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Secondary Education

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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.

Research Brief
Getting Students to and Through Advanced Math
Students who take precalculus, calculus, and advanced placement math classes get a leg up when it comes to securing college admission and careers in STEM fields. But a large portion of U.S. high school students don't take advanced math. What explains this gap, and what can be done to close it?
Apr 17, 2023
Essay
A Four-Day School Week? Here Are the Costs and Benefits
Hundreds of small school districts across America have cut one day a week from their calendars. A shorter school week helps them compete for teachers and reduce costs. Teachers and parents love it. But is it really in the best interests of students?
Aug 31, 2023

Explore Secondary Education

Journal Article
An Introduction to Qatar's Primary and Secondary Education Reform
Qatar-a small, natural-resource-rich country in the Persian Gulf-has embarked on an ambitious, comprehensive effort to upgrade its educational institutions.
Jan 1, 2009
Journal Article
Education Vouchers in Colombia
This chapter presents evidence on the impact of a voucher program implemented in 1991 in Colombia. Specifically, the analysis is centered on the mechanism by which the program increased learning outcomes.
Jan 1, 2009
Research Brief
Florida's Middle School Reading Coaches: What Do They Do? Are They Effective?
This research brief reports the results of a study examining the implementation and effectiveness of a middle school reading coach program in Florida.
Aug 15, 2008
Report
A Survey of Qatari Secondary School Seniors: Methods and Results
Presents the results of a survey of Qatari students enrolled in their final year of secondary school about their attitudes about further education and future work plans.
Jun 4, 2008
Report
A Survey of Recent Qatari Secondary School Graduates: Methods and Results
Presents the results of a survey of Qataris who left secondary school in 1998 concerning their education and employment experiences since graduation.
Jun 4, 2008
News Release
Charter School Students in Chicago Enjoy Better Graduation, College Entry Rates
Chicago's multi-grade charter high schools (those serving students in grades 7-12, 6-12 or K-12) appear to improve their students' chances of graduating and attending college, as compared with the city's traditional public high schools.
May 7, 2008
Report
Implementation of New Curriculum Arrangements for 14-19 Year Olds
The National Audit Office commissioned RAND to undertake a comparative study investigating the implementation of education programmes for 14-19 year olds in Australia, the Netherlands, and Sweden, in order to identify lessons that could lead to improvements in implementation and delivery of the new 14-19 Diplomas.
May 1, 2008
Report
California Lags Nation in Tracking Students' Educational Progress
While California has basic tracking system architecture in place to allow the state's educators to closely follow the progress of students from kindergarten to post-secondary education, officials must overcome political and financial barriers.
Jan 10, 2008
Journal Article
School Attendance and District and School Size
In this paper, the authors focus explicitly on both district size and school size and look at a particular aspect of educational output.
Jan 1, 2008
Commentary
Think It Through on Tests
While testing can serve a valuable purpose, it can only do so if: the tests are designed to measure complex, important content; safeguards are developed to address harmful effects on students; and the tests are used as one part of a comprehensive strategy for producing more-qualified graduates, writes Laura Hamilton.
Mar 27, 2007
Journal Article
Availability of High School Extracurricular Sports Programs and High-Risk Behaviors
Opportunities for participation in high school extracurricular sports are limited. Future studies should test whether increased opportunities will increase physical activity and impact the increasing overweight problem in youths.
Jan 1, 2007
Journal Article
A Framework for Understanding and Comparing 14-19 Education Policies in the United Kingdom
This paper draws on a recent project funded by the Learning and Skills Research Centre (LSRC) on Modelling a Vocational Learning System for the 21st Century.
Jan 1, 2007
Journal Article
Pilot Test of Project CHOICE: A Voluntary Afterschool Intervention for Middle School Youth
The current study reports findings from a pilot evaluation of a voluntary alcohol and marijuana intervention for young teens.
Jan 1, 2007
Journal Article
Using Artifacts to Describe Instruction: Lessons Learned from Studying Reform-Oriented Instruction in Middle School Mathematics and Science
This report describes a project to develop procedures for characterizing classroom practices in mathematics and science on the basis of collected classroom artifacts.
Jan 1, 2007
News Release
RAND Study Breaks New Ground in Examining Pittsburgh Public Schools' Graduation Rates
July 12, 2006 News Release: RAND Study Breaks New Ground in Examining Pittsburgh Public Schools' Graduation Rates.
Jul 12, 2006
Research Brief
Project ALERT Plus May Leverage the Effect of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign
This fact sheet reports lowered use of marijuana among ninth graders exposed to anti-drug messages from the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign along with Project ALERT Plus, a drug prevention curriculum for middle school students.
Jan 19, 2006
Journal Article
Proximity to School and Physical Activity Among Middle School Girls: The Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls Study
Proximity to routine destinations is an important correlate of physical activity.
Jan 1, 2006
Journal Article
Impact of a School-Based Dating Violence Prevention Program Among Latino Teens: Randomized Controlled Effectiveness Trial
Ending Violence curriculum has impact on teen norms, knowledge, and help-seeking proclivities that may aid in early intervention for dating violence.
Jan 1, 2006
Journal Article
Testing for Accountability in K-12
This chapter provides a brief history of large-scale K-12 achievement testing in the United States, focusing primarily on trends in the uses of tests over the past several decades.
Jan 1, 2006
Journal Article
National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign and School-Based Drug Prevention: Evidence for a Synergistic Effect in ALERT Plus
Examined the possible synergistic effect of exposure to the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign and a classroom-based drug prevention curriculum among 9th grade students participating in a randomized trial of ALERT Plus.
Jan 1, 2006

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RAND Topic:
Secondary Education

Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Chaitra M. Hardison

Senior Behavioral Scientist

Chaitra M. Hardison (she/her) is a senior behavioral scientist at RAND and a professor of policy analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. Her research focuses on the knowledge, skills, and abilities required in the workplace and identifying how best to select, train, and educate personnel to…
Alex Sizemore

Ph.D. Student, Pardee RAND Graduate School, and Assistant Policy Researcher, RAND

Alex Sizemore (she/they) is a Ph.D. student in the Community-Partnered Policy and Action stream at Pardee RAND Graduate School and an assistant policy analyst at RAND. She has an M.A. in urban planning from the University of Southern California, an M.A. in curatorial studies from the University…

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