News
July 2008
News Release: Former U.S. Ambassador Delano Lewis Joins AIR’s Board of Directors
Delano Lewis, former U.S. ambassador to South Africa and past president and chief executive officer of National Public Radio (NPR), has been unanimously elected to the Board of Directors of the American Institutes for Research (AIR), a nonpartisan, nonprofit social and behavioral science research organization
June 2008
News Release: Dr. Gary Phillips of AIR Participates in an “Education and the Economy” Policy Forum Hosted by the Library of Congress and Strong American Schools
Dr. Gary W. Philips, a chief scientist at the American Institutes for Research (AIR), will participate in a forum on “Remaining Competitive in a Flat World: The Crisis in American Education and Its Implications for the Economy.” The Friday, June 27, 2008 event is made possible by The Library of Congress, Strong American Schools and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
News Release: Experts from AIR Participate in the Fordham Council on Applied Psychometrics Conference
Four experts from the American Institutes for Research (AIR) will give presentations at the Fordham Council on Applied Psychometrics Conference (FCAP) taking place June 26-27, 2008 at Fordham University in New York City.
News Release: AIR’s Scientific Evidence in Education (SEE) Forums to Host a Discussion on Transforming Low-Performing Schools
The Scientific Evidence in Education (SEE) Forums, a project of the American Institutes for Research (AIR), will host a policy forum on Thursday, June 5, 2008 on “Fast Turnaround: Transforming Low-Performing Schools Into Successful Learning Environments.” The discussion will take place at the U.S. Capitol.
May 2008
News Release: AIR Experts Play a Major Role in the Report "The Condition of Education 2008"
A team of experts for the American Institutes for Research (AIR) played a key role in producing "The Condition of Education 2008," an annual report on the state of education in the United States that has been released by the federal government’s National Center on Education Statistics (NCES).
News Release: AIR Co-Hosts a Forum on Education Research and The NCLB Act
The American Institutes for Research (AIR) will co-host a forum on the role of education research in the No Child Left Behind era and beyond on May 13, 2008.
April 2008
News Release: AIR experts Participate in the Annual Conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Experts for the American Institutes for Research will be giving presentations at the 23rd Annual Conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) taking place April 10-12, 2008 at the San Francisco, Calif., Hilton Hotel.
News Release: Miscommunication Hindered Student Participation in Choice Programs Created by No Child Left Behind Act
Student participation in school choice programs authorized by the No Child Left Behind Act was hindered because parents did not receive clear and timely communication from schools, according to a new report issued today by the U.S. Department of Education.
News Release: Former U.S. Department of Education Official Louis Danielson Joins the American Institutes for Research
Dr. Louis Danielson, who has been director of the U.S. Department of Education’s Research to Practice Division in the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) since 1993, has joined the American Institutes for Research (AIR) as a managing director. He will focus on special education policy and evaluation.
News Release: Researchers From the American Institutes for Research to Present at the Council for Exceptional Children Conference
Researchers from the American Institutes for Research (AIR) are making numerous presentations at the 2008 conference of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) being held April 3-5, 2008, at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, Massachusetts.
March 2008
News Release: American Institutes for Research Staff Has a Major Presence at the 2008 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association
More than 60 staff members of the American Institutes for Research (AIR) have been selected to participate in this year's annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), which will be held in New York City on March 24-28, 2008.
February 2008
News Release: AIR’s Comprehensive Study of New Mexico’s Public School Funding Formula Is Available Online
The results of a 16-month study by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) examining the New Mexico public school funding formula is now available online to assist policymakers, educators and private citizens interested in determining the cost of a sufficient public school education..
News Release: AIR Researchers to Participate in the Annual Conference of the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness
Leading education researchers with the American Institutes for Research (AIR) will participate in the annual conference of the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness (SREE) that will be held March 2 through March 4, 2008 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Crystal City, Virginia.
January 2008
News Release: Video of a Teacher Quality Forum Jointly Hosted by AIR and Education Week Now Available Online
An online video is now available for a forum sponsored jointly by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) and Education Week entitled “Searching
for Solutions: An Evidence-Based Dialogue on Teacher Quality.”
View the Teacher Quality Forum Overview and Videos
December 2007
News Release: New Study Compares Science Peformance of U.S. Students With 11 Other Industrialized Countries
Shattering the myth that U.S. students score substantially above other countries in science in 4th and 8th grades, but then fall precipitously to below average in the 10th grade, a new study by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) shows there is actually a steady decline, not a sudden drop, in performance as students progress through school. Comparing the U.S. to 12 similar industrialized countries, the report also offers clues to what may lead to the differences and declines.
Download the full report.
News Release: AIR and Education Week Co-Host a Forum on Teacher Quality
Washington, D.C. – Education Week and the American Institutes for Research (AIR) co-sponsored a forum on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 entitled “Searching for Solutions: An Evidence-Based Dialogue on Teacher Quality.” Panelists included Michelle Rhee, chancellor of the District of Columbia Public Schools, leading education researchers and senior staff members of the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Education and Labor.
Download the Research Retrospective.
November 2007
News Release: Study Finds That ‘No Child Left Behind’ Accountablity System Are Largely In Place, But Act’s Promises Remain Uncertain
After five years of effort, states have implemented most of the test-based accountability requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and now must focus their efforts on improving poor-performing schools that have been identified, according to a new U.S. Department of Education report written by experts from the RAND Corporation and American Institutes for Research.
Click here to download the NCLB Accountability Report.
News Release: 8th Graders in Most U.S. States Performing Better in Math and Science than Students in Most Foreign Countries
Students in most U.S. states are performing as well as or better than most students in foreign countries in math and science, but the highest achieving states are still significantly below the highest achieving countries, according to a new study by the American Institutes for Research (AIR).
News Release: American Institutes for Research to Launch New RTI Center
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has awarded the American Institutes for Research (AIR) a grant to create the National Center on Response to Intervention. The five-year, $14.2 million grant will enable AIR’s new center to serve as a central source of in-depth knowledge, expertise, and research on response to intervention (RTI) for state and district administrators, educators and parents.
News Release: Six AIR Researchers Give Presentations at ProLiteracy Worldwide Conference
Six researchers for the American Institutes for Research (AIR) have been selected to give presentations at the ProLiteracy Worldwide 2007 Annual Conference in Alexandria, Virginia on Nov. 7-10. The nonprofit ProLiteracy Worldwide is the oldest and largest nongovernmental literacy organization in the world.
October 2007
News Release: American Institutes for Research Vice President Marilyn Moon Appointed Chair of the Maryland Health Care Commission
Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley has appointed Marilyn Moon, Vice President and Director of the Health Program at the American Institutes for Research, to serve as chair of the 15-member Maryland Health Care Commission.
August 2007
News Release: Most Teachers "Highly Qualified" under NCLB Standards, But Teacher Qualifications Lag in High Poverty and High Minority Schools
Most public school teachers are "highly qualified" under the terms of the No Child Left Behind Act, but many low income and minority students experience inequities when it comes to the qualifications of the teachers in their classrooms, according to a new U.S. Department of Education report written by experts with the American Institutes for Research (AIR).
Click here to download the No Child Left Behind Teacher Quality Report.
News Release:
The American Institutes for Research Wins a Contract to Direct the
California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO)
The California Department of Education has awarded the American Institutes for Research (AIR) a $7.2 million contract to direct the California Adult Literacy Professional Development Project (CALPRO) through June 2010.
July 2007
News Release:
First Lady Laura Bush Visits an AIR Project in Zambia
First lady Laura Bush in June to joined Zambian first lady Maureen Mwanawasa for a visit to a school in Lusaka, Zambia that is supported by one of AIR’s major international efforts – the Community Health and Nutrition, Gender and Education Support – 2 (CHANGES2) program.
June 2007
News Release:
Experts to Discuss Assessing Accountability Under the No Child Left Behind Act
On Tuesday, June 12, 2007 experts for the American Institutes for Research (AIR), the Center on Education Policy (CEP) and the RAND Corporation will discuss "Assessing Accountability Under the No Child Left Behind Act," based upon major findings from multi-year studies of the federal law.
April 2007
News Release:
AIR Study Uses U.S. Standards to Compare U.S. 8th Grade Math and Science Students with Their Foreign Counterparts
When U.S. performance standards are used to measure the mathematics and science skills of 8th graders around the world, students in the United States substantially trail their counterparts in Singapore, Chinese Taipei, South Korea and Hong Kong but generally are equal to or outperform students in other parts of the World, according to a new study by the American Institutes for Research (AIR).
Full text of the report.
News Release:
Public School Principals Report Little Control Over Key Decisions
Though most public school principals believe that effective leadership of their schools requires authority over personnel decisions (e.g. staff selection, deployment, dismissal), they report having little such authority in practice. That's a key finding of a new study by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute and the American Institutes for Research (AIR).
Full text of the report.
News Release:
American Institutes for Research Staff Has a Major Presence at the 2007 Meeting of the American Educational Research Association
More than 70 members of the American Institutes for Research (AIR) will be participating in this year's American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting, discussing a wide range of topics, including the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), school bullying and high school reform. The AERA conference will be held on April 9-13, 2007 in Chicago.
March 2007
News Release:
AIR Vice President Fleischman Testifies Before a House Subcommittee on the Need for Federal Support of Education Reform Efforts
Steve Fleischman, an American Institutes for Research vice president, testified Wednesday, March 28, 2007 before the U.S. House of Representatives? Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies about the need for federal support for school reform efforts.
Full text of prepared remarks.
News Release:
AIR Hosts TeamSTEPPS Collaborative Conference on Team Training in Health Care on May 1-2, 2007
The American Institutes for Research is hosting a two-day TeamSTEPPS Collaborative Conference on team training in health care on May 1-2, 2007 at its headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Additional information about the conference.
Register for the conference.
News Release:
AIR Researcher Harold Doran Testifies Before the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee on Adequate Yearly Progress Options for NCLB
Harold Doran, a senior research scientist at the American Institutes for Research, testified Wednesday, March 21, 2007, before the U.S. House of Representative's Education and Labor Committee, which held a hearing on options for improving the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).
Click here to download the full text of the testimony.
News Release:
American Institutes for Research Experts Present Findings from Four Studies Aimed at Addressing California?s Education Needs
Experts for the American Institutes for Research conducted studies on four issues ? the cost of providing an adequate education, special education costs, extraordinarily successful schools and charter schools ? as part of an unprecedented ?Getting Down to Facts? research project conducted by the nation?s leading universities and research institutions for policymakers in California.
- Successful California Schools in the Context of Education Adequacy
- Efficiency and Adequacy in California School Finance
- Charter Schools in California: A Review of their Autonomy and Resource Allocation Practices
- Considering Special Education Adequacy in California
February 2007
News Release:
Dwight Carmichael Joins American Institutes for Research As Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Dwight L. Carmichael, an experienced financial executive, has been appointed Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the American Institutes for Research, a nonprofit behavioral and social science research organization based in Washington, D.C.
November 2006 News
News Release:
David Myers, Nationally Recognized Education Researcher, Joins AIR as Senior Vice President
David Myers, a nationally recognized education researcher, has joined the American Institutes for Research as Senior Vice President and Director of AIR's Education and Human Development Division.
News Release:
The American Institutes for Research Issues Updated Rating of 22 Widely Used Comprehensive School Reform Models
The American Institutes for Research (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 student achievement. The status of the 20 other reform models remains unchanged.
Click here to download the full report.
News Release:
American Institutes for Research Wins Prestigious SIOP Award for Efforts to Reduce Medical Errors
Researchers for American Institutes for Research (AIR) have won the prestigious 2007 M. Scott Myers Award for Applied Research in the Workplace, given by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP).
October 2006 News
News Release:
American Institutes for Research Consumer Guide Rates Widely Used Middle and High School Reform Models
Ten of 18 school improvement models, used in thousands of middle and high schools, demonstrate promising evidence of raising student achievement, according to a first-of-its-kind comprehensive review of research on the models conducted by the American Institutes for Research (AIR).
Click here to download the full publication.
August 2006 News
News Release: AIR Receives USAID Grant to Improve Education in Earthquake Devastated Areas of Pakistan
The American Institutes for Research (AIR) has been awarded a grant by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to implement their Revitalizing, Innovating, Strengthening Education (RISE) program aimed at improving education in earthquake affected areas of Pakistan.
July 2006 News
News Release:
AIR President Sol Pelavin Addresses Conference of School Superintendents
Sol H. Pelavin, President and CEO of the American Institutes for Research (AIR), on Wednesday, July 26 delivered an address on instilling confidence and trust within organizations and the public during the 23rd annual meeting of the National Academy of Superintendents, hosted by the College of Education at Ohio State University.
Click here to download the full text of Sol Pelavin's speech.
News Release:
AIR Hosts Successful Regional Conference on Eliminating Child Labor in Southern Africa
The American Institutes for Research and its partner Khulisa Management Services hosted a major regional conference on child labor in Johannesburg, South Africa in July under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Labor-funded Reducing Exploitive Child Labor through Education in Southern Africa (RECLISA) project.
June 2006 News
News Release: Study of Alabama Reading Initiative Finds Flexibility Is Better Than One Size Fits All Approach to Teaching Reading
The Alabama Reading Initiative, which has drawn national attention, has produced encouraging results among secondary school students in part because of educators who took initial instructions that used a “one size fits all” approach to instruction and modified it to meet their students’ particular needs, according to a report by the American Institutes for Research (AIR).
Download the full Alabama Reading Initiative Report
News Release: Marilyn Moon, AIR Vice President and Director of Health Program, Writes Policy Primer on Medicare
Marilyn Moon, vice president and director of the Health Program at the American Institutes for Research (AIR) and a nationally recognized expert on Medicare, has written a new policy assessment of Medicare, the nation’s largest public health care program – and one of the fastest growing programs in the federal budget.
April 2006 News
News Release: AIR Offers a First-Ever Review of the Quality of Seven Widely Used Education Service Providers
The American Institutes for Research (AIR) is releasing a first-ever scientifically based review providing comparative ratings on the effectiveness and quality of seven widely adopted education service providers that generally serve low-performing schools in low income areas.
Executive Summary of Education Service Provider Report
Full Report
News Release: About 90 AIR Experts Wil Participate in the AERA April Meeting in San Francisco
Approximately 90 American Institutes for Research (AIR) experts will be participating in this year’s American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting, discussing a wide range of topics, including the No Child Left Behind Act, California’s Proposition 227, elementary-school comprehensive school reform models and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s high school grants, among others.
Click here to view a sampling of papers being presented by AIR experts at the AERA conference.
News Release: AIR Team to Lead Professional Development Workshop on Randomized Field Trials at AERA Annual Meeting
Several American Institutes for Research (AIR) experts will offer a Professional Development Training workshop on randomized field trials of educational interventions at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) 2006 Annual Meeting. The AERA conference will be held on April 7-11 in San Francisco.
Download Presentation
News Release: AIR Participation at AERA 2006 Annual Meeting, April 7-11 in San Francisco
March 2006 News
News Release: American Institutes for Research Chosen By Federal Agency to Help Develop Innovative Health Care Delivery
The American Institutes for Research (AIR) is one of a select number of research organizations chosen by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, a Public Health Service agency in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to promote innovation in health care delivery in the United States.
February 2006 News
News Release: Five-Year Study of Proposition 227 Finds No Conclusive Evidence Favoring One Instructional Approach for English Learners
There is no conclusive evidence that one instructional model for educating English learners, such as full English immersion or a bilingual approach, is more effective for California’s English learners than another, according to a five-year study of Proposition 227. The study, by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) in conjunction with WestEd, concludes that a variety of factors in varying school contexts influence English learner achievement.
Click here to download the Proposition 227 Final Report.
Click here to download the Final Report's Appendices.
How English Learners are Faring Under Prop. 227
January 2006 News
News Release: New Study of the Literacy of College Students Finds Some Are Graduating With Only Basic Skills
Twenty percent of U.S. college students completing 4-year degrees – and 30 percent of students earning 2-year degrees – have only basic quantitative literacy skills, meaning they are unable to estimate if their car has enough gasoline to get to the next gas station or calculate the total cost of ordering office supplies, according to a new national survey by the American Institutes for Research (AIR). The study was funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts.
Click here to download the NSACS Fact Sheet.
Click here to download the NSACS Final Report.
Click here to download the NSACS Final Report's Appendices.
News Release: American Institutes for Research Establishes National High School Center, Launches Web Site at www.betterhighschools.org
The National High School Center at the American Institutes for Research (AIR) has recently launched its Web site at www.betterhighschools.org. The High School Center will serve as a central source of in-depth knowledge, expertise, and analysis on high school improvement.
December 2005 News
News Release: AIR Experts Assist in National Assessment of Adult Literacy, First Assessment of English Literacy of Adults in U.S. in More than a Decade
The Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) will be releasing data on Thursday, December 15, 2005, based on the first National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) in the United States in more than a decade. Experts for the American Institutes for Research (AIR) were responsible for developing the assessment instruments, and analyzing and reporting the data.
November 2005 News
News Release: Study Rates 22 Widely Used Comprehensive School Reform Models
A new guide using strict scientific criteria to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of 22 widely adopted comprehensive elementary school reform models rates 15 as “limited” to “moderately strong” in demonstrating positive effects on student achievement.
Click here to access the full CSRQ Center report.
News Release: New Study Finds U.S. Math Students Consistently Behind Their Peers Around the World
Despite a widely held belief that U.S. students do well in mathematics in grade school but decline precipitously in high school, a new study comparing the math skills of students in industrialized nations finds that U.S. students in 4th and 8th grade perform consistently below most of their peers around the world and continue that trend into high school.
Click here to access the final AIR report.
News Release: Two Chosen for New AERA-AIR Fellowship Program
The American Institutes for Research (AIR), in collaboration with the American Educational Research Association (AERA), is pleased to announce the selection of Wehmah C. Jones and Audrey Morgenbesser as the first young scholars chosen to participate in an AERA-AIR (A2) Fellows Program aimed at encouraging the development of education researchers.
October 2005 News
News Release: AIR Expert Speaks at White House Conference on Helping America's Youth
The American Institutes for Research’s (AIR) Sheppard Kellam, a nationally recognized expert on the prevention of school failure, aggressive and violent behavior, and drug abuse among adolescents, will be participating in a White House Conference on Helping America’s Youth on Oct. 27.
News Release: AIR Wins Two New Contracts For Work Overseas
The American Institutes for Research (AIR) has been chosen by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) as one of the firms to be awarded new indefinite quantity contracts potentially worth up to $1.9 billion over five years.
News Release: AIR Report Identifies States With "Promising Practices" in Education and Licensing Programs for Motorcycle Riders
Oregon, Delaware, and Idaho top the list of 10 states identified as having “promising practices” that promote motorcycle safety, according to a study by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) that was conducted for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
September 2005 News
News Release: Marilyn Moon, AIR VP, Testifies on Medicare Before U.S. Senate Panel
Marilyn Moon, a nationally recognized expert on Medicare who is Vice President and Director of the Health Program of the American Institutes for Research (AIR), was invited to testify Thursday, September 22, 2005 before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, and International Security examining the “Cost and Payment of Medicare Part D.”
News Release: AIR Health Communications Experts Available to Share Insight in Celebration of National Women's Health & Fitness Day
In celebration of the fourth annual National Women’s Health & Fitness Day on Wednesday, September 28, experts from the American Institutes for Research (AIR) will be available to discuss topics related to women’s health and fitness such as the importance of regular exercise and healthy eating habits; cancer screenings; reproductive health and prenatal care; and ways to enhance health and prevent complications while living with diabetes.
August 2005 News
News Release: AIR Provides Guidance on Free Tutoring Offered Under NCLB, Releases New Toolkit for Parents and Community Leaders
The American Institutes for Research has developed and released a new toolkit that offers parents and community leaders tips, tools, and strategies to learn more about free tutoring for students in schools designated as needing improvement under the No Child Left Behind Act.These tutoring services, known as supplemental education services (SES), are easier to navigate with the help of the toolkit, which assists parents in signing up for the services and provides tips on how to pick a SES provider for their children.
News Release: AIR Expert Chosen to Monitor the Improvement of Mississippi’s Juvenile Justice System
The U.S. Department of Justice and the State of Mississippi have jointly selected a juvenile justice expert at the American Institutes for Research to monitor the state’s progress toward improving two of its juvenile justice facilities. Recently, Mississippi and federal authorities reached an agreement stemming from a 2003 Department of Justice lawsuit that led to a court order requiring the state to take corrective measures. Joyce Burrell, a senior research analyst at AIR, will serve as the federal monitor who will track the state’s progress in complying with the provisions laid out in the consent decree.
July 2005 News
News Release: The Campbell Collaboration and American Institutes for Research Join Forces
The international Campbell Collaboration (C2) and the American Institutes for Research (AIR), both nonprofit organizations, are joining forces in a relationship designed to expand the depth of reliable research knowledge available to experts and the public. AIR will provide support for the collaboration that will improve and expand its ability to make information available on a timely basis.
News Release: Business Leader Kathy McKinless Joins AIR’s Board of Directors
Kathy J. McKinless, a business leader with an extensive background in public accounting in the not-for-profit sector and financial services industry, has joined the Board of Directors of the American Institutes for Research, a leader in the behavioral and social sciences. McKinless served as a partner in the firm of KPMG LLP, a leading accounting and financial services company, until her retirement in 2003.
June 2005 News
News Release: AIR Acquires Sutton Group, a Leader in Social Marketing and Communications
Washington, D.C. – The American Institutes for Research, one of the nation’s largest independent research organizations, announced today that it has acquired Sutton Group, a nationally recognized social marketing and communication firm based in Washington, D.C. Sutton Group, founded in 1996 by Dr. Sharyn Sutton, a leader in the social marketing and health communications field, specializes in audience research, strategic planning for social change and marketing communication.
News
Release: AIR
Study Shows Benefit of Outdoor Environmental Studies
for Sixth Grade Students
Washington, D.C. – The California Department of Education
has released the results of an American Institutes for Research study
showing improved science scores and other benefits among at-risk
sixth grade students in Los Angeles, San Diego and Fresno who participated
in week-long residential environmental education programs known as “outdoor
science schools”.
A copy of the final AIR report is available online [pdf]
News Release: New Online Journal Available for International Development Practitioners
A new online publication, the Journal of Education for International Development (JEID), is providing education professionals in developing countries with access to timely information on a broad range of subjects, from decentralization efforts in West-Africa to the challenges caused by corruption. The American Institutes for Research, along with its partners in the Educational Quality Improvement Program (EQUIP), comprise an editorial board that reviews and publishes the articles and tools that appear on the Web site. The inaugural issue of the journal focuses on the topic of governance.
View the Journal of Education for International Development.
April 2005 News
News Release: AIR Shapes Improvements in the Workplace By Contributing to the Field of Industrial and Organizational Psychology Research: More than 25 Researchers Participate in the 2005 Annual Conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP)
The workplace is undergoing rapid changes due to advancing technologies and other trends and so is workforce-related research, revealed AIR researchers who recently presented at the 2005 Annual Conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP).
More than 25 AIR researchers participated in the conference, presenting on topics including training the next generation of doctors; tools for assessing leadership; and the complex impact of anger in the workplace. AIR presenters also evaluated the quality and usefulness of certain research methods in the field of industrial and organizational (I/O) psychology; the growing popularity of applying I/O methodologies to other fields; and debated the doctoral needs of students who will shape the future of industrial and organization research.
News Release: More Than 100 AIR Experts Participate at the American Educational Research Conference
At-risk students show improved test scores when challenged by rigorous, engaging instruction, according to findings to be released by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) in Montreal April 11 - 15. More than 100 AIR experts will be participating in the conference, covering topics from full-day Kindergarten to adult literacy.
AIR will also celebrate the creation of the new AERA-AIR (A²) Fellows program designed to build the talent pool of highly skilled education researchers and technical assistance providers during a reception on April 12, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. at the Le Centre Sheraton Montreal Hotel. More information abt the (A²) Fellows is available online [pdf].
Access some of the papers presented at AERA 2005 by clicking on the titles below:
Aladjem, D.K., Borman, K. The Lifecycle of Comprehensive School Reform
Cotner, B., Herrmann, S., Borman, K.M., Boydston,T., Le Floch, K.C. A Deeper Look at Implementation: School-Level Stakeholders’ Perceptions of Comprehensive School Reform
Cronen, S., Silver-Pacuilla, H., Condelli, L. Conducting Large-Scale Research in Adult ESL: Challenges and Approaches for the Explicit Literacy Impact Study.
Davis, J., Ferdous, A. Using Item Difficulty and Item Position to Measure Test Fatigue.
Davis, J., Lynd, M. Improving Children’s Health Status and Educational Outcomes in Guinea, West Africa.
Kurki, A., Aladjem, D.K., Carter, K.R. Implementation: Measuring and Explaining the Fidelity of CSR Implementation
Kurki, A., Boyle, A., Aladjem, D.K. Beyond Free Lunch—Alternative Poverty Measures in Educational Research and Program Evaluation
Lanahan, L., McGrath, D.J., McLaughlin, M., Burian-Fitzgerald, M., Salganik, L. Fundamental Problems in the Measurement of Instructional Processes: Estimating Reasonable Effect Sizes and Conceptualizing What is Important to Measure.
LeFloch, K.C., Taylor, J., Thomsen, K. The Implications of NCLB Accountability for Comprehensive School Reform
LeFloch, K.C., Zhang, Y., Herrmann, S. Adoption: Exploring the Initiation of Comprehensive School Reform Models
Leow, C., Le Floch, K.C. Summary: Evaluation of Mathematics with Meaning and Textual Power through Student Achievement Analysis.
McLaughlin, M., McGrath, D.J., Burian-Fitzgerald, M., Lanahan, L., Scotchmer, M., Enyeart, C., Salganik, L. Student Content Engagement as a Construct for the Measurement of Effective Classroom Instruction and Teacher Knowledge
Mulligan, G., Walston, J. Assessment in the Primary Grades (K-3): School and Classroom Practices and Parents’ Opinions by School Type and Sociodemographic Characteristics
Rathbun, A., West, J., Walston, J. Relationships between Family Risks and Children’s Reading and Mathematics Growth from Kindergarten through Third Grade
Solano-Flores, G., Contreras-Niño, L.A., Backhoff, E. The Mexican Translation of TIMSS-1995: Lessons on Test Translation From a Post-Mortem Study
Solano-Flores, G., Speroni, C., Sexton, U. Test Translation: Advantages and Challenges of a Socio-Linguistic Approach
Taylor, J.E. Sustainability: Examining the Survival of Schools’ Comprehensive School Reform Efforts
Uekawa, K., Aladjem, D.K., Zhang, Y. The Role of Social Capital in
Comprehensive School Reform
Walston, J., West, J., Rathbun, A. Do The Greater Academic Gains Made by Full-Day Kindergarten Children Persist Through Third Grade?
Yamaguchi, R., Harmon, J., Darwin, M., Graczewski, C., Fleischman, S. A Multi-Method Approach to Evaluating Elementary School Comprehensive School Reform Models.
Zhang, Y., Shkolnik, J., Fashola, O. Evaluating the Implementation of
Comprehensive School Reform and Its
Impact on Growth in Student Achievement
March 2005 News
News Release: Findings by AIR Experts are at the Core of the Debate Over the Adequacy of New York Public School Funding
Findings by experts for the American Institutes for Research is serving as the basis for information being used by leaders and the public in New York as they address the issue of adequate state funding for public school children. New York State Supreme Court Justice Leland DeGrasse ruled that New York City schools must receive an annual increase of nearly $5.7 billion, along with $9.2 billion in capital projects in order for the state to provide “a sound, basic education.” His ruling was based upon the results of a 15-month study, “Determining the Cost of Providing All Children in New York an Adequate Education.”
News Release: First Round of New Achievement Reports Released in Ohio
The American Institutes for Research issued the first round of new achievement reports in the Columbus School District as part of a pilot program for the Ohio Department of Education. These test score reports help parents and educators identify whether each child is learning what they need to know in a way that is easy to understand. The No Child Left Behind Act requires standards that tell schools at what level they need to be—these new test score reports tell them how to get there.
February 2005 News
News Release: First Lady Laura Bush Visits Baltimore, Md., School where AIR is Conducting Program to Reduce Adolescent Violence
First lady Laura Bush visited George Washington Elementary School, where the American Institutes for Research has been working with the City of Baltimore on a program aimed at reducing school failure, drug abuse, and aggressive and violent behavior among adolescents. As part of the first lady’s visit, she met with Dr. Sheppard G. Kellam, the director of AIR’s Center for Integrating Education and Prevention Research in Schools and a nationally recognized expert on the prevention of school failure, drug abuse and aggressive and violent behavior among adolescents.
Transcripts of First lady Laura Bush's remarks are available online.
News Release: New AIR Study Compares the Quality of U.S. Math Instruction with Singapore, a Recognized World Leader
A study by the American Institutes for Research comparing the teaching of elementary school mathematics in the United States and Singapore has found that Singapore’s textbooks and assessment examinations are more demanding and their teachers more skilled mathematically but that U.S. approaches often put more emphasis on certain important 21st century math skills.
The Full Report is available online. To easily access the report by sections, click on the Bookmarks tab on the left side of the report for a chapter by chapter listing.
A Summary of State Specific Results on Mathematics Frameworks and Assessments Compared with Singapore is available online.
Comparisons of Sample Questions on Singapore’s Grade 6 Student Assessment, Selected State Assessments and the U.S. Praxis II Teacher Licensing Exam are also available online.
January 2005 News
News Release: New AIR Report on Middle and High School Improvement Programs
The Comprehensive School Reform Quality (CSRQ) Center, a project of AIR, today released Works in Progress: A Report on Middle and High School Improvement Programs. The report offers educators and policymakers a user-friendly, timely summary of more than a dozen key issues facing middle and high schools, such as literacy and reading, English language learners, violence and bullying, and transition.
News Release: New Plan Maps Out the State of Educational Technology in the Classroom
A new report released by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology found that today’s students are often more tech-savvy than their teachers, even among the youngest students. The American Institutes for Research helped develop the National Education Technology Plan.
December 2004 News
News Release: AIR Study Finds Federal Higher Ed Program Helping to Improve Postsecondary Educational Opportunities
A federal higher education grant program designed to improve postsecondary educational opportunities, particularly for underserved populations, is meeting and sometimes exceeding its goals, according to a study of the program completed by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) for the U.S. Department of Education.
AIR received two prestigious awards for excellence in Communications and Social Marketing. An upbeat music CD produced to encourage physical activity among Hispanic populations at risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes received the Communicator Awards top honor, the Crystal Award of Excellence. AIR also received a Chris Award at the 2004 Columbus International Film and Video Festival for the production “You Are Not Alone – A Video for Parents of Teens with Epilepsy.” The video is part of a toolkit developed by AIR for the CDC and the Epilepsy Foundation of America, specifically for parents of teens with well-controlled epilepsy.
November 2004 News
News Release: AIR adds business leaders to Board
David Kearns and Charles Lee are nationally respected business leaders with strong commitments to high-quality education and the development of young people.
October 2004 News
News Release : AIR and MDRC Invite Bidders for Reading Intervention Study
Individuals or companies that have developed a comprehensive reading intervention program appropriate for use in grade 9 classes are invited to reply to the RFP. Proposals will be evaluated by a team of adolescent reading experts, and finalists may be asked to provide an in-person presentation on their approach and their program materials.
News Release : AIR and McKenzie Group Join Forces in Push for Urban School Reform
AIR is acquiring The McKenzie Group, Inc., an influential educational consulting firm, in a move designed to better serve the needs of urban districts seeking systemic reform.
September 2004 News
News Release : Bridging the Gap between Science and Reality
AIR hires five nationally recognized leaders in school district reform as part of a major expansion towards providing assistance to education officials at the state and local level.
News Release : Egypt Education Reform Program: USAID and AIR Help Improve Education along the Nile
Just 57% of Egypt’s total population over the age of 15 is literate, with less than half of the women being able to read and write. Recently, Egypt has begun to change things for the better....
May 2004 News
News Release : New York Adequacy Study Report Makes News
AIR's report estimates it will cost an additional $7 billion in 2004-2005 dollars to provide
"a sound basic education" for all New York public school students.
The study carries particular weight because its methodology has long been endorsed by the chairman of the Commission on Education Reform, Frank G. Zarb. The complete report and the appendices can be downloaded here:
Volume I, The Report: Determining the Cost of Providing All Children in New York an Adequate Education
Volume II, The Appendices: New York Adequacy Appendices
AIR Staff organize AEFA pre-conference workshop
A pre-conference workshop will be given at the annual meeting of the American Education Finance Association which is scheduled for March 17-19, 2005. The workshop focuses on presenting the four methods currently used by researchers to address adequacy in school funding. Representatives of each of these methodologies will be at the workshop. Alternative Approaches to Measuring Adequacy in K-12 School Finance: A Comparison
The American Institutes for Research to Merge with New American Schools
The American Institutes for Research (AIR) today announced its merger with New American Schools (NAS), wedding one of the nation’s premier education research organizations with a proven school improvement organization. The two organizations are beginning a strategic alliance immediately, a move that will produce a full merger early in 2005.
April 2004 News
News Release: AIR Staff Present at AERA
AIR staff are presenting papers at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association in San Diego, April 12-16. PDF versions of available papers are linked to their titles below. To arrange interviews with these authors and other experts, please contact Larry McQuillan.
Bacevich, A. Le Floch, K.C., Stapleton, J., Burris, B.
High Implementation in Low-achieving Schools: Lessons from an Innovative Pilot Program.
Christenson, B., Eaton, M., Garet, M., Miller, L., Hikawa, H., DuBois, P.
Final Report: Evaluation of the Magnet Schools Assistance Program, 1998 Grantees.
Case Studies: Magnet Schools Assistance Program.
Executive Summary: Magnet Schools Assistance Program.
Ferrara, S., Johnson, E., Chen, W-H.Vertically Moderated Standards: Logic, Procedures, and Likely Classsification of Judgmentally Articulated Performance Standards.
Ferrara, S., Duncan, T.G., Freed, R., Vélez-Paschke, A., McGivern, J., Mushlin, S., Mattessich, A., Rogers, A., Westphalen, K.Examining Test Score Validity by Examining Item Construct Validity in a Middle School Science Assessment.
Freeman, C.E., Snyder, T.D., Connolly, B.The Impact of Degree Field on the Earnings of Male and Female College Graduates.
Greenberg, E.Climates for Learning.
Greenberg, E., Rhodes, D., Ye, X., Stancavage, F.Prepared to Teach: Teacher Preparation and Student Achievement in Eighth-Grade Mathematics.
Hausken, E.G., Rathbun, A.Mathematics Instruction in Kindergarten: Classroom Practices and Outcomes.
Lanahan, L., Scotchmer, M., McLaughlin, M.Methodological Critique of Current NCES Survey Measures of Instructional Processes.
Leukens, M.Who's the Boss? An Examination of the Characteristics, Experience, and Training of Charter School Principals.
Miller, D.C., Partelow, L.A., Sen, A.Self-Regulatory Reading Processes in Relation to Fourth-Graders’ Reading Literacy.
Stapleton, J., LeFloch, K.A.C., Bacevich, A.E., Ketchie, B.Researching Education as it Happens: Using Classroom Observations to Generate Quantifiable Data.
News Release: AIR Experts Develop Media Guide for National PTA & Cable in the Classroom
Working closely with the National PTA and Cable in the Classroom, AIR developed Navigating the Children’s Media Landscape: A Parent’s and Caregiver’s Guide. The guide offers ideas and strategies to help parents and caregivers select and use media in ways appropriate for their children.
March 2004 News
AIR Staff presented at SIOP Meetings
AIR staff presented papers and participated in panel discussions at the annual Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology conference in Chicago. See the March 30, news release for a complete list of presenters. Available papers and abstracts are referenced below:
Krokos, K.J., et al. Empirical Keying of Situational Judgment Tests: Rationale and Some Examples.
Kuang, D.C., & Steinberg, L. Assessing performance: Investigation of the influence of item context using item response theory methods.
Mael, F. Objective Biodata Informing Career and Developmental Choices
Mael, F., & Beaubien, J. Outsourcing Human Resources Services.
McGonigle, T., O'Shea, G., Curnow, C.K., & Brown, K.G. Authors of the poster An Empirical Comparison of I-O Psychology's Internal and External Identities.
Oppler, S.H., Davies, S.A., Lyons, B.D. Nathanson, L., & Chen, W-H. Authors of the poster The Effect of Speededness on MCAT Scores: An Initial Examination.
O'Shea, G., Gustafson, S.B., et al. The Conditional Reasoning Item Development Process: Pitfalls, Successes, and Lessons Learned.
O'Shea, G., Heil, S.K.R., Mueller, L.M., Gustafson, S.B., & Rose, A. Participants in the Panel Discussion The Use of Occupational Information in Disability Determination Contexts, chaired by Gavan O’Shea and Susan K. R. Heil.
Setzt, T., Beaubien, J., Kenney, M., & Lyons, B. Non-Random Response in Job Analysis Surveys: A Cause for Concern?
February 2004 News
AIR Releases Workforce Contingent Financial Aid: How States Link Financial Aid to Employment