EdWorkingPapers
First Impressions: The Case of Teacher Racial Bias
… We study racial bias and the persistence of first impressions in the context of education. Teachers …We study racial bias and the persistence of first impressions in the context of education. Teachers who begin their careers in classrooms with large black-white score gaps carry negative views into evaluations of future cohorts of black students. Our evidence is based on novel data on blind evaluations and non-blind public school teacher assessments of fourth and fifth graders in North… more →
Developing Ambitious Mathematics Instruction Through Web-Based Coaching: A Randomized Field Trial
… This paper describes and evaluates a web-based coaching program designed to … and on their instructional practice, as measured the Mathematical Quality of Instruction (MQI) instrument and student surveys. However, …This paper describes and evaluates a web-based coaching program designed to support teachers in implementing Common Core-aligned math instruction. Web-based coaching programs can be operated at relatively lower costs, are scalable, and make it more feasible to pair teachers with coaches who have expertise in their content area and grade level. Results from our randomized field trial document… more →
Does High School Size Affect Rates of Risky Health Behaviors and Poor Mental Health Among Low-Income Teenagers? Evidence from New York City
… There is increasing concern about risky behaviors and poor mental health among school-aged youth. A critical … and structure affect health outcomes by examining the impacts of a popular urban high school reform -- “small schools” -- …There is increasing concern about risky behaviors and poor mental health among school-aged youth. A critical factor in youth well-being is school attendance. This study evaluates how school organization and structure affect health outcomes by examining the impacts of a popular urban high school reform -- “small schools” -- on youth risky behaviors and mental health, using data from New York City… more →
Political Views and College Choices in a Polarized America
… We examine the role of students’ political views in shaping college enrollment … political identities, which could reinforce demographic and regional disparities in educational attainment and reduce …We examine the role of students’ political views in shaping college enrollment decisions in the United States. We hypothesize that students derive utility from attending institutions aligned with their political identities, which could reinforce demographic and regional disparities in educational attainment and reduce ideological diversity on campuses. Using four decades of survey data on college… more →
Experimental Evidence on the Robustness of Coaching Supports in Teacher Education
… Many novice teachers learn to teach “on-the-job,” leading to burnout and attrition among teachers and negative outcomes for … with optimizing teacher readiness, but there is a lack of causal evidence regarding effective ways for preparing new …Many novice teachers learn to teach “on-the-job,” leading to burnout and attrition among teachers and negative outcomes for students in the long term. Pre-service teacher education is tasked with optimizing teacher readiness, but there is a lack of causal evidence regarding effective ways for preparing new teachers. In this paper, we use a mixed reality simulation platform to evaluate the causal… more →
Public-Sector Leadership and Venture Philanthropy: The Case of Broad Superintendents
… Major philanthropic initiatives that incorporate features of venture-capital practices have become increasingly … education. In this study, we provide empirical evidence on the reach, character, and impact of the Broad Superintendents Academy, a prominent …Major philanthropic initiatives that incorporate features of venture-capital practices have become increasingly prominent, particularly in K-12 public education. In this study, we provide empirical evidence on the reach, character, and impact of the Broad Superintendents Academy, a prominent and controversial venture-philanthropic initiative designed to transform leadership in the nation’s… more →
The Inequitable Effects of Teacher Layoffs: What We Know and Can Do
… including teacher layoffs. In this brief, we synthesize the empirical literature on the widespread teacher layoffs … find that teacher layoffs harmed student achievement and were inequitably distributed across schools, teachers, … and students. Research suggests that specific elements of the layoff process can exacerbate these negative effects. …Economic downturns can cause major funding shortfalls for U.S. public schools, often forcing districts to make difficult budget cuts including teacher layoffs. In this brief, we synthesize the empirical literature on the widespread teacher layoffs caused by the Great Recession. Studies find that teacher layoffs harmed student achievement and were inequitably distributed across schools, teachers,… more →
Practitioner Voices Summit: How Teachers Evaluate AI Tools through Deliberative Sensemaking
… as agentic decision-makers in this process. Understanding the criteria teachers use to evaluate AI tools, and the conditions that support such reasoning, is essential … Rigorous) — that addressed both AI outputs and the process of using AI. Criteria contained productive tensions (e.g., …Teachers face growing pressure to integrate AI tools into their classrooms, yet are rarely positioned as agentic decision-makers in this process. Understanding the criteria teachers use to evaluate AI tools, and the conditions that support such reasoning, is essential for responsible AI integration. We address this gap through a two-day national summit in which 61 U.S. K–12 mathematics educators… more →
First Impressions Matter: Instructor Gender and Women’s Persistence in Economics
… Using near-random assignment of students to instructors in introductory economics at a … economics. Female instructors close roughly 40 percent of the gender gap in advanced economics course-taking, with a … one-third of the gender-match effect. Class fixed effects and the absence of a detectable male-student response make it …Using near-random assignment of students to instructors in introductory economics at a broad-access public university, we study how instructor gender affects women’s persistence in economics. Female instructors close roughly 40 percent of the gender gap in advanced economics course-taking, with a similar but less precisely estimated improvement in major completion. The effect is concentrated in… more →
Leveraging Large Language Models to Assess Short Text Responses
… Educational practitioners and researchers often score short, unstructured text for the presence or strength of domain-specific constructs. Manual scoring, however, faces …Educational practitioners and researchers often score short, unstructured text for the presence or strength of domain-specific constructs. Manual scoring, however, faces limitations, including time- and labor-intensiveness. Large language models (LLMs) offer an automated alternative to manual scoring, yet questions remain regarding LLM implementation and performance when scoring text requires… more →
Contemporary Child Labor and Declining School Attendance in the U.S.
… The United States has experienced a 400% increase in reported … decade, coinciding with declines in K-12 school attendance and enrollment. We examine the causal relationships between … farms. A 10-percentage-point increase in the local share of employment in high child labor violation industries leads …The United States has experienced a 400% increase in reported child labor violations over the past decade, coinciding with declines in K-12 school attendance and enrollment. We examine the causal relationships between these patterns with microdata from the American Community Survey (ACS) from 2005 to 2023. Using a shift-share instrumental variable approach, our findings show that increased local… more →
Closing the Gender Gap in STEM: Role of Performance Feedback and Advice
… The gender gap in STEM careers is shaped in part by … two interventions—absolute performance feedback and personalized advice— aiming at narrowing the gender … chose between a math or verbal task after receiving one of three treatments: performance feedback on prior tasks, …The gender gap in STEM careers is shaped in part by educational choices. This study investigates two interventions—absolute performance feedback and personalized advice— aiming at narrowing the gender disparities in investments in math skills. Using an online lab experiment, participants chose between a math or verbal task after receiving one of three treatments: performance feedback on prior… more →
Investing in College Readiness: Societal Benefits and Costs of the El Dorado College Promise Program
… A growing volume of research shows college promise programs increase the likelihood that students enroll in and complete college. Place-based promise programs provide a …A growing volume of research shows college promise programs increase the likelihood that students enroll in and complete college. Place-based promise programs provide a guaranteed college scholarship for students who attend a specified school district. We examine the societal benefits and costs of a place-based scholarship program in rural Arkansas, the El Dorado Promise. Our cost framework… more →
Framework for Evaluating & Reforming Education Finance Systems
… paper presents a comprehensive framework for evaluating and reforming education finance systems to ensure equity, … conceptual work, explaining our evolving understanding of the role and purpose of school finance systems, leading to …This paper presents a comprehensive framework for evaluating and reforming education finance systems to ensure equity, adequacy, and equal opportunity in publicly funded education. We summarize decades conceptual work, explaining our evolving understanding of the role and purpose of school finance systems, leading to our current framing that the purpose of these systems is to deliver the… more →
What Happens When We Pay Our Teachers More? Evidence from New Jersey Public Schools
… This paper examines the impact of increasing teacher salaries on student outcomes by … a staggered difference-in-differences (DiD) approach and first show that the campaign raised salaries for all …This paper examines the impact of increasing teacher salaries on student outcomes by exploiting variation from the “50K The First Day” campaign that established a $50K salary floor for new teachers across New Jersey school districts. Using school-level data from 2003 to 2019, we employ a staggered difference-in-differences (DiD) approach and first show that the campaign raised salaries for all… more →
Human Capital at Home: Evidence from a Randomized Evaluation in the Philippines
… Children spend most of their time at home in their early years, yet efforts to promote human capital at home in many low- and middle-income settings remain limited. We conduct a … gain 0.52 and 0.51 standard deviations relative to the control group on math and phonics tests, respectively …Children spend most of their time at home in their early years, yet efforts to promote human capital at home in many low- and middle-income settings remain limited. We conduct a randomized controlled trial to evaluate an intervention which encourages parents and caregivers to foster human capital accumulation among their children between ages 3 and 5, with a focus on math and phonics skills.… more →
Public Good Perceptions and Polarization: Evidence from Higher Education Appropriations
… To understand the causes and consequences of polarized demand …To understand the causes and consequences of polarized demand for government expenditure, we conduct three field experiments in the context of public higher education. The first two experiments study polarization in taxpayer demand. We provide information to shape beliefs about social returns on investment. Our treatments narrow the political partisan gap in ideal policies---a reduction in… more →
Constrained Agency and the Architecture of Educational Choice: Evidence from New York City
… greater access to high-quality schools by weakening the link between residential location and school assignment. We leverage data on the school choices … and high-quality schools enroll smaller proportions of students from traditionally disadvantaged families. We …Many school districts consider family preferences in allocating students to schools. In theory, this approach provides traditionally disadvantaged families greater access to high-quality schools by weakening the link between residential location and school assignment. We leverage data on the school choices made by over 233,000 New York City families to examine the extent to which the city’s… more →
HBCU Enrollment and Longer-Term Outcomes
… data from nearly 1.2 million Black SAT takers, we estimate the impacts of initially enrolling in an Historically Black College and University (HBCU) on educational, economic, and financial …Using data from nearly 1.2 million Black SAT takers, we estimate the impacts of initially enrolling in an Historically Black College and University (HBCU) on educational, economic, and financial outcomes. We control for the college application portfolio and compare students with similar portfolios and levels of interest in HBCUs and non-HBCUs who ultimately make divergent enrollment decisions -… more →
The Role of School Context in Explaining Racial Disproportionality in Special Education
… There has been an explosion of research on racial disproportionality in special education. Some recent research shifts the focus from the role of student characteristics alone to … literature using eight years of elementary student-and school-level data from NYC public schools, examining more …There has been an explosion of research on racial disproportionality in special education. Some recent research shifts the focus from the role of student characteristics alone to inquire whether school context moderates findings (e.g., is a Black student less likely than a White student to receive special education services as the proportion of a school’s Black students increases?). We… more →
Discipline Reform, School Culture, and Student Achievement
… Using a difference-in-differences framework, we exploit the sharp timing of the reform and natural variation in its impact to measure …Does relaxing strict school discipline improve student achievement, or lead to classroom disorder? We study a 2012 reform in New York City public middle schools that eliminated suspensions for non-violent, disorderly behavior, replacing them with less disruptive interventions. Using a difference-in-differences framework, we exploit the sharp timing of the reform and natural variation in its… more →
Second Time's the Charm? How Sustained Relationships from Repeat Student-Teacher Matches Build Academic and Behavioral Skills
… We examine the dynamic nature of student-teacher match quality by studying the effect of … teacher for more than one year. Using data from Tennessee and panel methods, we find that having a repeat teacher …We examine the dynamic nature of student-teacher match quality by studying the effect of having a teacher for more than one year. Using data from Tennessee and panel methods, we find that having a repeat teacher improves achievement and decreases absences, truancy, and suspensions. These results are robust to a range of tests for student and teacher sorting. High-achieving students benefit most… more →
The Effect of Active Learning Professional Development Training on College Students’ Academic Outcomes
… Growing literature documents the promise of active learning instruction in engaging students in … of these programs is limited. Using administrative data and an individual fixed effects approach, we estimate the …Growing literature documents the promise of active learning instruction in engaging students in college classrooms. Accordingly, faculty professional development (PD) programs on active learning have become increasingly popular in postsecondary institutions; yet, quantitative evidence on the effectiveness of these programs is limited. Using administrative data and an individual fixed effects… more →
Segregating Gotham's Youngest: Racial/Ethnic Sorting and the Choice Architecture of New York City’s Pre-K for All
… New York City’s Pre-K for All (PKA) is the Nation’s largest universal early childhood initiative, … seat availability, site-level enrollment priorities, and the PKA algorithm that weighs these and other considerations. We find that a majority of PKA segregation lies within rather than between local …New York City’s Pre-K for All (PKA) is the Nation’s largest universal early childhood initiative, currently serving some 70,000 four-year-olds. Stemming from the program’s choice architecture as well as the City’s stark residential segregation, PKA programs are extremely segregated by child race/ethnicity. Our current study explores the complex forces that influence this segregation, including… more →
Class Rank and Long-Run Outcomes
… This paper considers an unavoidable feature of the school environment, class rank. What are the long-run … third-grade academic rank, conditional on achievement and classroom fixed effects, have higher subsequent test …This paper considers an unavoidable feature of the school environment, class rank. What are the long-run effects of a student’s ordinal rank in elementary school? Using administrative data on all public-school students in Texas, we show that students with a higher third-grade academic rank, conditional on achievement and classroom fixed effects, have higher subsequent test scores, are more likely… more →
Examining the Educational Spillover Effects of Severe Natural Disasters: The Case of Hurricane Maria
… This study examines the effects of internal migration driven by severe natural disasters on host communities, and the mechanisms behind these effects, using the large …This study examines the effects of internal migration driven by severe natural disasters on host communities, and the mechanisms behind these effects, using the large influx of migrants into Florida public schools after Hurricane Maria. I find adverse effects of the influx in the first year on existing student test scores, disciplinary problems, and student mobility among high-performing students… more →
More Than Shortages: The Unequal Distribution of Substitute Teaching
… Classroom teachers in the US are absent on average approximately six percent of a school year. Despite the prevalence of teacher absences, … substitute teachers. Using detailed administrative and survey data from a large urban school district, we …Classroom teachers in the US are absent on average approximately six percent of a school year. Despite the prevalence of teacher absences, surprisingly little research has assessed the key source of replacement instruction: substitute teachers. Using detailed administrative and survey data from a large urban school district, we document the prevalence, predictors, and variation of substitute… more →
Measuring Teaching Practices at Scale: A Novel Application of Text-as-Data Methods
… Valid and reliable measurements of teaching quality facilitate school-level decision-making … This approach is free of rater bias and enables the detection of three instructional factors that are well …Valid and reliable measurements of teaching quality facilitate school-level decision-making and policies pertaining to teachers, but conventional classroom observations are costly, prone to rater bias, and hard to implement at scale. Using nearly 1,000 word-to-word transcriptions of 4th- and 5th-grade English language arts classes, we apply novel text-as-data methods to develop automated,… more →
The Design of Clustered Observational Studies in Education
… effectiveness research. We present a design framework for the development and critique of COSs. The framework is built on the counterfactual model …Clustered observational studies (COSs) are a critical analytic tool for educational effectiveness research. We present a design framework for the development and critique of COSs. The framework is built on the counterfactual model for causal inference and promotes the concept of designing COSs that emulate the targeted randomized trial that would have been conducted were it… more →
Peeking into the Black Box of School Turnaround: A Formal Test of Mediators and Suppressors
… A growing body of research evaluates the effects of turnaround on … in Tennessee: the Achievement School District (ASD) and local Innovation Zones (iZones). Using difference-in-differences models within a mediational …A growing body of research evaluates the effects of turnaround on chronically low-performing schools. We extend this research to formally test factors that either mediate or suppress the effects of two turnaround initiatives in Tennessee: the Achievement School District (ASD) and local Innovation Zones (iZones). Using difference-in-differences models within a mediational framework, we find… more →
Get a Skill, Get a Job, Get Ahead? Evaluating the Effects of Virginia's Workforce-Targeted Free College Program
… momentum as policymakers address rising college costs and workforce readiness. Despite their growing adoption, … discontinuity and difference-in-differences— to estimate the causal impact of Virginia’s Get a Skill, Get a Job, Get Ahead (G3) …Tuition-free college programs are gaining momentum as policymakers address rising college costs and workforce readiness. Despite their growing adoption, limited research examines how workforce-focused eligibility criteria impact student outcomes beyond enrollment. This pre-registered study employs two within-study quasi-experimental designs—differencein- discontinuity and difference-in-… more →
Labor Market Strength and Declining Community College Enrollment
… U.S. college enrollments have triggered questions about the health of the postsecondary sector. Using institution-level data, we … many students are on the margin between community college and job opportunities. For-profit college enrollments are …Declining U.S. college enrollments have triggered questions about the health of the postsecondary sector. Using institution-level data, we make four points. First, such declines are driven not by the four-year sector but by two-year community colleges, which have apparently shrunk by over 30% since the peak of the Great Recession. Second, over one-third of this apparent decline is an artifact of… more →
Can nudging mentors weaken student support? Experimental evidence from a virtual communication intervention
… This paper presents results from a randomized trial of a nudge intervention designed to encourage and enhance virtual student support. During the 2019-20 school year, randomly selected mentors in a …This paper presents results from a randomized trial of a nudge intervention designed to encourage and enhance virtual student support. During the 2019-20 school year, randomly selected mentors in a school-based mentoring program received monthly reminders with tips for communicating with youth via text, email, and phone. Unexpectedly, the results showed that although the informational reminders… more →
Technology Apprenticeships and Labor Market Outcomes: Mixed-Methods Evidence from the LaunchCode Program
… We leverage employment and earnings data from a large credit bureau, program data … interviews with applicants and instructors to examine if the LaunchCode program leads to economic benefits, who is … score weights to balance applicants across a range of program participation levels. We find that both course and …We leverage employment and earnings data from a large credit bureau, program data from LaunchCode—a free technology education, and in-depth interviews with applicants and instructors to examine if the LaunchCode program leads to economic benefits, who is most likely to experience these benefits, and how this program produces these benefits. We first conduct an intent-to-treat analysis by… more →
Can Peer Group Design Improve Engagement in Online STEM Courses? The Role of Motivation to Lead
… Peer interaction is important for student engagement and success in higher education and becomes even more … factors for success in rigorous STEM coursework. Despite the widespread use of peer group activities to foster collaboration, there is …Peer interaction is important for student engagement and success in higher education and becomes even more critical in online STEM education, where limited interaction can undermine motivation and belonging—key factors for success in rigorous STEM coursework. Despite the widespread use of peer group activities to foster collaboration, there is limited understanding of how to effectively form peer… more →
Investing in Human Capital During Wartime: Experimental Evidence from Ukraine
… wartime by presenting evidence from three experiments of an online tutoring program for Ukrainian students amid … Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Conducted between early 2023 and mid-2024, the experiments reached nearly 10,000 students across all …This paper provides insights into human capital investments during wartime by presenting evidence from three experiments of an online tutoring program for Ukrainian students amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Conducted between early 2023 and mid-2024, the experiments reached nearly 10,000 students across all regions of Ukraine. The program offered three hours per week of small-group tutoring in… more →
The Reliability of Classroom Observations and Student Surveys in Non-Research Settings: Evidence from a Middle-Income Country
… We present one of the first Generalizability studies of non-test measures of … observations varies widely (from 0 to 0.75 on a 0-1 scale) and depends upon their context (whether they are conducted …We present one of the first Generalizability studies of non-test measures of teaching effectiveness administered by practitioners in a middle-income country. The reliability of observations varies widely (from 0 to 0.75 on a 0-1 scale) and depends upon their context (whether they are conducted during training or on the job) and rater assignment configurations. The reliability of surveys varies… more →
Creating Classes: Elementary school classroom assignments and their implications for student access to high-quality teaching
… We investigate the distribution of students across classrooms in North Carolina elementary schools. While tracking is ubiquitous and well-documented in secondary education, limited evidence …We investigate the distribution of students across classrooms in North Carolina elementary schools. While tracking is ubiquitous and well-documented in secondary education, limited evidence exists regarding cross-classroom clustering in elementary schools and its consequences. Consistent with qualitative evidence suggesting that educators seek to create demographically balanced classrooms, we… more →
The reliability of classroom observations and student surveys in non-research settings: Evidence from Argentina
… There is a growing consensus on the need to measure teaching effectiveness using multiple … in high-income countries. We study the reliability of classroom observations and student surveys conducted by practitioners in a …There is a growing consensus on the need to measure teaching effectiveness using multiple instruments. Yet, guidance on how to achieve reliable ratings derives largely from formal research in high-income countries. We study the reliability of classroom observations and student surveys conducted by practitioners in a middle-income country. Both instruments can achieve relatively high reliability (… more →
Increasing Applied STEM Curricular Opportunities in High School and Impacts on Early Post-Secondary Outcomes: The Effect of Project Lead the Way
… Project Lead the Way (PLTW) is an applied STEM Career Technical Education … Using data from Missouri, we investigate the impact of PLTW course expansion on program participation and early post-secondary outcomes. Our identification …Project Lead the Way (PLTW) is an applied STEM Career Technical Education program that has been adopted widely across the country. Using data from Missouri, we investigate the impact of PLTW course expansion on program participation and early post-secondary outcomes. Our identification strategies rely on within-school between-cohort variation in PLTW course availability. This serves as an… more →
The Effects of Early Childhood Science Educational Interventions on Children’s Science Achievement: A Meta-Analysis of Classroom-Based Studies
… The importance of providing children with more robust opportunities to access high-quality science instruction is a widely … We present the results of a meta-analysis of experimental and quasiexperimental research of the effects of …The importance of providing children with more robust opportunities to access high-quality science instruction is a widely recognized challenge. Unfortunately, science instruction is often neglected in the earliest school grades, meaning that many young children face opportunity gaps to learning science. We present the results of a meta-analysis of experimental and quasiexperimental research of… more →
The Value of School Social Climate Information: Evidence from Chicago Housing Transactions
… school social climate information is capitalized into the housing market and how it affects the sorting of homebuyers from different economic backgrounds. I first …In this paper, I investigate how publicizing school social climate information is capitalized into the housing market and how it affects the sorting of homebuyers from different economic backgrounds. I first provide descriptive evidence on the novelty of school climate relative to other school characteristics. Next, using a plausibly exogenous shock of school climate information in Chicago, I… more →
Searching for the Queen’s Gambit: An Exploratory Analysis of Male-Female Ratings Gaps in U.S. Chess
… We examine the origin and evolution of male-female rating gaps for young chess players using two decades of data from the U.S. Chess Federation, the …We examine the origin and evolution of male-female rating gaps for young chess players using two decades of data from the U.S. Chess Federation, the national chess association that tracks competitive tournament play and provides ratings for U.S. chess players. An important feature of our research is that we examine male-female gaps across a broad range of chess ratings, from novice to expert. We… more →
Experimental Evidence on the Impact of Tutoring Format and Tutors: Findings from an Early Literacy Tutoring Program
… This study presents the first within-program, within-tutor experimental evidence comparing the impact of in-person versus remote tutoring. Based on results from an … in-person tutoring exhibited higher attendance rates and tutors reported closer relationships with their in-person …This study presents the first within-program, within-tutor experimental evidence comparing the impact of in-person versus remote tutoring. Based on results from an early literacy tutoring initiative delivered by university students over Summer 2023, we find no statistically significant differences in students’ literacy outcomes by instructional modality. However, students receiving in-person… more →
The Learning Crisis: Three Years After COVID-19
… The COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread disruptions to … significant learning losses, particularly in mathematics and science. Using data from TIMSS 2023, which assesses … 71 education systems, this study analyzes the impact of school closure duration on learning outcomes. Mixed-effect …The COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread disruptions to education, with school closures affecting over one billion children. These closures, aimed at reducing virus transmission, resulted in significant learning losses, particularly in mathematics and science. Using data from TIMSS 2023, which assesses fourth and eighth-grade achievements across 71 education systems, this study analyzes the impact… more →
Reconstructing PhD Admissions Through Organizational Learning
… The goal of this study was to assess the outcomes of a grant-funded … intervention designed to provide comprehensive training and support for holistic admissions in 26 STEM PhD programs … analyze and redesign their admissions processes. Using a theoretical framework centered on organizational …The goal of this study was to assess the outcomes of a grant-funded intervention designed to provide comprehensive training and support for holistic admissions in 26 STEM PhD programs at five California research universities. This pilot intervention combined a flexible, research-based model of holistic review, training for faculty involved with admissions, and informal coaching in how to… more →
The relationship between student attendance and achievement, pre- and post-COVID
… We examine the relationship between absenteeism and achievement since the onset of COVID-19. Applying first-differences models to North …We examine the relationship between absenteeism and achievement since the onset of COVID-19. Applying first-differences models to North Carolina administrative data, we estimate that each absence was associated with a 0.0032 standard deviation (SD) decline in math achievement in 2022-23. As students averaged 3.3 more absences in 2022-23 than 2018-19, these results imply that returning absence… more →
Accelerating Opportunity: The Effects of Instructionally Supported Detracking
… The pivotal role of Algebra in the educational trajectories of U.S. students continues to motivate controversial, high-profile policies focused on when students access the course, their classroom peers, and how the course is taught. This random-assignment …The pivotal role of Algebra in the educational trajectories of U.S. students continues to motivate controversial, high-profile policies focused on when students access the course, their classroom peers, and how the course is taught. This random-assignment partnership study examines an innovative district-level reform—the Algebra I Initiative—that placed 9th-grade students with prior math scores… more →
Next-Generation Teacher Evaluation in Rural Missouri: Main and Moderated Effects on Student Achievement and Effects-to-Expenditure Ratios
… average effects on rural student achievement, identifying the settings where evaluation works, and incorporating evaluation expenditures. That the … is below the state average or the average teacher's years of experience are below the state average. … evaluation, …We extend teacher evaluation research by estimating a reformed evaluation system's plausibly causal average effects on rural student achievement, identifying the settings where evaluation works, and incorporating evaluation expenditures. That the literature omits these contributions is concerning as research implies it hinders evidence-based teacher evaluation policymaking for rural districts,… more →
Weighting for Progressivity? An Analysis of Implicit Tradeoffs Associated with Weighted Student Funding in Tennessee
… We study the progressivity of state funding of school districts under Tennessee’s … in exposure to district per-pupil funding between poor and non-poor students. The realized progressivity of district …We study the progressivity of state funding of school districts under Tennessee’s weighted student funding formula. We propose a simple definition of progressivity based on the difference in exposure to district per-pupil funding between poor and non-poor students. The realized progressivity of district funding in Tennessee is much smaller—only about 17 percent as large—as the formula weights… more →