Education

RAND researchers have policy and hands-on experience in education and training. Research includes K-12 assessment and accountability, school reform, teachers and teaching, higher education, military education and training, worker training, and substance-abuse prevention in schools. View all Education Documents Available Online or find general information at Reports and Bookstore.

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Assistance and Accountability in Externally Managed Schools: The Case of Edison Schools, Inc. — Sep. 2, 2008

A four-year study of the nation’s largest private contractor of public school management reveals the ways in which Edison’s comprehensive approach, which aims to promote high-quality instruction, is affected by variation in school leadership and district policies.

Full Document Peabody Journal of Education web site

The Cost-Effectiveness of Education Interventions in Poor Countries — Aug. 27, 2008

The August issue of Policy Insight discusses the growing use of randomized trials to determine the effectiveness of development programs in low-income countries, suggesting that similar methods should be used to assess the cost-effectiveness of education interventions in these countries

Full Document Working Paper PRGS Policy Insight Web Page

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No Child Left Behind Panel Discussion — Feb. 25, 2008

In a panel discussion hosted by the RAND Corporation, RAND researchers and experts in the field made observations on the implementation and effectiveness of No Child Left Behind. Audio of the event is available online.

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View All »Related News & Commentary

August 24, 2008: Change Choices, Not Conversation, By Melissa Flournoy (Monroe (LA) News Star)

July 9, 2008: U.S. Science is Holding its Own: Despite Cries of Alarm, We Remain the Global Leader in Innovation, By Titus Galama, James Hosek (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

June 18, 2008: Most California Children Attend Center-Based Preschools; Educational Quality of Programs Falls Short

June 18, 2008: Creative Collaborative Approaches Work to Maintain, Extend Arts Education in Six U.S. Urban Areas

June 12, 2008: U.S. Still Leads the World in Science and Technology; Nation Benefits From Foreign Scientists, Engineers

View All »Featured Reports

Examining Gaps in Mathematics Achievement Among Racial-Ethnic Groups, 1972-1992

Cover: Examining Gaps in Mathematics Achievement

Examines trends in the mathematics scores of different racial-ethnic groups over time and analyzes how changes in family, school, and schooling measures help explain changes in the test score gaps. Although there were few positive changes between schools, the within-school experiences of black and Latino students changed for the better compared with white students when measured by student self-reported academic track placement.

Full Document

The Economics of Investing in Universal Preschool Education in California

There is increased interest in California and other states in providing universal access to publicly funded preschool education. In considering such a program, policymakers and the public focus on the potential benefits and costs of such a program. This study aims to inform such deliberations by conducting an analysis of the economic returns from investing in high-quality preschool education in the state of California.