There is increasing interest among educators, policymakers, and researchers in understanding the factors that make some teachers more effective than others, particularly in light of the current focus on educational accountability at the local, state, and national levels. Thus far, only a small body of research exists, however, that links specific teacher qualifications to student achievement. The lack of research is due primarily to the scarcity of data that link student test scores to the characteristics of their teachers. Furthermore, although scholars and policymakers agree that children's early school and family experiences are pivotal, relatively little research exists on the effects of teachers on the educational outcomes of young children. This study fills a gap in the current research base on the relationship among teacher characteristics, instructional practices, and the achievement of young children through an analysis of data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class (ECLS-K). The students were assessed in reading and mathematics in both the fall and the spring of their kindergarten year, and detailed information was gathered from their parents, teachers, and school administrators. In particular, the teachers were surveyed with regard to their background qualifications and the instructional practices they use in the classroom. As a result, ECLS-K data may provide information relevant to the relationships between teacher-reported qualifications and instructional practices and student achievement during the kindergarten year.

Reports an evaluation of Edison Schools, the nation's largest for-profit manager of public schools. RAND analyzed Edison's school improvement strategies, the implementation of those strategies, and effects on student achievement. In 2000, Edison Schools, the nation's largest education management organization, asked RAND to analyze its achievement outcomes and design implementation. RAND evaluated Edison's strategies for promoting student achievement in its schools, how it implemented those strategies, how its management affected student achievement, and what factors explained differences in achievement trends among its schools.

Evaluates the technical soundness of existing methods for assessing the risks posed by unexploded ordnance at U.S. military installations. This report examines methods for assessing the risks of unexploded ordnance (UXO) on former military training land, particularly sites on closed or transferred bases that will be or have been converted to civilian use. This work is the first to analyze in detail all the approaches the Army has developed to assess the risks of UXO sites, recommending ways for the Army to develop risk assessment protocols acceptable to all parties with an interest in UXO sites.

Clarifies the primary questions raised by the use of value-added models (VAM) for measuring teacher effects, reviews the most important recent applications of VAM, and discusses statistical and measurement issues associated with VAM. Does value-added modeling (VAM) demonstrate the importance of teachers to student outcomes? The authors clarify the primary questions raised by VAM for measuring teacher effects, review the most important recent applications of VAM, and discuss a variety of statistical and measurement issues that might affect the validity of VAM inferences. The authors identify numerous possible sources of error and bias in teacher effects and recommend a number of steps for future research into these potential errors.