EdWorkingPapers
Can Information Widen Socioeconomic Gaps in Postsecondary Aspirations? How College Costs and Returns Affect Parents’ Preferences for their Children
… survey experiment to a nationally representative sample of U.S. parents. After respondents estimate costs of and returns to further education, we ask whether they prefer … or no further education. Before this question is posed, the treated are first told (1) the net annual costs of …To estimate whether information can close socioeconomic gaps in parents’ aspirations for their child’s postsecondary education, we administer a four-armed survey experiment to a nationally representative sample of U.S. parents. After respondents estimate costs of and returns to further education, we ask whether they prefer that their child pursue a four-year degree, a two-year degree, or no… more →
The Unintended Consequences of Academic Leniency
… In response to widening achievement gaps and increased demand for post-secondary education, local and federal governments across the US have enacted policies that have boosted high school … paper provides both theoretical and empirical evidence of the causal effect of academic standards on student effort …In response to widening achievement gaps and increased demand for post-secondary education, local and federal governments across the US have enacted policies that have boosted high school graduation rates without an equivalent rise in student achievement, suggesting a decline in academic standards. To the extent that academic standards can shape effort decisions, these trends can have important… more →
An Applied Researchers’ Guide to Estimating Effects from Blocked Cluster Randomized Trials: Estimands, Estimators, and Estimates
… researchers face critical choices about how to define and estimate the average treatment effect (ATE). These choices—both the … precision: ranges in ATE estimates exceed 0.10 SD in 18% of cases, and standard error estimates differ by more than …Blocked cluster randomized trials (CRTs) are widely used to evaluate educational interventions. In such trials, researchers face critical choices about how to define and estimate the average treatment effect (ATE). These choices—both the estimand (e.g., person- vs. cluster-weighted) and the estimator (e.g., regression models, multilevel models)—can influence study conclusions. This paper provides… more →
The Effects of Educational Supports for the "Missing One-Offs" in Vocational High Schools
… A growing body of evidence suggests that vocationally focused programs of study substantially improve high-school completion and longer-run economic success. However, the corresponding recommendations to expand vocational …A growing body of evidence suggests that vocationally focused programs of study substantially improve high-school completion and longer-run economic success. However, the corresponding recommendations to expand vocational programs may have unintended, negative consequences for low-income, academically successful students (i.e., the “missing one offs”) who have the capacity and motivation to… more →
The Segregation of Students by Income in Public Schools
… Over the past three decades, children from low-income families and those from more affluent families have increasingly been … While recent work has helped us understand patterns of income segregation between districts and schools within …Over the past three decades, children from low-income families and those from more affluent families have increasingly been attending different public schools. While recent work has helped us understand patterns of income segregation between districts and schools within districts, we know very little about segregation of students as they experience school: in the classroom. In this paper, we… more →
The COVID-19 Pandemic Disrupted Both School Bullying and Cyberbullying
… School bullying is widespread and has substantial social costs. One in five U.S. high … each school year and these students face greater risks of serious mental health challenges that extend into adulthood. As the COVID-19 pandemic forced most students into online …School bullying is widespread and has substantial social costs. One in five U.S. high school students report being bullied each school year and these students face greater risks of serious mental health challenges that extend into adulthood. As the COVID-19 pandemic forced most students into online education, many have worried that cyberbullying prevalence would grow dramatically. We use data… more →
Transitional Kindergarten: The New Kid on the Early Learning Block
… Kindergarten (TK). TK programs bridge prekindergarten and kindergarten in their eligibility, requirements, and … design. We use Michigan’s TK program as a case study on the fit of this new entrant in the early learning landscape. …In recent years, several states have expanded a new publicly funded learning option: Transitional Kindergarten (TK). TK programs bridge prekindergarten and kindergarten in their eligibility, requirements, and design. We use Michigan’s TK program as a case study on the fit of this new entrant in the early learning landscape. Michigan’s program is well suited for this purpose because it contains… more →
Cheapskin Effects? The Heterogeneous Value of Industry-Recognized Certificates Earned by High School Students
… Human capital theory and signaling models posit that educational credentials … producing discrete labor market returns beyond years of schooling. While extensive evidence documents these … administrative data from Texas, this study examines the relationship between IRC attainment and early labor …Human capital theory and signaling models posit that educational credentials convey information about workers’ skills, producing discrete labor market returns beyond years of schooling. While extensive evidence documents these “sheepskin effects” for degrees, far less is known about industry-recognized certifications (IRCs) earned in high school. Using statewide administrative data from Texas,… more →
Measures Still Matter: Replicating and Extending a Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Educational Apps on Children's Reading and Math Skills with Six Years of New Data
… This study replicates and extends a meta-analysis of 36 studies of educational apps (Kim et al., 2021) with six … We synthesize 841 effect sizes from 141 studies evaluating the effectiveness of educational apps on reading and math …This study replicates and extends a meta-analysis of 36 studies of educational apps (Kim et al., 2021) with six years of new data. We synthesize 841 effect sizes from 141 studies evaluating the effectiveness of educational apps on reading and math skills of students ages 3-9. Replicating the original study, we find a moderate positive pooled effect size with substantial heterogeneity (d = .40, 95… more →
High School Career and Technical Education Finance: Impact of State-Level Policy Changes
… changes to K-12 funding systems in order to promote and encourage student engagement in secondary-level career and technical education (CTE). Two of the most prevalent reforms include: a) establishing tiered …States are increasingly adopting changes to K-12 funding systems in order to promote and encourage student engagement in secondary-level career and technical education (CTE). Two of the most prevalent reforms include: a) establishing tiered weights for CTE in school funding formulas based on the connection between a program of study and workforce needs and b) incentive grant programs that provide… more →
The Effects of a Statewide Ban on School Suspensions
… This research analyzes the implementation of a school suspension ban in Maryland to investigate whether … on discipline outcomes for students in both treated grades and upper elementary grades not subject to the ban? (2) did …This research analyzes the implementation of a school suspension ban in Maryland to investigate whether a top-down state-initiated ban on suspensions in early primary grades can influence school behavior regarding school discipline. Beginning in the fall of 2017, the State of Maryland banned the use of out-of-school suspensions for grades PK-2, unless a student posed an “imminent threat” to staff… more →
Of DEI and Denials: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Texas’ 88th Legislative Session
… suggest that these attacks represent a rearticulation of racial ideologies which seek to contain racial progress. Although crafting anti-CRT and anti-DEI policies is primarily conducted through discourse, few studies explore the specific discursive mechanisms used to justify these …Emerging literature on anti-CRT, anti-DEI efforts in education suggest that these attacks represent a rearticulation of racial ideologies which seek to contain racial progress. Although crafting anti-CRT and anti-DEI policies is primarily conducted through discourse, few studies explore the specific discursive mechanisms used to justify these efforts as racially neutral. Using critical discourse… more →
Signal Weighted Value-Added Models
… This study introduces the signal weighted teacher value-added model (SW VAM), a … Specifically, the model leverages the repeated appearance of a given student to estimate student reliability and sensitivity parameters, whereas traditional VAMs …This study introduces the signal weighted teacher value-added model (SW VAM), a value-added model that weights student-level observations based on each student’s capacity to signal their assigned teacher’s quality. Specifically, the model leverages the repeated appearance of a given student to estimate student reliability and sensitivity parameters, whereas traditional VAMs represent a special… more →
Did Spending Cuts During the Great Recession Really Cause Student Outcomes to Decline?
… Jackson, Wigger, and Xiong (2020a, JWX) provide evidence that education spending reductions following the Great Recession had widespread negative impacts on … and attainment. This paper describes our process of duplicating JWX and highlights a variety of tests we …Jackson, Wigger, and Xiong (2020a, JWX) provide evidence that education spending reductions following the Great Recession had widespread negative impacts on student achievement and attainment. This paper describes our process of duplicating JWX and highlights a variety of tests we employ to investigate the nature and robustness of the relationship between school spending reductions and student… more →
The Dynamic Effects of a Summer Learning Program on Behavioral Engagement in School
… The evidence that student learning declines sharply (or … two subjects, have modest effects on students’ achievement and no impact on measures of their engagement in school. In this quasi-experimental …The evidence that student learning declines sharply (or stagnates) during the summer has motivated a substantial interest in programs that provide intensive academic instruction during the summer. However, the existing literature suggests that such programs, which typically focus on just one or two subjects, have modest effects on students’ achievement and no impact on measures of their… more →
What Factors Drive Individual Misperceptions of the Returns to Schooling in Tanzania? Some Lessons for Education Policy
… Evidence on educational returns and the factors that determine the demand for schooling in … variable methods, we find that each additional year of schooling in Tanzania increases earnings, on average, by 9 …Evidence on educational returns and the factors that determine the demand for schooling in developing countries is extremely scarce. We use two surveys from Tanzania to estimate both the actual and perceived schooling returns and subsequently examine what factors drive individual misperceptions regarding actual returns. Using ordinary least squares and instrumental variable methods, we find that… more →
College Now...or Later: Measuring the Effects of Dual Enrollment on Postsecondary Access and Success
… that earning college credits in high school increases the likelihood of postsecondary progress and graduation. In this study, we measure the impact of dual …Research suggests that earning college credits in high school increases the likelihood of postsecondary progress and graduation. In this study, we measure the impact of dual enrollment in high school and college courses through the College Now (CN) program on college enrollment for students in New York City. We use a regression discontinuity design (RDD) that estimates the causal local… more →
Government Privatization and Political Participation: The Case of Charter Schools
… Governments around the world have privatized public services in the name of efficiency and citizen empowerment, but some argue that privatization …Governments around the world have privatized public services in the name of efficiency and citizen empowerment, but some argue that privatization could also affect citizen participation in democratic governance. We explore this possibility by estimating the impact of charter schools (which are publicly funded but privately operated) on school district elections. The analysis indicates that the… more →
The Effects and Local Implementation of School Finance Reforms on Teacher Salary, Hiring and Turnover
… salary schedule changes affect teacher recruitment and retention will significantly advance our understanding of how resources matter for K-12 student learning. This study … funding changes in Washington state in 2018-19—induced by the McCleary court-ordered reform—affected teacher salaries …Knowing how policy-induced salary schedule changes affect teacher recruitment and retention will significantly advance our understanding of how resources matter for K-12 student learning. This study sheds light on this issue by estimating how legislative funding changes in Washington state in 2018-19—induced by the McCleary court-ordered reform—affected teacher salaries and labor market outcomes… more →
Proactive student support using artificially intelligent conversational chatbots: The importance of targeting the technology
… We examine through a field experiment whether outreach and support provided through an AI-enabled chatbot can reduce … at a four-year university and at a community college. At the four-year college, the chatbot increased overall success … financial aid processes, such that student take up of educational loans increased by four percentage points. …We examine through a field experiment whether outreach and support provided through an AI-enabled chatbot can reduce summer melt and improve first-year college enrollment at a four-year university and at a community college. At the four-year college, the chatbot increased overall success with navigating financial aid processes, such that student take up of educational loans increased by four… more →
School Finance in the US
… This chapter provides an overview of K-12 public school finance in the United States by tracing how funding systems changed over time, how they operate today, and how well they advance core policy goals. Section 2 …This chapter provides an overview of K-12 public school finance in the United States by tracing how funding systems changed over time, how they operate today, and how well they advance core policy goals. Section 2 documents the long-run shift from local property tax finance toward larger state and federal roles, driven by economic crises, legislation, and litigation. Section 3 describes the… more →
Is Effective Teacher Evaluation Sustainable? Evidence from DCPS
… Ten years ago, many policymakers viewed the reform of teacher evaluation as a highly promising mechanism to improve teacher effectiveness and student achievement. Recently, that enthusiasm has dimmed …Ten years ago, many policymakers viewed the reform of teacher evaluation as a highly promising mechanism to improve teacher effectiveness and student achievement. Recently, that enthusiasm has dimmed as the available evidence suggests the subsequent reforms had a mixed record of implementation and efficacy. Even in districts where there was evidence of efficacy, the early promise of teacher… more →
Do Neighbors Shape the Sticker Price? Spatial Competition and State Funding in Cost of Attendance Reporting Over Time
… requires U.S. postsecondary institutions to publish a Cost of Attendance (COA) that serves as the legal ceiling on a student's federal financial aid … 14-year panel of 2,311 four-year institutions (2010-2023) and externally benchmarked living costs constructed from HUD, …Federal law requires U.S. postsecondary institutions to publish a Cost of Attendance (COA) that serves as the legal ceiling on a student's federal financial aid eligibility, yet off-campus living costs are estimated by institutions at their own discretion, with no standardized methodology or external audit. Using a 14-year panel of 2,311 four-year institutions (2010-2023) and externally… more →
Measuring Academic Behaviors at Scale: Developing Longitudinal Measures of “Noncognitive” Skills Using Administrative Data and Examining Predictive Validity
… reflected in administrative indicators such as attendance and suspensions, are widely used in education research. … reflecting distinct but correlated patterns of attendance and disciplinary behaviors across developmental … achievement. Findings suggest that, when prediction is the goal, longitudinal composites may yield limited …Academic behaviors, as reflected in administrative indicators such as attendance and suspensions, are widely used in education research. However, limited guidance exists on how to measure them longitudinally and at scale. Using longitudinal data from Boston Public Schools students followed from kindergarten through high school (N = 12,232), we compare grade-specific point-in-time indicators with… more →
No Pay? No Way! Teacher Compensation Reforms and the Market for Graduate Degrees
… serve as both a salary-boosting credential for teachers and a vital revenue source for institutions. But given a lack of evidence of their effectiveness, reformers have sought to … a 21% enrollment decline in education fields alone across the state, with larger effects at public and nonresearch- …Graduate degrees in education serve as both a salary-boosting credential for teachers and a vital revenue source for institutions. But given a lack of evidence of their effectiveness, reformers have sought to decouple teacher pay from these credentials. Without a wage premium, educators may skip advanced study, reducing enrollment at nearby universities. Using a natural experiment in Tennessee,… more →
A Dynamic Model of the Economic Returns to Adolescent Social Skills
… choices. To account for this endogeneity, we develop and estimate a dynamic model in which parents invest in … clubs), and these choices jointly determine the neighborhood peer environment that influences the accumulation of social skills, cognitive skills, and mental health. The …Social-skill formation during adolescence depends on peer environments, but those environments are equilibrium outcomes shaped by individual choices. To account for this endogeneity, we develop and estimate a dynamic model in which parents invest in adolescents, adolescents choose whether to participate in social activities (athletics and extracurricular clubs), and these choices jointly… more →
What is the impact of changing schools on the academic outcomes of elementary and middle school students?
… We study how different kinds of school changes shape achievement in grades 4–8 using data … districts (2016–17 through 2019–20). We estimate the effects of structural (promotional), nonstructural summer, and midyear moves and find that structural and summer moves …We study how different kinds of school changes shape achievement in grades 4–8 using data from six California districts (2016–17 through 2019–20). We estimate the effects of structural (promotional), nonstructural summer, and midyear moves and find that structural and summer moves have near-zero effects on ELA and math, while midyear moves lower ELA by 0.073 SD and math by 0.083 SD. Midyear… more →
Disentangle the Curriculum and Structural Effects of Math Pathway Reforms: Evidence from Maryland Community College System
… This study evaluates the impact of Maryland's Mathematics Reform Initiative (MMRI), which sought to improve student success in developmental and college-level math through comprehensive curriculum and …This study evaluates the impact of Maryland's Mathematics Reform Initiative (MMRI), which sought to improve student success in developmental and college-level math through comprehensive curriculum and structural reforms. Launched in 2015, the MMRI developed and implemented non-algebra math pathways tailored to students’ chosen program of study. Using administrative data of Maryland community… more →
Weighing Risks: How Families of Disabled Children Made School Choices During the Pandemic
… (Cooper, 2025; Posey-Maddox et al., 2021) to examine the positions from which families of disabled and multiply-marginalized children make educational choices. …In this paper, we show how positionality shapes caregivers’ decisions about children’s schooling, by expanding on research on Black families’ educational decision-making (Cooper, 2025; Posey-Maddox et al., 2021) to examine the positions from which families of disabled and multiply-marginalized children make educational choices. The families of disabled children in our sample made holistic,… more →
Results from NCME Survey on Revisions to the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing
… The Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing have served as a cornerstone for … on Measurement in Education (NCME) conducted a survey to gather feedback from its members regarding potential … the Standards, ensuring broad relevancy to many types of assessment, and accommodating various psychometric …The Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing have served as a cornerstone for best practices in assessment. As the field evolves, so must these standards, with regular revisions ensuring they reflect current knowledge and practice. The National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) conducted a survey to gather feedback from its members regarding potential updates to the 2014… more →
Skills and Earnings: A Multidimensional Perspective on Human Capital
… The multitude of tasks performed in the labor market requires skills in … in the labor market. This paper examines the returns to cognitive, personality, and social skills as three important dimensions of basic …The multitude of tasks performed in the labor market requires skills in many dimensions. Traditionally, human capital has been proxied primarily by educational attainment. However, an expanding body of literature highlights the importance of various skill dimensions for success in the labor market. This paper examines the returns to cognitive, personality, and social skills as three important… more →
The Politics of Teachers' Union Endorsements
… supported by local teachers' unions overwhelmingly win and we examine the causes and consequences of the "teachers' union premium" in these elections. First, …School board candidates supported by local teachers' unions overwhelmingly win and we examine the causes and consequences of the "teachers' union premium" in these elections. First, we show that union endorsement information increases voter support. Although the magnitude of this effect varies across ideological and partisan subgroups, an endorsement never hurts a candidate's prospects among any… more →
Classifying Courses at Scale: a Text as Data Approach to Characterizing Student Course-Taking Trends with Administrative Transcripts
… Students’ postsecondary course-taking is of interest to researchers, yet has been difficult to study … or state systems. This paper uses machine learning and natural language processing to standardize college transcripts at scale. We demonstrate the approach’s utility by showing how the disciplinary …Students’ postsecondary course-taking is of interest to researchers, yet has been difficult to study at large scale because administrative transcript data are rarely standardized across institutions or state systems. This paper uses machine learning and natural language processing to standardize college transcripts at scale. We demonstrate the approach’s utility by showing how the disciplinary… more →
Foreign Student Share and Supply of STEM-Designated Economics Programs
… Over the past decade, there has been a significant increase in the number of U.S. institutions offering STEM-eligible degree programs … the trends in STEM-degree offerings across degree levels and examines the share of foreign students and other …Over the past decade, there has been a significant increase in the number of U.S. institutions offering STEM-eligible degree programs in economics. This paper documents the trends in STEM-degree offerings across degree levels and examines the share of foreign students and other characteristics of institutions that offer STEM-eligible programs. Using a difference-in-differences design, this paper… more →
The Benefits of Math Corequisite Support for Academic Outcomes for Students in Texas
… An increasing body of robust evidence concludes that corequisite remediation in math and English is a cost-effective alternative to traditional … and potentially better persistence and completion. This is the first study to disentangle the impacts of the two main …An increasing body of robust evidence concludes that corequisite remediation in math and English is a cost-effective alternative to traditional developmental education, offering improved immediate course progression and potentially better persistence and completion. This is the first study to disentangle the impacts of the two main elements of the corequisite model: accelerated college course… more →
M-Powering Teachers: Natural Language Processing Powered Feedback Improves 1:1 Instruction and Student Outcomes
… 1:1 with instructors at an increasing scale, most of these instructors do not receive effective, consistent … their uptake of student contributions, talk time and questioning practices — in a 1:1 online learning context. … platform for high schoolers (n=414 mentors) to evaluate the effectiveness of the feedback tool. We find that the …Although learners are being connected 1:1 with instructors at an increasing scale, most of these instructors do not receive effective, consistent feedback to help them improved. We deployed M-Powering Teachers, an automated tool based on natural language processing to give instructors feedback on dialogic instructional practices —including their uptake of student contributions, talk time and… more →
Descriptive evidence on school leaders' prior professional experiences and instructional effectiveness
… Many education policymakers and system leaders prioritize recruiting and developing … leaders, however, relatively little is understood about the prior professional experiences and skillsets that … positions. In this descriptive paper, we use 14 years of administrative data on all educators in Oregon to trace …Many education policymakers and system leaders prioritize recruiting and developing effective school leaders as key mechanisms to improve school climate and student learning. Despite efforts to select and support successful school leaders, however, relatively little is understood about the prior professional experiences and skillsets that principals possess upon entry into their positions. In… more →
Heterogeneity in Labor Market Returns to Master’s Degrees: Evidence from Ohio
… Graduate education is among the fastest growing segments of the U.S. higher educational system. This paper provides … evidence on labor market returns to Master’s degrees and examines heterogeneity in the returns by field area, …Graduate education is among the fastest growing segments of the U.S. higher educational system. This paper provides up-to-date causal evidence on labor market returns to Master’s degrees and examines heterogeneity in the returns by field area, student demographics and initial labor market conditions. We use rich administrative data from Ohio and an individual fixed effects model that compares… more →
Test-Based Accountability and the Effectiveness of School Finance Reforms
… that had test-based accountability policies in place at the time. By incentivizing school improvement, accountability … gets spent. Our empirical approach leverages the timing of school finance reforms to compare funding impacts on … role of accountability incentives in education production and the mechanisms supporting the effectiveness of school …A recent literature provides new evidence that school resources are important for student outcomes. In this paper, we show that school finance reform-induced increases in student performance are driven by those states that had test-based accountability policies in place at the time. By incentivizing school improvement, accountability systems (such as the federal No Child Left Behind act) may… more →
Racial Disparities in Pre-K Quality: Evidence from New York City’s Universal Pre-K Program
… to almost 70,000 children, is ambitious in both scale and implementation speed. We provide new evidence on the distribution of pre-K quality in NYC by student race/ethnicity, and …New York City’s universal pre-kindergarten program, which increased full-day enrollment from 19,000 to almost 70,000 children, is ambitious in both scale and implementation speed. We provide new evidence on the distribution of pre-K quality in NYC by student race/ethnicity, and investigate the extent to which observed differences are associated with the spatial distribution of higher-quality… more →
Teacher Evaluation, Ambitious Mathematics Instruction, and Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching: Evidence from Early Career Teachers
… been central to efforts to enhance teaching quality over the past decade, little is known about how teachers change … this question, this paper drew on classroom observation and survey data to examine how early career teachers’ (ECTs’) perceptions of pressure associated with teacher evaluation policies …While teacher evaluation policies have been central to efforts to enhance teaching quality over the past decade, little is known about how teachers change their instructional practices in response to such policies. To address this question, this paper drew on classroom observation and survey data to examine how early career teachers’ (ECTs’) perceptions of pressure associated with teacher… more →
School Segregation At The Classroom Level In A Southern 'New Destination' State
… administrative data for public schools, we document racial and ethnic segregation at the classroom level in North Carolina, a state that has … the within-school component accounted for a sizable share of total segregation in middle schools and high schools. …Using detailed administrative data for public schools, we document racial and ethnic segregation at the classroom level in North Carolina, a state that has experienced a sharp increase in Hispanic enrollment. We decompose classroom-level segregation in counties into within-school and between-school components. We find that the within-school component accounted for a sizable share of total… more →
Using a Factorial Design to Maximize the Effectiveness of a Parental Text Messaging Intervention
… to encourage at-home reading, school-attendance, and other educational behaviors. These interventions, which … components, frequently demonstrate varying amounts of effectiveness, and researchers often cannot determine how … Using a 2x2x3 factorial experiment, we investigate the effects of individual and interacted components from …Parental text messaging interventions are growing in popularity to encourage at-home reading, school-attendance, and other educational behaviors. These interventions, which often combine multiple components, frequently demonstrate varying amounts of effectiveness, and researchers often cannot determine how individual components work alone or in combination with one another. Using a 2x2x3… more →
Heterogeneity of item-treatment interactions masks complexity and generalizability in randomized controlled trials
… Researchers use test outcomes to evaluate the effectiveness of education interventions across numerous randomized … the sum of correct responses—are compared across treatment and control groups to determine whether an intervention has …Researchers use test outcomes to evaluate the effectiveness of education interventions across numerous randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Aggregate test data—for example, simple measures like the sum of correct responses—are compared across treatment and control groups to determine whether an intervention has had a positive impact on student achievement. We show that item-level data and… more →
Can Camp Get You Into a Good Secondary School? A Field Experiment of Targeted Instruction in Kenya
… for this exam is a high priority for Kenyan families and educators. To increase the share of students gaining entry to these schools, some educational …Access to quality secondary schooling can be life-changing for students in developing contexts. In Kenya, entrance to such schools has historically been determined by performance on a high-stakes exam. Understandably then, preparation for this exam is a high priority for Kenyan families and educators. To increase the share of students gaining entry to these schools, some educational providers… more →
Challenges and opportunity: An examination of barriers to postsecondary academic success
… Community colleges are a critical component of the U.S. higher education system, providing access to … to completion stemming from educational, economic, and social inequities persist. Building on prior work that …Community colleges are a critical component of the U.S. higher education system, providing access to students from traditionally underserved communities. However, enduring challenges to completion stemming from educational, economic, and social inequities persist. Building on prior work that examines barriers to student success and their relationship to student outcomes, this descriptive study… more →
A Half Century of Progress in U. S. Student Achievement: Agency and Flynn Effects; Ethnic and SES Differences
… as to whether U. S. student performance has changed over the past half century. To inform conversations, agents … seven million psychometrically linked tests in math (m) and reading (rd) in 160 survey waves to national probability samples of cohorts born between 1954 and 2007. Estimated change in …Principals (policymakers) disagree as to whether U. S. student performance has changed over the past half century. To inform conversations, agents administered seven million psychometrically linked tests in math (m) and reading (rd) in 160 survey waves to national probability samples of cohorts born between 1954 and 2007. Estimated change in standard deviations (sd) per decade varies by agent (m… more →
Neighborhood Effects on STEM Major Choice
… This paper provides causal evidence that the neighborhoods where students grow up play a significant … on STEM fields. Using administrative data from Texas and variation in the timing of school moves across counties and districts, we estimate …This paper provides causal evidence that the neighborhoods where students grow up play a significant role in shaping their college major choices, focusing on STEM fields. Using administrative data from Texas and variation in the timing of school moves across counties and districts, we estimate the impact of neighborhood exposure on the likelihood of pursuing a STEM major. We find that students… more →
Localized Teacher Recruitment through “Grow-Your-Own”: Impacts of the High School Teacher Academy of Maryland Program
… strategy for addressing local workforce shortages and ensuring that incoming teachers resemble, understand, and … to their communities. We provide novel evidence on the impacts of one such GYO program by exploiting the staggered rollout …Recruiting teachers via “grow-your-own” (GYO) programs is a popular, yet rarely evaluated, strategy for addressing local workforce shortages and ensuring that incoming teachers resemble, understand, and have strong connections to their communities. We provide novel evidence on the impacts of one such GYO program by exploiting the staggered rollout of the Teacher Academy of Maryland Career… more →
Meeting People Where They Are: Experimental Evidence on Embedded Supports, Service Use, and Educational Outcomes
… low take-up despite high potential returns. A growing body of evidence suggests that information alone does little to close this gap; instead, hassle costs and default access points may be binding constraints on … had tutoring and advising staff embedded directly in the classroom. Faculty and staff targeted these supports …Many public services suffer from persistently low take-up despite high potential returns. A growing body of evidence suggests that information alone does little to close this gap; instead, hassle costs and default access points may be binding constraints on utilization. We test whether reallocating existing services to where people already are – rather than requiring them to seek out centralized… more →