We have worked with the Navy and several community colleges to design programs that would meet the Navy's needs. The first of these partnerships are now in place and promise to save the Navy millions of dollars in training costs. Weighing the advantages of school choice One of the major educational reform movements today is in the area of school choice. CNAC analysts have assessed the implications of enhanced parental choice in public schools. This assessment includes a detailed quantitative study of the relative performance of public and private schools and an examination of the demographic and financial consequences of educational vouchers.
Results indicate that parents select schools based on quality.
However, most of the difference in student achievement between public and private schools can be explained by differences in student backgrounds and educational resources available. Evaluating teacher productivity Educational productivity research has shown that teachers play an important role in explaining student achievement. However, there has been considerable debate over which, if any, particular teacher characteristics affect students. CNAC analysts used national data linking student records to their teachers to assess the effects of teacher qualifications and quality on student achievement. The study found that some teacher qualifications have a direct effect on students.