Systems to rate the quality of child care and preschool programs are in place or under development in 49 of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In this blog post, Laura Hawkinson and Karen Manship explain that, until validation and evaluation studies are complete, states' varying systems make ...
At 21, many foster youth “age out” of financial benefits and supports from the child welfare system—before they even finish college. Given the challenges they face, it’s not surprising that only 3 to 10 percent of them earn undergraduate degrees compared with 34 percent of young adults who weren’t in ...
First-generation immigrants perform better in reading and math tests than their second-generation peers, who in turn outperform their third-generation classmates, according to a new study by Umut Özek and Northwestern University’s David Figlio. The pair followed the performance of Asian and Hispanic students in Florida, a population that mirrors national ...
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) gives states the authority and flexibility to turn around their lowest performing schools. In this blog post, Allison Gandhi asks if states can succeed where federal policy requirements have run into walls, using the success of the Massachusetts Wraparound Zone initiative as an example. ...
Parents, teachers, schools, districts, states, and especially students all want schools that prepare graduates to thrive in the 21st century. In this blog post, Anne Mishkind asks what it means to be "college and career ready."
It’s been 40 years since performance standards were substantially revised for Head Start. The newly Revised Head Start Rules were approved and released last September. They include four major changes: increased duration, expanded access, special supports for vulnerable populations, and improved supports for teachers. In this blog post, Eboni Howard ...
Communities across the nation have vastly different experiences with the systems responsible for ensuring public safety. The AIR Equity Initiative hosted the first in a two-part roundtable series to explore data-informed efforts to enhance equitable public safety and policing experiences that promote safe communities for all. ...
The vital role that community members serve in a successful research-to-practice continuum echoed throughout our Pathways to Peace public symposium in Nashville, Tennessee. The themes we heard are critical, particularly as we consider how the AIR Equity Initiative can deepen and grow our efforts to engage in community conversations and ...
State agencies rely on Juvenile Justice Specialists and Compliance Monitors to make sure award recipients spend funds properly and facilities meet certain requirements of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, respectively.
Early learning has few detractors, but publicly supported prekindergarten has many. In this blog post, Susan Muenchow cites a recent AIR study that refutes the main objections and makes the case for free early childhood programs.