EdWorkingPapers
What is the Point of Schooling? The Politics of Education Policy in Tanzania Since 1961
… Education is one of the most important public goods provided by modern … Tanzania. Using data from surveys, administrative reports, and policy documents, it analyzes changing goals of education …Education is one of the most important public goods provided by modern governments. Yet governments worldwide seldom perform well in the sector. This raises the question: why do governments preside over poor education quality? This article answers this question with evidence from Tanzania. Using data from surveys, administrative reports, and policy documents, it analyzes changing goals of… more →
Falling Behind as Peers Age Up: The Effects of Peer Age on Student Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Outcomes
… Understanding the factors that influence student outcomes is crucial for both parents and schools when designing effective educational strategies. This paper explores the impact of peer age on both cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes …Understanding the factors that influence student outcomes is crucial for both parents and schools when designing effective educational strategies. This paper explores the impact of peer age on both cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes using a randomized sample of middle school students. By analyzing how exogenous variations in peer age affect students' academic performance, self-expectations and… more →
The Fiscal and Resource Effects of Enrollment Increases and Decreases on American Public School Districts
… Public school enrollment has decreased over the past few years and is forecast to continue decreasing for the foreseeable … are concerned about the fiscal and resource effects of these enrollment declines. Using data on all public school …Public school enrollment has decreased over the past few years and is forecast to continue decreasing for the foreseeable future. Experts and educators are concerned about the fiscal and resource effects of these enrollment declines. Using data on all public school districts from 1998 to 2019, we estimate the effects of enrollment changes on revenues and expenditures per pupil and a variety of… more →
Vocational Education: An International Perspective
… Vocational education is formal education about work, and vocational programs of study typically target a narrow subset of middle-income … education philosophies to its varied structures throughout the 21 st century world. We then review the body of economic …Vocational education is formal education about work, and vocational programs of study typically target a narrow subset of middle-income occupations. In this chapter, we trace vocational education from competing 20th century education philosophies to its varied structures throughout the 21st century world. We then review the body of economic research on labor market returns to vocational education… more →
Automated Feedback Improves Teachers’ Questioning Quality in Brick-and-Mortar Classrooms: Opportunities for Further Enhancement
… instruction have proven effective at improving instruction and student engagement in virtual learning contexts. Despite the need for consistent, personalized professional learning … concerns, and time constraints. Our findings highlight the promises and areas of improvement for implementing effective …AI-powered professional learning tools that provide teachers with individualized feedback on their instruction have proven effective at improving instruction and student engagement in virtual learning contexts. Despite the need for consistent, personalized professional learning in K-12 settings, the effectiveness of automated feedback tools in traditional classrooms remains unexplored. We present… more →
How and Why Racial Isolation Affects Education Costs & the Provision of Equal Educational Opportunity
… This article provides a review of prior empirical work exploring whether and to what extent school district racial composition affects the costs associated with providing equal educational …This article provides a review of prior empirical work exploring whether and to what extent school district racial composition affects the costs associated with providing equal educational opportunity to achieve a common set of outcomes. This prior work mainly involves education cost function modeling, on several specific states and in an earlier version of our national education cost model. Here… more →
Desegregated but still separated? The impact of school integration on student suspensions and special education classification
… In this paper I study the impact of court-mandated school desegregation by race on student suspensions and special education classification. Simple descriptive …In this paper I study the impact of court-mandated school desegregation by race on student suspensions and special education classification. Simple descriptive statistics using student enrollment and outcome data collected from the largest school districts across the country in the 1970s and 1980s show that Black-White school integration was increasing for districts under court order, but not for… more →
The Added Value of Latinx and Black Teachers for Latinx and Black Students: Implications for the Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act
… A research synthesis points to the added-value —benefits to social and emotional development, as well as learning outcomes—for students of color taught by teachers of color. Given ongoing education …A research synthesis points to the added-value—benefits to social and emotional development, as well as learning outcomes—for students of color taught by teachers of color. Given ongoing education debates, policymakers can use this evidence base to craft legislation aimed at increasing the ethnoracial diversity of the U.S. educator workforce. To begin, historical research shows how Latinx… more →
Strategic Decision-Making in Higher Education: State Legislators and Affordability Policy for Public HBCUs
… design to explores how power dynamics creates challenges and opportunities for SLBCs and their constituent members … Black students attending public HBCUs. Guided by the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) and the Black Utility … and state legislative documents to examine how the process of policy change and coalition structure and collaboration …This study uses a multiple-case qualitative research design to explores how power dynamics creates challenges and opportunities for SLBCs and their constituent members working to broaden college affordability and access for undergraduate low-income Black students attending public HBCUs. Guided by the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) and the Black Utility Heuristic (BUH), the study analyzed… more →
Superficially Coupled Systems: The Organizational Production of Inequality in Higher Education
… The rise of accountability standards has pressed higher education organizations to oversee the production and publication of data on student outcomes more closely than … and universities in producing them. I test this hypothesis using administrative data from the largest, public, urban …The rise of accountability standards has pressed higher education organizations to oversee the production and publication of data on student outcomes more closely than in the past. However, the most common measure of student outcomes, average bachelor's degree completion rates, potentially provides little information about the direct impacts of colleges and universities on student success.… more →
Mobilizing Developmental Education: The Causal Effect of Mobile App Courseware on the College Outcomes of Developmental Education Students
… courses, is widespread in American higher education. The current study evaluates the effect of mobile app courseware on the college outcomes of … marginally improved medium-term college persistence and performance, but did not effect credential attainment in …Developmental education, in which college students deemed unprepared for college-level coursework enroll in non-credit bearing courses, is widespread in American higher education. The current study evaluates the effect of mobile app courseware on the college outcomes of developmental education students, using a research design which randomly assigned course sections to receive access to the apps… more →
How States Prioritize Educational Needs during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Assessing the Distribution of the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund
… The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress in 2020 … institutions, and funds to be used at the discretion of Governors through the Governor’s Emergency Education …The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress in 2020 included significant aid to state education systems. These included direct aid to K-12 districts and higher education institutions, and funds to be used at the discretion of Governors through the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER). We examine the factors influencing where and how GEER funding… more →
Who’s Matched Up? Access to Same-Race Instructors in Higher Education
… Despite consistent evidence on the benefits of same-race instructor matching in K-12 settings and developing work in higher education, research has yet to …Despite consistent evidence on the benefits of same-race instructor matching in K-12 settings and developing work in higher education, research has yet to conceptualize and document the incidence of same-race matching. That is, even if same-race matching produces positive effects, how likely are racially minoritized students to ever experience an instructor of the same race? Using administrative… more →
Do STEM Students Vote?
… For decades, pundits, politicians, college administrators, and academics have lamented the dismal rates of civic engagement among students who enroll in courses and …For decades, pundits, politicians, college administrators, and academics have lamented the dismal rates of civic engagement among students who enroll in courses and eventually major in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (i.e., STEM) fields. However, the research supporting this conclusion has faced distinct challenges in terms of data quality. Does STEM actually decrease the odds… more →
Making College Affordable? The Impacts of Tuition Freezes and Caps
… impose tuition regulations on universities in pursuit of college affordability. How effective are these … regulations? We study how universities' "sticker price'' and institutional financial aid change during and after … freezes by leveraging temporal and geographic variation in the United States from 1990 to 2013. We find that listed …Many state governments impose tuition regulations on universities in pursuit of college affordability. How effective are these regulations? We study how universities' "sticker price'' and institutional financial aid change during and after tuition caps and freezes by leveraging temporal and geographic variation in the United States from 1990 to 2013. We find that listed tuition is lower than it… more →
Does Expanding Access to High Quality Technical Education Induce Participation and Improve Outcomes?
… Over the last 15 years, Career and Technical Education (CTE) has been changing as schools … provides the first known causal evidence on the impact of CTE program expansion in U.S. comprehensive high schools …Over the last 15 years, Career and Technical Education (CTE) has been changing as schools have aimed to better meet workforce needs and diversify pathways into higher education and the workforce. This study provides the first known causal evidence on the impact of CTE program expansion in U.S. comprehensive high schools on student participation and postsecondary outcomes. Using administrative… more →
Raising the Floor: Teacher Retention Effects of a Statewide Minimum Salary Increase
… Attracting and retaining a high-quality teacher workforce is a central … higher teacher salaries are often proposed as a solution. The LEARNS Act increased Arkansas's minimum teacher salary … to $50,000, guaranteed all teachers a minimum raise of $2,000, and provided school districts with the flexibility …Attracting and retaining a high-quality teacher workforce is a central challenge for education policy, and higher teacher salaries are often proposed as a solution. The LEARNS Act increased Arkansas's minimum teacher salary from $36,000 to $50,000, guaranteed all teachers a minimum raise of $2,000, and provided school districts with the flexibility to deviate from traditional, seniority-based… more →
Corequisite Course Models in California Community Colleges: Implementation Variation and Challenges
… Fewer than one third of students who are assessed as not meeting college readiness standards and placed into traditional developmental education (DE) … academic supports to help them succeed. One such model is the corequisite course , a model that offers introductory, …Fewer than one third of students who are assessed as not meeting college readiness standards and placed into traditional developmental education (DE) complete their DE sequences and move on to college-level coursework (Bailey et al., 2010). Research suggests that allowing these students to enroll directly into introductory college-level courses—either with concurrent DE or in lieu of DE—is an… more →
Early Childhood Education and Maltreated Children’s Behavioral and Cognitive Outcomes: Quasi-experimental Evidence from the National Survey of Childhood and Adolescent Well-Being II
… to their wellbeing including their adaptive behaviors and cognitive development. Focusing on a broader range of outcomes allows for a more holistic picture of the ways in which ECE influences maltreated children’s …Prior evidence shows that early childhood education (ECE) can serve as a protective factor that boosts maltreated children’s school readiness outcomes. Yet, less is known about ECE’s relationship to other developmental domains critical to their wellbeing including their adaptive behaviors and cognitive development. Focusing on a broader range of outcomes allows for a more holistic picture of the… more →
Do 2 weeks of instruction time matter? Using a natural experiment to estimate the effect of a calendar change on students' performance
… One of the most obvious and not sufficiently well understood … (Spain) by two weeks during the 2017/2018 school year. Using difference-in-differences regression, we found that …One of the most obvious and not sufficiently well understood political decisions in education regards the optimal amount of instruction time required to improve academic performance. This paper considers an unexpected, exogenous regulatory change that reduced the school calendar of non-fee-paying schools (public and charter schools) in the Madrid region (Spain) by two weeks during the 2017/2018… more →
Democracy and the Politicization of Education
… Challenging the conventional wisdom that the spread of democracy was a leading driver of the expansion of primary … of education systems, such as the content of education and the extent to which teaching jobs are politicized. …Challenging the conventional wisdom that the spread of democracy was a leading driver of the expansion of primary schooling, recent studies show that democratization in fact did not lead to an average increase in primary school enrollment rates. One reason for this null effect is that there was already considerable provision of primary education before democratization. Still, it is possible that… more →
Timing in Early Childhood Education: How Cognitive and Achievement Program Impacts Vary by Starting Age, Program Duration, and Time Since the End of the Program
… This paper uses meta-analytic techniques to estimate the separate effects of the starting age, program duration, and persistence of impacts of early childhood education …This paper uses meta-analytic techniques to estimate the separate effects of the starting age, program duration, and persistence of impacts of early childhood education programs on children’s cognitive and achievement outcomes. It concentrates on studies published before the wide scale penetration of state-pre-K programs. Specifically, data are drawn from 67 high-quality evaluation studies… more →
Do Voucher Students Attain Higher Levels of Education? Extended Evidence from the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program
… The Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP), the first … presents new data on the college enrollment, persistence, and graduation of MPCP and MPS students who were tracked over 12 years …The Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP), the first modern private school choice program in the United States, has grown from 341 students attending 7 private schools in 1990 to 27,857 students attending 126 private schools in 2019. The MPCP has been subject to extensive study focused largely on student performance on standardized tests. This study presents new data on the college enrollment… more →
The Many Paths to College Enrollment: Re-Conceptualizing the Transition to College
… college choice models often fall short in capturing the complex paths that today’s student population takes to … enrollment. This paper identifies the limitations of the predominant frameworks, such as Hossler and Gallagher’s (1987) three-phase model, arguing that they …Traditional college choice models often fall short in capturing the complex paths that today’s student population takes to postsecondary enrollment. This paper identifies the limitations of the predominant frameworks, such as Hossler and Gallagher’s (1987) three-phase model, arguing that they reflect an outdated enrollment-management perspective, which fails to capture the experiences of many… more →
The Road to High-Quality Early Learning: Lessons From the States
… Although there is considerable research on the elements of high-quality preschool and its many benefits, particularly for low-income children …Although there is considerable research on the elements of high-quality preschool and its many benefits, particularly for low-income children and English learners, little information is available to policymakers about how to convert their visions of good early education into on-the-ground reality. This study fills that gap by describing and analyzing how four states—Michigan, West Virginia,… more →
A Multi-State, Student-Level Analysis of the Effects of the Four-Day School Week on Student Achievement and Growth
… Four-day school weeks are becoming increasingly common in the United States, but their effect on students’ achievement is not well-understood. The small body of existing research suggests the four-day schedule has … SD) on annual, standardized state test scores in math and reading, but these studies include only a single state or …Four-day school weeks are becoming increasingly common in the United States, but their effect on students’ achievement is not well-understood. The small body of existing research suggests the four-day schedule has relatively small, negative average effects (~-0.02 to -0.09 SD) on annual, standardized state test scores in math and reading, but these studies include only a single state or are… more →
ChatGPT vs. Machine Learning: Assessing the Efficacy and Accuracy of Large Language Models for Automated Essay Scoring
… (AES) is a critical tool in education that aims to enhance the efficiency and objectivity of educational assessments. Recent advancements in Large …Automated Essay Scoring (AES) is a critical tool in education that aims to enhance the efficiency and objectivity of educational assessments. Recent advancements in Large Language Models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, have sparked interest in their potential for AES. However, comprehensive comparisons of LLM-based methods with traditional machine learning (ML) methods across different assessment… more →
“I Don’t Think the System Will Ever Be the Same”: Distance Education Leaders’ Predictions and Recommendations for the Use of Online Learning in Community Colleges Post-COVID
… While the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the short-term use of online courses, colleges’ experiences with COVID-era … course delivery may also affect the way that they offer and approach online courses going forward. We draw on …While the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the short-term use of online courses, colleges’ experiences with COVID-era online course delivery may also affect the way that they offer and approach online courses going forward. We draw on interviews with 35 distance education leaders from the California Community Colleges system to provide insights into how the use of online education may change in the… more →
Charter Schools and the Segregation of Students by Income
… The segregation of students by socioeconomic status has been on the rise in … within schools. We assess whether growth in the presence and number of nearby charter schools have affected the … students by classroom in traditional public schools (TPS). Using data from North Carolina, we estimate a series of …The segregation of students by socioeconomic status has been on the rise in American public education between schools during the past several decades. Recent work has demonstrated that segregation is also increasing within schools at the classroom level. In this paper, we contribute to our understanding of the determinants of this increase in socioeconomic segregation within schools. We assess… more →
Are Teachers Absent More? Examining Differences in Absence Between K-12 Teachers and Other College-Educated Workers
… few empirical studies have systematically investigated the prevalence of teacher absences in the US. This study documents the level of teacher absences and compares it with other college-educated workers. Using …While it is commonly believed that teachers take more absences than other professionals, few empirical studies have systematically investigated the prevalence of teacher absences in the US. This study documents the level of teacher absences and compares it with other college-educated workers. Using the Monthly Current Population Survey between the 1995 and 2019 school years, we conduct… more →
Higher-Quality Elementary Schools Sustain the Prekindergarten Boost: Evidence from an Exploration of Variation in the Boston Prekindergarten Program’s Impacts
… better prepares children for kindergarten, evidence on the factors that sustain the preschool boost into the early … program to estimate variation in the effects of the program across school sites through the end of third … special education placement, and third-grade state English Language Arts and math test …While there is a consensus that attending preschool better prepares children for kindergarten, evidence on the factors that sustain the preschool boost into the early elementary years is still emerging. To add to this literature, we use lottery data from applicants to oversubscribed schools in Boston Public Schools (BPS) prekindergarten program to estimate variation in the effects of the… more →
The lasting impact of youth bullying exposure on adult labor market outcomes: An inter-disciplinary review of the literature
… Higher direct and indirect exposure to bullying has been linked to … productivity. Consequently, preventing and mitigating the long-lasting negative effects of bullying has become a worldwide challenge for school and …Higher direct and indirect exposure to bullying has been linked to long-term increases in healthcare costs, worse mental health, and poorer social relationships as well as a reduction in human capital accumulation and economic productivity. Consequently, preventing and mitigating the long-lasting negative effects of bullying has become a worldwide challenge for school and health policies. This… more →
Teacher Effectiveness in Remote Instruction
… The effect of remote learning on student performance has been a frequent topic of research and discussion in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet … greater relative effectiveness during remote instruction. Using matched student/teacher-level data from three large …The effect of remote learning on student performance has been a frequent topic of research and discussion in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet little is known about the impact of remote instruction on the performance of teachers. This study documents how relative effectiveness of teachers changed when moving from in-person to remote instruction and analyzes the characteristics of… more →
The Economic Impacts of Learning Losses
… The worldwide school closures in early 2020 led to losses in … lasting economic impacts both on the affected students and on each nation unless they are effectively remediated. … growth related to such losses might yield an average of 1.5 percent lower annual GDP for the remainder of the …The worldwide school closures in early 2020 led to losses in learning that will not easily be made up for even if schools quickly return to their prior performance levels. These losses will have lasting economic impacts both on the affected students and on each nation unless they are effectively remediated. While the precise learning losses are not yet known, existing research suggests that the… more →
The Three R’s of Teacher Pension Funding: Redistribution, Return, and Risk
… pension benefits funded? Under traditional plans, the full cost of a career teacher’s benefits far exceeds the contributions … three R ’s of pension funding: Redistribution, Return, and Risk. First, some contributions made for the benefits …How are teacher pension benefits funded? Under traditional plans, the full cost of a career teacher’s benefits far exceeds the contributions designated for them. The gap between the two has three pieces, which may (with some license) be mnemonically tagged the three R’s of pension funding: Redistribution, Return, and Risk. First, some contributions made for the… more →
Can Information and Advising Affect Postsecondary Participation and Attainment for Non-Traditional Students? Evidence from a Large-Scale Experiment with the U.S. Army
… enroll in institutions with weaker graduation and earnings outcomes. One hypothesis is that these students … been provided with better information or supports during the decision-making process. We conducted a large-scale, … investigate whether personalized information and the offer of advising assistance affect postsecondary choices and …Non-traditional students disproportionately enroll in institutions with weaker graduation and earnings outcomes. One hypothesis is that these students would have made different choices had they been provided with better information or supports during the decision-making process. We conducted a large-scale, multi-arm field experiment with the U.S. Army to investigate whether personalized… more →
The Returns to Education over time and the Effect of COVID-19
… This paper examines the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the returns to education in the … significantly because of COVID, particularly for men and those with university education. The returns to …This paper examines the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the returns to education in the United States. Using data from the Current Population Survey 2011-2022, the analysis reveals that, after a period of decline, returns to education increased significantly because of COVID, particularly for men and those with university education. The returns to university for men increased by 1 percentage… more →
Student Misconduct and Learning Outcomes Evidence from Pennsylvania’s K-12 Building Records: 1999-2018
… This paper compares and contrasts two required building level school violence measures under NCLB, arrests and incidents of well-defined school misconduct acts, across 20 years of … of school violence are rare events. Over 20 years, the third quartile arrest rate was zero and, the third …This paper compares and contrasts two required building level school violence measures under NCLB, arrests and incidents of well-defined school misconduct acts, across 20 years of Pennsylvania’s approximately 3,000 public school buildings. Generally, both arrests for school violence and incidents of school violence are rare events. Over 20 years, the third quartile arrest rate was zero and, the… more →
The Prevalence and Policy Implications of Between-School Heterogeneity in Learning Outcomes: Evidence from Six Public Education Systems
… While learning outcomes in low- and middle-income countries are generally at low levels, the degree to which students and schools more broadly within … proficiency can vary significantly. A substantial portion of existing literature advocates for aligning curricula …While learning outcomes in low- and middle-income countries are generally at low levels, the degree to which students and schools more broadly within education systems lag behind grade-level proficiency can vary significantly. A substantial portion of existing literature advocates for aligning curricula closer to the proficiency level of the “median child” within each system. Yet, amidst… more →
The Impact of COVID-19 on Community College Enrollment and Student Success: Evidence from California Administrative Data
… four-year public universities mostly remained unchanged by the pandemic, the effects were substantial for students at … in the country. This paper provides a detailed analysis of how the pandemic impacted the enrollment patterns, fields of study, and academic outcomes of these students through the first …Although enrollment at California’s four-year public universities mostly remained unchanged by the pandemic, the effects were substantial for students at California Community Colleges, the largest higher education system in the country. This paper provides a detailed analysis of how the pandemic impacted the enrollment patterns, fields of study, and academic outcomes of these students through the… more →
Running a Business in High School: Selection into the Virtual Enterprises Program
… To better prepare high school students for the workforce, many schools and districts are building career and technical education … schools enroll students in VE courses, drawing on a survey of VE teachers across the country and interviews with school …To better prepare high school students for the workforce, many schools and districts are building career and technical education coursework that provides students with the opportunity to deeply engage in work-based learning. Virtual Enterprises (VE) is a program where students open school-based enterprises, hold positions in the company (e.g., Chief Executive Officer, Marketing Director), sell… more →
Changes in Teachers’ Mobility and Attrition in Arkansas During the First Two Years of the COVID-19 Pandemic
… The COVID-19 pandemic has been a trying period for teachers. … in unprecedented ways . As a result, teachers' levels of stress and burnout have been high throughout the pandemic, raising …The COVID-19 pandemic has been a trying period for teachers. Teachers had to adapt to unexpected conditions, teaching in unprecedented ways. As a result, teachers' levels of stress and burnout have been high throughout the pandemic, raising concerns about a potential increase in teacher turnover and future teacher shortages. We use administrative data for the state of Arkansas to document the… more →
Dual Language Education and Academic Growth
… This paper reports math and reading academic achievement and growth in grades 2 to 8 for Hispanic participants and nonparticipants of a Spanish-English dual language program. I apply a … during subsequent summers. Thus, despite growing faster in the beginning, dual language students did not learn more than …This paper reports math and reading academic achievement and growth in grades 2 to 8 for Hispanic participants and nonparticipants of a Spanish-English dual language program. I apply a piecewise multilevel growth model to administrative data from a large school district that enrolls a substantial English Learner student population. Dual language participants started 2nd grade with lower… more →
Effects of the shift to English-only instruction on college outcomes: Evidence from Central Asia
… is a rapidly growing phenomenon that has been dubbed as the most important trend in higher education … experiment at a selective university in Central Asia and a difference-in-differences strategy, we estimate the causal effect of switching to English-only instruction on students’ college …English-only college education in non-English speaking countries is a rapidly growing phenomenon that has been dubbed as the most important trend in higher education internationalization. Despite worldwide popularity, there is little empirical evidence about how the transition to English-only instruction affects students’ academic outcomes. Using a natural experiment at a selective university in… more →
Resilience and Transformation: The Pandemic’s Effects on Texas Community Colleges
… The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted higher education, … community colleges serving significant proportions of traditionally disadvantaged students. This mixed methods … how Texas community colleges responded to the crisis and the extent to which they institutionalized …The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted higher education, particularly community colleges serving significant proportions of traditionally disadvantaged students. This mixed methods study examines how Texas community colleges responded to the crisis and the extent to which they institutionalized pandemic-driven changes. Using state-wide student-level administrative data, and survey and interview data… more →
Is Authorized Capacity a Good Measure of Child Care Providers’ Current Capacity? New evidence from Virginia
… Demand for child care in the United States outpaces supply. Understanding access issues is critical for addressing them and supporting children, families, and the economy. However, … based on safety regulations and physical characteristics of the site. However, the slots available across sites can be …Demand for child care in the United States outpaces supply. Understanding access issues is critical for addressing them and supporting children, families, and the economy. However, the most widely available proxy for child care supply—authorized capacity—likely overestimates care availability. Authorized capacity represents the maximum children a provider can legally serve based on safety… more →
Is the Rise of High School Graduation Rates Real? High-Stakes School Accountability and Strategic Behavior
… High school graduation rates have increased dramatically in the past two decades. Some skepticism has arisen, however, because of the confluence of the graduation rise and the starts of high-stakes accountability for graduation …High school graduation rates have increased dramatically in the past two decades. Some skepticism has arisen, however, because of the confluence of the graduation rise and the starts of high-stakes accountability for graduation rates with No Child Left Behind (NCLB). In this study we provide some of the first evidence about the role of accountability versus strategic behavior, especially the… more →
School Bathrooms: Perspectives on Safety, Surveillance, and Privacy in the Restroom
… in response to concerns about student behaviors in the restroom such as vaping, drug use, and vandalism. This study investigates how schools secure and … these interventions. We situate school bathrooms as part of the prison industrial complex (PIC) and identify how the …Schools are increasing surveillance in bathrooms in response to concerns about student behaviors in the restroom such as vaping, drug use, and vandalism. This study investigates how schools secure and surveil bathrooms and how stakeholders perceive these interventions. We situate school bathrooms as part of the prison industrial complex (PIC) and identify how the carceral logics of surveillance,… more →
Crossing the Finish Line but Losing the Race? Socioeconomic Inequalities in the Labor Market Trajectories of Community College Graduates
… Despite decades and hundreds of billions of dollars of federal and state investment in … educational attainment as a key lever for increasing the economic mobility of lower-income populations, research …Despite decades and hundreds of billions of dollars of federal and state investment in policies to promote postsecondary educational attainment as a key lever for increasing the economic mobility of lower-income populations, research continues to show large and meaningful differences in the mid-career earnings of students from families in the bottom and top income quintiles. Prior research has… more →
Reclaiming Educational Fraud and Waste: A Conceptual Framework to Locate the True Sources of Resource Leakage and Harm in The U.S. K-12 System
… The recent dismantling of federal educational institutions has been legitimated under the banner of “eliminating fraud and waste.” In this paper, we reclaim these terms to locate the sources of potential fraud and waste in the …The recent dismantling of federal educational institutions has been legitimated under the banner of “eliminating fraud and waste.” In this paper, we reclaim these terms to locate the sources of potential fraud and waste in the U.S. K-12 education system through a novel conceptual framework that centers both structural components and the actions of educational actors. We posit that overdiagnosing… more →