The rigorous research ETS conducts into the causes and consequences of education inequity is the cornerstone of our efforts to close the achievement gap. The information we have compiled and analyzed over many years enables us to develop innovations in educational assessment, collaborate effectively with our partners, and raise awareness of issues and attitudes that must be overcome to achieve universal education.
Our Research
Investing in Student Success: Examining the Return on Investment for Minority-Serving Institutions
Edited by Marybeth Gasman, Andrés Castro Samayoa and Michael Nettles
December 2017
Although minority-serving institutions (MSIs) educate nearly one-fifth of the nation's college students, there is to date little research on MSI's return on investment (ROI). To address this, the University of Pennsylvania and Educational Testing Service commissioned four papers focusing on the ROI for MSIs, which were presented originally in December 2015 at the National Convening on Return on Investment for Minority Serving Institutions. This report contains the four papers presented at the seminar, as well as an introduction.
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Designing Sustainable Funding for College Promise Initiatives
Edited by C. Millett
October 2017
College promise programs are spreading throughout this United States. These programs fund tuition and/or fees for eligible students who are actively progressing toward earning postsecondary certificates and undergraduate degrees. While existing college promise programs have varying designs, each one appears to be seeking continuous and long-term financial sustainability. The existing programs appear to be aimed toward ensuring that the promise of college tuition and fees can be fulfilled for future generations of students. Towards that end, ETS and the College Promise Campaign convened the "Designing Sustainable Funding for College Promise Initiatives" conference on June 2 and 3, 2016, for the primary purpose of reviewing and refining five models. This report contains the five papers that the appointed design teams presented.
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Alternative Paths to Diversity: Exploring and Implementing Effective College Admissions Policies
Edited by G. Orfield
September 2017
This report explores the issues that were brought before the court by Fisher v. University of Texas II and the continuing responsibilities of universities under the decision. In addition, it introduces a series of new studies, most commissioned by a collaboration between the Civil Rights Project and ETS — three of which are included in this volume.
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Challenges and Opportunities in Achieving the National Postsecondary Degree Attainment Goals
By Michael T. Nettles
Summer 2017
This first report in the Elevating Student Achievement Through College series focusing on U.S. college attainment, preparation and achievement, presents projections of college degree attainment by race and gender up to the year 2060 and compares group progress with the national college attainment goals set by the U.S. government and Lumina Foundation.
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Read about the series
Bringing Students Together: The Obstacles & Opportunities of School District Consolidation
By Stephanie Saunders
Spring 2017
This issue of ETS Policy Notes (Vol. 24, No.1) provides highlights from a recent conference on the benefits and challenges of consolidating New Jersey's more than 500 school districts, sponsored by ETS and the Education Law Center. "Bringing Students Together: The Obstacles & Opportunities of School District Consolidation" was held on June 15, 2016, in Princeton, NJ.
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Preschoolers' Executive Function: Importance, Contributors, Research Needs and Assessment Options
By D. Ackerman & A. Friedman-Krauss
May 2017
This report reviews research on the traits and skills that fall under the broader umbrella of preschool executive function (EF) and the role it plays in young children's developmental and academic outcomes. The information found in this report can serve as a resource for early childhood researchers and practitioners and hopefully will serve as a springboard for future studies related to preschool EF.
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Using State Early Care and Education Workforce Registry Data to Inform Training-Related Questions: Issues to Consider
By D. Ackerman
September 2016
This report shares the results of research on the training focus variables used across early care and education (ECE) workforce registries, and on the extent to which such variables are comparable. The report also explores when registries began recording these data and whether enrollment is voluntary, incentivized or mandatory. The results of the study suggest that aggregate registry data have the potential to address questions related to the focus of the training in which the ECE workforce participates.
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Exploring Pre-K Age 4 Learning Standards and Their Role in Early Childhood Education: Research and Policy Implications
By A. DeBruin-Parecki & C. Slutzky
May 2016
This report presents a national study of pre-K age 4 learning standards based on an online survey completed by early childhood state and territory directors and administrators, geographically diverse focus groups representing a subsample of survey respondents, and one-on-one interviews composed of a sample of both focus group and survey participants. Data were collected from these sources and by direct examination of pre-K age 4 learning standards documents.
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Mind the Gap: 20 Years of Progress and Retrenchment in School Funding and Achievement Gaps
By B. D. Baker, D. Farrie, & D. G. Sciarra
May 2016
This report focuses on the relationship between school funding, resource allocation, and achievement among students from low-income families. It tackles the assumption that greater resources, delivered through fair and equitable school funding systems, could help raise academic outcomes and reduce the achievement gap. The goal of this report is to provide convincing evidence that state finance policies have consequences in terms of the level and distribution of resources, here limited to staffing characteristics, and that the resulting allocation of resources is also associated with changes in both the level of academic achievement and achievement gaps between low-income children and their peers.
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Success Starts Young: Closing Achievement Gaps Where They Begin
By Deborah Yaffe
Spring 2016
This issue of ETS Policy Notes (Vol. 23, No.1) provides highlights from a recent national symposium on early learning standards, kindergarten readiness, and technology and early learning, sponsored by ETS and the Children's Defense Fund (CDF). "Success Starts Young: Closing Achievement Gaps Where They Begin," was held on September 18, 2015, in Washington, D.C. It was one of ETS’s "Addressing Achievement Gaps" conferences.
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Is There Really a Labor Market Advantage to Being Bilingual in the U.S.?
By P. Gándara
October 2015
Although it is commonly thought that people who are bilingual have an advantage in the labor market, studies on this topic have not borne out this perception. The literature, in fact, has found an earnings penalty is associated with bilingualism — people who are bilingual often make less than people who are monolingual in similar jobs. This report reviews those studies and introduces a new set of studies that found different outcomes for bilingual people in terms of education and earnings. It also examines why the prior and present studies differ so greatly and what this means for education policy.
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Advancing Success for Black Men in College
By Deborah Yaffe
Spring 2015
This issue of ETS Policy Notes provides highlights from a symposium sponsored by ETS and the Children Defense Fund (CDF) that was held on June 23, 2014, in Washington, DC. The symposium was part of a two-conference series, the 18th in ETS’s “Addressing Achievement Gaps” conferences and the fourth in the ETS-CDF “Promising Practices for Black Male Success” series.
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Enhancing Young Hispanic Dual Language Learners’ Achievement: Exploring Strategies and Addressing Challenges
By D. J. Ackerman & Z. Tazi
January 2015
Dual language learners, or DLLs, may have greater school readiness needs due to the key role English oral language skills play in the development of emerging literacy skills in English and their overall academic achievement. This especially can be the case if children's capacity to benefit from classroom instruction and interact with teachers and fellow students is dependent on their English-language proficiency. This policy report examines key factors contributing to young Hispanic DLLs academically at-risk status, as well as the emerging research base on strategies for supporting the learning and development of DLLs in preschool and the early primary grades. Also addressed are the practical, on-the-ground implementation challenges to be addressed if early education programs are to incorporate these strategies.
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Students at the Margins and the Institutions That Serve Them: A Global Perspective
By Diasmer Bloe
Salzburg Global Seminar
This special issue of ETS Policy Notes (Spring 2015) provides highlights from the Salzburg Global Seminar, Session 537, held in Salzburg, Austria, October 11 to October 16, 2014.
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State-Funded PreK Policies on External Classroom Observations: Issues and Status
By D. J. Ackerman
February 2014
This report examines the variety of state Pre-Kindergarten (PreK) classroom observation policies on program decisions that are informed by observation score data, the protocols being used and how often such data are collected from classrooms. The report also discusses the particular validity and reliability challenges that are inherent in relying on classroom observation score data for a variety of low- and high-stakes decisions.
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Black Male Teens: Moving to Success in the High School Years
By Deborah Yaffe
Winter 2013
This report highlights the discussion from the Addressing Achievement Gaps symposium held in June 2013. The symposium featured several panel discussions about issues related to Black male teens and their experiences in high school.
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Taking Action: Navigating the Common Core State Standards and Assessments
By Deborah Yaffe
Fall 2013
This report highlights the discussion from "Taking Action: Navigating the Common Core State Standards and Assessments," a conference co-convened by ETS and the National Urban League in February 2013. Part of the Saturdays at ETS series, the conference brought together researchers, funders, advocates and local school officials to discuss the progress of the NUL’s Equity and Excellence Project.
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Optimizing Talent: Closing Educational and Social Mobility Gaps Worldwide: Higher Education and Lifelong Learning
By Deborah Yaffe
Spring 2013
This issue of ETS Policy Notes (Vol. 21, No. 1) provides highlights from the Salzburg Global Seminar in October 2012. The seminar focused on higher education.
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Optimizing Talent: Closing Educational and Social Mobility Gaps Worldwide: Rapporteur's Report
October 2012
This report offers an overview of the major topics and findings for the third Salzburg Global Seminar, convened October 2012, on higher education.
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Middle School Matters: Improving the Life Course of Black Boys
By Deborah Yaffe
Winter 2012
This issue of ETS Policy Notes provides highlights from the Addressing Achievement Gaps symposium held in July 2012, which focused on the challenges facing Black boys in Middle School.
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Optimizing Talent: Closing Education and Social Mobility Gaps Worldwide
By Robert Schwartz and Beth Brody
Fall 2012
This issue of ETS Policy Notes (Vol. 20, No. 3) provides highlights from the Salzburg Global Seminar in December 2011. The seminar focused on bettering the educational and life prospects of students up to age 18 worldwide.
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Advancing Equity: Removing Roadblocks to Achieving High Academic Standards
By Deborah Yaffe
Summer 2012
This issue of ETS Policy Notes (Volume 20, Number 2) provides highlights from the second session of the Saturdays at ETS series on the challenges facing standards-based education reform. The conference was co-convened by the Council for Opportunity in Education, the Education Law Center and the National Urban League.
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State Pre–K Assessment Policies: Issues and Status
By Debra J. Ackerman and Richard J. Coley
February 2012
This report identifies and describes state-funded Pre–K assessment policies and programs operating in 2012 and discusses the special challenges related to assessing your children.
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To find more of our research, go to the ETS Policy and Research Reports page.