James Bovaird

The research team will investigate cumulative influences on early learning and achievement for young children at economic disadvantage across rural and urban settings in a Midwestern state. The researchers will examine macro-level policy and micro-level classroom factors: responsiveness (approaches or personal experiences that attend to child need); organization and structure (the capacity of schools and classrooms to function effectively); instructional support (e.g., staff qualifications a...

The primary purpose of this project is to increase fundamental understanding of the role of lower and higher level language skills in listening and reading comprehension, and develop effective classroom-based approaches to increase language, general knowledge, and comprehension skills in prekindergarten through grade three. Researchers will begin by conducting basic studies to identify promising targets for intervention. Interventions will be developed and refined through an iterative proce...

The National Center for Research on Rural Education (R2Ed) conducted a focused program of research on teacher professional development to improve instruction and support student achievement in reading and science in rural schools. The center also engaged in two related sets of studies: the first explored potential moderating effects of the rural context on early school success and the second investigated statistical and methodological solutions to the unique challenges posed by conducting re...