A scientific, research-based survey is one of the most unbiased, methodical ways to collect and understand human behavior and opinion. With response rates on the decline, AIR researchers Michael Jackson and Cameron McPhee have conducted research exploring ways to predict survey response, including ways to boost participation among those least likely to respond, as a way to reduce non-responses. Here, they offer four takeaways from their work.

In this commentary published in the Hill, Dan Goldhaber, AIR vice president and director of CALDER, and John C. White, Louisiana state superintendent of education, discuss the importance of formal mentoring for teachers during their career training.

There are more than 5 million students in Texas, the second-largest state in the U.S. by population and geography. To truly move the dial on education in this highly diverse state, the Texas Comprehensive Center uses a variety of tools and approaches and considers challenges from multiple perspectives. Read through this story map to learn more about the Center's work.

The U.S. Department of Education commissioned AIR to conduct a national study to evaluate how adult education operates at the state and local levels, including who adult education providers are, the services they provide, and the challenges they face. Stephanie Cronen answered some questions about adult education and what the study aims to accomplish.

Patricia Campie is a criminologist with more than 20 years of experience leading community-based research, evaluation, and implementation science initiatives. She is the principal investigator for the Research on Lowering Violence in Schools and Communities (ReSOLV) project, a five-year longitudinal study of the root causes of school violence and community, school, and individual capacities to address them. Here she answers some questions about the project.

David Osher is a leading expert in violence prevention, conditions for learning, school safety, and social and emotional learning. The principal investigator on three national centers, he has written and edited various books and articles, including Creating Safe, Equitable, Engaging Schools: A Comprehensive, Evidence-Based Approach to Supporting Students, with fellow AIR experts Deborah Moroney and Sandra Williamson.

Gretchen Weber is still a teacher at heart. A National Board Certified Teacher, she thinks of herself as a voice for teachers—someone who has walked in their shoes and now hammers on the issues teachers face every day. In our latest Q&A, she explains how we can recognize teachers not just this week, but throughout the year.

Project Talent is the largest, most comprehensive study of high school students ever conducted in the United States. Since its launch in 1960, researchers have continued to collect data on the original participants and now its data are helping AIR researchers study possible risk and protective factors of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Project Talent Director and AIR Vice President Susan Lapham answered a few questions about the project, its history, and its potential influence.

Research has firmly established that the first five years of a child’s life are critical for future success in school and in life, yet a September 2018 report shows that young children’s educational experiences are inconsistent across the U.S. and around the world. The Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators report includes findings on how early childhood education and care varies around the world in terms of approach, enrollment, quality, and teachers’ salaries. Three AIR experts discussed those variations, and excerpts of their conversation appear below.