ERDC's Research Focus

The following is a list of sample “cross-sector” research questions that the ERDC uses to outline its research agenda and to design its longitudinal data system.

Student Profile

• What are the demographic, mobility, program, class, grade, and course‐taking profiles of students who do and do not achieve and what are their outcomes?
• Are students working while in school? What are the characteristics of working students?

Quality/Achievement

• How do the performance profiles of high mobility students compare to those of other students, e.g., attendance, proficiency, graduation, and post-secondary enrollment?
• Is there a relation between college major and time-to-degree?

Transition/Advancement Outcomes

• What are the education and workforce outcomes of low-income students (Free or Reduced Price Lunch-eligible students)? What are their postsecondary financial aid profiles?
• How are students from specific high schools performing at the post-secondary level, and what are the strongest predictors of post-secondary success?

Program Effectiveness & Costs

• What are the characteristics of districts/schools that meet or do not meet accountability requirements?
• What programs, services, and instructional models have shown the most success in improving the performance of students in special education and ELL programs in similar districts/schools?

Teachers

• What are the most common characteristics of the teacher workforce in schools that show the greatest success with students?
• What are the common characteristics of teachers who leave the teaching workforce? What are their subsequent employment characteristics?