Many people assume that smaller classes lead to more individualized instruction and hence to better student achievement. But do they? In this 90-second video interview, senior researcher Michael Hansen argues that's not always the case.
In the next decade, almost half of the teaching workforce will be comprised of new teachers. In this video interview, AIR's Jenny DeMonte talks about teacher preparation and the ways we can enhance programs to improve teacher quality.
This month, a California appeals court overturned a judge’s decision that challenged the state's tenure laws, teacher dismissal practices, and the widespread practice of “last in, first out” layoffs. But, the authors of this commentary contend, research shows that for the sake of students, principals and school leaders require flexibility ...
James Cowan is a principal econometrician in the Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research program at AIR. His primary responsibilities include the design, management, and implementation of empirical studies of education policy. He has extensive experience in quasi-experimental research design and value added modeling.Cowan has published work on the ...
This study brings together results from NAEP and three international large-scale assessments to examine long-term, intermediate, and recent score trends in reading, mathematics, and science for U.S. students in 4th grade, in 8th grade, and at 15 years old. The analysis finds a relatively consistent pattern across these assessments: performance ...