Education Research Report

Education Research Report

Education Research Report

The teacher shortage is a growing national crisis

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 1d

A new paper by Economic Policy Institute Economist Emma García and Research Associate Elaine Weiss confirms that the teacher shortage is a large and growing problem for our nation’s schools. Additionally, when indicators of teacher credentials associated with effective teaching (certification, relevant training, experience, etc.) are taken into account, the shortage is even more acute than curren

MAR 29

Culturally Responsive Teaching

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 1d

New America analyzed professional teaching standards in all 50 states to better understand whether states’ expectations for teachers incorporate culturally responsive teaching. To support this analysis, they identify eight competencies that clarify what teachers should know and be able to do in light of research on culturally responsive teaching. The research finds that while all states already i

Autonomy-supportive parenting offsets millennials’ worries about the transition to college

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 2d

Students’ worries about transitioning to college are correlated with long-term reduced psychological well-being, so this study published in the Journal of Social Psychology investigated how psychological need satisfaction might mitigate millennials’ worries about college. As parents can support or undermine their children’s basic needs, the study also examined the influence of autonomy-supportive

Teacher Qualification Associated With the Quality of the Early Childhood Education and Care Environment

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 2d

Poor-quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) can be detrimental to the development of children, as it may lead to poor social, emotional, educational, health, economic, and behavioral outcomes. A lack of consensus, however, regarding the strength of the relationship between teacher qualification and the quality of the ECEC environment makes it difficult to identify strategies that could

MAR 28

Many benefits of visits to a college campus during the eighth grade

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 3d

This study asked whether visits to a college campus during the eighth grade can reduce these psychological barriers to college access. The rsesearchers hypothesized that a lack of experience with college poses a non-trivial barrier to college access for historically underrepresented students. They studid whether college visits affect students’ knowledge about college, postsecondary intentions, co

Parental involvement buffers the relationship between victimization and students’ mental health outcomes

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 3d

Middle school is a risky period, marked by increased peer victimization, and the onset of several mental disorders, including suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs). Parental involvement is critical to students’ well-being; however, few studies have examined the role of parental involvement among middle school students or its effect on their mental health. This study examined the effects of perce

Questions raised on research on Florida neovouchers

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 3d

A recent report from Urban Institute has been widely trumpeted as documenting college attainment benefits for students receiving a neovoucher through the Florida Tax Credit scholarship program. But a new review raises concerns and cautions that proper use of the study begins with an understanding of its limitations. Jaekyung Lee, of the University at Buffalo, SUNY, reviewed The Effects of the Flo

MAR 27

Parental support linked to how well millennials transition to college life

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 3d

Researchers show that how well parents or guardians support millennials' psychological needs prior to their transition to college is an important predictor of their psychological well-being as they adapt to college life. A new study published in The Journal of Social Psychology has assessed the role of parental relationships in mitigating millennials' worry prior to college transition by meeting

MAR 26

Charter schools: a waste of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollar

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 4d

This report details the Network for Public Education’s two month examination of the U.S. Department of Education’s Charter Schools Program (CSP). The investigation found a troubling pattern of insufficient applicant review, contradictions between information provided by applicants and available public data, the gifting of funds to schools with inadequate financial and governance plans, a push-out

Schools who offered selective retention bonuses saw greater test score gains in subsequent years, especially on state reading exams

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 5d

Research has established that racially isolated schools with high concentrations of low-income students disproportionately struggle to recruit and retain highly effective teachers, limiting disadvantaged students’ exposure to high-quality instruction and driving institutional and community instability. This study estimates the effect of selective retention bonuses (SRB) for highly effective teach

Findings suggest strong socioeconomic and racial biases in the enrollment priorities of many public research universities

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 5d

Public universities position themselves as remaining committed to access despite state funding cuts and despite student deficiencies, pointing to the adoption of access-oriented policies (e.g., need-based financial aid, outreach programs) as evidence of this commitment. In turn, policy discourse assumes that doubling the number ofhigh-achieving, under-represented students who apply to a universit

Prevalence and Treatment of Depression, Anxiety, and Conduct Problems in US Children

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 5d

Mental health conditions in childhood have the potential to negatively impact healthy development, interfering with a child’s ability to achieve social, emotional, and cognitive milestones. This has important implications for social determinants of health. As such, there is a continuous need to assess the prevalence and correlates of childhood mental health disorders. In this retrospective cohort

Stricter state gun laws = safer school experience for students

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 5d

Adopting stricter state gun laws is linked to a safer school experience for students, finds research published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health . Strengthening gun laws at state level was associated with teens being less likely to report being threatened or injured with a weapon at school, miss at least one day of school due to feeling unsafe, or to carry a weapon at any location

Teenage solitude isn't a red flag for isolation or depression

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 5d

Teens who choose to spend time alone may know what's best for them, according to new research that suggests solitude isn't a red flag for isolation or depression. The key factor is choice, say researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and Wilmington College: When solitude is imposed on adolescents and young adults, whether as punishment or as a result of social anxiety, it can be p

The impact of the Great Recession on public education finance and employment

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 5d

This study examines the impact of the Great Recession on public education finance and employment. Five major themes emerge: First, nearly 300,000 school employees lost their jobs. Second, schools that were heavily dependent financially on state governments were particularly vulnerable to the recession. Third, local revenues from the property tax actually increased during the recession, primarily

Administrative support is most strongly associated with retention for minority teachers working in schools where minorities are underrepresented

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 5d

Mentoring, and to a greater extent support from high-level administrators, has been shown to decrease worker turnover in general, but little is known about its differential impact on minority workers. This study finds that administrative support is most strongly associated with retention for minority teachers working in schools where minorities are underrepresented. This effect is pronounced for

Does preschool participation may improve science outcomes and reduce science achievement gaps?

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 5d

Recent evidence demonstrates that disparities by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status in science achievement are present in the earliest grades of school. Preschool represents one potential policy solution; however, little research has explored the relationship between preschool attendance and science outcomes. This study examines whether preschool participation may improve science outcomes ov

The efficacy of transitional kindergarten on student outcomes

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 5d

A growing body of research provides evidence that quality early childhood experiences can affect a host of life outcomes. Equally well documented is the variation in the quality of prekindergarten (pre-K) programs offered to children. This study evaluates the efficacy of transitional kindergarten (TK) on student outcomes in the San Francisco Unified School District. TK is a highly regulated, stat

The Effects of Universal Preschool on Grade Retention

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 5d

Nationwide, the percentage of four-year-olds enrolled in state-supported preschool programs has more than doubled since the early 2000s as states dramatically increased their investments in early childhood education. Florida's Voluntary Pre-kindergarten Program (VPK), which began in 2005, has been a national leader with respect to preschool access. This paper provides the first evidence of the pr

Common Elements of Developmental Education Policies

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 5d

Building off Education Commission of the States' 50-State Comparison: Developmental Education Policies , this Policy Brief identifies common elements of developmental education policies at the system and state levels: college readiness assessments, assessment cut scores, multiple measures for course placement, innovative course models and reporting requirements. The policy examples reviewed demon

MAR 25

Parents and children talk and interact less with electronic books compared to print books

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 5d

Picking what book to read isn't the only choice families now make at story time - they must also decide between the print or electronic version. But traditional print books may have an edge over e-books when it comes to quality time shared between parents and their children, a new study suggests. The research, led by University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital and involving 37 parent-tod

Improving Educational Pathways to Social Mobility: Evidence from Norway

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 6d

High school vocational education has a controversial history in the United States, largely due to a perceived tradeoff between teaching readily deployable occupational skills versus shunting mostly disadvantaged students away from 

Education Research Report