Areas of Expertise
National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL)
The 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) is a nationally representative assessment of English literacy among American adults age 16 and older. Sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), NAAL is the nation's most comprehensive measure of adult literacy since the 1992 National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS). AIR provides technical assistance and management support, including expert analysis, and technical review of assessment frameworks, field test items, and reports. We also provide technical assistance on NAAL-restricted and public use files.
Recent Reports
- The Literacy of America's College Students
- Highlights from the 2003 Maryland State Assessment of Adult Literacy
- Highlights from the 2003 Kentucky State Assessment of Adult Literacy
- View All Reports
Recent Projects
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's students know and can do in various subject areas. Assessments are conducted periodically in mathematics, reading, science, writing, the arts, civics, economics, geography, and U.S. history. It serves as a common metric for all states and selected urban districts and as a result, permits NAEP to provide a clear picture of student academic progress over time. AIR’s experts provide support for all aspects of the survey, including:
- assessment development;
- providing a quality review on data files;
- producing data products and reports;
- providing training staff;
- developing informational materials; and
- providing quick turnaround analysis upon request.
Recent Reports
- Validity Issues Involved in Cross-Grade Statements About NAEP Results
- NAEP Trends: Main NAEP vs. Long-Term Trend
- Using NAEP, the “Nation’s Report Card,” to Assess the Student Proficiency Standards Set by States
- View All Reports
Recent Projects
- National Assessment of Educational Progress Education Statistics Service Institute (NAEP ESSI)
- View All Projects
Recent Products
National Educational Longitudinal Study
AIR recently conducted a project to analyze results of two national studies—the National Longitudinal Study of No Child Left Behind (NLS-NCLB) and the Study of State Implementation of Accountability and Teacher Quality Under No Child Left Behind (SSI-NCLB). AIR provides support for the large-scale longitudinal surveys including data collection, design of future cohorts, and lending expertise for teaching researchers how to use large-scale databases.
Recent Projects
National Household Education Survey (NHES)
The National Household Education Survey (NHES) program provides descriptive data on the educational activities of the U.S. population. The surveys cover learning at all ages, from early childhood to school age through adulthood. AIR’s experts provide support for all aspects of the survey, including:
- developing questionnaires;
- assisting with sample design;
- assisting with disclosure review analyses;
- providing a quality review on data files;
- producing data products and reports;
- providing training staff;
- developing incentives and informational materials; and
- providing quick turnaround analysis upon request.
No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and Title I
AIR is a leader in the evaluation of state and district implementation of the accountability, teacher quality, and English language acquisition provisions outlined in Title I, Title II, and Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), reauthorized in 2001 as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). AIR’s work has served as one of the major sources of data for the National Assessment of Title I and other reports to the U.S. Congress. Currently, AIR is conducting a national evaluation of state and local implementation of Title III standards, assessments, and accountability systems concerning English language learners for the U.S. Department of Education.
Recent Reports
- State Support for School Improvement: School-level Perceptions of Quality
- Psychometric Advances in Alternate Assessment
- State and Local Implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act Volume VI - Targeting and Uses of Federal Education Funds (TRAC)
- View All Reports
Recent Projects
Nutrition
Since 1999, AIR has implemented a number of national and state programs aimed at improving the nutritional status of many groups including children, women, and minorities. Working with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; the Health Resources & Services Administration; and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, AIR has developed a variety of consumer, provider, and community-based products to prevent and manage obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. AIR’s in-house nutrition experts ensure that content complies with the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans and Healthy People 2010 Goals.
