Jessica Heppen, a nationally recognized expert in education research, policy, and practice, is the president & CEO of AIR. Dr. Heppen been with AIR for 20 years and, in that time, has held several key roles during her tenure.
A new study of turnaround schools in California has found that successful schools tend to use instructional strategies focused on student subgroups, emphasizing teacher collaboration, and having strong leadership as part of their key strategies to improve performance.
English learners face disproportionate educational challenges because they must master subject-matter content while also developing English proficiency. The Study of Practices for English Learners is funded by the Institute of Education Sciences and examines key policies, practices, and activities related to ELs nationwide. ...
There is a growing consensus among researchers that lifelong learning skills (LLS) are discretely identifiable and actionable levers of support for college and career readiness and success objectives. This policy brief provides a synthesis of the key takeaways from the annotated bibliography and describes policy considerations for integrating LLS into ...
Ask the Team briefs, developed by the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders, summarize key examples, strategies, and research findings. Included: Investing in Evaluation Training; Peer Observation in Educator Evaluation; How to Work Smart in Teacher Evaluation
A strong science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education is becoming increasingly recognized as a key driver of opportunity. In a series of discussion-based workshops, 30 experts and thought leaders were invited to exchange ideas and develop recommendations for the future of STEM education. ...
The Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) is a central component of California’s Local Control Funding Formula, which requires districts to describe their goals, their strategies to achieve these goals, and the resources allocated to support these strategies. This brief outlines the key challenges undercutting the LCAP’s effectiveness and offers short ...
High-quality preschool programs can have far reaching benefits for kids, parents, and communities—and they can provide a high return on initial investments. This 10 Series report summarizes our key findings about local preschool initiatives in 10 U.S. communities.
A companion piece to The Art and Science of Student Learning Objectives: A Research Synthesis, this annotated bibliography provides brief summaries of individual studies conducted in nine states and districts, highlighting general research context and questions, study methodology, and key findings.
Drawing on interviews with district leaders as well as focus groups with coaches, specialists and principals, this brief describes the Fresno-Long Beach Learning Partnership’s work in two of the four areas that the districts selected as key leverage points for district action: mathematics and English learner instruction. ...