Laura Hamilton

Laura Hamilton is senior director of education measurement and assessment at the American Institutes for Research, where she is responsible for pursuing new research opportunities, developing partnerships, and providing intellectual leadership on assessment-related topics. Hamilton’s own research has focused on producing evidence-based guidance to inform K-12 education policy and practice, particularly in the areas of social, emotional, and civic learning. A behavioral scientist, Hamilton previously directed the RAND Center for Social and Emotional Learning Research.

Work by Laura Hamilton

The Why and How of Increased Civics Instruction

With the implementation of Covid safety protocols in schools being hindered by widespread misinformation and with much of the discussion…

School Climate Surveys in State ESSA Plans

Why and how states are using school climate surveys to help identify struggling schools

Measuring Social-Emotional Skills, Carefully

In the often-fraught debate over education policy, there is growing agreement that educators should pay close attention to the development of the social and…

Learning How to Measure Social and Emotional Learning

We know that content knowledge alone cannot determine students’ success. This is true in school—where a student’s likelihood of graduating can depend on…