Our studies help advance the science of education research, contribute to public discourse about education reform, and inform decisions about education programs and policy. Some of our newest education projects include:
In the School Choice Era, Making Shopping for Schools Easier
As school choice initiatives have increased options for students and their families, making effective choices has become more challenging. The information can be overwhelming for districts, parents, and students.
This project is running an experiment to learn how best to select and present school choice data so that it is easy to use and understand and leads to smart choices.
Rapid-Cycle Tech Evaluations Accelerate Decisionmaking
As school districts across the country invest in new educational software, they need timely, trustworthy evidence on the effectiveness of these products and strategies for implementing them. But anecdotal experience, recommendations, and marketing material are often the only information available to support these decisions.
This project involves developing, field testing, and disseminating easy-to-use evaluation resources, via a web-based, interactive toolkit, to expedite low-cost, quick-turnaround evaluations of such educational apps.
Designing an Impact Evaluation of Teacher Preparation and Professional Development
Research has shown that teachers have an important influence on student achievement. Yet, there has been no real explanation as to why teacher quality varies, or any guidance on critical predictors of teacher effectiveness.
This study is providing comprehensive recommendations for designing a rigorous evaluation of promising approaches to training and supporting effective teachers.
