Elizabeth D. Steiner

Overview

Commentary

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  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.

  May 12, 2021 The RAND Blog

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  Teachers Lost Out on Professional Learning During the Pandemic. Here's How Summer Programs Could Help

  For thousands of teachers across the United States, 2020 was a year of uncertainty. Many lacked access to their usual professional learning activities. Summer programs for students that also offer learning opportunities for teachers might help make up for lost time.

  Mar 5, 2021 The RAND Blog

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  Engaging Learning Spaces Are Important, Even During a Pandemic

  While considering new uses for and formations of school space, planners might also consider whether these spaces will be conducive to learning. Research links the physical condition of learning spaces to improved student physical health and academic performance.

  Aug 18, 2020 The RAND Blog

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  New Tool Helps Educators Know How Well Students Are Taking Ownership of Learning Online and What Can Be Done to Support Them

  The Measuring and Improving Student-Centered Learning Toolkit lets high school leaders and teachers gather information about the extent to which student-centered learning is happening remotely now, and plan for improvements to student-centered learning in the future.

  Jun 8, 2020 The RAND Blog

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  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.

  Apr 2, 2020 The 74 Million

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  Back to School Means Back to SEL for America's Teachers and Principals

  Schools are increasingly adopting programs and practices to build social and emotional learning (SEL) skills. Policymakers can benefit from understanding the educator perspective: how they feel about SEL, what they're doing to promote it, and what resources they need.

  Sep 4, 2019 CASEL Measuring SEL Blog

Publications

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  Report

  One Year into the Pandemic, What Secondary Math Teachers Said About Challenges to Standards-Aligned Instruction and Skipping Content

  The authors use 2020 and 2021 Learn Together Survey data to examine challenges to standards-aligned instruction during COVID-19 reported by secondary math teachers and how frequently and why these teachers skipped standards-aligned math content.

  May 11, 2022

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  Report

  The Well-Being of Secondary School Principals One Year into the COVID-19 Pandemic

  Using nationally representative data from the 2021 Learn Together Surveys, the authors examine the state of secondary principals' well-being and job-related stressors one year into the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss implications and recommendations.

  Jan 26, 2022

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  Report

  Changes in College and Career Readiness Supports During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic

  Comparing nationally representative response data from the 2020 and 2021 Learn Together Surveys, the authors examine how high school teachers and principals provided supports to students for postsecondary transitions before and during the pandemic.

  Jan 12, 2022

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  Report

  Social and Emotional Learning Is the Cornerstone: Exploring Integrated, Schoolwide SEL in Two Innovative High Schools

  This report provides an illustration of two Opportunity by Design high schools in which practices for supporting students' social and emotional learning were implemented schoolwide and integrated into teachers' academic instruction.

  Dec 14, 2021

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  Report

  Use, Capture, and Value of Student Voice in Schools: Findings from the 2021 Learn Together Surveys

  Using nationally representative response data from the 2021 Learn Together Surveys, the authors examine the extent to which secondary teachers and school leaders take student voice into account in their practices at the classroom and school levels.

  Nov 17, 2021

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  Report

  Identifying Supports for Struggling Students: Findings from the 2021 Learn Together Surveys

  Using nationally representative response data from the 2021 Learn Together Surveys, the authors examine how secondary teachers leverage different types of information to guide them to the supports and interventions that they use in the classroom.

  Nov 2, 2021

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  Report

  Learn Together Surveys: 2021 Technical Documentation and Survey Results

  This report provides information about the sample, survey instrument, and results data for the 2021 Learn Together Surveys that were administered to secondary principals and teachers in March 2021 via the RAND Corporation's American Educator Panels.

  Nov 2, 2021

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  Report

  Expanding Charter School Capacity: The Case of Propel Montour

  Researchers examine the expansion of Propel Schools, a small, regional charter school network in southwestern Pennsylvania, to describe the academic and behavioral experiences of continuing and expansion students from fall 2017 to spring 2020.

  Sep 29, 2021

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  Report

  Job-Related Stress Threatens the Teacher Supply: Key Findings from the 2021 State of the U.S. Teacher Survey

  The authors explore the state of teacher well-being in the United States, describing job-related stressors that teachers faced during the pandemic and the working conditions of teachers who were considering leaving their jobs because of the pandemic.

  Jun 15, 2021

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  Report

  Challenges in Implementing Physical Security Measures in K–12 Schools

  Officials face challenges in developing and implementing protection and mitigation measures for school physical security. This report details literature review and small-group discussion findings and their implications for policymakers and planners.

  Jun 3, 2021

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  Report

  A Systems Approach to Physical Security in K–12 Schools

  Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center researchers present a systems approach to school safety in which physical security elements integrate to provide benefits with minimal negative effects on schools' missions, operations, and climates.

  Jun 3, 2021

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  Report

  Are Income Share Agreements Fair? A Close Look at the Potential Risks and Benefits of an Emerging Financial Aid Option

  The authors examine the benefits and risks of the income share agreement, a novel mechanism for students to finance postsecondary education through which students can obtain funding for school in exchange for a share of future income.

  May 26, 2021

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  Report

  COVID-19 Testing in K–12 Schools: Insights from Early Adopters

  This report describes approaches that early adopters of COVID-19 testing in U.S. K–12 schools were using as of December 2020, highlighting key facilitators that made testing feasible, acceptable, and effective.

  Mar 9, 2021

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  Research Brief

  How Can Teachers Make the Most of Professional Learning in the Summer?

  This brief summarizes an examination of the potential value of academic summer programs for students that also offer professional learning opportunities for teachers.

  Jan 12, 2021

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  Report

  The Promise of Summer as a Time for Teacher Professional Learning: Findings from a National Survey and Implications from the BellXcel Program

  This report presents data from the first nationally representative survey of teachers about their summer professional learning opportunities and data from a descriptive study of BellXcel Summer, an academic summer program model for students.

  Jan 12, 2021

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  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.

  Dec 17, 2020

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  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.

  Dec 17, 2020

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  Research Brief

  The Intensive Partnerships for Effective Teaching: A Comparison of School Outcomes

  RAND researchers study the Intensive Partnerships for Effective Teaching initiative and find associations between school improvement and staff perceptions of school leaders' behaviors, staff cohesion, and factors outside schools' control.

  Sep 21, 2020

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  Report

  Variation in Improvement Among Schools in the Intensive Partnerships for Effective Teaching

  RAND researchers investigate factors that might be associated with positive student outcomes for schools that improved during the six years of the Intensive Partnerships for Effective Teaching initiative.

  Sep 21, 2020

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  Report

  High School Teachers' Perceptions and Use of Personalized Learning: Findings from the American Teacher Panel

  This report presents findings from RAND's 2018 American Teacher Panel about high school teachers' use of instructional practices consistent with personalized learning and access to necessary supports.

  Aug 10, 2020

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  Research Brief

  How Can Assistant Principals Be Trained as Instructional Leaders? Insights from the PLUS Program

  This research brief summarizes study findings of a school leadership program and offers three recommendations for school districts and school leadership training programs to consider as they strive to improve instructional leadership effectiveness.

  Jul 7, 2020

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  Report

  Pathways to Instructional Leadership: Implementation and Outcomes from a Job-Embedded School Leader Training Program

  The authors describe the initial implementation and impacts on staff and student outcomes of the Pathway to Leadership in Urban Schools program, which focused on newly hired school assistant principals, in one large urban district over four years.

  Jul 7, 2020

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  Journal Article

  Priming the Leadership Pipeline: School Performance and Climate Under an Urban School Leadership Residency Program

  This study examines school climate and student achievement trends under an ambitious school leadership residency program in an urban school district.

  Jun 16, 2020

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  Research Brief

  Ensuring That the Measuring and Improving Student-Centered Learning Toolkit Is Easy to Use and Produces Accurate, Meaningful Results

  This research brief summarizes the validity, reliability, and usability of the Measuring and Improving Student-Centered Learning Toolkit, which was developed to help high schools assess the extent of student-centered learning in their schools.

  Jun 8, 2020

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  Report

  Evidence on the Validity, Reliability, and Usability of the Measuring and Improving Student-Centered Learning (MISCL) Toolkit: Key Takeaways and Lessons on Developing Tools for School Improvement

  This report summarizes a study on the validity, reliability, and usability of the Measuring and Improving Student-Centered Learning Toolkit, which was developed to help high schools measure the extent of student-centered learning in classrooms.

  Jun 8, 2020

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  Report

  Learning from Peers on a Large Scale: Teachers in High-Poverty Schools Find Value in Results of National Educator Surveys

  This American Educator Panels Data Note describes the degree to which teachers believe national survey data would be useful for thinking about how to improve their practices and the extent to which perceptions vary by school characteristics.

  Apr 15, 2020

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  Report

  Teacher Perspectives on Social and Emotional Learning in Massachusetts: Findings from the American Teacher Panel

  This report presents American Teacher Panel survey results on teachers' perspectives about social and emotional learning. The researchers analyze results from teachers in Massachusetts and how they compare with those of their national peers.

  Oct 2, 2019

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  Report

  Raising the Bar for K–12 Academics: Early Signals on How Louisiana's Education Policy Strategies Are Working for Schools, Teachers, and Students

  This report, part of a four-part series on the implementation and outcomes of Louisiana's education initiatives, focuses on Louisiana's strategies to support and improve K-12 academics.

  Jun 11, 2019

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  Report

  The "Raising the Bar" Series on Louisiana's Education Policy Strategies to Support Students from Birth Through High School: Technical Appendix — Data Sources and Methods

  This technical appendix describes the data sources, samples, and analytic methods used in a series of reports examining implementation and outcomes associated with Louisiana's education policy actions.

  Jun 11, 2019

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  Research Brief

  What Other States Can Learn from Louisiana's Ambitious Efforts to Reshape Its Education System

  This brief highlights findings from a series of four reports that examine Louisiana's education policy strategies, how they are being implemented, and how those policy actions are related to successful student outcomes.

  Jun 11, 2019

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  Research Brief

  Support for Social and Emotional Learning Is Widespread: Principals and Teachers Give Insight into How They Value, Address, and Measure It, and Which Supports They Need

  This research brief presents an overview of the results of the American Educator Panels survey questions on social and emotional learning in schools.

  May 30, 2019

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  Report

  Teacher and Principal Perspectives on Social and Emotional Learning in America's Schools: Findings from the American Educator Panels

  This report presents findings from surveys of nationally representative samples of teachers and principals who responded to questions addressing their beliefs about social and emotional learning in schools and the practices they implemented.

  May 30, 2019

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  Research Brief

  Intensive Partnerships for Effective Teaching Enhanced How Teachers Are Evaluated But Had Little Effect on Student Outcomes

  The authors of Improving Teaching Effectiveness: Final Report obtained some new funding information after publication. This brief complements the resource results in the report, taking this new information into account.

  Feb 11, 2019

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  Draft

  Distributing Instructional Leadership: Implementation Lessons from an Urban School Leadership Residency Program

  Examines the strengths and challenges of an alternative-route school leadership preparation program as implemented in a small urban district.

  Oct 17, 2018

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  Report

  Improving Teaching Effectiveness: Final Report: The Intensive Partnerships for Effective Teaching Through 2015–2016

  This is the final report of a six-year evaluation of the Intensive Partnerships for Effective Teaching initiative, documenting the policies and practices each site enacted and their effects on student outcomes.

  Jun 21, 2018

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  Research Brief

  Community Development Can Improve Resident Health

  Community improvements -- primarily a new supermarket and new housing -- were associated with health and economic gains among the residents of an underserved, primarily African-American neighborhood in Pittsburgh.

  May 1, 2018

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  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.

  Dec 7, 2017

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  Research Brief

  Early Insights on Designing Innovative High Schools: Interim Findings from an Evaluation of the Opportunity by Design Initiative

  Summarizes lessons from RAND's interim evaluation of the Opportunity by Design initiative and provides a number of recommendations that may be of interest to schools and districts implementing or considering implementation of similar approaches.

  Oct 19, 2017

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  Report

  Designing Innovative High Schools: Implementation of the Opportunity by Design Initiative After Two Years

  RAND evaluated the Carnegie Corporation of New York's Opportunity by Design high school redesign initiative. The data in this interim report describe implementation facilitators and challenges after two years.

  Sep 21, 2017

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  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.

  Jul 11, 2017

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  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.

  Jul 11, 2017

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  Research Brief

  Taking Stock: The Intensive Partnerships for Effective Teaching Through 2013–2014

  This brief summarizes a RAND Corporation evaluation of the implementation of key reform elements of the Intensive Partnerships for Effective Teaching in three public school districts and four charter management organizations.

  Sep 7, 2016

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  Report

  Improving Teaching Effectiveness: Implementation: The Intensive Partnerships for Effective Teaching Through 2013–2014

  RAND Corporation, in partnership with the American Institutes for Research, evaluated implementation of key elements of the Intensive Partnerships for Effective Teaching in three public school districts and four charter management organizations.

  Jun 6, 2016

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  Journal Article

  Diet and Perceptions Change with Supermarket Introduction in a Food Desert, but Not Because of Supermarket Use

  Trends were compared in two households in two Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania neighborhoods by survey in 2011 and 2014, one of which received a new supermarket in 2013.

  Nov 10, 2015

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  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.

  Nov 10, 2015

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  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.

  Nov 10, 2015

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  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.

  Nov 10, 2015

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  Research Brief

  A New Supermarket in a Food Desert: Is Better Health in Store?

  The Pittsburgh Hill/Homewood Research on Eating, Shopping, and Health study found that a new full-service supermarket in a food desert led to improvements in the quality of neighborhood residents' diets, though not in obesity rates.

  Nov 3, 2015

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  Journal Article

  Healthy Food Access for Urban Food Desert Residents: Examination of the Food Environment, Food Purchasing Practices, Diet and BMI

  Increased geographic access may not be enough to change food purchasing practices, diet or weight.

  Dec 9, 2014

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  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.

  Nov 5, 2014

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  Journal Article

  Using OSHA Inspection Data to Analyze Respirator Protection Program Compliance

  This article uses the OSHA inspection data base to examine all inspections in manufacturing in 47 states from 1999 through 2006 and identifies all inspections and all establishments at which respiratory protection (RP) violations were cited, and it compares the prevalence of violations by industry with the prevalence reported in a recent Bureau of Labor Statistics survey of respirator use.

  Dec 1, 2013

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  Journal Article

  Are Our Actions Aligned with Our Evidence? The Skinny on Changing the Landscape of Obesity

  Recent debate about the role of food deserts in the United States has prompted discussion on policies being enacted, including efforts that encourage the placement of full-service supermarkets into food deserts.

  Mar 1, 2013

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  Research Brief

  Improving School Leadership Through the Pittsburgh Principal Incentive Program

  A RAND Corporation report examines the Pittsburgh Principal Incentive Program's implementation, how principals have responded to the reforms, and what outcomes followed program implementation.

  Jul 2, 2012

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  Report

  Improving School Leadership Through Support, Evaluation, and Incentives: The Pittsburgh Principal Incentive Program

  This report examines the Pittsburgh Principal Incentive Program's implementation, how principals and other school staff have responded to the reforms, and what outcomes accompanied program implementation.

  Jun 25, 2012

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  Research Brief

  Reducing Costs, Increasing Capability: A New Equipping Strategy for Combat Support Hospitals

  Describes a new equipping strategy for the Army's Combat Support Hospitals.

  Nov 21, 2011

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  Report

  Mapping the Gaps: Ideas for Using GIS to Enhance Local Health Department Priority Setting and Program Planning

  Using geographic information system (GIS) technology to enhance provision of services by local health departments by enabling them to visually compare where health services are needed with where they are provided.

  Oct 19, 2011

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  Report

  New Tools and Metrics for Evaluating Army Distributed Learning

  Develops and tests new tools and metrics to assess training and to document the impact of Army distributed learning courses at the program level.

  May 9, 2011

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  Journal Article

  Using Geographic Information Systems to Match Local Health Needs with Public Health Services and Programs

  Large local health departments could better inform planning and investments by using geographic information systems to align community needs and health outcomes with public health programs.

  2011

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  Report

  New Equipping Strategies for Combat Support Hospitals

  Describes a new equipping strategy for the Army's Combat Support Hospitals.

  Jun 30, 2010