RAND Research Topic: Education Reform 2012-05-25T23:28:18Z Copyright (c) 2012, The RAND Corporation RAND Corporation http://www.rand.org/topics/education-reform.html Remaking a School System in the Wake of Natural Disaster http://www.rand.org/multimedia/audio/2012/05/15/remaking-school-system-wake-natural-disaster.html May 15, 2012 May 15, 2012 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. No Child Left Behind: Ten Years Later http://www.rand.org/multimedia/video/2012/01/05/no-child-left-behind.html Jan 6, 2012 Jan 6, 2012 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. The Transformation of a School System: Principal, Teacher, and Parent Perceptions of Charter and Traditional Schools in Post-Katrina New Orleans http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR1145.html Oct 5, 2011 Oct 5, 2011 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 involvement. Perceptions of Charter and Traditional Schools in New Orleans http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9614.html Oct 5, 2011 Oct 5, 2011 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. The Debate over Teacher Merit Pay: A Freakonomics Quorum http://www.rand.org/commentary/2011/09/20/FRK.html Sep 20, 2011 Sep 20, 2011 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. Stecher Discusses How to Cultivate Thriving Schools http://www.rand.org/multimedia/video/2011/07/16/cultivating-thriving-schools.html Sep 6, 2011 Sep 6, 2011 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. Beyond the Shadow of 9/11 http://www.rand.org/pubs/corporate_pubs/CP22-2011-09.html Sep 1, 2011 Sep 1, 2011 The 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks warrants a thoughtful review of America's progress and future strategy. In this <em>RAND Review</em> 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. New York City School-Based Financial Incentives Program Did Not Improve Student Achievement or Affect Reported Teaching Practices http://www.rand.org/news/press/2011/07/18.html Jul 18, 2011 Jul 18, 2011 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. NYC School-Based Financial Incentives Program Did Not Improve Student Achievement or Affect Reported Teaching Practices http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG1114.html Jul 18, 2011 Jul 18, 2011 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. What New York City's Experiment with Schoolwide Performance Bonuses Tells Us About Pay for Performance http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9596.html Jul 18, 2011 Jul 18, 2011 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. What We Know About Measuring School Performance http://www.rand.org/multimedia/audio/2011/06/29/measuring-school-performance.html Jun 29, 2011 Jun 29, 2011 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. K-12 Education Reform in Qatar http://www.rand.org/pubs/reprints/RP1428.html Jun 21, 2011 Jun 21, 2011 In 2002, Qatar began implementing a standards-based K&ndash;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 reform's ambitious goals. California School Districts Reduce Popular Programs to Help Balance Budgets http://www.rand.org/news/press/2011/05/26.html May 26, 2011 May 26, 2011 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. California School Districts Reduce Popular Programs to Help Balance Budgets http://www.rand.org/pubs/reprints/RP1426.html May 26, 2011 May 26, 2011 California school districts &mdash; wielding new fiscal flexibility granted by state lawmakers &mdash; 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. Cost Study of the Saint Paul Early Childhood Scholarship Program http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR947.html Mar 15, 2011 Mar 15, 2011 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 programs. The Cost of Providing Quality Early Care and Education in Saint Paul, Minnesota http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9581.html Mar 15, 2011 Mar 15, 2011 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. Collaborative Approaches to Education Reform Have Both Challenges and Potential http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG1051.html Mar 4, 2011 Mar 4, 2011 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. K-12 Education Reform in Qatar http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20110023.html Jan 1, 2011 Jan 1, 2011 The Central Office in a Decentralized System http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP201000160.html Dec 1, 2010 Dec 1, 2010 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. Teacher Pay For Performance: Experimental Evidence from the Project on Incentives in Teaching http://www.rand.org/pubs/reprints/RP1416.html Oct 13, 2010 Oct 13, 2010 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.