Katie Ports is a principal researcher in the Human Services division at AIR with over 20 years of experience in social science research. Dr. Ports is a nationally known subject matter expert on the science of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and the public health approach to violence prevention.Dr. Ports conducts ...
The recent release of the 2015 NAEP results by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics have been labeled “historic” by some because math scores at both Grades 4 and 8 and reading at Grade 8 have all declined, the first decline since NAEP's framework was put ...
Substance use and mental health conditions often co-occur among youth, but caregivers often do not know what to do when youth show signs of substance use problems. The Caregiver Guide: Substance Use Disorder Treatment Planning for Youth with Co-Occurring Disorders is designed to provide caregivers with a single source of ...
AIR developed a systematic, transparent, evidence-based protocol to review and translate the extant research about juvenile drug courts and related interventions into comprehensive, reasonable, actionable, understandable, and measurable guidelines.
Achieving universal literacy is one of the international community’s most engaging and admirable aspirations. AIR implemented the USAID-funded Teacher Citizen Participation Project (2011-2018)—known as Proyecto EducAcción.
Just like physical health, mental health is crucial to everyone’s well-being. For Mental Health Awareness Month, five AIR experts reflected on three of the biggest trends and shifts they’ve observed from their collective years in the field.
Maura Shramko is a researcher at AIR, where she examines how to create inclusive, supportive environments that promote thriving and well-being for young people and communities.
Dr. Shramko conducts research and evaluation that seeks to shift youth-serving environments by centering the strengths and perspectives of young people and communities who are ...
AIR CARES focuses on social and community context to reduce the harmful policies that stigmatize addiction; minimize the negative consequences of substance use disorder; and improve psychosocial, intergenerational, and interpersonal connections.
Approximately 135,000 children between three and five years of age live in the departments of Ayacucho, Huancavelica, and Huánuco in Peru, where total poverty and extreme poverty rates far exceed the national averages. AIR is evaluating the impact of a preschool program which aims to improve the quality of early ...
States have prioritized documenting and improving the quality of early childhood education programs by developing quality rating and improvement systems (QRISs). This report describes the quality improvement efforts of early childhood education programs participating in Iowa’s voluntary quality rating and improvement system, the Iowa Quality Rating System (QRS). The findings ...