John F. Pane

Building an Evidence Base for High School Improvement Will Require Concerted Effort Among Policymakers, School Systems, Researchers, and Funders

The ultimate goal of every education intervention is to help enable students to achieve their fullest potential. Relatively few interventions suited for high schools are supported by evidence of positive effects. Research that is able to provide sound evidence about effectiveness is more important than ever.

Online Doesn't Have to Mean Impersonal

Children's needs extend beyond the purely academic. It is important that their social and emotional well-being is supported as instruction moves online during the COVID-19 pandemic. A whole-child view of what students need could benefit them now more than ever.

Research Rigor Is Undermined by Translating Into Years of Learning

The research field increasingly recognizes that we need metrics that everyone can understand. Translating the result into years of learning has become a popular approach, but this metric has major flaws. There are better options.

What Emerging Research Says About the Promise of Personalized Learning

Personalized learning could lead to improved student outcomes. But those implementing this approach should temper their expectations for how big these benefits will be—and be patient while the benefits emerge. It's also important to consider the challenges of implementation.

Helping Pittsburgh Stay on the Cutting Edge of Education Innovation

Local organizations, educators, and leaders are creating remarkable learning experiences for Pittsburgh's young people, and other cities around the country are striving to replicate their innovations.

Technology Is Only Part of Personalized Learning

The concept of personalized learning has gained favor in recent years, partly because new technology applications help to facilitate it. But those who characterize this instructional approach as

Making Room for New Approaches: Recommendations for ESEA Reauthorization That Support Innovation

As lawmakers consider the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, it is critical that in meeting their objectives they do not create unnecessary obstacles to the productive innovations being explored at schools, such as personalized learning.

Helping Displaced Students in the Wake of Hurricane Sandy

If Hurricane Sandy causes extensive disruptions in public schools—particularly in hard-hit New York City—our research shows that choices made by parents and policymakers could significantly limit the negative short-term effects of changing schools under such difficult circumstances, writes John Pane.

When Students Disappear...

Published commentary by RAND staff: When Students Disappear..., in Education Week.

Report

Students Using Lexia® Core5® Reading Show Greater Reading Gains Than Matched Comparison Students

This report evaluates the effects of Lexia® Core5® Reading on the reading achievement of students in grades 3–5 during the 2021–2022 academic year. Students who used the program experienced gains in average reading achievement.

Report

Approaches and Obstacles to Promoting Media Literacy Education in U.S. Schools

A survey administered to public school teachers indicates that media literacy (ML) instruction is unevenly implemented, at best, and that obstacles to teaching ML (e.g., lack of time, other priorities) are common.

Report

Media Literacy Education to Counter Truth Decay: An Implementation and Evaluation Framework

The authors outline a framework for implementing and evaluating media literacy (ML) education, a promising approach to slowing Truth Decay. The report provides a framework for teachers and evaluators furthering their work in ML education.

Report

Media Literacy Standards to Counter Truth Decay

Truth Decay is the diminishing role that facts, data, and analysis play in political and civic discourse. This report, part of a series, synthesizes existing media literacy-related standards into one concise set, specific to curtailing Truth Decay.

Report

Every Summer Counts: A Longitudinal Analysis of Outcomes from the National Summer Learning Project

This seventh report in a series presents longitudinal findings on the effectiveness of voluntary summer learning programs in five school districts. The authors also offer implications for policy on narrowing the achievement gap between students.

Report

Building and Sustaining Innovative High Schools: Findings from the Opportunity by Design Study

The Opportunity by Design initiative gave support to small schools of choice to adopt a set of design principles intended to prepare students for college and careers. This final report describes the methods and findings of the five-year study.

Research Brief

Designing and Sustaining Innovative High Schools: Successes, Challenges, and Student Outcomes

In a five-year study, high schools adopted a set of design principles intended to prepare students for college and careers.

Journal Article

Switching Cluster Membership in Cluster Randomized Control Trials: Implications for Design and Analysis

With a focus on cluster switching that violates treatment assignment, the goal of this article is to explore the challenges posed for the analysis of clustered RCTs and to propose a potential solution to these challenges.

Journal Article

Implementing an Adaptive Intelligent Tutoring System as an Instructional Supplement

This article studies the implementation of ALEKS (Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces) in a blended-learning model. This is the first rigorous experimental evaluation of ALEKS in K–12 in-school settings, and the first to gather extensive implementation data.

Journal Article

Translating Standardized Effects of Education Programs Into More Interpretable Metrics

Compares four ways to translate standardized effect sizes into metrics that may be easier for educators and policymakers to interpret. Concludes that translating to years of learning is a poor choice; translating to percentile gains is recommended.

Report

Implementation and Outcomes of the Appalachian Renaissance Initiative in Eastern Kentucky Schools

The Appalachian Renaissance Initiative provided principals, teachers, and students in rural Eastern Kentucky with opportunities to support and improve teaching and learning. This evaluation examines its implementation and outcomes.

Commentary

Strategies for Implementing Personalized Learning While Evidence and Resources Are Underdeveloped

This Perspective draws on theory, learning science principles, and the limited research that exists to offer strategic guidance on the design of personalized learning models for primary and secondary education.

Commentary

Privacy and Interoperability Challenges Could Limit the Benefits of Education Technology

This Perspective examines some of the challenges and privacy risks that accompany the potential educational benefits of increased data collection related to technology.

Report

Evaluation of the Creating College and Career Readiness Initiative in Kentucky

This report presents findings from an evaluation of the Creating College and Career Readiness initiative, which used a suite of personalized software in the kindergarten-12th grade setting in rural Kentucky schools.

Draft

Controlling for Changes in Test Conditions when Estimating Education Intervention Effects

Examines the assumption that education evaluations that analyze student achievement are administered consistently from pretest to posttest.

Research Brief

How Does Personalized Learning Affect Student Achievement?

Describes the concept and implementation of personalized learning and considers achievement findings in a small sample of schools.

Report

Informing Progress: Insights on Personalized Learning Implementation and Effects

This report describes the concept and implementation of personalized learning, along with some of the challenges and facilitators, and considers achievement findings in a small sample of schools.

Research Brief

Observations and Guidance on Implementing Personalized Learning

Schools implementing personalized learning were pursuing a wide variety of approaches and students closed achievement gaps relative to national norms. Observed challenges to implementation lead to recommendations for implementers.

Journal Article

Examining the Implementation of Technology-Based Blended Algebra I Curriculum at Scale

This article examines the implementation of a widely used blended algebra curriculum and the relationship between implementation and student outcomes.

Research Brief

Kids Who Attend More Benefit More: Voluntary Summer Learning Programs

This brief summarizes the outcomes of two summers of voluntary academic programming (2013 and 2014) on 3,192 low-income urban students accepted into the programs who had completed third grade before the first summer.

Infographic

Learning from Summer: Effects of Voluntary Summer Learning Programs on Low-Income Urban Youth

This infographic summarizes several student outcomes from an assessment of five voluntary, district-led summer learning programs offered at no cost to low-income, urban elementary students.

Report

Learning from Summer: Effects of Voluntary Summer Learning Programs on Low-Income Urban Youth

RAND researchers assess voluntary, district-led summer learning programs for low-income, urban elementary students. This third report in a series examines student outcomes after one and two summers of programming.

Journal Article

Intention-to-treat Analysis in Partially Nested Randomized Controlled Trials with Real-World Complexity

Randomized Control Trials have become the 'gold standard' of education research and an integral part of the 'what works' agenda.

Report

Continued Progress: Promising Evidence on Personalized Learning

This report explores personalized learning models that were adopted in schools throughout the U.S. It examines school and teacher practices, perceptions of staff and students, and achievement outcomes.

Report

Continued Progress: Promising Evidence on Personalized Learning: Executive Summary

This Executive Summary recaps the findings in Continued Progress: Promising Evidence on Personalized Learning, a report that explores the personalized learning models adopted in U.S. schools.

Report

Continued Progress: Promising Evidence on Personalized Learning: Survey Results Addendum

This companion report to Continued Progress: Promising Evidence on Personalized Learning documents results from surveys administered to teachers and students in personalized learning schools in the spring of the 2014-15 school year.

Research Brief

First Outcomes from the National Summer Learning Study

This brief describes the near-term effects of voluntary summer learning programs provided by five urban school districts to large numbers of struggling low-income elementary students in the summer of 2013.

Report

Ready for Fall? Near-Term Effects of Voluntary Summer Learning Programs on Low-Income Students' Learning Opportunities and Outcomes

As part of a randomized controlled trial study assessing the effect of district-run voluntary summer programs, this second report in a series looks at how summer programs affected student performance in certain categories in fall 2013.

Draft

Methods Used to Estimate Achievement Effects in Personalized Learning Schools

Describes the methods RAND used to analyze achievement for 23 personalized learning schools for the 2012-13 through 2013-14 academic years.

Draft

Personalized Learning Instructional Staff Survey Results (Spring 2014)

Descriptively summarizes instructional staff responses to a survey administered by RAND in 23 personalized learning (PL) schools in Spring 2014.

Journal Article

Effectiveness of Cognitive Tutor Algebra I at Scale

This article examines the effectiveness of a technology-based algebra curriculum in a wide variety of middle schools and high schools in seven states.

Draft

Addendum to Effectiveness of Cognitive Tutor Algebra I at Scale

Presents alternative analyses of data from large-scale effectiveness studies of Cognitive Tutor Algebra I in middle schools and high schools.

Research Brief

Does an Algebra Course with Tutoring Software Improve Student Learning?

Examines whether the Cognitive Tutor Algebra I (CTAI) algebra curriculum, which includes tutoring software, is effective in improving the math test scores of middle and high school students, relative to traditional algebra instruction.

Report

Analysis of Costs in an Algebra I Curriculum Effectiveness Study

Examines the costs of implementing Carnegie Learning's Cognitive Tutor Algebra I curriculum and comparison algebra I curricula (published by Prentice Hall, Glencoe, and McDougal Littell).

Research Brief

No Evidence That Incentive Pay for Teacher Teams Improves Student Outcomes: Results from a Randomized Trial

Analysis of an incentive program that paid teachers bonuses based on their students' growth in achievement in mathematics, English language arts, science, and social studies showed no effect on student test scores in any of the subject areas.

Journal Article

How Curriculum and Classroom Achievement Predict Teacher Time on Lecture- and Inquiry-Based Mathematics Activities

This study drew on data from a large, randomized trial of Cognitive Tutor Algebra (CTA) in high-poverty settings to investigate how mathematics curricula and classroom achievement related to teacher reports of time spent on inquiry-based and lecture-based mathematics activities.

Journal Article

Team Pay for Performance: Experimental Evidence from the Round Rock Pilot Project on Team Incentives

This article examines a program in which bonuses were awarded to teams of middle school teachers based on their collective contribution to student test score gains.

Journal Article

An Experiment to Evaluate the Efficacy of Cognitive Tutor Geometry

This randomized, controlled field trial estimated the causal impact of a technology-based geometry curriculum on students' geometry achievement, as well as their attitudes toward mathematics and technology.

Research Brief

Measuring the Progress of the Math Science Partnership of Southwest Pennsylvania

This research brief summarizes RAND's evaluation of the Math Science Partnership of Southwest Pennsylvania's progress toward increasing student achievement, increasing the quality of the educator workforce, and creating sustainable partnerships.

Report

Math Science Partnership of Southwest Pennsylvania: Measuring Progress Toward Goals

This monograph examines the Math Science Partnership of Southwest Pennsylvania's progress toward its goals of increasing student math and science achievement, increasing the quality of the educator workforce, and creating sustainable partnerships.

Journal Article

Mobile Technology and Action Teams: Assessing Blackberry Use in Law Enforcement Units

This research explores the effectiveness of mobile wireless information and communication technologies for law enforcement teams.

Report

Effects of Student Displacement in Louisiana During the First Academic Year After the Hurricanes of 2005

In 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita displaced more than one-fourth of Louisiana public school students. This article examines how these students fared in the first academic year following the storms.

Draft

Supplemental Material for: Effects of Student Displacement in Louisiana During the First Academic Year After the Hurricanes of 2005

The purpose of this document is to publish a complete tabulation of statistical model results reported in an article in the Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk.

Draft

Math Science Partnership of Southwest Pennsylvania: Year Four Evaluation Report

Evaluates the success of the Math Science Partnership of Southwest Pennsylvania, a program to unite the efforts of K-12 school districts with science, mathematics, engineering, and education faculties of colleges and universities.

Draft

Mobile Technology and Action Teams: Assessing BlackBerry Use in Law Enforcement Units

Explores the effectiveness of mobile wireless information and communication technologies for law enforcement teams.

Research Brief

How the 2005 Hurricanes Affected Students in Louisiana

This research brief summarizes a study of the movements of Louisiana public school students in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and of the short-term effects of these displaced students on the state's public education system.

Report

Student Displacement in Louisiana After the Hurricanes of 2005: Experiences of Public Schools and Their Students

Describes the movements of Louisiana public school students in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and documents many of the short-term effects of these displaced students on the state's public education system.

Draft

Professional Development Participation and the Role of Administrator Involvement in the Math Science Partnership of Southwest Pennsylvania

Examines how levels of professional development participation in mathematics and science among district and school staff in Pennsylvania were associated with the participation levels of their school-based staff.

Report

Making Sense of Data-Driven Decision Making in Education: Evidence from Recent RAND Research

Using RAND research this paper examines how schools are utilizing test results and other data to make decisions for improving student success, describes the conditions and policies that support or hinder these efforts, and suggests future research.

Draft

Math Science Partnership of Southwest Pennsylvania: Year Three Evaluation Report

Investigates the effectiveness of the Math Science Partnership of Southwest Pennsylvania; its impact on institutional practices and policies; and its effect on instruction, student course taking, and student outcomes.

Draft

Data Driven Decisionmaking in Southwestern Pennsylvania School Districts

This report investigates the preparedness of Southwestern Pennsylvania school districts to meet the challenges of using data to improve instruction, evaluate the effectiveness of schools, teachers and programs, and create reports.

Draft

Math Science Partnership of Southwest Pennsylvania: Year Two Evaluation Report

Math Science Partnership of Southwest Pennsylvania: Year Two Evaluation Report

Report

Making Better Use of Bandwidth: Data Compression and Network Management Technologies

Explores how the Army might better use bandwidth, specifically how compression technologies and network management techniques might help to improve information throughput.

Report

Quaker Valley Digital School District: Early Effects and Plans for Future Evaluation

Preliminary evaluation of a district-wide laptop computer initiative and recommended research design for more comprehensive future evaluation.