The study, titled “Beyond the buzzwords: How Washington, DC education policies shape youth activism” by Vanessa R. Sperduti, Sümeyye Arpacı, Laura Engel, Miri Yemini and Mania Borzenko was published in the International Journal of Educational Research and is now available as an open-access article. The research examines the intersection of education policy and youth activism.

Through systematic analysis of federal and local education policy documents, the study reveals a troubling disconnect between policy rhetoric and practice in supporting authentic youth engagement. While youth activism is frequently mentioned in educational policies, the research shows that federal policies continue to prioritize standardized test scores over genuine student civic engagement, and even well-intentioned programs often remain adult-led, leaving minimal space for authentic youth-driven movements. The findings highlight how policy attention focuses on global issues like climate change while overlooking local activism and the specific needs of communities where students live and learn, contributing crucial insights into how institutional priorities determine the roles young people are allowed to play in shaping their educational experiences.