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.

The Most Popular RAND Research of 2021
Dec 22, 2021

As another extraordinary year draws to a close, we continue to believe that objective, nonpartisan research and analysis has a key role to play in navigating what continues to be a difficult time. Here are the 10 research projects that resonated most with rand.org readers in 2021.
RAND Commentary Highlights of 2021
Dec 21, 2021

Vaccine rollouts, an attack on the U.S. Capitol, massive ransomware attacks, the withdrawal from Afghanistan, record numbers of job openings and people quitting, and more. RAND researchers weighed in on all these topics and more.
Gender Pay Gap Among Doctors, America's Labor Shortage, 'Hacking Equity': RAND Weekly Recap
Dec 17, 2021

This weekly recap focuses on the pay gap between female and male doctors, understanding America’s weird job market, social and emotional learning, and more.
How to Explain This Weird Job Market
Dec 14, 2021

It's tempting to see in 2021 a harbinger of some permanent shift in our labor market, but that would be premature. What is clear is that we will never recreate the world of December 2019. The labor market in 2022 and beyond will reflect not only what workers learned from their pandemic experience, but also how employers and policymakers choose to respond.
News Manipulation, the Risk of Civil War, Russia and Ukraine: RAND Weekly Recap
Nov 19, 2021

This weekly recap focuses on tracking news manipulation during the pandemic, the threat of another civil war, preventing health insurance loss, and more.
Supporting America's Veterans: RAND Weekly Recap
Nov 12, 2021

This weekly recap focuses on helping veterans experiencing homelessness, better care for veterans with brain injuries and PTSD, and easing transitions to the civilian workforce.
Married Moms Aren't Striking Workers, but They Are Saying the Same Thing
Nov 1, 2021

If we are in the middle of a labor shortage, recruiting people back into the labor force is key to sustaining a recovery. The historic work choices of married mothers reveal a lot about what might lure people back into the workforce.
The Great Resignation: American Workers Suffering a Crisis of Meaning
Oct 26, 2021

Americans are quitting their jobs in record numbers, creating significant shortages of workers for businesses. To understand and address this issue, policymakers might need to pay attention to noneconomic factors in addition to economic ones.
China and Russia, Wages and Insurance, Refugees and Technology : RAND Weekly Recap
Oct 15, 2021

This weekly recap focuses on China-Russia ties, considerations when raising the minimum wage, how refugees use digital devices, and more.
Is the Fight for $15 Going to Cost Low-Wage Workers Their Health Insurance?
Oct 11, 2021

Minimum wage increases can lead to reductions in employer-sponsored health insurance for some workers and their dependents. If policymakers want to raise the minimum wage, they should look beyond standard labor market outcomes and take into account other potential effects.
Hackathon Challenges Students to Use Big Data to Promote Equity
Sep 24, 2021

COVID-19 hit vulnerable communities especially hard. To identify promising policy solutions for a more equitable recovery from the pandemic — and engage aspiring young activists — Pardee RAND students will work with undergraduates from Morehouse, Clark Atlanta, and Spelman in a three-week virtual hackathon sponsored by the Tech + Narrative Lab and RAND's NextGen Initiative.
China-Pakistan Partnership, Media Literacy, Incarcerated Parents: RAND Weekly Recap
Sep 24, 2021

This weekly recap focuses on the China-Pakistan partnership in light of the Taliban's rise to power, media literacy education, parenting from prison, and more.
Prescription Drug Prices, Unemployment Insurance, Anti-Asian Racism: RAND Weekly Recap
Sep 17, 2021

This weekly recap focuses on lowering prescription drug prices, reforming unemployment insurance, addressing anti-Asian racism, and more.
U.S. Failure in Afghanistan, Critical Race Theory Bans, Income Inequality: RAND Weekly Recap
Sep 3, 2021

This weekly recap focuses on how early mistakes led to America's failure in Afghanistan, the potential effects of critical race theory bans, an art installation that breaks down RAND data on income inequality, and more.
How State Critical Race Theory Bans Could Trickle Down to the Classroom
Aug 31, 2021

Given the potential blowback to teaching anything related to race or gender, avoiding lessons on the experiences of women or people of color will be the path of least resistance in many schools. But discussing racism and sexism in a safe environment is crucial for students to become active, knowledgeable citizens.