Education

Increasing the effectiveness of education

AIR is committed to increasing the effectiveness of education at all levels through rigorous research and evaluation, training, and technical assistance. Our work spans the learning lifespan—from pre-K to postsecondary education, career readiness, and adult education—and focuses on a wide range of topics, including STEM, social and emotional learning, and state and federal education policies.

Our rigorous, state-of-the-art research and evaluation work provides important evidence for education policymakers and practitioners to use when answering crucial questions about program implementation, challenges, and solutions. Through our policy, practice, and systems change work, our experts help clients address educational issues and challenges at the local, state, national, and international levels by applying evidence-based practices in educational and community settings.

 

Latest Work

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24 Feb 2021
Report

U.S. National and State Trends in Educational Inequality Due to Socioeconomic Status: Evidence from the 2003–17 NAEP

This study examines the trends in educational inequality due to family socioeconomic status (SES) in the United States both at the national level and at the state-level. Specifically, the study focuses on the changes in achievement gaps between high and low SES students between 2003 and 2017 with an additional emphasis on performance trends of low-SES students over time.
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24 Feb 2021
Spotlight

RISE Webinar Series

The Research on International Studies in Education (RISE) Webinar Series, organized by AIR, showcases research using data from international studies and promotes sharing and discussion about how data-based evidence can be used for improving educational outcomes.
18 Feb 2021
Brief

When Schools Go Dark, School Counselors Shine: School Counseling During a Global Pandemic

School counselors are uniquely positioned in schools and districts to provide access to many of the supports that help bolster the well-being of students and allow them to be present and succeed academically. This brief profiles efforts by two state school counseling associations, four districts, and 13 school counselors to meet the needs of students and families during these unprecedented times.
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9 Feb 2021
Q & A

How Can Community COVID-19 Rates Inform Decisions on Reopening Schools?

COVID-19 has profoundly disrupted K–12 schooling. A working paper from AIR’s National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research (CALDER) suggests the prevalence of COVID in the community could be an important factor in deciding whether public schools reopen or remain open.
3 Feb 2021
Guide

Improving Lives Through Evidence-Based Approaches

Addressing persistent challenges in education, health care, and workforce requires evidence-backed approaches. For nearly 75 years, AIR has researched key issues and offered insight into the effectiveness of many strategies. Read our policy primer to explore our body of evidence covering issues such as COVID-19, early childhood, school climate, the opioid crisis, occupational licensing, and more.
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