EdWorkingPapers
Determinants of Ethnic Differences in School Modality Choices during the COVID-19 Crisis
… A growing body of research and popular reporting shows racial differences in school modality choices during the COVID-19 crisis, with white students more likely to …A growing body of research and popular reporting shows racial differences in school modality choices during the COVID-19 crisis, with white students more likely to attend school in person. This in-person learning gap raises serious equity concerns. We use unique panel survey data to explore possible explanations. We find that a combination of factors may explain these differences. School… more →
The Effect of Charter Schools on School Segregation
… We conduct a comprehensive examination of the causal effect of charter schools on school … differences in charter expansion within school systems, and an instrumental variable approach that leverages charter …We conduct a comprehensive examination of the causal effect of charter schools on school segregation, using a triple differences design that utilizes between-grade differences in charter expansion within school systems, and an instrumental variable approach that leverages charter school opening event variation. Charter schools increase school segregation for Black, Hispanic, White, and Asian… more →
Education Leaders’ Knowledge of Causal Research Design: A Measurement Challenge
… Federal policy has both incentivized and supported better use of research evidence by educational leaders. However, the extent to which these leaders are well-positioned to …Federal policy has both incentivized and supported better use of research evidence by educational leaders. However, the extent to which these leaders are well-positioned to understand foundational principles from research design and statistics, including those that underlie the What Works Clearinghouse ratings of research studies, remains an open question. To investigate educational… more →
Can Community Crime Monitoring Reduce Student Absenteeism?
… In this paper we study the impact on student absenteeism of a large school-based community crime monitoring program that employed local community members to monitor and report crime on designated city blocks during students’ …In this paper we study the impact on student absenteeism of a large school-based community crime monitoring program that employed local community members to monitor and report crime on designated city blocks during students’ travel to and from school. We find that the program resulted in a 0.78 percentage point reduction in the school-level absence rate (11 percent effect). We explore two… more →
Sibling Effects on High School Exam Taking and Performance
… Younger siblings take more advanced high school course end of year exams when their older siblings perform better in those same exams. Using a regression discontinuity and data from millions of siblings who take Advanced … are more likely to take at least one AP exam, increase the total number of AP exams, and are more likely to take the …Younger siblings take more advanced high school course end of year exams when their older siblings perform better in those same exams. Using a regression discontinuity and data from millions of siblings who take Advanced Placement (AP) exams, we show that younger siblings with older siblings who marginally “pass” an AP exam are more likely to take at least one AP exam, increase the total… more →
Experimentally Estimated Impacts of School Vouchers on Educational Attainments of Moderately and Severely Disadvantaged Students
… Although qualitative research suggests that school choice and other interventions are more beneficial for moderately disadvantaged than severely deprived students, the subject has barely been explored by quantitative studies … designs. We estimate experimentally the impact of a voucher offer on college attainment of poor minority …Although qualitative research suggests that school choice and other interventions are more beneficial for moderately disadvantaged than severely deprived students, the subject has barely been explored by quantitative studies with either observational or experimental designs. We estimate experimentally the impact of a voucher offer on college attainment of poor minority students by… more →
Child beliefs, societal beliefs, and teacher-student identity match
… beliefs impact teacher-student gender match effects, and how this varies across subjects with different societal … about differential ability by gender. A simple model of belief formation predicts that match effects will be … persist but diminish. This yields policy implications for the assignment of teachers to students. … gender; beliefs; …Children routinely benefit from being assigned a teacher who shares an identity with them, such as gender or ethnicity. We study how student beliefs impact teacher-student gender match effects, and how this varies across subjects with different societal beliefs about differential ability by gender. A simple model of belief formation predicts that match effects will be larger for students who… more →
Teacher peer observation and student test scores: Evidence from a field experiment in English secondary schools
… measured by student test scores, resulting from a program of (zero-) low-stakes peer evaluation. Teachers working at the same school observed and scored each other’s teaching. Students in …This paper reports improvements in teacher job performance, as measured by student test scores, resulting from a program of (zero-) low-stakes peer evaluation. Teachers working at the same school observed and scored each other’s teaching. Students in randomly-assigned treatment schools scored 0.07σ higher on math and English exams (0.09σ lower-bound on TOT). Within each treatment school,… more →
Virtual Advising for High-Achieving High School Students
… selective colleges. We test this approach using a sample of approximately 16,000 high-achieving, low- and middle-income students identified by the College Board and randomly assigned to receive virtual …We examine whether virtual advising – college counseling using technology to communicate remotely – increases postsecondary enrollment in selective colleges. We test this approach using a sample of approximately 16,000 high-achieving, low- and middle-income students identified by the College Board and randomly assigned to receive virtual advising from the College Advising Corps. The offer of… more →
Assessing Permanent School Closures: A Conceptual Framework
… Amid widespread declining enrollment, the expiration of COVID-19 ESSER funding, and looming uncertainty in federal P-12 education …Amid widespread declining enrollment, the expiration of COVID-19 ESSER funding, and looming uncertainty in federal P-12 education involvement, many school districts may soon consider permanent school closures. While extant permanent school closure literature provides a starting point for future analyses, it often fails to advise the breadth of contexts in which future closures may occur,… more →
The Influence of Partisanship in Local School Board Elections: Evidence from Exit Polling in Michigan & Rhode Island
… Education in the U.S. has long been shaped by local school boards elected … data from 839 voters in Michigan (nonpartisan elections) and Rhode Island (partisan elections), we examine how school … … K-12 Education … School districts … The Influence of Partisanship in Local School Board Elections: Evidence …Education in the U.S. has long been shaped by local school boards elected in nonpartisan contests, a structure intended to shield schools from broader political forces. Today, many states are considering reforms to make school board elections partisan, yet the impact on voters remains unclear. Using exit poll data from 839 voters in Michigan (nonpartisan elections) and Rhode Island (partisan… more →
Early Impacts of the FAFSA Requirement in Texas
… complete a financial aid application. This paper examines the early impacts of this requirement on Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion rates and college enrollment using a difference-in-differences …In 2021−22, Texas implemented a policy requiring all public high school seniors to complete a financial aid application. This paper examines the early impacts of this requirement on Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion rates and college enrollment using a difference-in-differences model. First, using a sample of high schools in Texas, I find that the FAFSA requirement… more →
The Differential Sorting of Disadvantaged Students in the Competitive K-12 Market
… for disadvantaged students, but do they take advantage of such options? I study the sorting patterns of students with prior child welfare … across traditional public, magnet, charter, and private schools in a mid-sized city. These students are …School choice options offer potential educational gains for disadvantaged students, but do they take advantage of such options? I study the sorting patterns of students with prior child welfare reports (12 percent of incoming kindergartners) across traditional public, magnet, charter, and private schools in a mid-sized city. These students are significantly less likely to opt out of… more →
Overpoliced? A Descriptive Portrait of School-Based Targeted Police Interventions in New York City
… This study provides a descriptive analysis of police intervention as a response to student behavior in New York City public schools. We find that between the 2016/17 and 2021/22 academic years, arrests and juvenile referrals …This study provides a descriptive analysis of police intervention as a response to student behavior in New York City public schools. We find that between the 2016/17 and 2021/22 academic years, arrests and juvenile referrals decreased while non-detainment-based and psychiatric police interventions increased. However, Black students, especially those enrolled in schools located in predominantly… more →
When Money Matters Most: Unpacking the Effectiveness of School Spending
… lever to increase educational equality by race, ethnicity, and income, but it remains unclear how to target funds most … We use close tax elections in 9 states to identify effects of operating funds and close bond elections in 8 states to … Finance … Inequality … When Money Matters Most: Unpacking the Effectiveness of School Spending …Targeted school funding is a potentially valuable policy lever to increase educational equality by race, ethnicity, and income, but it remains unclear how to target funds most effectively. We use a regression discontinuity approach to compare districts that narrowly passed or failed a school funding election. We use close tax elections in 9 states to identify effects of operating funds and… more →
Grow Your Own: An Umbrella Term for Very Different Localized Teacher Pipeline Programs
… teacher supply, address localized teacher shortages, and diversify the profession. However, little is known about the scale and design of GYO programs, which recruit and support individuals from …“Grow Your Own” (GYO) programs have recently emerged as a promising approach to expand teacher supply, address localized teacher shortages, and diversify the profession. However, little is known about the scale and design of GYO programs, which recruit and support individuals from the local community to become teachers. We conduct a quantitative content analysis to describe 94 GYO initiatives… more →
Interscholastic Policy Debate Promotes Critical Thinking and College-going: Evidence From Boston Public Schools
… extracurricular activity focused on improving middle and high schoolers’ critical thinking, argumentation, and … skills—in Boston schools serving large concentrations of economically-disadvantaged students of color. Student … positive impacts on ELA test scores of 0.13 SD, equivalent to 68% of a full year of average 9th grade learning. Gains …Few interventions reduce inequality in reading achievement, let alone higher order thinking skills, among adolescents. We study “policy debate”—an extracurricular activity focused on improving middle and high schoolers’ critical thinking, argumentation, and policy analysis skills—in Boston schools serving large concentrations of economically-disadvantaged students of color. Student fixed… more →
Cream Skimming and Pushout of Students Participating in a Statewide Private School Voucher Program
… A pervasive issue in the school choice literature is whether schools of choice cream-skim students by enrolling high-achieving, … Berends … School Choice … K-12 Education … Equity … Access and admissions … Markets (vouchers, choice, for-profits, …A pervasive issue in the school choice literature is whether schools of choice cream-skim students by enrolling high-achieving, less challenging, or less costly students. Similarly, schools of choice may “pushout” low-achieving, more challenging, or more costly students. Using longitudinal student-level data from Indiana, we created multiple measures to examine whether there is evidence… more →
Beyond Teachers: Estimating Individual Guidance Counselors’ Effects on Educational Attainment
… common school resource for students navigating complicated and con- sequential education choices. I estimate counselors’ causal effects using quasi-random assignment policies in Massachusetts. … effects on educational attainment are similar in magnitude to teacher effects, but they flow through improved …Counselors are a common school resource for students navigating complicated and con- sequential education choices. I estimate counselors’ causal effects using quasi-random assignment policies in Massachusetts. Counselors vary substantially in their effectiveness at increasing high school graduation and college attendance, selectivity, and persistence. Counselor effects on educational… more →
Teacher Labor Market Equilibrium and Student Achievement
… within a district can increase student achievement, and what policies would help achieve these gains. Using a model of multi-dimensional value-added, we find meaningful … within a district. Using an estimated equilibrium model of the teacher labor market, we find that achieving most of …We study whether reallocating existing teachers across schools within a district can increase student achievement, and what policies would help achieve these gains. Using a model of multi-dimensional value-added, we find meaningful achievement gains from reallocating teachers within a district. Using an estimated equilibrium model of the teacher labor market, we find that achieving most… more →
Online Course-Taking and Expansion of Curricular Options in High Schools
… curricular options when operating at scale. We assess the extent to which students and schools use online courses for this purpose by analyzing … through their own home high school. We find that 7% of high school students in 2013-14 enroll in novel online …A common rationale for offering online courses in K-12 schools is that they allow students to take courses not offered at their schools; however, there has been little research on how online courses are used to expand curricular options when operating at scale. We assess the extent to which students and schools use online courses for this purpose by analyzing statewide, student-course level… more →
School's Out: The Role of Summers in Understanding Achievement Disparities
… Summer learning loss (SLL) is a familiar and much-studied phenomenon, yet new concerns that … Though race/ethnicity and SES only account for about 4% of the variance in SLL, nearly all prior work focuses on …Summer learning loss (SLL) is a familiar and much-studied phenomenon, yet new concerns that measurement artifacts distorted canonical SLL findings create a need to revisit basic research on SLL. Though race/ethnicity and SES only account for about 4% of the variance in SLL, nearly all prior work focuses on these factors. We zoom out to the full spread of differential SLL and its contribution… more →
Effective Teacher Professional Development
… Teacher professional learning is of increasing interest as one way to support the increasingly complex skills students need to succeed in … ineffective in supporting changes in teacher practices and student learning. To identify the features of effective …Teacher professional learning is of increasing interest as one way to support the increasingly complex skills students need to succeed in the 21st century. However, many teacher professional development initiatives appear ineffective in supporting changes in teacher practices and student learning. To identify the features of effective professional development, this paper reviews 35… more →
The Long-Run Impacts of Special Education
… Over 13 percent of US students participate in Special Education (SE) programs annually, at a cost of $40 billion. However, the effect of SE placements remains unclear. This paper uses … … Students with disabilities … Returns to education and skills … Program and policy effects … Standards, …Over 13 percent of US students participate in Special Education (SE) programs annually, at a cost of $40 billion. However, the effect of SE placements remains unclear. This paper uses administrative data from Texas to examine the long-run effect of reducing SE access. Our research design exploits variation in SE placement driven by a state policy that required school districts to reduce SE… more →
Self-Management Skills and Student Achievement Gains: Evidence from California’s CORE Districts
… research on self-management skills shows that measures of self-management predict student success. However, these … describes self-management gaps across student groups, and confirms, at a large scale, the predictive power of self-management for achievement …Existing research on self-management skills shows that measures of self-management predict student success. However, these conclusions are based on small samples or narrowly defined self-management measures. Using a rich longitudinal dataset of 221,840 fourth through seventh grade students, this paper describes self-management gaps across student groups, and confirms, at a large scale, the… more →
STEM Instruction Improvement Programs Improve Student Outcomes
… time? To answer this question, we analyzed a recent wave of rigorous new studies of STEM instructional improvement … teachers can use during instruction: knowledge of the curriculum materials they will use, knowledge of content and how content can be represented for learners, and …How should teachers spend their STEM-focused professional learning time? To answer this question, we analyzed a recent wave of rigorous new studies of STEM instructional improvement programs. We found that programs work best when focused on building knowledge teachers can use during instruction: knowledge of the curriculum materials they will use, knowledge of content and how content can be… more →
A Reanalysis of Impacts of the Tennessee Voluntary Prekindergarten Program
… We present a reanalysis of the Tennessee Voluntary Prekindergarten Program (TNVPK), a … largely null effects on measures of behavior, attendance, and retention collected during elementary school. TNVPK …We present a reanalysis of the Tennessee Voluntary Prekindergarten Program (TNVPK), a state-funded program designed to promote the school readiness of 4-year-olds from low-income families. Oversubscribed programs used a lottery to randomly assign prospective enrollees a chance to attend TNVPK. We found that assignment to the program had largely null effects on measures of… more →
Measuring Conversational Uptake: A Case Study on Student-Teacher Interactions
… In conversation, uptake happens when a speaker builds on the contribution of their interlocutor by, for example, acknowledging, … been linked to higher student achievement. Yet measuring and improving teachers' uptake at scale is challenging, as …In conversation, uptake happens when a speaker builds on the contribution of their interlocutor by, for example, acknowledging, repeating or reformulating what they have said. In education, teachers' uptake of student contributions has been linked to higher student achievement. Yet measuring and improving teachers' uptake at scale is challenging, as existing methods require expensive… more →
Unequal Foundations: Racial Disparities in School Building Conditions in New York State
… often overlooked factor shaping student health, learning, and well-being. This study examines racial disparities in … demographic and fiscal data. Schools serving more students of color are significantly more likely to have poor overall … decomposition shows that local property taxes are the largest contributor to racial gaps in building quality, …School infrastructure is a critical yet often overlooked factor shaping student health, learning, and well-being. This study examines racial disparities in public school building conditions across New York State using data from building inspections linked to demographic and fiscal data. Schools serving more students of color are significantly more likely to have poor overall conditions,… more →
Reclassifying English Learners
… gain sufficient English proficiency to be reclassified and receive instruction without linguistic supports. Though … prior regression discontinuity estimates for the effect of reclassification are estimated too imprecisely to detect …Most English learners (ELs) eventually gain sufficient English proficiency to be reclassified and receive instruction without linguistic supports. Though well-identified, prior regression discontinuity estimates for the effect of reclassification are estimated too imprecisely to detect policy-relevant effects. Applying a student fixed-effect design to data from Indiana, we show that ELs… more →
High Turnover with Low Accountability: Local School Board Elections in 16 States
… We analyze the most comprehensive dataset on U.S. school board elections. We find that nearly half of races go uncontested and that incumbents are reelected more than 80 percent of the …We analyze the most comprehensive dataset on U.S. school board elections. We find that nearly half of races go uncontested and that incumbents are reelected more than 80 percent of the time when they run. Because many incumbents retire instead of running for another term, however, turnover is high (with 53 percent of incumbents replaced in a typical election cycle). School board turnover is… more →
Expanding Access to Highly Effective Educators for All Students: A Review of Recent Evidence
… much more effective than others. Highly effective teachers and their students thrive in ways that have been hard to … six cross-cutting and interrelated themes, suggesting the following key areas of consideration for teacher effectiveness: 1) match and fit; …We have long known that some teachers are much more effective than others. Highly effective teachers and their students thrive in ways that have been hard to replicate on a large and consistent scale. In this paper, we read across studies to identify actionable lessons about what it will take to staff all schools with highly effective educators and to surface directions that are particularly… more →
The Effects of In-School Virtual Tutoring on Student Reading Development: Evidence from a Short-Cycle Randomized Controlled Trial
… 12-week cluster randomized controlled trial that examined the efficacy of BookNook, a virtual tutoring platform focused on reading. … J. Shmoys … Methods … K-12 Education … Tutoring … Reading and literacy education … Program and policy effects … The …This paper describes a 12-week cluster randomized controlled trial that examined the efficacy of BookNook, a virtual tutoring platform focused on reading. Cohorts of first- through fourth-grade students attending six Rocketship public charter schools in Northern California were randomly assigned within grades to receive BookNook. Intent-to-Treat models indicate that students in cohorts… more →
The Stickiness of Pandemic-Driven Disenrollment from Public Schools
… The extent to which pandemic-induced public school enrollment … enrollment had partially recovered for low-income, Black, and Hispanic students, but had declined further for … sticky and varies by chosen alternative. Only 21 percent of those who left for private schools in fall 2020 had …The extent to which pandemic-induced public school enrollment declines will persist is unclear. Student-level data from Michigan through fall 2021 yields three relevant findings. First, relative to pre-pandemic trends, fall 2021 enrollment had partially recovered for low-income, Black, and Hispanic students, but had declined further for non-low-income, White, and Asian students. Second, annual… more →
Online tutoring works: Experimental evidence from a program with vulnerable children
… We provide evidence from a randomized controlled trial on the effectiveness of a novel, 100-percent online math tutoring program, … increased standardized test scores (+0.26 SD) and end-of-year math grades (+0.48 SD), while reducing the …We provide evidence from a randomized controlled trial on the effectiveness of a novel, 100-percent online math tutoring program, targeted at secondary school students from highly disadvantaged neighborhoods. The intensive, eight-week-long program was delivered by qualified math teachers in groups of two students during after-school hours. The intervention significantly increased standardized… more →
A Blueprint for Scaling Tutoring Across Public Schools
… be scaled nationally to address COVID-19 learning loss and become a permanent feature of the U.S. public education system. We outline a blueprint …In this thought experiment, we explore how tutoring could be scaled nationally to address COVID-19 learning loss and become a permanent feature of the U.S. public education system. We outline a blueprint centered on ten core principles and a federal architecture to support adoption, while providing for local ownership over key implementation features. High school students would tutor in… more →
Effects of Charter School Competition on District School Budgeting Decisions: Experimental Evidence from Texas
… The effects of competition from public charter schools on district school … believe that central office staff are in better positions to make school-level budget decisions. Competitive pressures … charter schools on reported desire for budget autonomy and expectations about future school-level spending …The effects of competition from public charter schools on district school budget decisions are theoretically ambiguous. Competitive pressures could increase desired budget autonomy since they give district school leaders more flexibility; however, competition could decrease desired budget autonomy if district school leaders are generally risk-averse or if they believe that central office staff… more →
School District Operational Spending and Student Outcomes: Evidence from Tax Elections in Seven States
… We use close tax elections to estimate the impact of school district funding increases on operational spending and student outcomes across seven states. Districts with …We use close tax elections to estimate the impact of school district funding increases on operational spending and student outcomes across seven states. Districts with passing levies directed new revenue toward support services and instructor salaries but did not increase teacher staffing levels. These districts eventually realized gains in student achievement and attainment. Our preferred… more →
The cost-effectiveness of public charter schools in Texas
… I compare per pupil revenues, expenditures, and performance levels in public charter schools to district-run public schools in Texas for the 2017-18 school year. After controlling for several school … schools. … charter schools; school choice; economics of education; school productivity; education spending … Corey …I compare per pupil revenues, expenditures, and performance levels in public charter schools to district-run public schools in Texas for the 2017-18 school year. After controlling for several school and student characteristics, I find that public charter schools are funded around $1,700 (15 percent) less, and spend around $3,700 (28 percent) less, per pupil than district-run public schools.… more →
Beg to DIFfer: Resolving Statistical Complications of Intersectional DIF Analyses
… (DIF) analyses to ensure fairness in educational and psychological testing. To address previously unrecognized … biases, researchers have recently demonstrated the importance of conducting intersectional DIF analyses that attend to the …Modern test developers conduct differential item functioning (DIF) analyses to ensure fairness in educational and psychological testing. To address previously unrecognized biases, researchers have recently demonstrated the importance of conducting intersectional DIF analyses that attend to the intersectional nature of test-takers’ multiple identities. However, these intersectional DIF… more →
Keeping kids in care: What makes a difference in state CCDF policy?
… play an important role in stabilizing parental employment and helping low- income families access care. With limited … and generosity relate to stability in children’s care in the CCDF program, known as subsidy “spells.”: (1) length of eligibility redetermination; (2) reporting requirements …Child care subsidies play an important role in stabilizing parental employment and helping low- income families access care. With limited federal requirements under CCDBG, states developed divergent subsidy program policies. Our study examines how variations in six state policy levers that capture CCDF administrative burdens and generosity relate to stability in children’s care in the CCDF… more →
Making the Grade: Accounting for Course Selection in High School Transcripts with Item Response Theory
… to high-school transcript data, treating courses as items and grades as ordered responses, to estimate student … strongly with SAT scores, and demonstrates more than twice the SAT’s power to predict college completion — also … transcript factor ( η̂ ) that combines GPA with counts of AP/IB and STEM courses. θ̂ yields narrower racial/ethnic, …We apply Item Response Theory (IRT) to high-school transcript data, treating courses as items and grades as ordered responses, to estimate student transcript strength (θ̂) and course difficulty on a common scale. IRT estimation orders courses plausibly by difficulty, differentiates students with identical GPAs, correlates strongly with SAT scores, and demonstrates more than twice the… more →
IncreasED: How Court Rulings Impact Special Education Identification
… Healthcare services outside of school impact the likelihood of receiving a school-based special education classification and services. Using Massachusetts administrative data on …Healthcare services outside of school impact the likelihood of receiving a school-based special education classification and services. Using Massachusetts administrative data on public school students, this paper employs difference-in-differences to examine the impacts of expanded Medicaid coverage for mental and behavioral healthcare brought by the Rosie D. lawsuit of 2009. Rosie D.… more →
How Early Morning Classes Change Academic Trajectories: Evidence from a Natural Experiment
… in early morning classes lowers students' course grades and the likelihood of future STEM course enrollment. There is a 79% reduction in …Using a natural experiment which randomized class times to students, this study reveals that enrolling in early morning classes lowers students' course grades and the likelihood of future STEM course enrollment. There is a 79% reduction in pursuing the corresponding major and a 26% rise in choosing a lower-earning major, predominantly influenced by early morning STEM classes. To understand the… more →
Clearing Up Transfer Admissions Standards: Impact on Access and Outcomes
… Students’ college choices can affect their chances of earning a degree, but many lack the support to navigate the opaque college application and admissions process. This paper evaluates whether …Students’ college choices can affect their chances of earning a degree, but many lack the support to navigate the opaque college application and admissions process. This paper evaluates whether guaranteeing four-year college admissions based on transparent academic standards affected community college students’ enrollment choices and graduation rates. Guaranteed admissions increased high-GPA… more →
Who Benefits from Remote Schooling? Self-Selection and Match Effects
… We study the distributional effects of remote learning. Our approach combines newly collected … remote learning while also studying selection patterns and treatment effect heterogeneity. We find a negative …We study the distributional effects of remote learning. Our approach combines newly collected data on parental preferences with administrative data from Los Angeles. The preference data allow us to account for selection into remote learning while also studying selection patterns and treatment effect heterogeneity. We find a negative average effect of remote learning on reading (–0.14σ) and… more →
Can Automated Feedback Improve Teachers’ Uptake of Student Ideas? Evidence From a Randomized Controlled Trial In a Large-Scale Online Course
… processing to give teachers feedback on their uptake of student contributions, a high-leverage dialogic teaching … computer science course (n=1,136 instructors), to evaluate the effectiveness of our tool. We find that M-Powering … instructors’ uptake of student contributions by 13% and present suggestive evidence that it also improves …Providing consistent, individualized feedback to teachers is essential for improving instruction but can be prohibitively resource-intensive in most educational contexts. We develop M-Powering Teachers, an automated tool based on natural language processing to give teachers feedback on their uptake of student contributions, a high-leverage dialogic teaching practice that makes students feel… more →
Does Regulating Entry Requirements Lead to More Effective Principals?
… Anecdotal evidence points to the importance of school principals, but the limited existing research has … to investigate both variations in principal performance and the relationship between effectiveness and key …Anecdotal evidence points to the importance of school principals, but the limited existing research has neither provided consistent results nor indicated any set of essential characteristics of effective principals. This paper exploits extensive student-level panel data across six states to investigate both variations in principal performance and the relationship between effectiveness and key… more →
Self-Interest in Public Service: Evidence from School Board Elections
… In this paper, we show that the election of a new school board member causes home values in their … increase is identified using narrowly-decided contests and is driven by non-Democratic members, whose neighborhoods …In this paper, we show that the election of a new school board member causes home values in their neighborhood to rise. This increase is identified using narrowly-decided contests and is driven by non-Democratic members, whose neighborhoods appreciate about 4% on average relative to those of losing candidates. We find that student test scores in the neighborhood public schools of non-… more →
Can learning be measured by phone? Evidence from Kenya
… student learning besides in-person exams. We leverage the administration of phone-based assessments (PBAs) measuring numeracy and literacy for primary school children in Kenya, along with …School closures induced by COVID-19 placed heightened emphasis on alternative ways to measure student learning besides in-person exams. We leverage the administration of phone-based assessments (PBAs) measuring numeracy and literacy for primary school children in Kenya, along with in-person standardized tests administered to the same students prior to school shutdowns, to assess the validity… more →