When teachers learn, students learn. For decades, AIR has conducted studies of teacher professional learning and helped practitioners use evidence to develop, implement, test, and scale professional learning programs.
Boston Public Schools (BPS) and the National Center on Time & Learning partnered to turn around two low-performing Boston middle schools by implementing the Turnaround Using Increased Learning Time model. AIR examined program implementation to provide formative feedback to BPS and partner organizations and to document the implementation process. ...
There currently is unprecedented interest in improving teacher evaluation systems, yet in many cases, the role of teachers in shaping the process has been minimal. A new online resource provides school and district leaders with comprehensive materials they can use to encourage teacher involvement in the process. ...
As the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged teachers to shift instruction to distance learning platforms, it also has exposed the need for professional learning opportunities to help teachers adapt to this “new normal.” Lynn Holdheide answered a few questions about how districts and schools can turn this crisis into an opportunity ...
Educator performance evaluation systems are a potential tool for improving student achievement by increasing the effectiveness of the educator workforce. This study from the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences was conducted by an AIR research team that examined the implementation of teacher and principal performance measures ...
A new report prepared by experts from the American Institutes for Research (AIR) and commissioned by the U.S. Department of Education examines how five school districts measured teacher effectiveness and used effectiveness information in human resource policies.
Content-focused professional learning is a common strategy for improving student outcomes, but it isn’t always effective. The National Writing Project has been particularly successful at designing scalable professional learning programs that have a positive impact on student achievement in writing, according to a series of randomized controlled trials. To generate ...