A first-of-its kind exploratory survey of National and State Teachers of the Year finds that having accomplished teachers support new or struggling teachers was considered a highly important factor in improving effectiveness – both for the person receiving and providing the support. This and other findings are shared in a ...
More than 20 policy experts from AIR will present at the 39th annual fall conference of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) taking place November 2-4 in Chicago, IL. This year’s theme, “Measurement Matters: Better Data for Better Decisions,” will focus on the importance of data and ...
Marlene Darwin, a senior researcher at the American Institutes for Research (AIR), will discuss ways educators can use research during a presentation on May 18 in Washington, D.C. Darwin will present on behalf of the Doing What Works (DWW) initiative to the Research and Analysis Committee of the Committee for ...
In this personal essay, AIR Principal Researcher Patricia Garcia-Arena shares her memories of being an English learner in preschool and elementary school—and how early literacy experiences can be better for ELs today, thanks to evidence-based instructional practices.
Caitlin Dawkins, a principal technical assistance consultant at AIR, helped to develop the concept of Second Chance Month, with colleagues at Prison Fellowship. In this Q&A, Dawkins explains why successful reentry is hard to measure and dispels some misconceptions around reentry.
What happens when a public school district partners with a team of experts deeply experienced in local and state program evaluation and just as committed as the district to school reform? In AIR, Denver Public Schools found a team of experts who empowered their leaders to address some of the ...
Two efforts that have impacted teachers across the country in recent years are state-mandated teacher evaluation and support systems and statewide adoption of new, more rigorous and focused student learning standards based on the Common Core State Standards. In this brief, AIR explores the level of alignment that exists between ...
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.
In 2008, the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) launched a diagnostic assessment program in which teachers in Grades K–8 classrooms administered commercially available interim assessments to their students. Results from each test were available to teachers, who were expected to use them to diagnose students’ strengths and weaknesses and adjust ...
Raising awareness and increasing the understanding of mental health can change the way society views and responds to this complex issue. AIR promotes positive mental health through school and community-based approaches involving youth, families, school, health care providers, and other stakeholders.