With education scholars in six states as partners, we founded the National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research (CALDER) in 2006 to mine the longitudinal databases emerging as state education systems face increased accountability pressure. Valuable insights into what promotes student achievement have already emerged.

Photo: Eusevia Valdez

We are especially interested in who teaches what kinds of students, what determines teacher quality, and the consequences for student outcomes. The results from different ways to govern schools, such as charter schools, and changing student demographics—for example, as a consequence of immigration—are also being explored. We expect our research to inform state and local education policies.

How immigrant students perform relative to native students is another research focus at the Education Policy Center. Early results suggest that high levels of immigration do not necessarily lead to lower student outcomes. A First Tuesday panel held in June, Immigrant Student Success: Lesson from Abroad for U.S. Policy, highlighted ways to foster immigrant students' success.

Education is crucial to New Orleans' recovery effort, capable of setting a new model for school districts nationally. An essay we wrote on the future of public education in New Orleans offers a strategy for rebuilding schools so families can move back schools that are better than what they left.

The center's multiyear evaluation of the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Program reported early in 2006 that more underrepresented minorities are getting degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The program—started with grants to six multi-institution alliances across the country—now has 34 partner alliances.

Center Staff
Center Publications