Research shows that integrating arts into early childhood education has great potential for improving student learning in multiple disciplines. This brief builds on the results of a randomized-controlled trial of Wolf Trap’s Early Childhood STEM Learning Through the Arts program. Findings from the study show that participation in the program ...
Jessica Heppen, a nationally recognized expert in education research, policy, and practice, is the president & CEO of AIR. Dr. Heppen been with AIR for 20 years and, in that time, has held several key roles during her tenure.
On the 70th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling that desegregated U.S. schools, AIR is awarding $5.8 million in grants to fund programs and initiatives to create more integrated, equitable education experiences for preK-12 public school students in the U.S.
Orrin T. Murray is a principal researcher at AIR. His primary responsibilities include overseeing the research practice partnership for the Regional Educational Laboratory Midwest (REL Midwest). He is the principal investigator on a U.S. Department of Education EIR evaluation of Austin Independent School District’s implementation of culturally responsive and restorative practices, ...
The American Institutes for Research (AIR) has issued a policy brief summarizing the findings of its research on structuring instructional resources and practices for full-day kindergarten programs to increase children's reading achievement and better prepare them for first grade.
In a community of practice, people come together to learn, share knowledge, and collaborate on a wide range of topics. Organizations can use these communities to support the needs and preferences of individual learners and build overall capacity. Effective implementation is key to building relationships, enhancing learning and connecting people ...
Amy H. Rathbun is a managing researcher who serves as the director of the Education Statistics Services Institute Network (ESSIN) contract in support of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and project director for AIR’s work on the ESSIN International Activities project.
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 ...
Chronic absenteeism from school is a widespread challenge in education that is associated with far-reaching consequences for students of all ages, including lower test scores and higher incidences of dropping out. A new federally funded report from AIR suggests that texting parents may be an effective way to reduce chronic ...