There's a difference between feeling like you belong in a space and that that space belongs to you. Dr. Shanette Porter has studied schools that have created that sense of belonging, and found that not only are strictly academic measures improved (test scores, etc), but other benefits come as well. From increased graduation rates, to decreased disciplinary incidents, to increased attendance, schools that focus on creating a sense of belonging do better for the whole child. Dr. Porter joins us to share some of her findings, as well as a powerful definition of belonging...

Jinqing Xu (Jean) utilizes strong data manipulation, quantitative research, programming, and writing skills to provide ongoing support across Consortium studies, including the English Learner and Teach Chicago projects. She serves as a key member of a team of Consortium researchers, offering data and analytic assistance throughout the project lifecycle. This includes cleaning and documenting data sources, creating large-scale databases, and applying various statistical approaches and causal designs.

A study released this January by research group Opportunity Insights found that standardized test scores — such as SAT and ACT scores — are more predictive of academic success at Ivy Plus colleges than high school grades.

The study — led by Professor and Chair of Economics John Friedman — suggested that ACT and SAT scores “may have more value for admissions processes than previously understood” and comes as the University’s Ad Hoc Committee on Admissions Policies reconsiders Brown’s test-optional admissions, legacy and early decision policies...

Clarice is an AM/PhD student at the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. Clarice is an Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Fellow and a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Health Policy Research Scholar (HPRS). Before beginning her PhD, Clarice worked as an educator for five years in various areas, including teaching preschool-aged children in rural Arkansas through Teach for America and teaching English to middle school students in Madrid, Spain.

Grades and standardized test scores provide information about whether students are prepared for their future goals, but misperceptions and uncertainties can lead people to use them in ways that are counterproductive. This project provides evidence about these measures of student achievement.

This study examines the trends in teacher retention in Chicago Public Schools before, during and post-pandemic years. This work will also explore what teacher, students and school characteristics are related to teacher retention.

To address the teacher shortage, CPS developed Teach Chicago, a collection of targeted strategies to develop, recruit, and retain teachers in high-need schools. The Consortium is leading a two-year, mixed method study of these strategies, their efficacy, and the conditions that support successful implementation.

Key Takeaways

• If we look at the overall population of college-going students, students’ course grades are consistently the strongest indicators of students’ general academic preparation.
  • If you were just going to focus on one for assessing academic readiness, grades provide the most comprehensive information. Tests like the SAT and ACT provide some additional information.
• Some studies may find different conclusions, often because they’re looking at a restricted sample (e.g.

Now three years since COVID’s first classroom closures and a year before districts start to feel the true impact of the fiscal cliff, 2023 marked a pivotal moment for students and schools across America. Fresh scores revealed the stalled state of learning recovery. Educators warned about an escalating chronic absenteeism crisis that has seen students disengage and thrown off track. New political alliances formed around school choice legislation and education savings accounts. Districts became one of the preferred targets of cyberhackers, who posted sensitive student information online.

Over the last two years, after a series of physical altercations involving staff and students in early 2022 and the discovery of three nooses in a tree on school grounds, District 65 has invested lots of time and resources into improving the culture and climate at Haven Middle School.

The district beefed up its security protocols and safety staff and hired four family and community engagement liaisons at Haven. Over the past year, administrators have spoken at board meetings about turning the page to a new day at the city’s biggest public middle school...