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Educational Equity

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Educational equity is fair and just access to the support and resources necessary to achieve a student's full academic and social potential. RAND research has examined the benefits of and access to early childhood education; education inequities that intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic; teaching students with disabilities; anti-bias education in U.S. schools; and the education challenges that immigrants and refugees face.

Report
Educating Newcomers: A Research-Practice Conversation
RAND researchers highlight findings from a recent study that estimates the number of children and youth from Central America and Mexico crossing the Southwest border of the United States from 2017 to 2019, as well as findings on policies and practice from two case study school districts in Louisiana and California.
Aug 4, 2022
Report
What Teachers Think of State Policies Limiting Their Instruction
The restrictions placed on how teachers can address race- or gender-related topics in the classroom may be leading to consequences for teachers' working conditions and for student learning. Teachers report that the limitations make it more difficult to engage students in learning, to support critical thinking skills, and to build empathy.
Jan 25, 2023

Explore Educational Equity

Journal Article
Evaluation of the Alternative Provision Specialist Taskforces (APST): Evaluation Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan
This report gives a detailed overview of the methods used in the evaluation of the Alternative Provision Specialist Taskforce (APST).
Jun 22, 2023
Report
State of the American Teacher Survey: 2023 Technical Documentation and Survey Results
This technical report presents detail about the data, samples, and methodology for the 2023 State of the American Teacher survey and American Life Panel companion survey, including survey results.
Jun 21, 2023
Journal Article
Survey: Principals Say They Need Better-Trained Teachers and More Resources to Address Student Misbehavior
Educators have long struggled to reduce student misbehavior—a challenge that has become more acute since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. We highlight two things principals say they need to reduce misbehavior: better teacher prep and resources.
Jun 20, 2023
Report
Finding Help Outside the Classroom: Approaches for Supporting College Students' Basic Needs
This Perspective builds on the research findings from a related RAND Corporation report on a North Carolina initiative to support college students' basic needs with strategies to improve the uptake and effectiveness of such initiatives nationally.
May 23, 2023
Periodical
RAND Review: May-June 2023
The cover story commemorates RAND's 75th anniversary. One feature article explores what it would take to eliminate racial wealth disparities in the United States; another highlights a promising mental health first aid initiative in New York City.
May 12, 2023
Report
Principals' Views on School Staffing Shortages
During the surge of the COVID-19 omicron variant in spring 2022, most principals struggled to keep classrooms staffed. They said a lack of substitute teachers was the main reason for the shortages. And many reported that hiring had become more difficult since the previous school year.
May 3, 2023
Report
Teachers' Perceptions of Coherence in K–12 English Language Arts and Mathematics Instructional Systems
RAND researchers interviewed a sample of members of the American Teacher Panel who responded to the spring 2022 Coherent Instructional Systems Survey to examine how teachers perceive and navigate coherence within their instructional systems.
Apr 25, 2023
Blog
Environmental Justice, Mental Health Care, Insomnia: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on environmental justice, access to mental health care, why America should stick with Europe. and more.
Apr 21, 2023
Multimedia
Teachers’ Responses to Curriculum Restrictions
RAND policy researcher Ashley Woo presents findings from a study that examined teachers' responses to limitations on race- and gender-related topics in the classroom.
Apr 21, 2023
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
Blog
Truth Decay and National Security, Gun Violence, Blockading Crimea: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on Truth Decay and national security, America's gun violence problem, how Ukraine could blockade Crimea, and more.
Apr 14, 2023
Report
Stackable Credential Pipelines and Equity for Low-Income Individuals: Evidence from Colorado and Ohio
The authors examine whether low-income individuals are stacking credentials and benefiting economically, explore systemic barriers to stackable credential opportunities for low-income individuals, and consider solutions to strengthen these pipelines.
Apr 13, 2023
Research Brief
States Can Take Steps to Address Potential Barriers to Equity in Stackable Credential Pipelines
The authors examine barriers to stacking credentials for low-income individuals -- limited chances for stacking in some fields and institutions, insufficient information, and challenges moving between programs -- and consider solutions from stakeholders.
Apr 13, 2023
Research Brief
Do Low-Income Students Benefit from Stacking Credentials? Descriptive Evidence from Colorado and Ohio
The authors describe findings from a study on how frequently low-income individuals are stacking credentials, whether stacking increases wage-earning opportunities, and which fields provide the best returns from stacking.
Apr 13, 2023
Research Brief
How Community Colleges Can Support Student Mental Health Needs
This report is a descriptive study of eight community colleges at the forefront of implementing multilevel approaches to support student mental health, as well as key facilitators for and barriers to their success.
Apr 5, 2023
Report
Supporting the Mental Health Needs of Community College Students
This report is a descriptive study of eight community colleges at the forefront of implementing multilevel approaches to support student mental health and key facilitators for and barriers to their success.
Apr 5, 2023
Report
Report on the Implementation, Costs, and Impacts of the Findhelp Platform in the North Carolina Community College System
The authors examine how the Findhelp online "social care network," which connects students to services that provide basic needs assistance, was implemented at four community colleges in North Carolina, its costs, and its impacts on student success.
Apr 5, 2023
Report
Supporting Students in Foster Care
State and federal policymakers have passed legislation designed to promote collaboration between the education and child welfare systems with the goal of improving educational stability for youth in foster care and, in turn, their educational outcomes. But there are barriers to cross-system collaboration.
Apr 4, 2023
Report
Coherence in English Language Arts and Mathematics Instructional Systems Across the United States
Using survey responses from a nationally representative sample of public school kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) English language arts and math teachers, RAND researchers examine teachers' perceptions of instructional system coherence.
Mar 30, 2023
Tool
The Improving Instructional System Coherence Toolkit: A Resource for K–12 Districts and Schools
This toolkit, along with an accompanying workbook and slide deck, is intended to help district and school leaders investigate and reflect on the extent to which coherence is present in their instructional systems.
Mar 30, 2023

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RAND Topic:
Educational Equity

Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Melissa Kay Diliberti

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

Melissa Kay Diliberti is an assistant policy researcher at RAND and a Ph.D. candidate at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. She analyzes data from RAND's American Educator Panels to investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic is changing the U.S. education system. Her research interests include domestic…
Stephani L. Wrabel

Policy Researcher

Stephani L. Wrabel (she/her) is a policy researcher at the RAND Corporation with expertise in education and military-connected youth. She conducts research to improve practices, programs, and policies that shape the lives of students and military-connected people. Her portfolio includes studies…

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