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Educational Program Evaluation

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RAND rigorously evaluates all kinds of educational programs by performing cost-benefit analyses, measuring effects on student learning, and providing recommendations to help improve program design and implementation. Our portfolio of educational program evaluations includes studies of early childhood education, summer and after-school programs, educator pay-for-performance, programs intended to reduce educational disparities, and choice- and standards-based reforms.

Essay

Social and Emotional Learning Prepares Students for Life

Aug 27, 2018

The goal of social and emotional learning is to give students the skills they need to work in teams, communicate their ideas, and manage their emotions. Research can help educators determine which programs work and which ones qualify for federal funding under the Every Student Succeeds Act.
Report

Out-of-School Time Programs Are Worthy of Public Investment

Oct 23, 2017

Children need safe places, caring adults, and enriching activities when not in school. Out-of-school time programs build human and cultural capital and develop kids' interests and skills. Public funding helps low-income youth have experiences that may provide lasting developmental benefits.

Explore Educational Program Evaluation

Journal Article

Journal Article

The Use of Responsive Circles in Schools: An Exploratory Study

The purpose of the study was to examine how educators use responsive circles. We aimed to fill a gap in the literature by offering details about their implementation based on enacted responsive circles in a large urban school setting.

Feb 8, 2019
Commentary

Choosing the Right Social and Emotional Learning Programs and Practices

Educators have become increasingly interested in supporting students to cultivate the inter- and intra-personal skills that are developed through the process of social and emotional learning. A new guide developed at the RAND Corporation is meant to help educators adopt evidenced-based interventions that fit the needs of their students and communities.

Feb 5, 2019
Commentary

The Impact of Restorative Practices

A recent RAND report focuses on estimates of the impact of restorative practices on comprehensive outcome measures for all students. The report defines these measures in seven outcome domains and leads with the impact on suspensions. It estimates the impact on 50 secondary measures and on the seven primary measures for numerous student subgroups defined by race, income, special needs and English language learner status.

Jan 17, 2019
Report

Report

Implementation and Outcomes of the Appalachian Renaissance Initiative in Eastern Kentucky Schools

The Appalachian Renaissance Initiative provided principals, teachers, and students in rural Eastern Kentucky with opportunities to support and improve teaching and learning. This evaluation examines its implementation and outcomes.

Jan 3, 2019
Research Brief

Restorative Practices Help Reduce Student Suspensions

Restorative practices—inclusive and non-punitive ways to respond to conflict and build community—have been successful in reducing student suspensions in the Pittsburgh Public Schools district.

Dec 27, 2018
Report

Report

Can Restorative Practices Improve School Climate and Curb Suspensions? An Evaluation of the Impact of Restorative Practices in a Mid-Sized Urban School District

This study of Pittsburgh Public Schools' implementation of restorative practices represents one of the first randomized controlled trials of the effects of restorative practices on classroom and school climates and suspension rates.

Dec 27, 2018
Research Brief

Research Brief

The Big Lift Preschool, Two Years In: What Have We Learned So Far?

The Big Lift preschool-third-grade initiative aims to boost children's reading proficiency. This second in a series of descriptive analyses shares follow-up data on 2016-2017 kindergarten class participants and initial data on 2017-2018 participants.

Dec 12, 2018
Report

Investing in Evidence-Based Social and Emotional Learning

It can be challenging for educators to incorporate data into a narrative that informs decisions about what social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions to adopt. An evidence review companion guide can provide support for educators assessing local SEL needs.

Dec 10, 2018
Commentary

Finding the Right Assessment Tool: Another Resource for Educators and Researchers

To teach something effectively, educators need to determine whether their instructional approaches are working, and make adjustments to those approaches as needed. The Assessment Work Group and RAND have developed tools to assist educators in finding and using assessments to measure social and emotional learning and higher-order cognitive competencies.

Nov 7, 2018
Report

How to Establish and Sustain Effective Summer Learning Programs

High-quality summer learning programs improve the academic, social, and emotional outcomes of low-income students, but several components are needed to make a program successful. New guidance on best practices can help districts and their community partners implement and operate effective summer programs.

Nov 4, 2018
Report

Report

Launching a Redesign of University Principal Preparation Programs: Partners Collaborate for Change: Executive Summary

The University Principal Preparation Initiative (UPPI) supports the redesign of principal preparation programs according to evidence-based principles and practices. This executive summary provides insight into the first year of UPPI implementation.

Oct 30, 2018
Report

Universities Are Improving Training of Future School Principals

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
Commentary

The Potential for Early Years Programmes to Close the Disadvantage Gap Is Under-Examined

Many schools are looking to close the disadvantage gap in their communities, but they need more evidence about what actually works. Research that helps policymakers and practitioners understand how early years interventions can promote equity and close the disadvantage gap is needed.

Oct 12, 2018
Blog

Education Policy 'Game Night' Debuts at RAND

Parents, teachers, principals, and community leaders played RAND's first education policy game. Participants had to work through scenarios affecting a fictional high school, such as how to cut its budget by 4 percent. The game showed researchers how different stakeholders might approach school improvement challenges and what drives their decisions.

Oct 11, 2018
Report

Report

The Big Lift Descriptive Analyses: Kindergarten Readiness and Elementary School Reading Outcomes for the 2016–2017 and 2017–2018 Kindergarten Classes

The Big Lift initiative aims to boost children's reading proficiency in San Mateo County, California. This second in a series of descriptive analyses shares follow-up data on the 2016-2017 kindergarten class and initial data for the 2017-2018 class.

Oct 10, 2018
Journal Article

Journal Article

Commentary on the Special Issue on Social-Emotional Assessment to Guide Educational Practice

This commentary summarizes themes from the JADP special issue on social and emotional assessment and offers recommendations for effective use of assessment data to promote improved social and emotional learning experiences for students.

Oct 9, 2018
Research Brief

Research Brief

What Teachers Know and Do in the Common Core Era: Findings from the 2015–2017 American Teacher Panel

This brief describes work derived from five reports in RAND Education, which summarize some changes in what teachers know about Common Core standards and what they do in the classroom, based on RAND American Teacher Panel surveys.

Oct 2, 2018
Research Brief

Research Brief

How Do Teachers Perceive Feedback and Evaluation Systems? Findings from the American Teacher Panel

Most teachers surveyed reported receiving useful feedback, although the majority perceived feedback from fellow teachers and from coaches or mentors more positively than feedback from formal observations or from school leaders.

Sep 28, 2018
Report

What Teachers Know and Do in the Common Core Era

Have Common Core State Standards changed what teachers think and do? Survey findings suggest that states must do more to support teachers' knowledge about standards and standards-aligned practices. Online venues may be a good way to provide such support.

Sep 27, 2018
Report

Report

Evaluation of the Creating College and Career Readiness Initiative in Kentucky

This report presents findings from an evaluation of the Creating College and Career Readiness initiative, which used a suite of personalized software in the kindergarten-12th grade setting in rural Kentucky schools.

Sep 27, 2018

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RAND Topic:
Educational Program Evaluation

Research conducted by

RAND Education and Labor