The News Stand

Houston Schools Research Group Studies Education Equity

The Houston Education Research Consortium (HERC) is a partnership between Rice University's Kinder Institute and eight Houston-area school districts. They work together to study how to make schools more fair and equal for all students. HERC does long-term research on important school topics like helping students who move between schools, supporting kids learning English, improving pre-K programs, and getting students ready for college and careers. They look at real data from schools to help leaders make better decisions. Recent studies include how the state's school grading system affects low-income students, what parents think about HISD's Parent University program, and how social-emotional learning helps with school discipline. They also studied how Hurricane Harvey affected homeless students and how COVID-19 changed school enrollment. The research helps school districts understand what works best for students, especially those who face challenges like poverty or language barriers. All their reports and data are shared publicly to help improve education in Houston.