The federal Race to the Top competition provided significant impetus for states to adopt “value-added” models as a part of their teacher evaluation systems. This study examines how teacher evaluations are affected by incorrectly attributing changes in student's test scores to the value-added of teachers in spring classrooms, and explores ...
The best afterschool programs do two things: they engage students in fun activities that create a desire to learn, and they build on what students are learning during the school day to extend the knowledge they already have. This online toolkit provides resources for developing fun, innovative, and academically enriching ...
Afterschool leaders know all too well the many challenges involved in managing, organizing, and operating a high-quality program. A Practitioner's Guide: Building and Managing Quality Afterschool Programs shares the insights of the National Partnership for Quality Afterschool Learning (the National Partnership) as well as information about both the academic and ...
With more than 400,000 students served by afterschool programs in California, the State of California has good reason to focus on the quality of its afterschool programs. SEDL, now an affiliate of AIR, worked with the California Department of Education to identify high-quality afterschool programs in the state and to ...
Older adults have become increasingly interested in cognitive training as a way to slow down or even reverse cognitive decline. In this video interview, George Rebok, AIR Institute Fellow, examines how effective cognitive training is and what people can do to prevent mental decline as they age.
To become successful adults in a global 21st century, children and adolescents need a broad range of experiences to build their knowledge of the world and understand their place in it. AIR and the Asia Society offer a set of strategies and tools to help school leaders use the framework ...
Over the last two decades, the expanded learning community has grown and developed, both in its day-to-day practice as well as in its knowledge of what works well. This article, written by Carol McElvain, a managing director at AIR, focuses on what the development of a robust program quality indicator ...
Research indicates that afterschool programs can significantly improve youth outcomes in such areas as academic performance, student attendance rates, and incidence of disciplinary actions. The Texas Education Agency has implemented a number of state and federally funded afterschool initiatives in Texas, including the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program and ...
For approximately 15 years, the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program has supported activities and services that offer students in high-poverty communities across the nation the opportunity to participate in programs designed to improve their academic enrichment and promote positive youth development. In Texas, there are close to ...
Neil Naftzger focuses on community schools, afterschool programs, and youth development initiatives. With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Naftzger specializes in designing and leading research and evaluation studies—particularly those related to federally funded programs such as the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) and Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) ...
