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Reports: Student learning

Findings and recommendations of the rapid health impact assessment of school integration strategies in Minnesota
Human Impact Partners, ISAIAH, April 2013, 67 pp.
An evaluation of the projected health effects of a Minnesota Bill that addresses racial integration in Minnesota schools. Includes a review of the history of school integration and segregation in Minnesota, the impact of school integration on educational achievement, health, equity, and cross-racial connection. more info >

More and Better Learning: Year One Report on ExpandED Schools
TASC, April 2013, 9 pp.
Presents evaluation findings from the first year of a demonstration project that partners schools and community organizations to extend the school day. The 11 ExpandED elementary and middle schools are located in New York City, Baltimore, and New Orleans. more info >

KIPP middle schools: Impacts on achievement and other outcomes
Mathematica Policy Research, February 2013, 13 pp.
The Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) is a network of public charter schools whose mission is to improve the education of low-income children. This is the second report from a multi-year study of KIPP middle schools. more info >

North Dakota KIDS COUNT Fact Book
North Dakota KIDS COUNT, November 2012, 220 pp.
Provides North Dakota state, region, and county-level data on child well-being, including demographics, family and community, economic well-being, education and early care, health, and safety and risky behaviors. more info >

Demographic and education profile of Kandiyohi County
Wilder Research, October 2012, 22 pp.
A profile of Kandiyohi County demographics and education, including a look at older adults, populations of color, income, student characteristics, and academic achievement. more info >

VItal signs: Minnesota
Change the Equation, September 2012, 4 pp.
The brief examines the demand for STEM skills in Minnesota, even through the economic downturn, and the state's ability to meet that demand. more info >

Kids Count data book: State profiles of child well-being
Annie E. Casey Foundation, August 2012, 60 pp.
This annual report provides data on 10 indicators of child well-being, by state and for the U.S. States are ranked on each indicator and compared to previous years. more info >

The state of America's children
Children's Defense Fund, July 2012, 185 pp.
A compilation of national and state-by-state data on poverty, health, child welfare, youth at risk, early childhood development, education, nutrition and housing. Report is compiled annually. Select "Annual Report" in the "Type" box to get to these reports. more info >

Increasing Access to Full-Day K
Children's Defense Fund, April 2012, 4 pp.
Offers support for full-day kindergarten as a way to increase learning and close the achievement gap. more info >

Asian Pacific students in Minnesota: Facts, not fiction
Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans, March 2012, 46 pp.
Minnesota achievement test data for Asian Pacific students by language spoken at home, ethnicity, income level, English proficiency, and mobility. more info >

Why rural matters: Rural education in the 50 states
The Rural School and Community Trust, January 2012, 106 pp.
Biennial reports analyzing the contexts and conditions of rural education in each of the 50 states and calling attention to the need for policymakers to address rural education issues in their respective states. more info >

Best practices for tutoring programs: a guide to quality
Saint Paul Public Schools Foundation, December 2011, 69 pp.
Presents research-based insights into the systems and habits that cultivate the most rewarding learning environments for youth. more info >

Breaking barriers 2: Plotting the path away from juvenile detention and toward academic success for school-age African American males
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, April 2011, 90 pp.
Summarizes the literature and analyzes survey responses from a spectrum of school-age black males to provide information and implications for policy and practice in the areas of reducing suspensions and disciplinary referrals, preventing delinquency, eliminating gang activity in schools, returning to school from juvenile detention, and reducing drug-related arrests. more info >

Immigrant children: The Future of Children Spring 2011
The Brookings Institution and Princeton University, March 2011, 270 pp.
Includes a variety of articles that look at the well-being of immigrant children and what can be done to improve their educational attainment, health, social and cognitive development, and long-term prospects for economic mobility. more info >

The impact of youth development programs on student academic achievement
National Collaboration for Youth, March 2011, 8 pp.
This brief cites evaluations and profiles of a sample of diverse community-based programs that affect student performance and reduce negative outcomes. more info >

Beyond the bottom line: Ideas for the future of public investment in Minnesota
March 2011, 53 pp.
Presents 16 ideas that could help Minnesota leaders redesign public services to maximize impact while saving money. This is a follow-up report to Bridges to a Better Bottom Line. more info >

The state of black children & families: Black perspectives on what black children face and what the future holds
Children's Defense Fund, January 2011, 25 pp.
Presents Black adults' and children's views on the circumstances facing their community and perceptions of what the future holds for Black children growing up today, based on a nationwide survey and focus groups. more info >

Minnesota student survey, 1992-2010 trends: Behaviors, attitudes and perceptions of Minnesota's 6th, 9th and 12th graders
Minnesota Departments of Education, Health, Human Services and Public Safety, December 2010, 52 pp.
This report identifies trends in the prevalence of behaviors and attitudes of young people, based on 21 years of data from the Minnesota Student Survey. It highlights key indicators across many areas of interest, including: academics and school connectedness, school safety and violence, mental health, ATOD, sexual behavior and family structure. more info >

Building a grad nation: Progress and challenge in ending the high school dropout epidemic
America's Promise Alliance, November 2010, 88 pp.
This report shows how some states and school districts are raising their high school graduation rates with scalable solutions in public schools, revealing that more than half of all states increased their statewide graduation rate from 2002 to 2008. more info >

How the world's most improved school systems keep getting better
McKinsey & Company, November 2010, 126 pp.
A comprehensive analysis of global school system reform. It identifies the reform elements that are replicable for school systems everywhere as well as what it takes to achieve significant, sustained, and widespread gains in student outcomes. more info >

The rural solution: How community schools can reinvigorate rural education
Center for American Progress, September 2010, 44 pp.
One in five students in the United States attends a public elementary or secondary school designated as rural. This paper uses three examples of successful rural community schools to provide a framework for discussing the benefits, characteristics, policy implications and challenges faced by rural community schools. more info >

Young children of immigrants: The leading edge of America's future
The Urban Institute, August 2010, 14 pp.
Highlights information about children 0-8 growing up in immigrant families in the United States, including immigration trends, impact on schools, and parental and family characteristics. more info >

Improving the education of Minnesota's students from pre-K through college: Measuring student progress and using data to drive decisions making
Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, August 2010, 8 pp.
Describes the results of two studies, the first examining how P-12 institutions in Minnesota use data-driven decision making and the second investigating how higher education institutions in Minnesota assess student-learning outcomes.This article appears in the Spring/Summer 2010 CURA Reporter. more info >

2010 Broadband speeds in Minnesota's school districts
The Center for Rural Policy and Development, June 2010, 8 pp.
Results of a pilot study aimed at gaining a better understanding of what bandwidth schools have to access online services and what they are using these services for. more info >

America's future: Latino child well-being in numbers and trends
National Council of La Raza, April 2010, 38 pp.
This data book offers a comprehensive overview of the state of Latino children by integrating a range of key factors and outcomes in the areas of demography, citizenship, family structure, poverty, health, education, and juvenile justice. [For free view of report - Click on the document image in the middle of the page where it says "Open publication."] more info >

Early warning: Why reading by the end of third grade matters
Annie E. Casey Foundation, April 2010, 62 pp.
Disparities in reading achievement persist across racial and ethnic groups. This report examines the failure of many children in American, particularly low-income children, to reach the “proficient” level in reading by fourth grade. It explores factors that undermine grade-level reading proficiency and offers recommendations for improvement. more info >

The ACCESS system: Achieving college and career-readiness for every student's success: A proposal for a new high school assessment and accountability system for Minnesota
College and Career-Ready Policy Institute Assessment Working Group, March 2010, 33 pp.
Report from a task force charged with developing a recommendation for a new high school assessment and accountability system for Minnesota. Looks at research on the consequences of high-stakes graduation policies and presents a detailed look at the proposed system. more info >

What works for older youth during the transition to adulthood: Lessons from experimental evaluations of programs and interventions
Child Trends, March 2010, 15 pp.
Identifies intervention strategies that promote the positive development of older youth. more info >

Global neighbors: Identifying diverse populations in northwest Hennepin County using school district enrollment data
November 2009, 57 pp.
Maps and analyzes regional demographic trends using data on race, ethnicity and language spoken at home from schools in northwest Hennepin County. more info >

Reducing the high school dropout rate
Annie E. Casey Foundation, July 2009, 16 pp.
This brief outlines strategies for reducing the dropout rate. more info >

Reducing the number of disconnected youth
Annie E. Casey Foundation, July 2009, 13 pp.
This brief outlines strategies to reduce the number of disconnected youth. more info >

Family Independence Initiative, San Francisco: Two-year progress report
Family Independence Initiative, May 2009, 9 pp.
FII partners with very low-income working families and assists them in moving toward more stable middle-class status. Results show that these families made significant gains in income, debt reduction, and children’s grades, among other things as a result of their participation in this program. more info >

Exploring the supply and demand for community learning opportunities in Minnesota: A Survey of Minnesota parents and youth
Center for Youth Development, University of Minnesota Extension, April 2009, 37 pp.
This study focuses on the quality, availability, and impact of community learning opportunities for Minnesota youth. It includes parent and youth perceptions and discusses barriers affecting youth participation. more info >

Education Watch State Report: Minnesota
Education Trust, April 2009, 16 pp.
This report, part of a national series, provides an overview of Minnesota's student population, the levels of achievement in reading and mathematics, and high school and college graduation rates. more info >

A Region apart: A Look at challenges and strategies for rural K-12 schools
Center for Rural Policy and Development, April 2009, 94 pp.
Presents solutions and recommendations for changes that could be made to help maintain and improve student achievement while not increasing costs in rural schools. more info >

Strategies for rural Minnesota school districts: A literature review
Wilder Research, April 2009, 41 pp.
A literature review of strategies that can be used by rural school districts to address their education challenges. more info >

Minnesota's future: World-class schools, world-class jobs
The Minnesota Business Partnership and The Itasca Project, February 2009, 18 pp.
Examines how Minnesota's education system compares with the best in the world and identifies four areas for improvement: improving traditional teacher preparation programs, recruiting top talent to teaching, providing leadership development for principals, and ensuring data is available and useful for continuous improvement. more info >

Education for Success program evaluation
Hennepin County Research, Planning & Development, February 2009, 21 pp.
Results of the first year of the Education for Success program, a program that uses early interventions with families to address poor school attendance in Hennepin County elementary schools. more info >

High school dropouts in America
Alliance for Excellent Education, February 2009, 3 pp.
Profile of high school dropouts: who is dropping out, why they do it, and the associated costs. more info >

The cost burden to Minnesota K-12 when children are unprepared for kindergarten
Wilder Research, December 2008, 27 pp.
Estimates the cost burden to the Minnesota K-12 system due to children entering kindergarten unprepared for school success. The study also provides estimates of the dollars already in the K-12 system that could be used differently by the state and school districts to ensure more school readiness and, therefore, less spending at the K-12 level. more info >

Dropout prevention, retention and graduation initiative
Minnesota Department of Education, October 2008, 30 pp.
This report contains insights and recommendations aimed at educators, community organizations and policymakers working to engage students in school and learning and to improve graduation rates. Recommendations address approaches, sustainability, the role of the Department of Education and ways to support students most at-risk. more info >

Protective factors for academic achievement in homeless and highly mobile children: CURA Reporter
Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, August 2008, 12 pp.
Researchers analyzed school data on homeless students in the Minneapolis Public Schools and studied young children in a homeless shelter. The results provide a picture of the academic achievement and school attendance of homeless students and identify protective factors for school success among this population. more info >

What matters for staying on-track and graduating in Chicago Public High Schools
Consortium on Chicago School Research at the University of Chicago, July 2007, 68 pp.
According to this study, the two best predictors of whether or not a ninth-grader will graduate from high school on time are the student's attendance rate and grade point average. more info >

State and local implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act: Volume I -- Title I school choice, supplemental educational services, and student achievement
U.S. Department of Education, June 2007, 63 pp.
Students in underperforming schools generally made statistically significant gains in math and reading after participating in supplemental educational services such as tutoring and remediation, per this study. more info >

Increasing school attendance for K-8 students: A review of research examining the effectiveness of truancy prevention programs
Wilder Research, March 2007, 25 pp.
A literature review of truancy prevention and intervention research. more info >

Success by ten: Intervening early, often, and effectively in the education of young children
Brookings Institution, January 2007, 33 pp.
This discussion paper proposes a program designed to help every child achieve success in school by age ten. It calls for major expansion of Head Start so that every disadvantaged child has the opportunity to enroll in a high-quality program of education and care during the first five years of his or her life. It also calls for schools to devote their Title I spending to instructional programs that have proven effective. more info >

America's perfect storm: Three forces changing out nation's future
Educational Testing Service, January 2007, 34 pp.
A look at the convergence of three powerful sociological and economical forces that are changing our nation's future: substantial disparities in skill levels (reading and math), seismic economic changes (widening wage gaps), and sweeping demographic shifts (less education, lower skills). The authors conclude there's little chance that economic opportunities will improve among key segments of our population if we follow our current path. more info >

Differences in adolescent risk factors by "place size": 2007 Minnesota Student Survey statewide data
Minnesota Department of Health, January 2007, 41 pp.
Uses Minnesota Student Survey data to analyze adolescent risk behaviors by the size of the place in which they live and go to school. more info >

Meeting five critical challenges of high school reform
mdrc, May 2006, 89 pp.
This is the first in a series of reports summarizing and synthesizing what has been learned from rigorous and large-scale evaluations of high school reform initiatives. It discusses three initiatives — Career Academies, and Talent Development — that have grappled with the challenges of improving low-performing urban and rural schools. more info >

Diplomas count: Minnesota
edresearch.org, November 2005, 5 pp.
Provides demographic and graduation rate comparisons between Minnesota and the nation as a whole. Also includes a short Minnesota state policy overview. more info >

Similar students, different results: Why do some schools do better?
EdSource, October 2005
Large scale survey of California elementary schools serving low-income students. Provides practices found to be associated with high performance. more info >

Inside the black box of high-performing high-poverty schools
Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, January 2005, 30 pp.
Looks at high-performing, high-poverty schools in Kentucky to determine how they break the usual pattern of low achievement. more info >

Minnesota's post-secondary participation rate remains strong
Minnesota Higher Education Services Office, January 2005, 7 pp.
Looks at the 2003 college participation rates for Minnesota high school graduates, regional participation rates, and participation rates for students of color. Also compares to national rates. more info >

Teaching teachers : professional development to improve student achievement
American Educational Research Association, November 2004, 4 pp.
Reviews learning opportunities for teachers that are explicitly aimed at increasing student achievement. more info >

Creating conditions for leadership effectiveness: The district's role
Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning, October 2004, 7 pp.
Examines the meaning of effective leadership and how to best support school leaders in achieving the goal of enhanced learning for all students. more info >

Engagement, capacity and continuity : a trilogy for student success
GE Foundation, August 2004, 24 pp.
Identifies three factors - engagement, continuity, and capacity - essential for student success, specifically in the sciences and quantitative disciplines. more info >

Demographic change and the life circumstances of immigrant families
The Future of Children, July 2004, 31 pp.
A description of the major demographic shifts over the past half-century including statistics reflecting the circumstances of the nation's children across various racial/ethnic groups. more info >

Who graduates? Who doesn't? A statistical portrait of public high school graduation, class of 2001
Urban Institute, February 2004, 93 pp.
Provides public school graduation rates by state and region and for the United States as a whole. Includes rates for specific racial and ethnic groups, by gender, and for particular types of school districts. Also discusses methods of determining graduation rates. more info >

Four building blocks for a system of educational opportunity : developing pathways to and through college for urban youth
Jobs for the Future, February 2003, 20 pp.
Looks at the demographic and economic trends that demonstrate the need for alternatives to the "one-size-fits-all" high school, learning environments producing strong results for urban youth and recommendations for policy and practice. more info >

Noteworthy perspectives: Classroom strategies for helping at-risk students
Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning, November 2002, 53 pp.
A synthesis of available research on classroom strategies to assist students who are low achieving or at risk of failure. Chapters include: whole-class instruction, cognitively oriented instruction, small groups, tutoring, peer tutoring, and computer-assisted instruction. more info >

Class size : counting students can count
American Educational Research Association, November 2002, 4 pp.
How and when small classes work best, where an investment will result in maximum return. more info >

Comprehensive school reform and student achievement: A meta-analysis
Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed At Risk (CRESPAR), October 2002, 45 pp.
A meta-analysis of "research on the achievement effects of the nationally disseminated and externally developed school improvement programs known as 'whole-school' or 'comprehensive' reforms." more info >

Foundations for success : case studies of how urban school systems improve student achievement
MDRC, August 2002, 208 pp.
Examines the experiences of three large urban school districts (and a portion of a fourth) that have raised academic performance for their district as a whole, while also reducing racial differences in achievement. more info >

School dropouts : education could play a stronger role in identifying and disseminating promising prevention strategies
United States General Accounting Office, January 2002, 47 pp.
Presents national and regional dropout rate trends, factors associated with dropping out, methods of measuring dropout rates, program efforts to address dropout factors, and federal efforts and their effectiveness. more info >

What works with low-performing schools
AEL, January 2002, 26 pp.
A research review reporting on what works in developing high-performing schools and what it takes to sustain them. more info >

Improving the odds: The Untapped power of schools to improve the health of teens
Center for Adolescent Health and Development, University of Minnesota, November 2001, 20 pp.
Discusses the importance of school connectedness for students al and provides five questions to measure school connectedness among students. more info >

Dropout rates in the United States: 2000
National Center for Education Statistics, October 2001, 79 pp.
Presents high school dropout and completion rates for 1972-2000. It includes analyses of rates by income, race/ethnicity, age and sex, and region and state. more info >

Every child learning: Safe and supportive schools
Learning First Alliance, October 2001, 41 pp.
Presents four core elements of safe and supportive schools and recommendations for action. more info >

It takes more than testing: closing the achievement gap
Center on Education Policy, April 2001, 47 pp.
Provides educational stakeholders with information about how to close the achievement gap in education. Includes background information, analyzes the nature and extent of the achievement gap, and outlines leading strategies for closing it. more info >

Raising minority academic achievement: A compendium of education programs and practices
American Youth Policy Forum, November 2000, 190 pp.
Presents evaluations of educational programs that are working to raise the academic achievement of minority students. It includes initiatives from early childhood through postsecondary levels. Evaluation summaries include program overviews, program components, and key evaluation findings. Also includes background information on the achievement gap, identifies strategies that raise academic achievement, and recommendations for action that policymakers and others can take to address the problem. more info >

Raising academic achievement: a study of 20 successful programs
American Youth Policy Forum, October 2000, 86 pp.
Offers 20 models of excellence in raising academic achievement to guide policymakers, educators, and youth development practitioners Includes historical context of concerns about academic achievement and summaries of program evaluations. more info >

Family involvement to promote student achievement : A "best practices" literature review
Wilder Research, July 1999, 21 pp.
This literature review discusses barriers to involvement, types of involvement that are linked to student achievement, and strategies for increasing family involvement in schools. more info >

Lessons learned about effective school management strategies: A summary of relevant research
Wilder Research, November 1997, 11 pp.
Describes management strategies and practices in effective schools, and summarizes several models for high-performance schools. more info >

Characteristics of successful urban schools: A review of best practices
Wilder Research, November 1997, 19 pp.
A literature review on "best practices" in urban elementary education. Topics include: outcome goals, curriculum, assessment, classroom practices and instruction, classroom climate, orientation to student learning, teacher leadership and development, school environment, and other schoolwide factors. Describes several leading program models in urban elementary education. more info >

Web sites

Tool kit for creating your own truancy reduction program
Provides an overview of truancy incl. the extent of the problem, consequences, factors that contribute to kids becoming truant, and what kinds of efforts to improve school attendance have actually worked. It also provides practical ideas for improving school attendance, increasing parent and community involvement, creating alternatives to juvenile detention, and working with other agencies to keep kids in schools." more info >

Brown Center Report on American Education
"This annual report card analyzes the state of American education using the latest measures of student learning, uncovers and explains important trends in achievement test scores, and identifies promising and disappointing educational reforms." more info >

Education Policy Research
Education section of Mathmatica Policy Research. Provides research information about topics including curriculum, teacher quality, at-risk youth, technology and school choice. more info >

National Assessment of Educational Progress: The Nation's Report Card
A nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's students know and can do in various subject areas. Data are available by state and some major cities. more info >

UCLA School Mental Health Project - Center for Mental Health in Schools
Resources on a variety of subjects, including after-school programs, barriers to learning, bullying, children and poverty, homeless children and youth, violence prevention, and a lot more. more info >

Education Commission of the States
Educational information covering early learning, K-12, and postsecondary. The issue sites include summaries of the facts, what states are doing, programs and practice, and sources of additional information on topics such as school readiness, assessment, at-risk students, charter schools, child abuse, educational attainment, mentoring, teaching, and many more. more info >

The Educator's reference desk
Resources on all aspects of education. more info >

ERIC database (Education Resources Information Center)
Database of education research. more info >

Educational Northwest
A collection of resources on educational topics such as parent involvement, school readiness, evaluation, assessment, and more. more info >

WestEd
Nonprofit research organization focusing on education. more info >

Social programs that work
This site summarizes the findings from well-designed randomized controlled trials. It includes programs in the areas of early childhood, education, substance abuse and treatment, mental health, crime and violence prevention, employment and welfare, and more. more info >

What works clearinghouse
A collection of easily accessible databases and reports that provide reviews and information about the effectiveness of replicable educational programs, practices, and policies. more info >