EdWorkingPapers
Conditions under which college students can be responsive to nudging
… students to engage with their institution academically and administratively. Missteps with required administrative … and success. Through two experimental studies, we assessed the effectiveness of an artificially intelligent text-based chatbot that …College success requires students to engage with their institution academically and administratively. Missteps with required administrative processes can threaten student persistence and success. Through two experimental studies, we assessed the effectiveness of an artificially intelligent text-based chatbot that provided proactive outreach and support to college students to navigate… more →
Spillover Effects of Black Teachers on White Teachers’ Racial Competency: Mixed Methods Evidence from North Carolina
… The US teaching force remains disproportionately white while … more diverse. It is therefore important to understand how and under what conditions white teachers learn racial … when teaching Black students. The quantitative portion of this study relies on longitudinal data from North Carolina …The US teaching force remains disproportionately white while the student body grows more diverse. It is therefore important to understand how and under what conditions white teachers learn racial competency. This study applies a mixed-methods approach to investigate the hypothesis that Black peers improve white teachers’ effectiveness when teaching Black students. The quantitative portion of this… more →
Learning during the Pandemic: Evidence from Uzbekistan
… School closures induced by the COVID-19 pandemic led to concerns about student learning. This paper evaluates the effect of school closures on student learning in Uzbekistan, using a … … K-12 Education … Covid-19 recovery … International and comparative … Covid-19 Education Research for Recovery … …School closures induced by the COVID-19 pandemic led to concerns about student learning. This paper evaluates the effect of school closures on student learning in Uzbekistan, using a unique dataset that allows assessing change in learning over time. The findings show that test scores in math for grade 5 students improved over time by 0.29 standard deviation despite school closures. The outcomes… more →
Instructional Alignment is Associated with Sustained Benefits of PreK
… implementation fidelity data from PreK to 1st grade in the Boston Public Schools (BPS) to measure instructional alignment and examine whether stronger alignment is associated with sustained benefits of BPS PreK on children’s language, literacy, and math skills …This study uses implementation fidelity data from PreK to 1st grade in the Boston Public Schools (BPS) to measure instructional alignment and examine whether stronger alignment is associated with sustained benefits of BPS PreK on children’s language, literacy, and math skills through first grade. The study includes N = 498 students (mean age = 5.47, SD = 0.30 in K fall). Children who experienced… more →
The Thin Blue Line in Schools: New Evidence on School-Based Policing Across the U.S.
… national school-level data from 2014 to 2018 to estimate the impacts of SRO placement. We construct this discontinuity based on … the use of suspension, expulsion, police referral, and arrest of students. These increases in disciplinary and …U.S. public school students increasingly attend schools with sworn law enforcement officers present. Yet, little is known about how these school resource officers (SROs) affect school environments or student outcomes. Our study uses a fuzzy regression discontinuity (RD) design with national school-level data from 2014 to 2018 to estimate the impacts of SRO placement. We construct this… more →
Preferences, Inequities, and Incentives in the Substitute Teacher Labor Market
… We examine the labor supply decisions of substitute teachers – a large, on-demand market with broad shortages and inequitable supply. In 2018, Chicago Public Schools …We examine the labor supply decisions of substitute teachers – a large, on-demand market with broad shortages and inequitable supply. In 2018, Chicago Public Schools implemented a targeted bonus program designed to reduce unfilled teacher absences in largely segregated Black schools with historically low substitute coverage rates. Using a regression discontinuity design, we find that incentive… more →
The Long-Run Impacts of Mexican-American School Desegregation
… We present the first quantitative analysis of the impact of ending de jure segregation of … decision on long-run educational attainment for Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites in California. Our identification …We present the first quantitative analysis of the impact of ending de jure segregation of Mexican-American school children in the United States by examining the effects of the 1947 Mendez v. Westminster court decision on long-run educational attainment for Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites in California. Our identification strategy relies on comparing individuals across California counties that… more →
How Do Charter Schools Affect System-Level Test Scores and Graduation Rates? A National Analysis
… We study the combined effects of charter schools, and their various mechanisms, on a …We study the combined effects of charter schools, and their various mechanisms, on a national level and across multiple outcomes. Using difference-in-differences and fixed effects methods, we find that charter entry (above 10 percent market share) increases high school graduation rate in geographic districts by about 2-4 percentage points and increases test scores by 0.06-0.16 standard deviations… more →
Stacking the Deck for Employment Success: Labor Market Returns to Stackable Credentials
… With rapid technological transformations to the labor market, many working adults return to college after … Using a comparative individual fixed effects strategy and an administrative panel dataset of enrollment and employment in Virginia, we provide the …With rapid technological transformations to the labor market, many working adults return to college after graduation to obtain additional training or credentials. Using a comparative individual fixed effects strategy and an administrative panel dataset of enrollment and employment in Virginia, we provide the first causal estimates of credential “stacking” – earning two or more community college… more →
Do Long Bus Rides Drive Down Academic Outcomes?
… buses may be a critical education policy lever, breaking the link between schools and neighborhoods and facilitating access to school choice. … the commute for bus riders, including the average length of the bus ride or whether long commutes harm academic …School buses may be a critical education policy lever, breaking the link between schools and neighborhoods and facilitating access to school choice. Yet little is known about the commute for bus riders, including the average length of the bus ride or whether long commutes harm academic outcomes. We begin to fill this gap using data from New York City to explore the morning commutes of over 120,… more →
Preferences, Selection, and the Structure of Teacher Pay
… Human-capital formation in school depends largely on the selection and retention of teachers. I conduct a discrete-choice experiment with …Human-capital formation in school depends largely on the selection and retention of teachers. I conduct a discrete-choice experiment with responses linked to administrative teacher and student records to examine teacher preferences for compensation structure and working conditions. I calculate willingness-to-pay for a rich set of work attributes. High-performing teachers have similar preferences… more →
The Spillover Effects of Parental Conflict on Classmates' Cognitive and Noncognitive Outcomes
… on schools that randomly assign students into classrooms, and using both (1) within-school, across-classroom variation … self-confidence, lowers social engagement, and increases the likelihood of problem behaviors. Effects operate by damaging …Children exposed to Interparental Verbal Conflict (IPVC) exert negative spillovers on their peers. Using nationally representative survey data from middle schools in China, focusing on schools that randomly assign students into classrooms, and using both (1) within-school, across-classroom variation and (2) within-student, year-to-year variation to identify effects, we find that being assigned to… more →
Higher Education and Local Educational Attainment: Evidence from the Establishment of U.S. Colleges
… We investigate how the presence of a college affects local educational attainment using … degree attainment rates 58% higher than runner-up counties and have larger shares of employment in high human capital …We investigate how the presence of a college affects local educational attainment using historical natural experiments in which "runner-up" locations were strongly considered to become college sites but ultimately not chosen for as-good-as-random reasons. While runner-up counties have since had opportunity to establish their own colleges, winners are still more likely to have a college today.… more →
Understanding Teacher Perceptions of Efficacy in Social and Emotional Learning: Toward Equity-Based Approaches to SEL in Urban Schools
… Researchers have noted the importance of equity-based approaches to social and emotional learning (SEL), which emphasize the role of …Researchers have noted the importance of equity-based approaches to social and emotional learning (SEL), which emphasize the role of school environment, including adult beliefs, in student well-being. This article builds on this work by examining 129 teachers’ perceptions of efficacy in SEL. While participants worked in urban schools, were selected from national fellowship programs, and had… more →
Why Have College Completion Rates Increased?
… College completion rates declined from the 1970s to the 1990s. We document that this trend has … student characteristics, institutional resources, and institution attended do not explain much of the change. However, we show that grade inflation can …College completion rates declined from the 1970s to the 1990s. We document that this trend has reversed--since the 1990s, college completion rates have increased. We investigate the reasons for the increase in college graduation rates. Collectively, student characteristics, institutional resources, and institution attended do not explain much of the change. However, we show that grade inflation… more →
Matching Methods for Clustered Observational Studies in Education
… may be implemented for all students in some schools and withheld from students in other schools. When such … treatments are non-randomly allocated, outcomes across the treated and control groups may differ due to the … to make treated and control groups similar in terms of observed characteristics. Recent work in statistics has …Many interventions in education occur in settings where treatments are applied to groups. For example, a reading intervention may be implemented for all students in some schools and withheld from students in other schools. When such treatments are non-randomly allocated, outcomes across the treated and control groups may differ due to the treatment or due to baseline differences between groups.… more →
Fostering Patience in the Classroom: Results from Randomized Educational Intervention
… We evaluate the impact of a randomized educational intervention on children’s … aims to improve the ability to imagine future selves, and encourages forward-looking behavior using a structured curriculum delivered by children’s own …We evaluate the impact of a randomized educational intervention on children’s intertemporal choices. The intervention aims to improve the ability to imagine future selves, and encourages forward-looking behavior using a structured curriculum delivered by children’s own trained teachers. We find that treated students make more patient intertemporal decisions in incentivized experimental tasks. The… more →
Get Real! Inflation Adjustments of Education Finance Data
… Use of education finance data is ubiquitous. Yet, because the … Price Index to three different dates: the Fall, Spring and academic fiscal years. We demonstrate that linking the …Use of education finance data is ubiquitous. Yet, because the academic calendar circumscribes two calendar years, researchers have linked the Consumer Price Index to three different dates: the Fall, Spring and academic fiscal years. We demonstrate that linking the CPI to these different academic year results in identifying different trends in U.S. educational spending during the Great Recession.… more →
Toward More Equitable Learning Environments: Insights from Digital Trace Data on Inclusive Instructional Design Features
… Seminal teaching and learning theories converge on the critical role of instructional design in promoting equity and inclusivity …Seminal teaching and learning theories converge on the critical role of instructional design in promoting equity and inclusivity in higher education. However, large-scale evidence remains limited as to which specific design features promote more equitable outcomes across diverse student populations in semester-long college courses. This study proposes a comprehensive and scalable framework to… more →
A Degree of Choice: Educational Decision-Making after College
… Despite the growing share of college-educated adults returning to higher education, we … the two most common master’s fields of study: business and education. We find that within both fields, students’ …Despite the growing share of college-educated adults returning to higher education, we know little about how individuals weigh the consequential decision to go to graduate school. In this paper, we ask how individuals decide to pursue a particular graduate program within a field of study. We draw on two independent but complementary interview studies to examine this question across the two most… more →
College as a Marriage Market
… that strong assortativity further arises by institution and field of study, especially among high earners from elite programs. … primarily drives matching by institution and field among the college-educated, and that these matches can be …College graduates tend to marry each other. We use detailed Norwegian data to show that strong assortativity further arises by institution and field of study, especially among high earners from elite programs. Admission discontinuities reveal that enrollment itself, rather than selection, primarily drives matching by institution and field among the college-educated, and that these matches can be… more →
Experimental Effects of “Opportunity Gap” and “Achievement Gap” Frames
… Racial equity in education is often framed around “closing the achievement gap,” but many scholars argue this frame … a preregistered survey experiment, I estimate the effects of framing racial equity in education around “achievement … "racial equity" … David M. Quinn … Policy, Politics, and Governance … K-12 Education … Equity … Race, ethnicity, …Racial equity in education is often framed around “closing the achievement gap,” but many scholars argue this frame perpetuates deficit mindsets. The “opportunity gap” (OG) frame has been offered as an alternative to focus attention on structural injustices. In a preregistered survey experiment, I estimate the effects of framing racial equity in education around “achievement gaps” (AGs) vs OGs. I… more →
A Bibliometric Review of Research on Inequality of Educational Achievement, 1934 to 2023
… In this bibliometric review of the research landscape on achievement gaps, we analyze temporal trends and geographic distributions, identify key scholars and …In this bibliometric review of the research landscape on achievement gaps, we analyze temporal trends and geographic distributions, identify key scholars and publications, and uncover the intellectual structure and thematic focus of achievement gap research. By examining 1,607 achievement gap studies between 1937 and 2023, we find that the scholarship has evolved through four distinct stages: pre… more →
Suspended from Work and School? Impacts of Layoff Events and Unemployment Insurance on Student Disciplinary Incidence
… We examine the impact of local labor market shocks and state unemployment insurance (UI) policies on student discipline in U.S. public schools. Analyzing school-level discipline …We examine the impact of local labor market shocks and state unemployment insurance (UI) policies on student discipline in U.S. public schools. Analyzing school-level discipline data and firm-level layoffs in 23 states, we find that layoffs have little effect on discipline rates on average. However, effects differ across the UI benefit distribution. At the lowest benefit level ($265/week), a mass… more →
Teachers in our Midst: Using Experienced School Staff to Solve Teacher Shortages
… Teacher shortages are a persistent challenge in the United States. I evaluate the effectiveness of an innovative pilot program that allowed principals to hand-select experienced staff members and paraeducators already working in schools to lead …Teacher shortages are a persistent challenge in the United States. I evaluate the effectiveness of an innovative pilot program that allowed principals to hand-select experienced staff members and paraeducators already working in schools to lead classrooms. Pilot educators are predominantly Black or African American. Districts reported randomly assigning students to teachers, and my analysis… more →
The extent and consequences of teacher biases against immigrants
… We study the extent and consequences of biases against immigrants exhibited by high school teachers in Finland. Compared to native students, immigrant students receive 0.06 standard …We study the extent and consequences of biases against immigrants exhibited by high school teachers in Finland. Compared to native students, immigrant students receive 0.06 standard deviation units lower scores from teachers than from blind graders. This effect is almost entirely driven by grading penalties incurred by high-performing immigrant students and is largest in subjects where teachers… more →
Rich Grad, Poor Grad: Family Background and College Major Choice
… Expected earnings matter for college major choices, and majors differ in both their average earnings and the age profile of their earnings. We show that students' family background …Expected earnings matter for college major choices, and majors differ in both their average earnings and the age profile of their earnings. We show that students' family background is strongly related to the earnings paths of the major they choose. Students with more educated parents, especially those who have graduate degrees, choose majors with lower early-career earnings but much faster… more →
Replicating and Extending Effects of “Achievement Gap” Discourse
… Scholars argue the “racial achievement gap” frame perpetuates deficit … data from two survey experiments using a teacher sample and an MTurk sample. We find: (1) the effect of “achievement gap” (AG) language on equity prioritization …Scholars argue the “racial achievement gap” frame perpetuates deficit mindsets. Previously, we found teachers gave lower priority to racial equity when disparities were framed as “achievement gaps” versus “inequality in educational outcomes.” In this brief, we analyze data from two survey experiments using a teacher sample and an MTurk sample. We find: (1) the effect of “achievement gap” (AG)… more →
Unequal Opportunity Spreaders: Higher COVID-19 Deaths with Later School Closure in the U.S.
… Mixed evidence on the relationship between school closure and COVID-19 prevalence could reflect focus on large-scale levels of geography, limited ability to address endogeneity, and …Mixed evidence on the relationship between school closure and COVID-19 prevalence could reflect focus on large-scale levels of geography, limited ability to address endogeneity, and demographic variation. Using county-level CDC COVID-19 data through June 15, 2020, two matching strategies address potential heterogeneity: nearest geographic neighbor and propensity scores. Within nearest neighboring… more →
Long-run Trends in the U.S. SES-Achievement Gap
… Rising inequality in the United States has raised concerns about potentially … (SES). Using assessments from LTT-NAEP, Main-NAEP, TIMSS, and PISA that are psychometrically linked over time, we trace … Achievement gaps between the top and bottom quartiles of the SES distribution have been large and remarkably …Rising inequality in the United States has raised concerns about potentially widening gaps in educational achievement by socio-economic status (SES). Using assessments from LTT-NAEP, Main-NAEP, TIMSS, and PISA that are psychometrically linked over time, we trace trends in achievement for U.S. student cohorts born between 1954 and 2001. Achievement gaps between the top and bottom quartiles of the… more →
How important are beliefs about gender differences in math ability? Transmission across generations and impacts on child outcomes
… We study the transmission of beliefs about gender differences in math ability from adults to children and how this affects girls’ academic performance relative to …We study the transmission of beliefs about gender differences in math ability from adults to children and how this affects girls’ academic performance relative to boys. We exploit randomly assigned variation in the proportion of a child’s middle school classmates whose parents believe boys are innately better than girls at learning math. An increase in exposure to peers whose parents report this… more →
Does a successful randomized experiment lead to successful policy? Project Challenge and what happened in Tennessee after Project STAR
… Evidence-based policy is the practice of basing policy decisions on rigorous research evidence, … of Project Challenge by applying regression discontinuity and difference in differences analysis to data from district …Evidence-based policy is the practice of basing policy decisions on rigorous research evidence, such as randomized experiments. But it is unclear how often evidence-based decisions produce more effective policy. We evaluate an evidence-based policy implemented in 1989-93, after the state of Tennessee completed the famous Project STAR randomized experiment, which showed that reducing average class… more →
Policy Implementation, Principal Agency, and Strategic Action: Improving Teaching Effectiveness in New York City Middle Schools
… Ten years ago, the reform of teacher evaluation was touted as a mechanism to improve … a growing narrative suggests these reforms failed and should be abandoned. This response may be overly …Ten years ago, the reform of teacher evaluation was touted as a mechanism to improve teacher effectiveness. In response, virtually every state redesigned its teacher evaluation system. Recently, a growing narrative suggests these reforms failed and should be abandoned. This response may be overly simplistic. We explore the variability of New York City principals’ implementation of policies… more →
Who Benefits from Local Financing of Public Services? A Causal Analysis
… The efficiency-equity trade-offs in public service delivery may be influenced by the dependency of local governments on their own resources rather than … are expected both to produce human capital efficiently and to provide educational opportunity equally. To ascertain …The efficiency-equity trade-offs in public service delivery may be influenced by the dependency of local governments on their own resources rather than inter-governmental grants. School districts in the United States are expected both to produce human capital efficiently and to provide educational opportunity equally. To ascertain school district trade-offs, we estimate effects of revenue source… more →
Does Civic Education Impact Primary-School Students’ Civic Outcomes? Experimental Evidence from Liberia
… public primary schools across 140 schools serving grades 3 and 4. The program provided new civic textbooks, teacher training, … textbook-centered, in contrast to the participatory models common in high-income countries. … civic education, …We present experimental evidence on a civic education program in Liberia's public primary schools across 140 schools serving grades 3 and 4. The program provided new civic textbooks, teacher training, bi-weekly instruction, and regular classroom monitoring. After one school year, treatment students scored 0.38 SDs higher on civic knowledge assessments. Gains were concentrated in factual knowledge… more →
The Impact of Tutor Gender Match on Girls’ STEM Interest, Engagement, and Performance
… may benefit from role models who shape their perceptions of STEM. We examine whether female math tutors influence girls’ STEM interest, attendance, and performance. We randomly assigned 422 ninth-grade … STEM interest (0.73 SD) and were more likely to pass the course with a C- or better (3.9-percentage points) than …Gender disparities in STEM persist despite girls performing as well as boys academically, suggesting girls may benefit from role models who shape their perceptions of STEM. We examine whether female math tutors influence girls’ STEM interest, attendance, and performance. We randomly assigned 422 ninth-grade students taking Algebra 1 to a same gender or opposite-gender tutor. Girls assigned to… more →
Shock Absorption: Did School Turnaround Shelter Schools from the Pandemic’s Effects on Teacher Turnover?
… it can help schools withstand negative shocks. We examine the impact of Michigan’s turnaround policy on teacher turnover before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Event study findings show …Successful turnaround interventions should build school capacity to promote not just school improvement but also resilience to exogenous shocks that undermine schooling. While a large literature demonstrates that turnaround can improve school outcomes, little is known about whether it can help schools withstand negative shocks. We examine the impact of Michigan’s turnaround policy on teacher… more →
Facilitating Evidence-Based Instructional Coaching With Automated Feedback on Teacher Discourse
… evidence, yet it is labor-intensive for coaches to obtain and curate such evidence. This study explores possibilities … affordances/limitations they anticipated, how they used the tool, and how they perceived it after initial use. We … and recorded 41 coaching conversations made by nine of those coaches. Our analyses suggest that coaches used …Instructional coaching often aims to ground teacher professional learning in classroom evidence, yet it is labor-intensive for coaches to obtain and curate such evidence. This study explores possibilities for utilizing an automated feedback tool to support evidence-based reasoning in coaching. We examined how mathematics coaches employed automated feedback within coaching, asking what affordances… more →
Causal Returns to Education
… this paper compares ordinary least squares (OLS) and instrumental variables (IV) estimates of the private returns to schooling. IV returns average 9.7 …Using 182 estimates from 140 studies in 55 countries, this paper compares ordinary least squares (OLS) and instrumental variables (IV) estimates of the private returns to schooling. IV returns average 9.7 percent—38 percent higher than OLS—and exceed OLS in nearly 80 percent of cases, with the largest gaps in developing countries. These patterns align with theories of diminishing marginal returns… more →
Measuring “Noncognitive” Skills at Scale: Building Longitudinal Student Behavior Composites Using Administrative Data
… especially student behavior, are critical predictors of academic and life outcomes. However, measuring student behavior at … of students followed from kindergarten to eighth grade in the Boston Public Schools (N=12,232) to examine trade-offs …“Noncognitive” skills, especially student behavior, are critical predictors of academic and life outcomes. However, measuring student behavior at scale remains challenging, particularly for longitudinal research. This study uses a demographically diverse sample of students followed from kindergarten to eighth grade in the Boston Public Schools (N=12,232) to examine trade-offs between two… more →
The Politics of Commencement Speakers: Organizational Contexts of Speech on College Campuses, 1989–2024
… Conflicts over the politics of speech have been a persistent challenge in U.S. higher … commencement speakers at 52 universities between 1989 and 2024. Findings indicate a rise in liberal speakers, …Conflicts over the politics of speech have been a persistent challenge in U.S. higher education. Public narratives portray universities as antagonistic toward conservative speakers, yet empirical evidence remains limited. To address this gap, we analyze the political orientations of 1,875 commencement speakers at 52 universities between 1989 and 2024. Findings indicate a rise in liberal speakers… more →
A Scalable Approach to High-Impact Tutoring for Young Readers: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial
… This paper presents the results from a randomized controlled trial of Chapter One, an early elementary reading tutoring program … a large Southeastern district serving predominantly Black and Hispanic students. Students assigned to the program were …This paper presents the results from a randomized controlled trial of Chapter One, an early elementary reading tutoring program that embeds part-time tutors into the classroom to provide short bursts of 1:1 instruction. Eligible kindergarten students were randomly assigned to receive supplementary tutoring during the 2021-22 school year (N=818). The study occurred in a large Southeastern district… more →
Do Pensions Enhance Worker Effort and Selection? Evidence from Public Schools
… rationales, namely that pensions may improve worker effort and worker selection . We examine these hypotheses using administrative measures on effort and output in public schools around the pension-eligibility notch. When workers cross the notch …Why do employers offer pensions? We empirically explore two theoretical rationales, namely that pensions may improve worker effort and worker selection. We examine these hypotheses using administrative measures on effort and output in public schools around the pension-eligibility notch. When workers cross the notch their effective compensation falls significantly, but we observe no reduction in… more →
Employee evaluation and skill investments: Evidence from public school teachers
… When employees expect evaluation and performance incentives will continue (or begin) in the future, the potential future rewards create an incentive … today. Because skills benefit job performance, the effects of evaluation can persist after the rewards end or even …When employees expect evaluation and performance incentives will continue (or begin) in the future, the potential future rewards create an incentive to invest in relevant skills today. Because skills benefit job performance, the effects of evaluation can persist after the rewards end or even anticipate the start of rewards. I provide empirical evidence of these dynamics from a quasi-experiment in… more →
Do Financial Incentives Increase the Impact of National-Scale Educational Programs? Experimental Evidence from a National College Advising Initiative
… Recent work highlights the challenge of scaling evidence-based educational programs. We report on … college advisors; applications to well-matched colleges and universities; and review of financial aid awards. Yet …Recent work highlights the challenge of scaling evidence-based educational programs. We report on a randomized controlled trial of a financial incentive program designed to increase the efficacy of a national remote college advising initiative for high-achieving students. We find substantial positive effects of the program on student engagement with college advisors; applications to well-matched… more →
The Notorious SBG: Administrators’ Perceptions of Standards-Based Grading Practices
… administrators' survey responses using OLS regressions, and identifies themes through in-vivo coding of qualitative feedback. Results show more SBG support among … and grading alignment. These findings underscore the influence of principals' beliefs on SBG support and …This mixed-methods study synthesizes Standards-Based Grading (SBG) literature, analyzes 249 Arkansas administrators' survey responses using OLS regressions, and identifies themes through in-vivo coding of qualitative feedback. Results show more SBG support among liberal, elementary-level administrators in larger, economically diverse districts. Qualitative insights highlight structural barriers… more →
How Did the COVID-19 Pandemic Influence School Board Elections?
… suggest that parent frustration with COVID school policies and the growing politicization of education have increased community engagement with local …Media reports suggest that parent frustration with COVID school policies and the growing politicization of education have increased community engagement with local public schools. However, there is no evidence to date on whether these factors have translated into greater engagement at the ballot box. This paper uses a novel data set to explore how school board elections changed following the… more →
COVID-19, School Closures, and Student Learning Outcomes: New Global Evidence from PISA
… The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant disruption in … data to estimate learning losses. It models the effect of school closures on achievement by predicting the deviation … that faced relatively longer closures, boys, immigrants, and disadvantaged students. Educational losses may translate …The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant disruption in schooling worldwide. This paper uses global test score data to estimate learning losses. It models the effect of school closures on achievement by predicting the deviation of the most recent results from a linear trend using data from all rounds of the Programme for International Student Assessment. Scores declined by an average of 14… more →
Rethinking Principal Effects on Student Outcomes
… measuring principals’ contributions to student outcomes and apply it empirically using data from Tennessee, New York … exert minimal control, leading to biased estimates of individual principals’ effectiveness and an overstatement of the magnitude of principal effects. Based on our framework, …School principals are viewed as critical actors to improve student outcomes, but there remain important methodological questions about how to measure principals’ effects. We propose a framework for measuring principals’ contributions to student outcomes and apply it empirically using data from Tennessee, New York City, and Oregon. As commonly implemented, value-added models misattribute to… more →
Toward An Economic Reformulation of Public Pension Funding Policy
… We propose an economic reformulation of contribution policy integrating: (1) formalization of sustainability as the steady-state contribution rate, incorporating both the expected return on risky assets and a low-risk discount rate for liabilities; (2) derivation …We propose an economic reformulation of contribution policy integrating: (1) formalization of sustainability as the steady-state contribution rate, incorporating both the expected return on risky assets and a low-risk discount rate for liabilities; (2) derivation of contribution adjustment policies required for convergence toward the target funded ratio and contribution rate; and (3) a… more →