Black college community, we hope these issues are resolved as quickly as possible to allow students to shift their focus away from financial obligations and towards their educational and professional aspirations, and for institutions to be able to focus on providing students with the opportunities to support and empower their dreams.

Dr. Harry Williams is the president & CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

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Michigan lawmakers pass budget overnight after disagreements in funding for schools

FILE - The Michigan Capitol is seen, May 24, 2023, in Lansing, Mich. Michigan lawmakers passed an $83 billion budget for the next fiscal year. Lawmakers disagreed on education funding, stalling the budget passage until the early hours Thursday, June 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

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LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Lawmakers passed Michigan’s next state budget Thursday after a 19-hour session marked by disagreements among Democrats and school groups, who warned that the original proposal for education spending would lead to layoffs.

The votes to pass the $83 billion budget for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1 came around 5 a.m., mostly along party lines in both legislative chambers, where Democrats hold a slim majority . It now awaits final approval from Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is expected to signd ir.

Budget debates overnight centered on education funding that legislative leaders, the governor and school groups all had different priorities for.

In the end, the approved $23.4 billion school aid budget will provide free community college for all and free preschool for most.

But school groups said it marks the first time in over a decade that the state will not increase per pupil funding for districts. Democratic lawmakers highlighted that there will be savings in other areas, particularly with a reduced pension contribution rate for retirement benefits. These savings are estimated to be $598 million.

The rate reduction will last only one year after a separate bill to make the savings permanent passed the House but failed to receive final approval in the Senate. The decision not to send the bill to the Senate upset Democratic state Rep. Samantha Steckloff, marking a rare public display of division within the majority party.

“A decision was made, without our knowledge, to not send the bill over to the Senate, killing all hopes for this critical funding,” Steckloff wrote on social media. “I’m extremely disappointed and angry that Democratic House Leadership would do this to our caucus and our schools.”

In February, Whitmer had proposed her own $80.7 billion budget concentrated on initiatives such as free community college for recent high school graduates and free preschool for all 4-year-olds. The passed budget achieves the first priority while falling short of the second, with free preschool being guaranteed only for 4-year-olds with families with incomes at or below 400% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, the cutoff would be close to $125,000 in combined income.

The $59 billion general government spending budget — which combines with the school aid fund to make the total budget — saw similar divisions between Democrats and Republicans with only one GOP state senator, Ed McBroom, crossing the aisle.

Leaders touted nearly $100 million for affordable housing projects and nearly $60 million to create a new Michigan Innovation Fund that will support startup companies. The budget includes nearly $335 million in “enhancement grants,” sometimes referred to as special projects.

Lawmakers were working ahead of a self-imposed July 1 deadline and released the budget to the public just hours before voting on it.

The total $83 billion budget is just $1 billion more than this year’s , a significant slowdown following recent years of large overall spending growth fueled by pandemic-related funds.

Still, Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt called the budget a “spending spree” by Democrats that would cause debt and stick “future generations with the bill.”

The Michigan Association of Superintendents and Administrators, which lobbies for K-12 superintendents and administrators, criticized an earlier draft of the budget in a statement Tuesday, saying that it would “lead to layoffs this fall and in the future” and that “funding for our schools will not be enough to keep up with inflation, rising health care costs, and the ending of federal relief dollars.”

As of Thursday morning, the group had made no statement on the final budget.

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Some Federal Student Loan Interest Rates at Record Highs

Eliza Haverstock is NerdWallet's higher education writer, where she covers all aspects of college affordability and student loans. Previously, she reported on billionaires and investing for Forbes in New York, and she also covered private markets for PitchBook in Seattle. Eliza got started at her college newspaper at the University of Virginia and interned for Bloomberg, where she spent a summer writing a feature story about plastic straws. She is based in Washington, D.C.

Cecilia Clark is a writer and spokesperson on the education team. She covers student loan refinance and manages product reviews and roundups. Previously, she worked as a freelance writer and developed communications strategies for cybersecurity firms. Cecilia has also worked in post-secondary education, elevator operations management and sales and military nuclear command control, maintenance management and public affairs.

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Federal student loan interest rates for 2024-25 are now live. Some have reached record highs, increasing the cost of college for people who will take out student loans for the upcoming school year.

Here’s how the current 2024-25 federal student loan interest rates compare to 2023-24 rates:

Direct subsidized and unsubsidized loans for undergraduate students: 6.53% interest rate for 2024-25, up from 5.50%. 

Direct unsubsidized loans for graduate students : 8.08% interest rate for 2024-25, up from 7.05%

PLUS loans, available to parents and grad students to fill in funding gaps: 9.08% interest rate for 2024-25, up from 8.05%. 

Since 2006, all federal student loans have had fixed interest rates. Undergraduate direct loan interest rates haven’t been this high in 16 years, since the 2008-09 academic year. (The standing record is 6.8%, for loans disbursed between 2006 and 2008.) Interest rates on direct graduate loans and PLUS loans have never been this high.

The latest federal interest rate hikes come on the heels of major FAFSA errors , which impacted and delayed financial aid offers, including federal loan eligibility, for millions of students. For some families, private student loans with lower interest rates may look more attractive this year — but private loans come with fewer borrower protections and no forgiveness options.

Rising rates increase the total cost of college

Each spring, the government sets federal student loan interest rates for the academic year ahead. The rates are effective from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, and they apply to all borrowers who take out new federal student loans for the 2024-25 school year. Federal student loans have fixed interest rates, so they won’t change during the repayment period — which typically lasts from 10 to 25 years, depending on your repayment plan. (If you’re already repaying older student loans, this interest rate hike doesn’t affect you.)

Ultimately, higher interest rates will make college more expensive for the millions of college students and their families who take out loans. Today, 42.8 million people collectively owe $1.62 trillion in outstanding federal student loans, per Department of Education data.

That tally may grow in the coming years: A 2024 high school graduate heading to college this fall could amass about $37,000 in student loan debt while pursuing their bachelor’s degree, according to a recent NerdWallet analysis . Dependent undergraduate students can take out no more than $31,000 in federal loans, so more students may turn to private loans to fill the gaps.

Here’s an example of how the higher interest rates can hit your wallet: If you start college in the fall and borrow $31,000 worth of unsubsidized federal direct loans over the course of your undergraduate education, with a 6.53% interest rate, you’ll wind up paying back about $42,315 under a standard 10-year repayment plan. If you’d started college in 2020-21 and taken out the same $31,000 in unsubsidized federal loans with a record-low 2.75% interest rate, you’d have had to repay around $35,510 over 10 years — a $6,805 difference.

In practice, you could pay even more. You can’t borrow the full $31,000 at once — the capped amount is split up over the years you’re in school. If you'll be a college freshman in the fall, interest rates could increase in the three (or more) years to follow.

Run the numbers with a student loan calculator to see how much your debt may cost over time.

Federal vs. private student loan interest rates

In recent years, federal student loans have offered lower interest rates than private alternatives — but that may no longer be true for some borrowers. Currently, private student loans for undergraduates have interest rates from 3.85% to 15.9%, according to a May 2024 NerdWallet analysis.

“More than ever, we are really encouraging our families to be good consumers,” says Stacey MacPhetres, senior director of education finance at EdAssist by Bright Horizons.

Shop around for private student loans and compare interest rates like you would for a mortgage, MacPhetres adds.

To qualify for the lowest rates on private student loans, borrowers must have a high credit score. Many students will need a parent or co-signer with excellent credit to co-sign the loan and accept equal legal responsibility for repaying it.

Federal student loans don’t allow co-signers, and only federal PLUS loans require a credit check. Other federal student loan borrower protections not typically offered by private lenders include:

Repayment plans that cap monthly bills at a certain percentage of your income, such as the new SAVE repayment plan . 

Extended payment pauses, like a student loan deferment or forbearance , for financial hardships. (Private loan forbearances are generally shorter and more difficult to qualify for.) 

Loan forgiveness programs, like Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). 

Loan discharges for borrowers whose school closed or defrauded them. 

As a general guideline, borrowers should prioritize federal student loans. If they still have remaining costs, private student loans are a good option to fill in the gaps.

But when it comes to PLUS loans, private alternatives may be a better choice this year if you can qualify for a lower interest rate. PLUS loans don’t offer the same robust protections and flexible repayment options as other types of federal student loans, and they have a 4.228% origination fee that most private lenders don’t require.

Submit the FAFSA and free up cash flow to minimize borrowing

Evaluate your family’s capacity to pay out of pocket or consider using some savings or investments to cover education bills this year, MacPhetres says. “We’re really trying to encourage everybody to exhaust all of their other options before borrowing at all, which includes federal student loans.”

You can also minimize your total college debt and interest payments by leaning on funding sources you won’t have to repay, like scholarships, grants and work-study. You must submit the FAFSA for each year you’ll be in school to qualify for most grants and work-study. That includes the federal need-based Pell Grant , which can give you up to $7,395 per year in free money to pay for college. Many scholarships require applicants to submit the FAFSA. You also need to submit the form to be eligible for federal student loans.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is open until June 30, 2025, for the 2024-25 school year, but you should fill it out as soon as possible to increase your chances of getting more money — some types of aid draw from limited pools and can run out.

Another strategy to reduce borrowing: See where you or your child can trim college costs in the first place.

“Your student doesn't have to live in the best residence facility right now ... or maybe they don't need the 21-meal plan if they have never eaten breakfast in their lives,” MacPhetres says. “Little things that you might not think would have a significant impact can certainly help in trying to reduce your overall spending.”

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