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Education and Literacy

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RAND research on early childhood, K-12, and higher education covers issues such as assessment and accountability, choice-based and standards-based reform, school leadership, teacher effectiveness, technology, and vocational training. RAND also explores life skills, such as media, health, and financial literacy, as well as how time spent outside the classroom impacts student outcomes.

Commentary
Keeping Teachers of Color in the Classroom Will Take More Than a Pay Raise
All students—but particularly Black and Latinx students—benefit academically and socially from having teachers who are people of color. Policymakers and education leaders can help these teachers stay in the profession by making teaching more financially sustainable and fostering collegial relationships within school communities.
Dec 1, 2022
Commentary
Whether Democracy Is Eroding or on the Upswing Depends on What State You Live In
Voter laws, civic education opportunities, and trust in government are all important aspects of democracy that impact individuals' civic participation. If policymakers had better ways to measure and monitor this “civic infrastructure” beyond just voter turnout, a different, more complicated but complete picture of our democracy would likely emerge.
Dec 13, 2022

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Explore Education and Literacy

News Release
Creating Prison-Based College Program That Continues After Release Presents Challenges, but Can Have Success
Creating a prison-based program where incarcerated individuals can take college classes and then work toward a degree upon release can be successful, but many obstacles challenge the success of such efforts.
May 22, 2019
News Release
U.S. Journalism Has Become More Subjective
U.S.-based journalism has gradually shifted away from objective news and offers more opinion-based content that appeals to emotion and relies heavily on argumentation and advocacy.
May 14, 2019
News Release
Principal Pipelines Benefit Students, Reduce Principal Turnover
Districts can improve schools—including boosting student achievement in reading and math—by better preparing, selecting, evaluating, and supporting principals.
Apr 8, 2019
News Release
Universities Begin Redesigning Their Programs to Make Training of Future School Principals More Effective
Seven universities are beginning to change their principal preparation programs to better reflect the real-world demands of the job. They are working with local high-need school districts that hire their graduates as well as accreditation agencies in their states.
Oct 30, 2018
News Release
Student-Run Mental Health Education Efforts May Help Improve Mental Health Climate on College Campuses
Getting college students to engage with peer-run organizations that focus on mental health awareness can improve college students' knowledge about mental health, reduce stigma, and may play an important role in improving the campus climate toward mental health.
Jun 27, 2018
News Release
Opening School-Based Health Clinics Can Lower Teacher Health Costs
Opening onsite health clinics to provide comprehensive primary care to teachers and their families can lower a school district’s health care costs and decrease teacher absenteeism.
Jun 20, 2018
News Release
Declining Trust in Facts, Institutions Imposes Real-World Costs on U.S. Society
Americans' reliance on facts to discuss public issues has declined significantly in the past two decades, leading to political paralysis and collapse of civil discourse. This phenomenon, referred to as “Truth Decay,” is defined by increasing disagreement about facts, a blurring between opinion and fact, an increase in the relative volume of opinion and personal experience over fact, and declining trust in formerly respected sources of factual information.
Jan 16, 2018
News Release
Shifting School Start Times Could Contribute $83 Billion to U.S. Economy Within a Decade
A state-by-state analysis (in 47 states) of the economic implications of a shift in school start times in the U.S., shows that a nationwide move to 8.30 a.m. could contribute $83 billion to the U.S. economy within a decade. These gains would be realized through higher academic and professional performance, and reduced car crash rates.
Aug 30, 2017
News Release
'Principal Pipelines' to Develop School Leaders Can Be Affordable Way to Improve Schools
Improving school leadership by better selecting, training and evaluating principals can be an affordable option for school districts to reduce turnover and improve schools.
Jun 19, 2017
News Release
College Students Who Belong to Sexual Minority Groups More Likely to Seek Mental Health Services When Needed, but Still ...
College students who belong to sexual minority groups are more likely to seek help for mental health problems than their straight peers, but they still face many barriers to using on-campus mental health services.
May 30, 2017
News Release
Options for Improving School Leadership
School leadership can have an important effect on student achievement. New federal rules offer states and school districts greater flexibility about how to use federal funds to strengthen school leadership.
Dec 13, 2016
News Release
One-Stop Social Services Efforts May Improve Community College Outcomes
Students participating in programs that provide a comprehensive range of support services are more likely to persist in attending community college.
Nov 30, 2016
News Release
Knowledge About Health Insurance and Finance Linked to Higher Rates of Health Coverage
Policies and programs aiming to reduce the numbers of uninsured should take into account the financial literacy and health insurance knowledge of the groups they are trying to reach.
Nov 17, 2016
News Release
Teachers in Louisiana Are More Likely to Teach to State Standards Than Teachers in Other States
Louisiana teachers are more likely to consult classroom resources that address their state standards, and they report teaching and thinking about instruction in ways that differ from the norms seen among teachers in other states.
Oct 13, 2016
News Release
Voluntary Summer Learning Programs for Elementary School Students Benefit Those with High Levels of Attendance
Elementary school students with high levels of attendance in voluntary summer learning programs led by urban districts experienced benefits in math and reading.
Sep 7, 2016
News Release
Interim Findings on Teacher Reform Effort Show Small Positive Impact on Student Outcomes During Initial Years
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation launched its teacher reform initiative in 2009–2010 to improve effectiveness of teachers and to ensure that low-income minority students have access to highly effective teachers. The impact on student outcomes began to show a positive trend during the 2013–2014 school year.
Jun 6, 2016
News Release
American Teacher Panel Survey Looks at Teachers' Knowledge and Perceptions of State Standards
A high percentage of mathematics teachers report using instructional materials with some demonstrated evidence of alignment to Common Core State Standards. However, there is less evidence that state standards are playing a role in the materials English language arts teachers use.
Apr 18, 2016
News Release
Changing the Mental Health Climate on College Campuses Improves Student Outcomes and Benefits Society
If every California public college student with a current mental health problem or recent mental health-related academic impairment were to study on a campus with a culture supportive of mental wellness, the chances of that student getting the care they need would increase by almost 40 percent.
Apr 1, 2016
News Release
Examining Wages, Employment and STEM Education at County Level for the Appalachia Partnership Initiative
The first-ever county-level examination of wages and employment for workers with STEM training sets a baseline that will help measure the ongoing success of the Appalachia Partnership Initiative's efforts to support long-term economic growth in the region by preparing K-12 students and local workers for jobs in the energy and advanced manufacturing sectors.
Mar 16, 2016
News Release
High-Quality, Full-Scale Preschool Programs Boost School Readiness and Produce Sustained Benefits
The investment in high-quality preschool programs may be paid back through improved outcomes during the school-age years and beyond. In addition to school readiness, they produce long-term benefits like lower rates of special education use, reduced grade repetition, and higher high school graduation rates.
Mar 11, 2016

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RAND Topic:
Education and Literacy

Topic Synonyms:
Instruction;
Learning;
Schooling

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