Students

commentary

Early Years Education Reform: Could Life Chances for Children in England Be Significantly Improved?

To ensure equal access to high-quality early years provision in England, it is crucial to learn from successful systems worldwide and implement key recommendations. Prioritizing highly qualified staff, maintaining appropriate staff-to-child ratios, and removing barriers for disadvantaged families are essential steps toward achieving this goal.

Elena Rosa Speciani

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Making the Most of JROTC

Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) units in U.S. schools have drawn intensive scrutiny of late, and some districts might consider dropping JROTC. But they should take stock of what they'll lose. Students who choose to enroll in JROTC and stick with it do better in school than their peers.

Melanie A. Zaber @MelanieZaber

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How Florida's Expansion of 'Don't Say Gay' Law Will Hurt Students and Teachers Across the United States

Policies restricting discussion of LGBTQ+ issues and representation of LGBTQ+ individuals are likely to make schools less welcoming to America's estimated two million LGBTQ+ youth. Policymakers should develop policies that cultivate learning and work environments where all students and educators feel safe and valued.

Ashley Woo, Melissa Kay Diliberti

blog

Truth Decay and National Security, Gun Violence, Blockading Crimea: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on Truth Decay and national security, America's gun violence problem, how Ukraine could blockade Crimea, and more.

commentary

Can Grade Retention Help with COVID-19 Learning Recovery in Schools?

Early grade retention is getting more attention as a potential way to make up for missed learning during the pandemic. But retaining kids without providing the necessary supports or failing to identify the right kids using objective criteria will likely yield ineffective results or even lead to adverse effects.

Umut Ozek @uozek, Louis T. Mariano

essay

Preventing Violence in Schools: How to Encourage Students to Report Threats

One of the most consistent findings in research on school shootings is that someone knew an attack was possible but didn't report it. There are ways schools can better encourage students to come forward when they see or hear something concerning: tip lines, training, and a lot more trust.

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How Teachers Can Shield Students from Harm as Debates Rage over Race and Gender

By conveying to girls and students of color that they are individually capable of overcoming adversity—and that who they are matters—educators might soften the blow of public laws and policies that send the opposite message.

Julia H. Kaufman @juliahkaufman

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Federal Data Gaps on New Migrant Students Leave Schools Unable to Plan Ahead

Federal law requires U.S. public schools to serve all school-age children who come to their doors, no matter their immigration status. With thousands of children crossing the southern border each year, schools face complex challenges, foremost of which is simply knowing how many of these new students to expect.

Brian Phillips, Shelly Culbertson @SC_Culbertson

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Climate, Technology, Trust: Ways to Help Students Report Threats to Their School

When students or others don't know how to report a threat or aren't willing to do so, important opportunities to protect students may be missed. Schools receive little guidance about how to implement an effective reporting program or how to build a robust reporting culture. A recent research effort helps to fill this gap, highlighting seven key implications for school safety planning.

Pauline Moore, Brian A. Jackson

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Veterans Health Care, Media Literacy, Sleep Retreats: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the challenges of VA community care, the importance of improving middle schoolers' media literacy skills, tips to improve sleep, and more.

essay

Improving Media Literacy in Middle School

Middle schoolers can be savvy users of news and information—when they know where to look. But they're also easy marks for misinformation, disinformation, and trolls. Helping them find their way in today's media landscape is important both for their futures and for the future of democracy.

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State of the Union 2022: Russia's Invasion of Ukraine and Domestic Policy

In his first State of the Union address, President Joe Biden rebuked Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, aimed to turn a page on the pandemic, and covered a wide range of domestic issues, including mental health care, prescription drug prices, and supporting veterans.

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Finding Teachers and Bus Drivers Is a Big Problem, but a Different Staffing Challenge Is Looming in School Districts

The majority of school districts report they don't have enough staff to hire, particularly substitutes, bus drivers, and special education teachers. A recent survey also revealed a major challenge for the superintendency. Only half of superintendents said they were likely to stay in their jobs for the long term.

Michael DeArmond, Heather L. Schwartz @schwartz_hl, et al.

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News Manipulation, the Risk of Civil War, Russia and Ukraine: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on tracking news manipulation during the pandemic, the threat of another civil war, preventing health insurance loss, and more.

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North Korea, Sexual Violence in the U.S. Military, America's Labor Shortage: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on how to deal with a nuclear North Korea, preventing sexual violence in the military, supporting immigrant children in U.S. schools, and more.