With the 2012-2013 school year, California established a new grade level—Transitional Kindergarten (TK), the first year of a two-year kindergarten experience for students who turn five between September 2 and December 2. When TK began, there were many questions from parents and other stakeholders. This is the third in a ...
How can state education agencies identify and apply effective practices to achieve their goals? Education research can point to beneficial practices, but finding relevant research can be a difficult and time-consuming process. The Midwest Comprehensive Center partnered with the Minnesota Department of Education leadership to help state education staff understand ...
On July 30, the Teacher Loan Repayment Act was introduced in the Senate and House to consolidate current loan repayment programs and give teachers in high-needs schools between $250 and $400 a month in payments to their lenders. But, asks Ellen Sherratt, does loan forgiveness for teachers really keep the ...
Brain development is critical during children's early years, yet nationally less than 50 percent of children enter Kindergarten ready to learn. AIR and Excellent Schools Detroit developed the Early Learning Scorecard, which provides families and the community with information about climate and culture as part of a high-quality early care ...
In the absence of viable affordable housing policies, the percentage of India’s urban population that cannot afford a home will increase substantially in the next couple of years. AIR is examining the impact of a program, developed by the UK Government and the Indian National Housing Bank, that focuses on ...
AIR has released an updated consumer guide rating the effectiveness and quality of 22 widely used comprehensive elementary school reform models. The new report, issued one year after the first guide was released, upgrades the ratings of two models to "moderate" on evidence of success in demonstrating positive effects on ...
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, requires that states develop and submit a State Plan to the U.S. Department of Education. To ensure a solid foundation for State Plan development and further stakeholder engagement, the Pennsylvania Department of Education asked AIR summarize ...
The Ethiopian government has made a firm commitment to supporting early childhood development and school readiness support nationally. However, the creation of (Grade 0) kindergarten classes in all primary schools cannot be achieved overnight. UNICEF Ethiopia received a challenge grant to test the effectiveness of two accelerated school readiness programs ...
Recent media attention has raised significant concerns about our public school system’s capability to staff all classrooms; yet remarkably little research details the nature of teacher shortages. This brief provides a roadmap for policy leaders to hold better informed dialogues on the nature of teacher shortages, and target interventions to ...
Since 2007, the MTSS Center has been a national leader in supporting states, districts, and schools across the country in implementing tiered support systems that address students’ academic, behavioral, social, and emotional needs.