From the RAND Blog

See below for the latest commentary from the RAND Education and Labor team. For a complete list of related blog content, see education posts and workforce posts on the RAND Blog.

I'm a Sleep Specialist. Here's How I Prepare My Two Teenagers for the First Day of School
Aug 15, 2019
Sleep deprivation has measurable negative effects on teens' behavior and health. Early school start times make it difficult for teens to get sufficient sleep. A RAND sleep expert shares how she helps her teens transition from summer back to waking up early for school.
RAND's Summer Reading List for Congress
Aug 5, 2019
For busy staff, August's respite from back-to-back meetings, hearing preparation, and late votes is hard-earned. The summer recess also provides an opportunity to get ahead of issues that will resurface in the fall. To that end, we have compiled recent RAND research on topics likely to top the congressional agenda come September.
How Work-Based Learning Can Bring Employers and Students Together
Jul 24, 2019
Work-based learning experiences help college grads better prepare for work. WBL programs often serve as a workforce pipeline for companies. WBL is also successful at the K–12 level and at "upskilling" adult workers. There are several ways Congress could foster and strengthen WBL.
Pardee RAND Welcomes New Cohort of Faculty Leaders
Jul 22, 2019
Educators from 15 universities are on campus this week for Pardee RAND's seventh annual Faculty Leaders Program, a week-long policy analysis intensive that arms attendees with new tools to effect change in their communities and to inspire their students to consider careers and advanced study in public policy analysis.
North Carolina Program Helps Former Prisoners Make It on the Outside
Jul 11, 2019
To avoid the all-too-common fate of ending up back in prison, incarcerated adults need skills and credentials they typically don't have. Helping them overcome the challenges of reentry is a net gain for them and for the communities to which they return.
Waking Up to the Costs of Nocturia
Jun 18, 2019
Nocturia is a troublesome lower urinary tract condition that causes people to wake up two or more times a night to empty their bladder. Researchers calculated the overall economic cost associated with nocturia in a working-age population across six countries.
How Community Colleges Can Establish Better Partnerships with Employers
Jun 6, 2019
Career and technical education programs give students a chance to engage in learning relevant to their chosen fields and apply immediately for jobs. A strategic vision of collaboration between industry and community colleges can benefit all parties.
Dual Enrollment for High Schoolers Can Expand Access to College—with Some Caveats
Jun 6, 2019
Targeted federal investments in high school and college dual enrollment programs can boost postsecondary access for students currently underrepresented in postsecondary education. But thoughtful implementation could be key to ensuring those students are successful in college.
Federal Policy Might Encourage Innovation to Cut the Cost of College
Jun 5, 2019
A big factor in the rise of college costs is the traditional seat-time model requiring undergraduate students to spend a specified amount of time in classrooms, frequently with doctorally qualified faculty. But there are alternative models that could enable colleges and universities to offer degrees more efficiently and affordably.
Income Share Agreements: What's Risky, What's Promising, and What We Still Need to Know
Jun 5, 2019
While policymakers debate options to address college affordability and the nation's mounting student loan debt, an alternative education financing model has been gaining ground in a handful of schools and state legislatures: the income share agreement. While terms vary from institution to institution, they are all based on the same premise: The more income a graduate makes, the more they will pay back.