Issues

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.

Long-term English Learners (LTELs): Predictors, Patterns, & Outcomes, Defining LTEL (Part 1)

This is the first in a series of briefs the Houston Education Research Consortium (HERC) will release on long-term English learners (LTELs).

Rent prices are up in Houston as they’ve fallen in many US cities amid the pandemic

New reports on rental market trends show Houston, Austin and other Texas Triangle cities are hotspots for millennials while many of the most expensive U.S. cities for renters have seen prices decrease in the past year.

Pre-K Preferences: How and Why HISD Parents Choose Pre-K Programs (Part 3)

The aims of this study are to identify characteristics that drive pre-k enrollment, understand where parents receive their information about HISD pre-k options, and understand parental beliefs about which program characteristics are most important.

Texas Flood Registry 2020 Report

This report includes updates on Harvey’s long-term impact and recent findings about the health and housing effects of the May 2019 storms and Tropical Storm Imelda.

Preparing Today’s Students for Tomorrow’s Texas Workforce

Motivated by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s 60×30TX strategic plan, this project examined the path to and through college and into the workforce for students in the Houston area and state of Texas.

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.