Schools need to place a greater emphasis on social and emotional skills for students to prepare them for work and for life. In this policy snapshot, we summarize existing research about the effects of education on students’ social and emotional skills and identify important state and district policy considerations for ...
Nineteen youths accepted AIR's invitation to talk about how harsh school discipline has impacted them and the risks and challenges of the "school-to-prison" pipeline in front of an audience of policymakers and practitioners who work on juvenile justice and related issues. The participants, ages 16 to 24, spoke ...
In this commentary, AIR expert Amy West discusses the need for education and job skills training for displaced Syrian youth, a need that will require the help and cooperation of education ministries, donors, government officials, and others from multiple countries.
To understand how teachers are promoting whole-child development, AIR analyzed survey data from a nationally representative sample of K-12 public school teachers using RAND’s American Teacher Panel. The three brief reports in this series present results for three topics, and an appendix provides the full set of survey questions. ...
The Plan, Do, Study, Act Process is central to the improvement of instructional routines. Watch one of the Better Math Teaching Network members in real time and in a real classroom setting introduce the Plan, Do, Study, Act, or PDSA, process.
Nicholas Sorensen is a principal researcher at AIR. His research is primarily focused on dropout prevention and helping struggling students succeed across the transition to high school. His work emphasizes the role of social psychological interventions, strategies to support success in algebra and mathematics, and use of early warning systems ...
Elizabeth Spier is a principal researcher at AIR. She has over 20 years of experience designing and managing large-scale, policy-relevant studies examining the effectiveness of programs, and interventions designed to improve developmental and educational outcomes for children. Her expertise includes child development, safe and supportive learning environments, child and family ...
When afterschool programs have positive relationships with school-day personnel, families, community members, and between and among program staff and students, these programs are more likely to thrive. This brief explores how afterschool practitioners can build strong relationships that benefit all stakeholders and improve program quality. ...
In this brief, AIR researchers offer a potential pathway to understanding how learning and development happen in quality afterschool and summer programs. This pathway emphasizes three key competencies—relationship skills, a sense of agency, and identity development—that research suggests can facilitate learning and development in other areas. ...
The Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs (IWGYP), formed in 2008, has been coordinating federal activities to support positive outcomes for youth by sharing information; deepening collaboration and understanding across departments, agencies, and offices; creating a robust web presence; and developing and advancing the strategic plan for youth. ...