RESEARCH AREAS
ON-TRACK INDICATORS
This project examines academic and behavioral indicators in elementary and middle school that are especially predictive of college readiness by the end of high school.
Research Team: Caitlin Ahearn (UCLA), Carrie Miller (UCLA), Meredith Phillips (UCLA), Kyo Yamashiro (LMU)
MATH COURSE-TAKING
MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH PLACEMENT
This project examines students’ middle-school math course-taking patterns and math course placement among students with similar academic skills at the end of elementary school.
Research Team: Carrie Miller (UCLA), Meredith Phillips (UCLA)
TWELFTH-GRADE MATH COURSE-TAKING AND COLLEGE SUCCESS
This project examines the effect of taking a twelfth-grade math course on students’ college enrollment and success in college-level STEM coursework.
Research Team: Tatiana Melguizo (USC), Carrie Miller (UCLA), Meredith Phillips (UCLA), Lenny Wainstein (UCLA), Kyo Yamashiro (LMU)
COLLEGE ACCESS SUPPORTS
LAERI has a suite of projects intended to develop a deeper understanding of the college-going supports provided by L.A. Unified high schools. Our previous work in this area focused on college enrollment and completion among district graduates, college access support available in district high schools, and students’ college application patterns. Our current projects focus on identifying schools that are particularly effective at improving students’ college readiness and success in navigating the college access process and examining potential points of intervention to enable students to successfully transition to, and persist in, college.
COLLEGE-GOING CLIMATE OF EFFECTIVE HIGH SCHOOLS
This project identifies high schools that consistently improve students’ college readiness, application, and enrollment and persistence compared to schools serving initially similar students and explores mechanisms that might contribute to schools’ effectiveness.
Research Team: Carrie Miller (UCLA), Meredith Phillips (UCLA)
SUMMER MELT
This project describes the prevalence and predictors of “summer melt” among district graduates.
Research Team: Caitlin Ahearn (UCLA), Carrie Miller (UCLA), Meredith Phillips (UCLA)
NAVIGATING THE COLLEGE ACCESS PROCESS
This project presents school-level information about students’ perceptions of their college access supports & students’ college application and enrollment outcomes. School and district staff can locate schools on a map, alongside characteristics of the schools’ census tracts, and compare magnet and non-magnet schools on the same site and schools that are demographically and academically similar.
Research Team: Carrie Miller (UCLA), Meredith Phillips (UCLA)
PROMISING PRACTICES OF EFFECTIVE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS
This mixed-methods project identifies schools that consistently improve elementary and middle-school students’ English language arts and math skills compared to schools serving initially similar students and explores the mechanisms that contribute to schools’ effectiveness.
Research Team: Carrie Miller (UCLA), Meredith Phillips (UCLA), Kyo Yamashiro (LMU)
ETHNIC STUDIES
In collaboration with the San Francisco Unified School District and Albuquerque Public Schools, this mixed-methods study examines the effect of taking an ethnic studies course on the academic and socioemotional outcomes of students of color.
Research Team: Nancy Chavez (UNM), Emily Penner (UCI), Lucrecia Santibañez (UCLA), Kyo Yamashiro (LMU)
ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS
This project examines the experiences of students enrolled in alternative schools.
Research Team: Adam Kho (USC)
More Soon!