Issues

Researchers Studied Data on 9,000 Students. Here’s What They Learned About Dropouts.

One factor, more than any other, is a major predictor of whether a student will drop out of high school.

To Thrive, Cities Must Figure Out How to Make "Thick" Infrastructure

Underutilized spaces present the chance to reconnect neighborhoods, offer new transportation options and encourage physical activity.

How the "Missing Middle" Can Make Neighborhoods More Walkable

One designer argues that housing like the duplex can save cities.

Austin Shows the New Equity Imperative for Local Economic Development

Austin works to create the prototype for how communities of the future compete in a global marketplace.

Evaluating the Impact of School Closures in Houston ISD, Part 1: The Effect of School Closures on Patterns of Student Attendance and Achievement

This report looks at the impact of 27 school closures in the Houston Independent School District between 2003 and 2010.

The Effect of Rigorous Teacher Evaluations on Workforce Quality (Parts 1 and 2)

The two studies also looks at the impact of the initaitive on student achievement.

Variation Across Schools in Disability Classifications Process, 2006-07 to 2011-12

This report examines the classification process for special education in the Houston Independent School District.

Does a Self-Affirmation Intervention Reduce Stereotype Threat in Predominantly Black and Hispanic High Schools?

This report looks at the effectiveness of interventions meant to combat negative stereotype threat in schools where students of color are the majority.

An Evaluation of Matrices Used to Select Magnet School Students

This document evaluates the Houston Independent Schools District's scoring system for students applying to its magnet schools.

EVAAS Value-Added Scores for Teachers with High Need Students

This brief looks at variation in teachers' value-added scores in relation to both the teachers and students as well as the scores of teachers at both low- and high-performing schools over time.

How Can We Develop Houston's East End Properly?

A panel says a deliberate approach is needed, lest the area become consumed by townhomes.

Local Governments Are Inefficient. Here Are Four Ways to Fix Them.

Most American cities are either too big or too small to serve the people who live in them in a cost-effective manner.

Redeveloping the East End: Catalyst for Sustainable Transitions

This report provides recommendations for sustainable development in the East End neighborhood.

Stadium Debt; L.A.'s Energy Disaster; and Uber vs. Texas: Urban Insights From Around The Web

Highlighting the week’s interesting, important and downright weird news about cities.

Study: Development Regulations Linked to Segregation

Strict housing regulation – including limits on housing density, or requiring numerous regulatory approvals for new housing – are related to economic segregation, a new report says.