Issues

Will tuition-free college increase college graduation rates?

This study determined the optimal tuition subsidy necessary to increase two- and four-year college graduation in Texas. The study also estimated the per pupil and total cost of potential subsidies, and compared how they might affect college graduation rates.

School-to-Work Linkages in Texas

This report examined school-to-work linkages among bachelor’s degree holders in the state of Texas. Linkage is a measure of how closely connected college majors are to specific occupations in the labor market.

Cycle 1 of HISD’s College Success Initiative and Students’ Preparation for and Enrollment in College

This study examines the relationship between Cycle 1 of the Houston Independent School District (HISD) College Success Initiative and students’ preparation for, enrollment in, and persistence in college.

Transitioning to College and Work: Labor Market Analyses in Houston and Texas (Part 3)

Part 3 of the Houston Longitudinal Study on the Transition to College and Work (HLS) examined supply and demand for labor in the Houston area and Texas; in-demand occupations and skills in the Houston area; and early career wages and unemployment receipt among high school graduates from the Houston IndependentSchool District (HISD).

Transitioning to College and Work: A Study of Potential Enrollment Indicators (Part 2)

Part 2 of the Houston Longitudinal Study on the Transition to College and Work (HLS) examined potential indicators of college enrollment school and district staff might use to identify and support students at risk of not attending college.

Summer Melt and Free Application for Federal Student Aid Verification

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) verification and its role in summer melt is examined in this brief.

The 2020 State of Housing in Harris County and Houston

This first State of Housing report compares how dozens of key housing indicators in Harris County and Houston have shifted between 2010 and 2018.

The incomparability of campus-specific Benchmark Running Records

The purpose of this methodological brief is to examine the comparability of literacy Benchmark Running Records utilized by campuses in HISD.

The Urban Sun Belt: An Overview

This report documents the unique set of urban challenges Sun Belt Cities face.

Troubled Fiscal Times: A Comparison of Revenue Sources and Service Levels for Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio

This report examines the revenue structure and service levels for Texas' three largest cities: Houston, San Antonio and Dallas.

Kinder Houston Area Survey: 2020 Results

For close to four decades, the Kinder Houston Area Survey has been tracking the changing attitudes and experiences of Houstonians.

Where Affordable Housing and Transportation Meet in Houston

While local decision-makers and individuals tend to view housing and transportation separately, effectively addressing affordability for Houstonians means considering housing and transportation expenses together.

Inequalities in Postsecondary Attainment by English Learner Status: The Role of College-Level Course-Taking

This report finds that gaps in four-year college outcomes by English learner status are large, but are entirely explained by differences in sociodemographic, academic and school characteristics.

Examining Complexity in Student Homelessness: The Educational Outcomes of HISD’s Homeless Students

In this report, researchers examined the educational outcomes of Houston Independent School District (HISD) students who are homeless from 2012-13 to 2016-17, the years immediately preceding Hurricane Harvey.

Community Resilience Initiatives: Building Stronger Neighborhoods in Houston

Effective efforts at the neighborhood level can be sustained and amplified by plugging into broader citywide efforts in ways that better align long-term goals and influence implementation plans at both levels.