In February 2014, President Obama launched the My Brother’s Keeper initiative. This week, the president is announcing an additional $104 million in funding from new partnerships with public and private groups to address the opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color at critical stages throughout their lives. ...
A new report prepared by experts from the American Institutes for Research (AIR) and commissioned by the U.S. Department of Education examines how five school districts measured teacher effectiveness and used effectiveness information in human resource policies.
When teachers learn, students learn. For decades, AIR has conducted studies of teacher professional learning and helped practitioners use evidence to develop, implement, test, and scale professional learning programs.
There currently is unprecedented interest in improving teacher evaluation systems, yet in many cases, the role of teachers in shaping the process has been minimal. A new online resource provides school and district leaders with comprehensive materials they can use to encourage teacher involvement in the process. ...
An interim report on the implementation of an intensive teacher professional development program for seventh grade middle school mathematics teachers had a positive impact on the frequency with which the teachers engaged students in thinking activities, but found no statistically significant impact on teacher knowledge or student achievement. ...
In an effort to develop a balanced and valid system, states and districts increasingly have moved toward using multiple measures in educator evaluation. This guidance document focuses on the use of teacher self-evaluations as an alternative measure, including background information on self-evaluation, information on its use in teacher evaluation systems, ...
Dual language leaners represent large and growing population in California’s early learning programs. Yet, without formal certifications or training requirements, many early learning providers are not sufficiently prepared to work with DLLs. This report summarizes results from a study created to examine the implementation and impact of an investment in ...
The Sesame Street Family Resource Kit Pilot is a new program that includes web-based and hands-on (storybook) resources for parents/caregivers of children ages 3–8 affected by parental addiction. The Sesame Street resources and activities will be set up for parents/caregivers to use at home for 6 weeks (about 30–60 minutes ...
Many researchers and policymakers consider teachers the number one factor affecting student achievement. Yet teacher professional development programs that prove effective are rare. Efforts are needed to develop, refine, test, and scale-up professional development programs. AIR has been researching teacher professional development programs to help teachers with general and content-area ...
Prison education programs have some unique characteristics that require creative thinking. To focus on increasing equity for all inmates receiving education services, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation created the Student Success Initiative, a three-pronged approach to improving instruction. AIR developed and implemented a professional learning community in each ...