EdWorkingPapers
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 →
Revolving School Doors? A Longitudinal Examination of Teacher, Administrator and Staff Contributions to School Churn
… Non-teaching staff comprise over half of all school employees and their turnover may be consequential for school operation, … staff turnover conversations, they are consistently the most stable employee group. Some school factors, like the …Non-teaching staff comprise over half of all school employees and their turnover may be consequential for school operation, culture, and student success, yet we lack evidence documenting their attrition. We use 11 years of administrative data from Oregon to examine mobility and exit among teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, and other staff. Although teachers dominate staff turnover… more →
Study More Tomorrow
… contract for college students, "Study More Tomorrow," and conduct a randomized control trial testing a model of its demand. The contract commits students to attend peer tutoring if …We design a commitment contract for college students, "Study More Tomorrow," and conduct a randomized control trial testing a model of its demand. The contract commits students to attend peer tutoring if their midterm grade falls below a pre-specified threshold. The contract carries a financial penalty for noncompliance, in contrast to other commitment devices for studying tested in the… more →
Fiscal Federalism and K-12 Education Funding: Policy Lessons from Two Educational Crises
… We synthesize and critique federal fiscal policy during the Great Recession and Covid-19 pandemic. First, the amount of aid during both crises was inadequate to meet policy …We synthesize and critique federal fiscal policy during the Great Recession and Covid-19 pandemic. First, the amount of aid during both crises was inadequate to meet policy goals. Second, the mechanisms used to distribute funds was disconnected from policy goals and provided different levels of aid to districts with equivalent levels of economic disadvantage. Third, data tools are missing making… more →
The Bottom Line on College Advising: Large Increases in Degree Attainment
… multi-site randomized control trial with administrative and survey data to demonstrate that intensive advising during … these increases are driven primarily by improvements in the quality of initial enrollment. Program effects are consistent across …We combine a large multi-site randomized control trial with administrative and survey data to demonstrate that intensive advising during high school and college leads to large increases in bachelor's degree attainment. Novel causal forest methods suggest that these increases are driven primarily by improvements in the quality of initial enrollment. Program effects are consistent across sites,… more →
Inequality in Public School Spending Across Space and Time
… series perspective on K-12 school spending. About half of school spending is financed by state government aid to … districts. We show that temporal inequality, due to state and local business cycles, is prevalent across the income distribution. We estimate a model of local revenue …This paper takes a novel time series perspective on K-12 school spending. About half of school spending is financed by state government aid to local districts. Because state aid is generally income conditioned, with low-income districts receiving more aid, state aid acts as a mechanism for risk sharing between school districts. We show that temporal inequality, due to state and local business… more →
The effects of default choice on student loan borrowing: Experimental evidence from a public research university
… We explore the role of defaults and choice architecture on student loan … pre-populating either decline or accept decisions compared to an active choice, no pre-population, decision. We …We explore the role of defaults and choice architecture on student loan decision-making, experimentally testing the impact pre-populating either decline or accept decisions compared to an active choice, no pre-population, decision. We demonstrate that the default choice presented does influence student loan borrowing decisions. Specifically, compared to active choice, students presented within a… more →
Getting Tough? The Effects of Discretionary Principal Discipline on Student Outcomes
… wide discretion to use disciplinary tools like suspension and expulsion to create a safe learning environment. There is … power can have negative consequences, particularly for the students who are excluded. This study uses linked … from 2008 to 2016 in North Carolina to examine the impact of principal driven disciplinary decisions on middle school …Nationwide, school principals are given wide discretion to use disciplinary tools like suspension and expulsion to create a safe learning environment. There is legitimate concern that this power can have negative consequences, particularly for the students who are excluded. This study uses linked disciplinary, education, and criminal justice records from 2008 to 2016 in North Carolina to examine… more →
Informing school-choosing families about their options: A field experiment from New Orleans
… options. We conducted a randomized controlled trial during the school choice application period in New Orleans to assess the effects of providing information to parents. Families with children … schools or programs available (via U.S. mail, email, and text message). A “neighborhood” group received lists of …In order for school choice reforms to fulfill their potential, school choosers must be informed about their options. We conducted a randomized controlled trial during the school choice application period in New Orleans to assess the effects of providing information to parents. Families with children entering pre-K, kindergarten, or ninth grade were assigned to one of two treatment groups or a… more →
Experimentally Estimated Impacts of School Voucher on Educational Attainments of Moderately and Severely Disadvantaged Students
… Estimates of school voucher impacts on educational attainment have yet … students. We theorize reasons for these heterogeneities and then estimate experimentally the differential impacts of voucher offers on college …Estimates of school voucher impacts on educational attainment have yet to explore heterogeneities in socioeconomic status among disadvantaged minority students. We theorize reasons for these heterogeneities and then estimate experimentally the differential impacts of voucher offers on college enrollment and graduation rates for minority and non-immigrant students from moderately and severely… more →
Schools Never Die: Toward a Dynamic Systems Theory of School Closure
… Educational researchers and policymakers typically treat school closures as discrete … as adaptive ecosystems embedded within broader networks of relations that span social, cultural, political, and … policy and research by grounding school closures in the reality that schools are embedded within and comprised of …Educational researchers and policymakers typically treat school closures as discrete administrative decisions with clear endpoints. This paper challenges that assumption by applying Dynamic Systems Theory to school closure policy and research. We argue that schools function as adaptive ecosystems embedded within broader networks of relations that span social, cultural, political, and economic… more →
When Do Informational Interventions Work? Experimental Evidence from New York City High School Choice
… This paper reports the results of a large, school-level randomized controlled trial … differed in their level of customization to the student and their mode of delivery (paper or online); all treated …This paper reports the results of a large, school-level randomized controlled trial evaluating a set of three informational interventions for young people choosing high schools in 473 middle schools, serving over 115,000 8th graders. The interventions differed in their level of customization to the student and their mode of delivery (paper or online); all treated schools received identical… more →
An inequitable distribution of teacher talent: How micropolitics shape the master schedule
… Each year, school leaders must balance the competing interests of students and teachers when creating the master schedule and assigning …Each year, school leaders must balance the competing interests of students and teachers when creating the master schedule and assigning teachers to courses. Using a micropolitical lens, this study draws on interviews with 17 secondary school leaders to examine how they navigate this process. We find that the course assignment process is largely centered on teacher satisfaction, with teacher… more →
Teaching Practices and the Persistence of School-Entry Age Effects
… We consider the effect of teaching practices on the persistence of school-entry age … the same cohort of students when they were in elementary and secondary school. Then, we test whether school-entry age …We consider the effect of teaching practices on the persistence of school-entry age effects caused by rigid cutoff dates for school eligibility in Spain. We document significant school-entry age effects for the same cohort of students when they were in elementary and secondary school. Then, we test whether school-entry age effects at age 15 are lower for those students who were more frequently… more →
Peer Effects of International Students in U.S. Higher Education
… This study addresses an underexplored aspect of diversity at four-year research universities: the impact of international students on their domestic peers. … on domestic students' course performance, persistence, and degree completion. Leveraging variations in international …This study addresses an underexplored aspect of diversity at four-year research universities: the impact of international students on their domestic peers. I explore the peer effects of international students, assessing how their presence influences domestic students' academic outcomes. Using the classroom setting as a natural experimental framework, I estimate the impact of exposure to… more →
Inequality Beyond Standardized Tests: Trends in Extracurricular Activity Reporting in College Applications Across Race and Class
… is known about inequality in non-standardized components of applications. We analyzed extracurricular activity … descriptions in 6,054,104 applications submitted through the Common Application using natural language processing … methods. Overall, White, Asian American, wealthier, and private school students reported more activities, …For years, discussions on inequality in college admissions have addressed standardized tests, but less is known about inequality in non-standardized components of applications. We analyzed extracurricular activity descriptions in 6,054,104 applications submitted through the Common Application using natural language processing methods. Overall, White, Asian American, wealthier, and private school… more →
Changes in Kindergarten Redshirting During the COVID-19 Pandemic
… This study examined the impact of COVID-19 on academic "redshirting" in kindergarten, the practice of holding a child back for a year and enrolling them in kindergarten at age 6, using …This study examined the impact of COVID-19 on academic "redshirting" in kindergarten, the practice of holding a child back for a year and enrolling them in kindergarten at age 6, using student-level data on all Delaware kindergarten students from fall 2014 through fall 2022. The rate of redshirting declined by 40% in fall 2020, then increased by 44% (relative to pre-pandemic baseline) in fall… more →
Does Monitoring Change Teacher Pedagogy and Student Outcomes?
… In theory, monitoring can improve employee motivation and effort, particularly in settings lacking measurable … To address this gap, I leverage exogenous variation in the presence and intensity of teacher monitoring, in the form of unannounced in-class …In theory, monitoring can improve employee motivation and effort, particularly in settings lacking measurable outputs, but research assessing monitoring as a motivator is limited to laboratory settings. To address this gap, I leverage exogenous variation in the presence and intensity of teacher monitoring, in the form of unannounced in-class observations as part of D.C. Public Schools’ IMPACT… more →
(Dis)connection at Work: Racial Isolation, Teachers’ Job Experiences, and Teacher Turnover
… Teachers of color often work in schools with few colleagues from the same racial or ethnic background. This racial isolation may affect their work experiences and important job outcomes, including retention. Using …Teachers of color often work in schools with few colleagues from the same racial or ethnic background. This racial isolation may affect their work experiences and important job outcomes, including retention. Using longitudinal administrative and survey data, we investigate the degree to which Tennessee teachers who are more racially isolated are more likely to turn over. Accounting for other… more →
Understanding Individualized Education Program (IEP) Goals at Scale
… Students with disabilities represent 15% of U.S. public school students. Individualized Education … experience education. Very little is known about the aspects of IEPs as they are historically paper-based … a coding taxonomy to categorize IEP goals into 10 subjects and 40 skills. We apply the taxonomy to digital IEP records …Students with disabilities represent 15% of U.S. public school students. Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) inform how students with disabilities experience education. Very little is known about the aspects of IEPs as they are historically paper-based forms. In this study, we develop a coding taxonomy to categorize IEP goals into 10 subjects and 40 skills. We apply the taxonomy to digital… more →
The Effect of Taxpayer-Funded Education Savings Accounts on Private School Tuition: Evidence from Iowa
… Does state implementation of Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), which are voucher-like … novel longitudinal dataset for all private schools in Iowa and Nebraska, neighboring states that adopted ESAs in the same legislative session, with Iowa’s implementation …Does state implementation of Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), which are voucher-like taxpayer-funded subsidies for children to attend private schools, increase tuition prices? We analyze a novel longitudinal dataset for all private schools in Iowa and Nebraska, neighboring states that adopted ESAs in the same legislative session, with Iowa’s implementation beginning first. By leveraging state… more →
The Effect of Early Childhood Programs on Third-Grade Test Scores: Evidence from Transitional Kindergarten in Michigan
… Kindergarten (TK) is a relatively recent entrant into the U.S. early education landscape, combining features of public pre-K and regular kindergarten. We provide the first estimates of …Transitional Kindergarten (TK) is a relatively recent entrant into the U.S. early education landscape, combining features of public pre-K and regular kindergarten. We provide the first estimates of the impact of Michigan’s TK program on 3rd grade test scores. Using an augmented regression discontinuity design, we find that TK improves 3rd grade math scores by 0.29 standard deviations relative to… more →
The long-term distributional impacts of a full-year interleaving math program in Nigeria
… This study reports the findings from a year-long randomized evaluation assessing the impact of assigning 62 classrooms in Nigeria to receive either … … K-12 Education … Mathematics education … International and comparative … Instructional practices … Inequality … …This study reports the findings from a year-long randomized evaluation assessing the impact of assigning 62 classrooms in Nigeria to receive either blocked or interleaved math problem sets. Blocked practice sessions focused on a single skill at a time. Interleaved problem sets alternated between different skills within a practice session. On tests of short-term retention, interleaved practice… more →