Education

Literacy by 3

The Literacy by 3 Classroom Practices and Campus Literacy Growth study is the first to examine the relationship between Literacy by 3 practices and campus literacy growth in HISD.

Kinder Houston Area Survey: 2021 Results

For the past four decades, Rice University’s Kinder Houston Area Survey (KHAS) has been tracking the changing attitudes and beliefs of Harris County residents. The 2021 survey summarizes the most consequential changes and their implications for public policy initiatives going forward.

An Alternative Approach to Measuring Student Immigrant Generation

The goal of this methodological study is to evaluate the efficacy of an innovative approach to create a proxy indicator of immigrant generation for school districts to use when data on immigrant generation or parent birthplace are unavailable.

Investing in ‘human infrastructure’ today is an investment in America’s workforce of tomorrow

In Houston and across the country, the growth in younger populations is being driven by people of color — many of whom continue to grow up experiencing high levels of poverty. To ensure the nation's economic success in the future, there needs to be more support for children in the U.S. starting now.

Long-term English Learners (LTELs): Increases in LTELs in Texas (Part 2)

This brief highlights the increasing percent of English learners becoming long-term English learners in the last two decades and points to a set of mechanisms that may serve to explain this increase.

Across Texas, more and more English learner students find the language barrier harder to overcome

New research from the Houston Education Research Consortium shows that — in both urban and nonurban parts of the state — students learning English are taking longer to become proficient. Texas needs to act now to address the problem and help these students avoid long-term struggles in school.

Students still learning English are taking longer to become proficient, raising concerns about future struggles

English learners who have trouble moving on to English-only classes often have issues with low grades and test scores, and are at greater risk of dropping out. New data analysis from the Houston Education Research Consortium shows that, since 2007, there has been a significant increase in the number of Houston-area students who are taking longer than five years to learn English.

How to lessen the long-term educational — and economic — consequences of the pandemic

If action isn’t taken now to address and counter the disruptions in the education of students during the COVID-19 pandemic, the damage will be long-lasting and disproportionate. Here are some ways to deal with the impact.

COVID-19 Pandemic in the Houston Region (Parts 1-3)

This three-report series focuses on the impact of the pandemic on families's well-being, employment, education and more.

Houston is a top city for women in tech. Gender equity will make it better.

Women faced disadvantages in pay and promotions at work before COVID-19, and for many, the pandemic has only widened that deficit. How can we better address those gaps and improve equity in the years to come?

Changing Schools: Student mobility in Texas and across the Houston region (Parts 1-3)

Houston Education Research Consortium, in collaboration with 10 public school districts in the Houston area, embarked on a multi-year study of student mobility in Texas and across the Houston area to better understand which students change schools and the consequences those changes have for educational outcomes.

The US needs a bottom-up plan to fix its glaring infrastructure needs

A major, federally led infrastructure strategy is vital to meeting the nation’s challenges. A new Kinder Institute report shows that to be truly responsive to the needs of America’s cities and regions, a bottom-up consultation process with regional and local leaders and a focus on three priorities will be necessary.

Wraparound Needs in HISD: Findings from the District’s 2019 Needs Assessment Survey (District and Campus and Summary Briefs)

This study stems from the first annual Needs Assessment Survey created and administered by the Houston Independent School District (HISD). Findings from the survey indicate that families could use additional support in four key areas: healthcare, mental health, housing and food security, and school supplies.

There are only 19 prosperous majority-Black ZIP codes in the US. The Houston area is home to two

A shocking 70% of the nation’s 1,036 majority-Black ZIP codes are considered “distressed,” while only 19 — 1.8% — rank as “prosperous,” according to one analysis. Two of those prosperous ZIP codes are in Fort Bend County.

House Bill 5 and High School Endorsements: How Do They Align to College Admissions?

This policy brief describes the Texas high school graduation requirements put into effect through the passage of House Bill 5 in 2013. The brief contends the introduction of academic endorsements, similar to college majors, may create clearer paths to selective college enrollment for students studying STEM.