This story map is an overview of the work of the Texas Comprehensive Center, one of 15 regional comprehensive centers funded by the U.S. Department of Education for the October 2012–September 2019 grant cycle of the Comprehensive Centers Program.
In the late 1990s, Adult Basic Education was undervalued and overlooked compared to other federally funded education programs. To demonstrate the effectiveness and impact of these services, the U.S. Department of Education developed an accountability framework, focused on data quality and program improvement. Through six projects spanning 20 years, AIR ...
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, ...
Shauntice Wheeler is a senior TA consultant in the Educators & Instruction program at AIR. Wheeler is a dedicated and passionate educator with more than 24 years of experience in public education. She provides quality support in the areas of educator recruitment, preparation, development, and retention. She is currently working ...
The Program for International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIACC) is a cyclical, large-scale, direct household assessment that compares the basic skills and competencies of adults around the world. It measures relationships between individuals’ backgrounds and cognitive skills in the areas of literacy, numeracy and problem-solving. AIR provides technical, analytical, and ...
AIR, in partnership with Lumina Foundation, is conducting a study to better understand adult learners’ educational journeys and, importantly, what institutions can change to better support those adults in pursuing their degree—especially adult learners who identify as Black or African American, Latino or Latina, or Indigenous. The full report on ...
Bobbi Newman is a principal researcher and director of AIR’s practice area for standards and assessments. She has more than 15 years of experience in research and evaluation of school reform efforts. Dr. Newman has worked at every level of the education system, from the classroom to the state. As ...
Mary Kay Dugan is a managing technical assistant consultant at AIR. She is passionate about identifying evidence-based promising practices and translating them into policies and effective programs focused on underserved populations including disadvantaged youth and young adults. Dugan has over 30 years of experience helping federal, state, and local governments ...
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.
The Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) Program, authorized under Title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), is the main source of federal support for adult basic and literacy education programs for adults who lack basic skills, a high school diploma, or proficiency in English. The ...