Higher education focuses on “first-year retention” (measured from fall to fall) as the key metric indicating whether students are on a path toward their degree. This piece explores “second- to third- year retention,” tracking students who did enroll during their second year (and therefore are “retained” in official metrics) and ...
The study uses nationally representative data to investigate how high school STEM motivation, STEM course taking, STEM achievement and social networks are associated with the decision of students who go on to enroll in 4-year colleges to choose a STEM major or not. The study findings highlight the important role ...
This paper traces the evolution of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) program with an emphasis on the concurrent evolution of NAEP’s primary and secondary purposes. The most detailed treatment is given to the modern era, with the author devoting separate sections to the legislation governing NAEP, the schedule ...
Now that states have started submitting their Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plans, the hard work of implementation will soon be underway. AIR experts provide evidence-based policy perspectives on ESSA and states’ strategies outlined in their proposed plans.
Nearly five decades of research has demonstrated that the places where individuals live and learn have a dramatic impact on their opportunities and life outcomes. The College and Career Readiness and Success Center has collaborated with several state and local agencies to produce custom-designed maps using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) ...
From India and Laos to school districts in California, our research, resources, and multimedia provide insight into a wide array of topics across the U.S. and around the world. Explore highlights from our 2017 work.
If educators and policymakers are to make good on the national commitment to graduate more students from high school prepared to face postsecondary challenges, schools must continue to improve career technical education (CTE), ensuring that students have access to high-quality pathways to success. This brief provides an overview of the ...
As more students return to in-person learning, education leaders are working not only to rebuild school communities and help students transition but also to address gaps in learning resulting from COVID-19 disruptions.
Girls Inc. offers programming to girls ages 6 to 18 to help them develop skills and find the support they'll need to prepare for work and leadership roles in adulthood. In this Q&A, research project leaders Allison Dymnicki and Melissa Yisak answer a few questions about what research shows about ...
Using administrative longitudinal data from five states, this report looks at how value-added measures of teacher performance are affected by changes in state standards and assessments. In most cases, the researchers found that measures of teacher value added are similarly stable in transition years and nontransition years. ...