Washington, D.C., Aug. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Institutes for Research (AIR) has been awarded eight grants from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) that will deepen understanding and evidence that can be used to improve education. AIR and its partners will use the grants to conduct research on a broad range of educational topics, including social emotional learning, effective teaching, English language learners, and narrowing achievement gaps.
Established in 2002, IES is the independent, non-partisan research, evaluation, and statistics arm of the U.S. Department of Education. IES funds grants allow academic institutions and other organizations to conduct research on what works for improving education, from early childhood to adulthood.
“AIR’s mission focuses on using, conducting and applying the best social and behavioral science research and evaluation toward improving people's lives, with an emphasis on the disadvantaged. Grants such as these from IES are ideal vehicles for advancing our mission,” said David Myers, President and Chief Executive Officer of AIR. “The federal government’s continued investment in rigorous, relevant research is critical for advancing the use of evidence in education.”
2018 IES Research Grants Awarded to AIR
• A Longitudinal Efficacy Study of the Montessori Preschool Model on Academic and Social-Emotional Outcomes—This project will use a blocked individual random assignment design to study the impact of participation in a Montessori preschool education on children's kindergarten readiness, including academic and social-behavioral skills. AIR principal investigator, Ann-Marie Faria;
• Cleveland Partnership for English Learner Success—In a researcher-practitioner partnership, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) and AIR will collaborate to form the Cleveland Partnership for English Learner Success (CLE-PELS). AIR principal investigator, Elisabeth Davis;
• Efficacy Replication Study of the Impact of MyTeachingPartner-Secondary (MTP-S)—This project will use a blocked cluster randomized experiment to study the impact of MTP-S, a two-year teacher coaching program, on classroom practice, student engagement, and student achievement. AIR principal investigators, Andrew Wayne and Mengli Song;
• Evaluation of Gifted and Talented Program Practices and Student Outcomes—Using data from district surveys and existing data from Washington State, this project will study the association between the features of Gifted and Talented programs, classroom resources, and student outcomes. AIR principal investigators, Dan Goldhaber, Benjamin Backes and James Cowan;
• Promoting School Belongingness and Academic Performance: A Multisite Replication Trial of a Scalable Student Mindset Intervention—Through the use of a multisite randomized controlled trial (RCT), this study aims to replicate and test the efficacy of a brief student mindset intervention designed to promote school belongingness and academic performance for middle school students. AIR principal investigator, Trisha Borman;
• Reducing Achievement Gaps at Scale Through a Brief Self-Affirmation Intervention—This study will use a multisite RCT to test the effectiveness, at scale, of a low-cost self-affirmation mindset intervention on the achievement, behavior, and attitudes of grade 7 students, with a specific focus on Black and Hispanic students. AIR principal investigator, Trisha Borman;
• What is the Value of Apprenticeship for Teachers? Linking Preservice Mentor Quality to Inservice Teacher and Student Outcomes—This project will use regression analysis and data from 15 teacher education programs in Washington State to explore the relationships between characteristics of cooperating teachers (those who mentor or supervise student teachers) and outcomes for student teachers once they enter the teaching workforce. AIR principal investigators, Dan Goldhaber and Roderick Theobald; and
• Pathways to Success in the Transition to High School: Testing Efficacy for Improving 8th and 9th Grade Academic Outcomes—This study will test the efficacy of a teacher-training and implementation model for Pathways to Success, an intervention designed to help students connect their current effort in school with their future aspirations. AIR co-principal investigator, Nicholas Sorensen; (University of Southern California is the primary grantee).
About AIREstablished in 1946, with headquarters in Washington, D.C., the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance both domestically and internationally in the areas of education, health, and the workforce. For more information, visit www.air.org.