Education reform comprises any planned changes in the way a school or school system functions, from teaching methodologies to administrative processes. RAND evaluates school reform models and conducts case-study analyses of individual schools and school systems to identify areas of improvement and highlight best practices and effective reform efforts.
MULTIMEDIA
In this Resilient Communities podcast, Jennifer Steele discusses the differences in policies and practices between charter and traditional schools in New Orleans, where charter-based reform spread in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
MULTIMEDIA
Laura Hamilton discusses what has been learned in the ten years since the No Child Left Behind Act was signed into law in January 2002, including recommendations for addressing key limitations as Congress considers reauthorization.
REPORT
Hurricane Katrina set the stage for a transformation of public education in New Orleans, replacing the city's existing school system with a decentralized choice-based system of both charter and district-run schools. Using principal, teacher, and parent surveys administered three years after Katrina, this study examined schools' governance and operations, educational contexts, educator quality and mobility, and parental choice and…
RESEARCH BRIEF
RAND researchers found many similarities between charter and traditional schools in New Orleans but greater satisfaction among charter school parents with their children's schools, as well as more perceived choices.
COMMENTARY
Motivation alone does not improve schools. Even if incentives inspire staff to improve practices or work together, educators may not have the capacity or resources to bring about improvement, writes Julie Marsh.
MULTIMEDIA
In a TEDx presentation, Brian M. Stecher, Associate Director, RAND Education, suggests three steps we need to take to cultivate schools where students can thrive.
PERIODICAL
The 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks warrants a thoughtful review of America's progress and future strategy. In this RAND Review cover story, RAND experts offer perspectives on Afghan-led solutions, ways to counter al Qaeda, air passenger security, and compensation for those affected by terrorism.
NEWS RELEASE
A New York City program designed to improve student performance through school-based financial incentives for teachers did not improve student achievement, most likely because it did not change teacher behavior and the conditions needed to motivate staff were not achieved.
REPORT
A New York City program designed to improve student performance through school-based financial incentives for teachers did not improve student achievement, most likely because it did not change teacher behavior and the conditions needed to motivate staff were not achieved.
RESEARCH BRIEF
New York City's Schoolwide Performance Bonus Program did not improve student achievement at any grade level, perhaps in part because it provided no significant additional motivation beyond other accountability incentives.
MULTIMEDIA
At this June 2011 RAND Policy Circle event in Pittsburgh, a selection of RAND's top experts in education policy shared fresh, evidence-based perspectives on measuring school performance.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
In 2002, Qatar began implementing a standards-based K–12 reform that established new publicly-funded, privately-operated 'Independent schools.' The reform built on four principles: autonomy, accountability, variety, and choice. Early data reveal more student-centered classroom practices and higher student achievement in the new schools. But as all Ministry schools convert to independent status, many challenges remain to achieving the…
NEWS RELEASE
California school districts -- wielding new fiscal flexibility granted by state lawmakers -- cut deeply into several popular programs to balance local budgets, according to a study of 10 diverse districts released today.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
California school districts — wielding new fiscal flexibility granted by state lawmakers — cut deeply into several popular programs to balance local budgets. School boards changed spending on adult education, special programs for gifted students, new textbooks, and other programs.
REPORT
In 2008, the Minnesota Early Learning Foundation created the Saint Paul Early Childhood Scholarship Program, a pilot program to provide families with scholarships to cover the cost of high-quality early childhood education (ECE) programs. This report provides detailed cost and program data for a sample of 12 ECE programs participating in the scholarship program, including the per-child per-hour cost for participation of children in the…
RESEARCH BRIEF
Shares results of a RAND analysis of programs participating in Minnesota's Saint Paul Early Childhood Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships to cover the cost of high-quality early childhood education programs.
REPORT
A restructuring of the Ford Foundation's Collaborating for Education Reform Initiative yielded functioning collaboratives with varying abilities to meet their goals, depending on such factors as strong leadership and a positive funding environment.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
In this article, the author examines two school districts that are highly decentralized to understand the central-office roles: (1) Edmonton, Canada; and (2) Lake Wales Charter Schools District in central Florida.
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Describes the Project on Incentives in Teaching (POINT), a three-year study intended to assess the effect of financial rewards for teachers whose students showed unusually large gains on standardized tests.
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