What the Research Says

From the pages of Education Week: a roundup of recent education studies
A female teacher bends over an elementary school boy's desk to help him with the slide on his microscope.
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Teaching Profession What the Research Says How to Refresh a Dwindling Pipeline of STEM Teachers? Researchers Share Strategies
The pool of science teachers is getting younger and less prepared than it once was.
Sarah D. Sparks, February 13, 2024
5 min read
Tight cropped photo of white teenager in a blue shirt engaging with a cellphone in their hands.
iStock/Getty
Student Well-Being What the Research Says Unsafe Health Claims Dominate Social Media. Health Class Can Give Students Vetting Tools
Teenagers need better tools to avoid health misinformation, a new analysis finds.
Sarah D. Sparks, February 9, 2024
3 min read
Classroom without students. Empty desks
Yue/iStock/Getty
Student Well-Being What the Research Says The Sticking Power of Chronic Absenteeism
Chronic absenteeism levels in the schools that had the worst rates before the pandemic are now the norm in many states, data show.
Sarah D. Sparks, January 31, 2024
3 min read
Blue conceptual image of five school kids walking away through school corridor, only one student in full color (isolated)
Liz Yap for Education Week + Getty
Student Well-Being What the Research Says 5 Ways Schools Can Find Homeless Students That They Might Overlook
As numbers of homeless children surge, new research shows how schools can do a better job of finding them.
Sarah D. Sparks, January 29, 2024
7 min read
Image of eyeglasses and an eye examine chart with letters.
gchutka/E+
Student Well-Being What the Research Says Rx for Reading Gaps: Screen All Students Early for Vision Problems
At a time when nearsightedness is on the rise, a study finds big gaps in students' access to vision screening and care.
Sarah D. Sparks, January 25, 2024
3 min read
Students in the education and community health pathway sculpt a clay model of the endocrine system at Skyline High School in Oakland, Calif., in 2017.
Students in the education and community health pathway sculpt a clay model of the endocrine system at Skyline High School in Oakland, Calif., in 2017.
Allison Shelley/The Verbatim Agency for EDUimages
Student Achievement What the Research Says What's the Secret to a Long, Healthy Life? Staying in School, a Study Finds
A 59-country analysis finds that every year of schooling extends your life.
Sarah D. Sparks, January 23, 2024
3 min read
Conceptual image of magnifying glass and rating/grades.
Seng kui Lim/Getty
Curriculum What the Research Says Picking 'Evidence-Based' Programs: 5 Mistakes for Educators to Avoid
Education researchers share key insights on what to do when evaluating studies and reviews.
Sarah D. Sparks, January 19, 2024
6 min read
Vector illustration of diverse children, students climbing up on a top of a stack of staggered books.
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Accountability What the Research Says More than 1 in 4 Schools Targeted for Improvement, Survey Finds
The new federal findings show schools also continue to struggle with absenteeism.
Sarah D. Sparks, January 18, 2024
2 min read
A teacher looks at a book with young children.
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Reading & Literacy What the Research Says How Short 'Bursts' of Tutoring Can Boost Early Reading Skills
An ongoing study of early literacy tutors finds learning gains over two years.
Sarah D. Sparks, January 17, 2024
3 min read
Illustration of sad figure in dark room with window.
Benjavisa/Getty
School Climate & Safety What the Research Says A Snapshot of Crime and Safety in Schools
The latest federal data show fewer crime and drug incidents in high schools in the 2021-22 school year.
Sarah D. Sparks, January 17, 2024
3 min read
photograph of a magnifying glass on an open book
Valiantsin Suprunovich/iStock
Data What the Research Says What Does 'Evidence-Based' Mean? A Study Finds Wide Variation.
Fewer than 1 in 3 education interventions get consistent judgments on their evidence base from reviewers.
Sarah D. Sparks, January 10, 2024
5 min read
Scrambled letter tiles on a blue background
iStock/Getty
Reading & Literacy What the Research Says 3 New Studies to Know on Screening Students for Dyslexia
More than 40 states now require screening for dyslexia.
Sarah D. Sparks, January 4, 2024
3 min read
Blue concept image of research - promo
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School & District Management What the Research Says 10 Education Studies You Should Know From 2023
These studies yielded new insights on social media, ChatGPT, and math, among other topics.
Sarah D. Sparks, December 21, 2023
7 min read
Image of people at voting booths.
LPETTET/E+
Social Studies What the Research Says Civics Is About Skills, Not Just Facts. How Do Schools Measure Students' Readiness?
Most state assessments aren't testing how students civically engage in their communities, a new report finds.
Sarah D. Sparks, December 19, 2023
4 min read