Provides research, evaluation, consulting, and technical assistance services that contribute to the lifelong process of learning and improving personal performance.

Produces and disseminates information to provide motivation and tools to enable individuals to make informed decisions about health issues.

Develops and implements education testing programs that benefit students, parents and public officals.

Works with the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the government's primary source for collecting and analyzing data about public education.

Helps to provide all children with access to a quality education, and empowers people, organizations, and communities to bring about social change.

Is committed to helping clients improve the effectiveness of their workforce through a wide range of management, organizational, and business improvement efforts.

Produces, maintains and disseminates systematic reviews of the effects of social and behavioral interventions.

Research and Technical Development

AIR is distinctive among organizations developing large-scale assessments in the basic research and technical development work we do. We are a leader in the methodology of educational assessment, having conducted basic research on test validity and developed a new, innovative approach for setting performance standards (i.e., achievement levels) on educational tests. AIR pioneered the cognitive laboratory technique for refining subject-matter test items. In addition, we are conducting groundbreaking research on educational accommodations and are making significant contributions to the field of psychometrics. This work is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), and internally by AIR.

Our research and technical development efforts offer tremendous benefits for our clients—in addition to providing benefits for the entire field of assessment. Our psychometric and design innovations enable states to test more accurately at lower costs. Our standard-setting method gives clients a powerful alternative in this crucial aspect of accountability. And our superior validity research enables us to develop test items that measure precisely the content our clients want to measure—particularly for diverse student groups.

We’re also helping validate the revised SAT program, thereby enabling stronger connections with post-secondary expectations.

AIR’s technical staff is creating the future in educational assessment right now. No other organization has a more talented, innovative group in this arena.