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Secondary education encompasses the years between elementary school and college, with curricula ranging from language arts, social studies, and mathematics to vocational and physical education. RAND conducts research on secondary education throughout the world, exploring such topics as the role of sports and physical education, programs that improve reading, the effects of school choice on academic achievement, and school-based drug prevention and education programs, among others.

Report
Educating Students with Disabilities: Lessons from the Pandemic
A survey of U.S. educators sheds light on the obstacles that teachers and principals faced—even before the pandemic—that make supporting students with disabilities especially challenging in the COVID-19 era.
Mar 3, 2022
Essay
The Economic Returns of Foreign Language Learning
If just 10 percent more students in the United Kingdom mastered Arabic, Mandarin, French, or Spanish, the economic returns could be measured in billions of British pounds. Removing the language barrier reduces trade costs.
Jul 7, 2022

Explore Secondary Education

Multimedia
A Snapshot of Anti-Bias Education in U.S. K–12 Schools
In this webinar, RAND researchers share data from a national teacher survey administered in spring 2021 concerning the extent to which public school teachers report addressing anti-bias education in their K-12 classrooms. Discussants from organizations that support high-quality teaching and learning reflect on the findings and their implications for helping all students in public schools succeed.
Apr 18, 2022
Multimedia
The Pandemic’s Effect on College and Career Readiness Supports
RAND policy researcher Christine Mulhern describes findings from her recent study that examined how college and career readiness supports changed during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Apr 14, 2022
Blog
The West's Response to Russia, the State of the Union, Outer Space: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on how to prevent Russia's war on Ukraine from becoming a war with NATO, insights from RAND on the State of the Union, the future of outer space, and more.
Mar 4, 2022
Blog
Responding to Russia, Sex Trafficking, Anti-Bias Education: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on the false choice between responding to Russia or deterring China, how substance use and sex trafficking are connected, providing anti-bias education in U.S. schools, and more.
Feb 25, 2022
News Release
Parents Remain Concerned About Safety of In-Person Instruction
A gap remains between white parents and Black and Hispanic parents in their preferences for in-person schooling, but it has narrowed since May. The RAND Corporation survey, funded by The Rockefeller Foundation, details parents' responses concerning school hesitancy and preferences for COVID-19 safety practices in U.S. schools in fall 2021.
Aug 18, 2021
Blog
China's Ambitions, Origins of the Coronavirus, Income Inequality: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on China’s quest for global primacy, understanding the coronavirus origin story, how parents feel about sending their children back to school, and more.
Jun 11, 2021
Commentary
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
Blog
COVID-19 Testing in Schools, Family Caregivers, U.S. Entrepreneurship: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on COVID-19 testing in schools, giving a voice to family caregivers, preparing for daylight saving time, and more.
Mar 12, 2021
News Release
COVID-19 Testing in Schools Complex But Doable, Worth the Effort
COVID-19 testing can be effectively integrated into K–12 schools' pandemic response plans, helping families and staff feel more comfortable with in-person instruction.
Mar 9, 2021
Commentary
Lost Learning and the Costs of COVID-19
President Biden's plan calls for $130 billion to help schools safely reopen and identifies summer school or other supports to help students compensate for lost learning time as permissible uses of this funding. Recent RAND research can shed light on how Congress might consider divvying up these funds to support students over the next year.
Feb 10, 2021
Commentary
Coronavirus Will Necessitate Changes in Schools When They Reopen
Schools will likely need to modify their practices so that their teachers, staff, and students maintain social distancing standards whenever they reopen. If a federal agency would create guidance, then educators could focus on teaching students.
Apr 16, 2020
Commentary
Is It Time to Rethink the Separation Between the High School and Postsecondary Systems?
We do not yet know how long or deep this economic downturn will be, or how the pandemic will affect the way we work and learn. But just as the post-coronavirus workplace is surely being re-envisioned, this crisis should motivate us to reconsider the structure of our educational system. Early college is a model that can help inform these discussions.
Apr 16, 2020
Commentary
Teens Are Sleep Deprived; Later School Start Times Could Help
Sleep deprivation among American teens is a major public health problem. Teens in school districts with later start times get more sleep and are more likely to show up for school. They do better academically, and show improvements in their mental and physical health.
Mar 4, 2020
Multimedia
Raising the Bar: Louisiana's Strategies for Improving Student Outcomes
Louisiana has received recent attention for some of its new education policies and promising early results. This video provides an in-depth description of Louisiana's approach to improving student outcomes since 2012.
Dec 4, 2019
Commentary
I'm a Sleep Specialist. Here's How I Prepare My Two Teenagers for the First Day of School
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.
Aug 15, 2019
Essay
Investing in Principals Helps Students Succeed
Hiring good principals is one of the most important things a district can do for its students, second only to hiring good teachers. Students whose schools participated in a principal pipeline initiative outperformed their peers by six percentage points on reading tests and nearly three points in math.
Jul 5, 2019
Multimedia
Principal Pipelines: A Feasible, Affordable, and Effective Way to Improve Schools
A recent RAND report found that implementing “principal pipelines”—a strategic approach to the hiring, preparation, evaluation, and support of school leaders—can improve schools. In this congressional briefing, Susan Gates discusses the feasibility, effectiveness, and affordability of principal pipelines.
Jun 17, 2019
Commentary
Dual Enrollment for High Schoolers Can Expand Access to College—with Some Caveats
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.
Jun 6, 2019
Commentary
What Two New Studies Reveal About Restorative Justice in Middle School
There are many nuances to the implementation and impact of restorative practices. This suggests that continued experimentation could allow school districts to realize the benefits of instituting these practices and reduce the cost of doing so.
Apr 17, 2019

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RAND Topic:
Secondary Education

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