Results from this study will provide insight into the impact of rigorous and relevant learning experiences on students. AIW (https://aiwinstitute.org/) considers student work to be “authentic” if it involves construction of knowledge, disciplined inquiry and value beyond school. Work that is authentically connected to students’ lives and cultures can provide students with culturally relevant learning experiences. The study takes an in–depth look at the impact of the program on student engagement and students’ engagement in authentic intellectual work in a sample of 44 Iowa high schools. The study also looks at the impact of the program on student achievement statewide using in–depth longitudinal administrative records. UERC partners for this study include Peter Steiner at the University of Maryland, AIW leadership and staff at the Iowa Department of Education. The study is funded by the Institute of Education Sciences at the U.S. Department of Education.