An interim report on the implementation of an intensive teacher professional development program for seventh grade middle school mathematics teachers had a positive impact on the frequency with which the teachers engaged students in thinking activities, but found no statistically significant impact on teacher knowledge or student achievement. ...
AIR conducted an evaluation to measure the impacts of week-long residential outdoor education programs for at-risk sixth graders in California. As described by California Assembly Bill (AB) Number 1330, Chapter 663, the Outdoor Environmental Education Program is designed to "foster stewardship of the environment and an appreciation of the importance of ...
Singaporean students ranked first in the world in mathematics on the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)-2003; U.S. students ranked 16th out of 46 participating nations at grade 8. This exploratory study compares key features of the Singapore and U.S. mathematics systems in the primary grades, when students ...
State and federal governments have invested heavily in expanding, and improving the quality of early childhood education programs. AIR led a study to investigate the impact of the HighScope Preschool Curriculum on children’s learning and development and classroom quality.
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.
Created in 2010 by the Kindergarten Readiness Act, transitional kindergarten (TK) offers younger children in California additional time to prepare for school. AIR undertook a five-year evaluation study of the TK program in 2012. In light of conversations across the country about increasing access to high-quality early childhood education, AIR’s ...
Research has firmly established that the first five years of a child’s life are critical for future success in school and in life, yet a September 2018 report shows that young children’s educational experiences are inconsistent across the U.S. and around the world. The Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators ...
The coronavirus pandemic has affected how we live, work, and thrive—and reminded us of the vast inequities that persist in our culture. Research and evidence can be a path forward through these uncertain times and help us improve the lives of individuals, communities, and society. Here are some highlights of ...
Assessing access to early care and education is a key first step in any policy improvement initiative. In part because of the diverse delivery system for early childhood programs in the U.S., there is no single source of data on the availability of programs much less on the enrollment in ...
Developing a rationale and approach for expanding access to preschool or other early care and education(ECE) programs is an important part of the planning process. AIR offers tools for planning and budgeting for quality preschool initiatives on a “system-wide” basis, such as within a state, county, city, or one or ...