EdWorkingPapers
School Segregation, Teacher Sorting, and the Distribution of Teachers
… The distribution of teaching effectiveness across schools is fundamental to understanding how schools can address disparities in educational outcomes. Research and policy have recognized the importance of teaching …The distribution of teaching effectiveness across schools is fundamental to understanding how schools can address disparities in educational outcomes. Research and policy have recognized the importance of teaching effectiveness for decades. Five stylized facts predict that teachers should be differentially allocated across schools such that poor, Black and Hispanic students are taught by less… more →
The Revealed Preferences for School Reopening: Evidence from Public-School Disenrollment
… Before the 2020-21 school year, educators, policymakers, and parents confronted the stark and uncertain trade-offs … by the health, educational, and economic consequences of offering instruction remotely, in person, or through a …Before the 2020-21 school year, educators, policymakers, and parents confronted the stark and uncertain trade-offs implied by the health, educational, and economic consequences of offering instruction remotely, in person, or through a hybrid of the two. Most public schools in the U.S. chose remote-only instruction and enrollment fell dramatically (i.e., a loss of roughly 1.1 million K-12 students… more →
All States Close but Red Districts Reopen: The Politics of In-Person Schooling during the COVID-19 Pandemic
… The COVID-19 pandemic created enormous challenges for public education. We assess the role of political factors and public health in state and local education decisions, …The COVID-19 pandemic created enormous challenges for public education. We assess the role of political factors and public health in state and local education decisions, especially the continuation of learning during COVID-19. Using an original dataset of state education policies since the start of the pandemic, we find that governors took the lead on ordering school closures in Spring 2020 but… more →
What Limits College Success? A review and further analysis of Holzer and Baum’s ‘Making College Work’
… Holzer and Baum’s recent book, ‘Making College Work: Pathways to … Students ,’ provides an excellent up-to-date review of higher education. My review first summarizes its key … themes: 1) who gains from college and why? 2) mismatch and the need for more structure; 3) problems with remediation; 4) …Holzer and Baum’s recent book, ‘Making College Work: Pathways to Success for Disadvantaged Students,’ provides an excellent up-to-date review of higher education. My review first summarizes its key themes: 1) who gains from college and why? 2) mismatch and the need for more structure; 3) problems with remediation; 4) financial barriers and 5) the promise of comprehensive support. I then… more →
Sustaining a Sense of Success: The Protective Role of Teacher Working Conditions During the COVID-19 Pandemic
… COVID-19 shuttered schools across the United States, upending traditional approaches to … experiences during emergency remote teaching in the spring of 2020 using responses to a working conditions survey from a sample of 7,841 teachers across 206 schools and 9 states. Teachers reported a range of challenges related …COVID-19 shuttered schools across the United States, upending traditional approaches to education. We examine teachers’ experiences during emergency remote teaching in the spring of 2020 using responses to a working conditions survey from a sample of 7,841 teachers across 206 schools and 9 states. Teachers reported a range of challenges related to engaging students in remote learning and… more →
Collective Racial Bias and the Black-White Test Score Gap
… This study examines the relationship between county-level estimates of implicit racial bias and black-white test score gaps in U.S. schools. Data from …This study examines the relationship between county-level estimates of implicit racial bias and black-white test score gaps in U.S. schools. Data from over 1 million respondents from across the United States who completed an online version of the Race Implicit Association Test (IAT) were combined with data from the Stanford Education Data Archive covering over 300 million test scores from U.S.… more →
The Role of Course Delivery Modality in Dual Enrollment
… offered in high school, can be delivered using a variety of modalities. Conducted in North Carolina, this study uses a statewide dataset to examine participation in and outcomes for three different delivery modalities for … Technical Education (CTE) dual enrollment courses: 1) on the college campus; 2) online; and 3) at a high school/other …Dual enrollment, or college courses offered in high school, can be delivered using a variety of modalities. Conducted in North Carolina, this study uses a statewide dataset to examine participation in and outcomes for three different delivery modalities for general academic courses and Career and Technical Education (CTE) dual enrollment courses: 1) on the college campus; 2) online; and 3) at a… more →
Indiana Charter School Performance During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic
… The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted schooling nationwide and contributed to substantial declines in student … and after the pandemic. This study estimates the effect of attending a charter school on student achievement growth …The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted schooling nationwide and contributed to substantial declines in student achievement. At the same time, enrollment patterns shifted and charter school sectors expanded in several states, raising questions about whether charter schools were better positioned to support student learning during and after the pandemic. This study estimates the effect of attending a… more →
Time to Transfer: Long-Term Effects of a Sustained and Spiraled Content Literacy Intervention in the Elementary Grades
… We investigated the effectiveness of a sustained and spiraled content literacy intervention …We investigated the effectiveness of a sustained and spiraled content literacy intervention that emphasizes building domain and topic knowledge schemas and vocabulary for elementary-grade students. The Model of Reading Engagement (MORE) intervention underscores thematic lessons that provide an intellectual structure for helping students connect new learning to a general schema in Grade 1 (animal… more →
Operational Funding and Early Educator Wage Growth: Evidence from Massachusetts
… Early educators are among the lowest-paid workers in the United States, in part because most early care and education (ECE) programs operate within constrained … for operational expenses, including workforce investments. Using monthly application data submitted by center-based ECE …Early educators are among the lowest-paid workers in the United States, in part because most early care and education (ECE) programs operate within constrained business models. In Massachusetts, the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) program distributes noncompetitive grants to licensed providers that can be used for operational expenses, including workforce investments. Using monthly… more →
A Meta-Analysis of the Experimental Evidence Linking Mathematics and Science Professional Development Interventions to Teacher Knowledge, Classroom Instruction, and Student Achievement
… professional development interventions in mathematics and science can increase student achievement, our understanding of the mechanisms by which this occurs – particularly how …Despite evidence that teacher professional development interventions in mathematics and science can increase student achievement, our understanding of the mechanisms by which this occurs – particularly how these interventions affect teachers themselves, and the extent to which teacherlevel changes predict student learning – remains limited. The current meta-analysis synthesizes 46 experimental… more →
Within-School Heterogeneity in Quality: Do Schools Provide Equal Value Added to All Students?
… Low-socioeconomic status (SES), minority, and male students perform worse than their high-SES, … achievement gaps. Using individual-level data on the universe of public-school students in California, I estimate school …Low-socioeconomic status (SES), minority, and male students perform worse than their high-SES, non-minority, and female peers on standardized tests. This paper investigates how within-school differences in school quality contribute to these educational achievement gaps. Using individual-level data on the universe of public-school students in California, I estimate school quality using a value… more →
The Impact of Armed Conflict on College Students
… Given the spike of homicides in conflict zones of Colombia after the 2016 … the causal effect of violence on college test scores. Using a difference-in-difference design with heterogeneous … in violence had a negative effect on college learning, and how this negative effect is mediated by factors such as …Given the spike of homicides in conflict zones of Colombia after the 2016 peace agreement, I study the causal effect of violence on college test scores. Using a difference-in-difference design with heterogeneous effects, I show how this increase in violence had a negative effect on college learning, and how this negative effect is mediated by factors such as poverty, college major, degree type,… more →
Going the Distance: Exploring Variation in Access to High-Quality PreK by Geographic Proximity, Race/Ethnicity, Family Income, and Home Language
… This study leverages six years of public prekindergarten (PreK) and kindergarten data (N = 22,469) from the Boston Public Schools (BPS) to examine enrollment in BPS …This study leverages six years of public prekindergarten (PreK) and kindergarten data (N = 22,469) from the Boston Public Schools (BPS) to examine enrollment in BPS PreK from 2012–2017 for students from different racial/ethnic, socioeconomic, and linguistic groups. The largest differences in enrollment emerged with respect to race and ethnicity—and for enrollment in programs in higher-quality… more →
Estimating Treatment Effects with the Explanatory Item Response Model
… This simulation study examines the characteristics of the Explanatory Item Response Model (EIRM) when estimating … effects when compared to classical test theory (CTT) sum and mean scores and item response theory (IRT)-based theta …This simulation study examines the characteristics of the Explanatory Item Response Model (EIRM) when estimating treatment effects when compared to classical test theory (CTT) sum and mean scores and item response theory (IRT)-based theta scores. Results show that the EIRM and IRT theta scores provide generally equivalent bias and false positive rates compared to CTT scores and superior… more →
Choice and Change: The Implications of Charter School Expansion for School and Neighborhood Diversity in NYC
… In this paper we estimate the effect of charter schools on the diversity of nearby traditional public schools (TPSs) and neighborhoods in New York City. We employ a …In this paper we estimate the effect of charter schools on the diversity of nearby traditional public schools (TPSs) and neighborhoods in New York City. We employ a difference-in-differences approach that exploits the differences in the expansion of the charter sector between grades in the same school. This approach allows us to isolate the effect of charter schools from other neighborhood… more →
Who Wants to Reopen Schools in a Pandemic? Explaining Public Preferences Reopening Schools and Public Compliance with Reopening Orders During the COVID-19 Pandemic
… Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the decision to reopen schools for … drive public support for schools re-opening in person, and whether members of the public are any more or less willing to comply with …Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the decision to reopen schools for in-person instruction has become a highly salient policy issue. This study examines what overall factors drive public support for schools re-opening in person, and whether members of the public are any more or less willing to comply with school re-opening decisions based on their own preferences and the level of government from… more →
The role of student effort on performance in PISA: Revisiting the gender gap in achievement
… International assessments are important to benchmark the quality of education across countries. However, on low-stakes tests, … to explain test scores heterogeneity across countries and by gender groups. Our results highlight the importance of …International assessments are important to benchmark the quality of education across countries. However, on low-stakes tests, students’ incentives to invest their maximum effort may be minimal. Research stresses that ignoring students’ effort when interpreting results from low-stakes assessments can lead to biased interpretations of test performance across groups of examinees. We use data from… more →
A Kindergarten Lottery Evaluation of Core Knowledge Charter Schools: Should Building General Knowledge Have a Central Role in Educational and Social Science Research and Policy?
… The Core Knowledge curriculum is a K-8 curriculum focused on … in that is hypothesized to increase reading comprehension and Reading/English-LA achievement. This study utilizes an experimental design to evaluate the long term effects of attending Charter schools teaching the Core Knowledge …The Core Knowledge curriculum is a K-8 curriculum focused on building students General Knowledge about the world they live in that is hypothesized to increase reading comprehension and Reading/English-LA achievement. This study utilizes an experimental design to evaluate the long term effects of attending Charter schools teaching the Core Knowledge curriculum. Fourteen oversubscribed kindergarten… more →
O Brother, Where Start Thou? Sibling Spillovers on College and Major Choice in Four Countries
… Family and social networks are widely believed to influence … siblings’ college options, we present evidence from the United States, Chile, Sweden and Croatia that older … a better college increases a younger sibling’s probability of enrolling in college at all, especially for families with …Family and social networks are widely believed to influence important life decisions but identifying their causal effects is notoriously difficult. Using admissions thresholds that directly affect older but not younger siblings’ college options, we present evidence from the United States, Chile, Sweden and Croatia that older siblings’ college and major choices can significantly influence their… more →
Teachers of Color, Culturally Responsive Teaching, and Student Outcomes: Experimental Evidence from the Random Assignment of Teachers to Classes
… Black teachers are critical resources for our children and schools. Pairing experimental data with rich measures of teacher mindsets and practices and varied student … teachers in upper-elementary grades have large effects on the self-efficacy and classroom engagement of their Black …Black teachers are critical resources for our children and schools. Pairing experimental data with rich measures of teacher mindsets and practices and varied student outcomes, I document that: (1) Black teachers in upper-elementary grades have large effects on the self-efficacy and classroom engagement of their Black students (0.7 and 0.8 SD) but not for non-Black students, potentially driven by… more →
A Family Affair: The Effects of College on Parent and Student Finances
… for college is often a family affair, with both parents and students contributing. We study the effects of college on family finances using administrative data on …Paying for college is often a family affair, with both parents and students contributing. We study the effects of college on family finances using administrative data on the universe of federal aid applicants in California linked to credit records. We provide the first comprehensive analysis of how both students and their parents use debt with college attendance and how prices affect those… more →
Year-Round School Calendars: Effects on Summer Learning, Achievement, Parents, Teachers, and Property Values
… Year-round school calendars take the usual 175-180 instruction days of the school year and redistribute them, replacing the usual schedule – nine …Year-round school calendars take the usual 175-180 instruction days of the school year and redistribute them, replacing the usual schedule – nine months on, three months off – with a more “balanced” schedule of short instruction periods alternating with shorter breaks across all four seasons of the year. Over the past three decades, the number of schools using year-round calendars has increased… more →
How Free Market Logic Fails in Schooling— and What It Means for the Role of Government
… especially school vouchers, are expanding rapidly and shifting students out of traditional public schools. This essay broadens, deepens, and updates prior critiques of the free market logic in five ways. First, while prior …Market-based policies, especially school vouchers, are expanding rapidly and shifting students out of traditional public schools. This essay broadens, deepens, and updates prior critiques of the free market logic in five ways. First, while prior articles have pointed to some of the conditions necessary for efficient market functioning, I provide a more comprehensive list. Second, with an up-to-… more →
Improving school management in low and middle income countries: a systematic review
… Improving school quality in low and middle income countries (LMICs) is a global priority. One way to improve quality may be to improve the management skills of school leaders. In this systematic review, we analyze the …Improving school quality in low and middle income countries (LMICs) is a global priority. One way to improve quality may be to improve the management skills of school leaders. In this systematic review, we analyze the impact of interventions targeting school leaders' management practices on student learning. We begin by describing the characteristics and responsibilities of school leaders using… more →
McCleary at Twelve: Examining Policy Designs Following Court-Mandated School Finance Reform in Washington State
… litigation challenging state school finance systems, and in over half the cases, judges ruled the systems unconstitutional and … In 2012, state supreme court judges ruled in favor of plaintiff school districts in McCleary v. Washington State …All fifty U.S. state constitutions include language that guarantees residents’ access to a free public education. Plaintiffs in all but two states have brought litigation challenging state school finance systems, and in over half the cases, judges ruled the systems unconstitutional and mandated state legislators to provide more equitable and adequate funding. In 2012, state supreme court judges… more →
On-the-Job Learning: How Peers and Experience Drive Productivity among Teachers
… Workers learn on the job from both repetition and peers. Less understood is how specific types of experience and peer characteristics affect on-the-job …Workers learn on the job from both repetition and peers. Less understood is how specific types of experience and peer characteristics affect on-the-job learning. This likely differs by context (e.g., occupation, tasks, or roles). Absent such knowledge, it is unclear how to optimally assign workers to tasks and peers. We examine on-the-job learning among elementary school teachers. We focus on… more →
Same Idea, Shifting Standards: An Experimental Study of Racial-Ethnic Biases in Ambitious Math Teaching
… Teacher expectations and judgments about student capabilities are predictive of student achievement, yet such judgments may be influenced … math teaching may also invite teacher biases due to the emphasis on student-generated inputs and ideas. In this …Teacher expectations and judgments about student capabilities are predictive of student achievement, yet such judgments may be influenced by salient dimensions of student identity and invite biases. Moreover, ambitious math teaching may also invite teacher biases due to the emphasis on student-generated inputs and ideas. In this pre-registered audit experiment, we investigate teacher biases in a… more →
Distance to Degrees: How College Proximity Shapes Students’ Enrollment Choices and Attainment Across Race-Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status
… Leveraging rich data on the universe of Texas high school graduates, we estimate how the relationship between geographic access to public two- and four-year postsecondary institutions and postsecondary …Leveraging rich data on the universe of Texas high school graduates, we estimate how the relationship between geographic access to public two- and four-year postsecondary institutions and postsecondary outcomes varies across race-ethnicity and socioeconomic status. We find that students are sensitive to the distance they must travel to access public colleges and universities, but there are… more →
Local Licensure and Teacher Shortage: Policy Analysis and Implications
… We use frame analysis to analyze the first iteration of the Texas District of Innovation policy, which allows … state certified teacher. We analyzed 451 district policies and find the plans use very similar, and sometimes identical, …We use frame analysis to analyze the first iteration of the Texas District of Innovation policy, which allows districts to take exemption from state education requirements mandating the hiring of a state certified teacher. We analyzed 451 district policies and find the plans use very similar, and sometimes identical, language to frame both the problem of teacher shortage and their proposed… more →
The Heterogeneous and Longer-Term Effects of the Great Recession on Public School District Finances
… During the Great Recession and in the years that immediately followed, previous research … that U.S. public school districts receiving larger shares of their funding from state governments experienced larger …During the Great Recession and in the years that immediately followed, previous research has well-documented that U.S. public school districts receiving larger shares of their funding from state governments experienced larger declines in expenditures per student, as the GR impacted state tax bases more than it impacted local tax bases. Using detailed financial data from the academic years 2004 to… more →
In School, Engaged, On-track? The Effect of the Pandemic on Student Attendance, Course Grades, and Grade Retention in North Carolina
… The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on students’ experiences in school … show reductions in test scores across grade levels and student groups. This study extends research evidence to … how pandemic effects are distributed across students. Using a combination of descriptive and regression analyses, …The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on students’ experiences in school were widespread. Early research show reductions in test scores across grade levels and student groups. This study extends research evidence to additional student outcomes – absences, course grades, and grad retention – and to examine how pandemic effects are distributed across students. Using a combination of descriptive and… more →
The contribution of short-cycle programs to student outcomes: Evidence from Colombia
… lasting two or three years, capture about a quarter of higher education enrollment in the world and can play a key role enhancing workforce skills. In this …Short-cycle higher education programs (SCPs), lasting two or three years, capture about a quarter of higher education enrollment in the world and can play a key role enhancing workforce skills. In this paper, we estimate the program-level contribution of SCPs to student academic and labor market outcomes, and study how and why these contributions vary across programs. We exploit unique… more →
Assessing School District Decision-Making: Evidence from the COVID-19 Pandemic
… The COVID-19 pandemic drew new attention to the role of school boards in the U.S. In this paper, we examine school districts' choices of learning modality -- whether and when to offer in-person, virtual, or hybrid instruction …The COVID-19 pandemic drew new attention to the role of school boards in the U.S. In this paper, we examine school districts' choices of learning modality -- whether and when to offer in-person, virtual, or hybrid instruction -- over the course of the 2020-21 pandemic school year. The analysis takes advantage of granular weekly data on learning mode and COVID-19 cases for Ohio school districts.… more →
Teacher Policy and Racial/Ethnic Gaps in Access to Advanced Coursework: Evidence from Across the United States
… signal to college admissions officers, helps reduce the cost and time to complete a post-secondary degree, and increases … economic, and policy factors that are predictive of racial gaps in AP enrollment and access to DE across the …Advanced course-taking in high school sends an important signal to college admissions officers, helps reduce the cost and time to complete a post-secondary degree, and increases educational attainment and future earnings. However, Black and Hispanic students in the U.S. are underrepresented in Advanced Placement coursework and dual enrollment (i.e. early college). In this paper, we systematically… more →
Improving Average Treatment Effect Estimates in Small-Scale Randomized Controlled Trials
… Researchers often include covariates when they analyze the results of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), valuing the increased … to better model the relationship between the covariates and the outcomes. We conclude with a simulation, which …Researchers often include covariates when they analyze the results of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), valuing the increased precision of the estimates over the potential of inducing small-sample bias when doing so. In this paper, we develop a sufficient condition which ensures that the inclusion of covariates does not cause small-sample bias in the effect estimates. Using this result as a… more →
The Design of Promises: The Structure of Local College Affordability Programs in the United States
… (provision), where they may be used (applicability), and who may use them (eligibility). We perform three sets of … and more/less universal eligibility by examining the internal consistency of these sets of program rules. That … education … Higher education … The Design of Promises: The Structure of Local College Affordability …We analyze 314 local college affordability programs (i.e., “Promise” or “free college” programs) using a novel dataset detailing, for each program, rules stipulating what programs provide (provision), where they may be used (applicability), and who may use them (eligibility). We perform three sets of analyses. First, we ask whether programs can be cogently described as involving greater or lesser… more →
Scaffolding Middle-School Mathematics Curricula With Large Language Models
… highquality curriculum scaffolds, which we define as the adaptations and supplements teachers employ to ensure all students can … higher than those created by expert teachers in terms of alignment to learning objectives, accessibility to …Despite well-designed curriculum materials, teachers often face challenges implementing them due to diverse classroom needs. This paper investigates whether large language models (LLMs) can support middle school math teachers by helping create highquality curriculum scaffolds, which we define as the adaptations and supplements teachers employ to ensure all students can access and engage with the… more →
Impacts of Oversubscribed Boston Pre-K Programs through Middle School
… In this pre-registered study, we explored the impacts of Boston Pre-K on children’s educational trajectories, school progress/engagement, and academic achievement in late elementary and middle school …In this pre-registered study, we explored the impacts of Boston Pre-K on children’s educational trajectories, school progress/engagement, and academic achievement in late elementary and middle school using lotteries for oversubscribed schools in 2007-2011 (N=3,092 students; 24% of all applicants). Importantly, the program was unique nationally in its strong supports for teachers and in its use of… more →
From Population Growth to Demographic Scarcity: Emerging Challenges to Global Primary Education Provision in the Twenty-first Century
… Demographic pressures are reshaping the challenges faced by primary education systems around the … ways that carry significant implications for the landscape of global educational inequality. We first demonstrate highly … school size have emerged as child populations plateau and decline and decisions are made about system …Demographic pressures are reshaping the challenges faced by primary education systems around the world in ways that carry significant implications for the landscape of global educational inequality. We first demonstrate highly disequalizing demographic pressures on the world's educational systems today: persistent expansionary pressures burden some of the world's least-resourced educational… more →
Troublemakers? The Role of Frequent Teacher Referrers in Expanding Racial Disciplinary Disproportionalities
… Teachers’ sense-making of student behavior determines whether students get in trouble and are formally disciplined. Status categories, such as … can influence perceptions of student culpability, but the degree to which teachers’ initial identification of …Teachers’ sense-making of student behavior determines whether students get in trouble and are formally disciplined. Status categories, such as race, can influence perceptions of student culpability, but the degree to which teachers’ initial identification of student misbehavior exacerbates racial disproportionality in discipline receipt is unknown.This study provides the first systematic… more →
The Unintended Cost of Distance Learning: An Analysis of Child Maltreatment
… Education personnel play a crucial role in identifying and reporting child maltreatment. However, school closures … variations in remote learning instructional weeks in the United States during the 2020-21 school year. Utilizing … instruction experienced fewer screened-in allegations of school-aged children, but a higher substantiated …Education personnel play a crucial role in identifying and reporting child maltreatment. However, school closures amid COVID-19 pandemic disrupted this vital reporting system. I causally investigate how remote learning influenced trends in child maltreatment reports and risks, leveraging county-level variations in remote learning instructional weeks in the United States during the 2020-21 school… more →
The Role of State Education Regulation: Evidence from the Texas Districts of Innovation Statute
… Traditional public schools in the United States must comply with a variety of regulations on educational inputs like teacher certification, maximum class sizes, and restrictions on staff contracts. Absent regulations, …Traditional public schools in the United States must comply with a variety of regulations on educational inputs like teacher certification, maximum class sizes, and restrictions on staff contracts. Absent regulations, policymakers fear that troubled districts would make inappropriate decisions that would harm students. However, it is also possible that strict regulations hinder schools from… more →
Federal Stimulus Aid and School Finance: Lessons from the Great Recession
… In 2009, the federal government passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to combat the effects of the Great Recession and state revenue shortfalls, …In 2009, the federal government passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to combat the effects of the Great Recession and state revenue shortfalls, directing over $97 billion to school districts. In this chapter, we draw lessons from this distribution of fiscal stimulus funding to inform future federal intervention in school finance during periods of economic downturn. We find… more →
Mixed-Delivery Public Prekindergarten: Differences in Demographics, Quality, and Children’s Gains in Community-Based versus Public School Programs across Five Large-Scale Systems
… systems, with classrooms in both public schools and community-based settings. However, experts have long … City, Seattle, New Jersey, and West Virginia) to conduct the most comprehensive descriptive study of prekindergarten setting differences to date. Our public …Nearly all states with public prekindergarten programs use mixed-delivery systems, with classrooms in both public schools and community-based settings. However, experts have long raised concerns about systematic inequities by setting within these public systems. We used data from five large-scale such systems that have taken steps to improve equity by setting (Boston, New York… more →
The Effect of Four-Day School Week Adoption on Teacher Retention and Sorting
… As teacher shortages worsen across the U.S., many school districts have implemented a unique solution to attract and retain effective teachers: switching from the traditional … week to a four-day school week (4DSW). I use 17 years of teacher-level employment data from Texas in a …As teacher shortages worsen across the U.S., many school districts have implemented a unique solution to attract and retain effective teachers: switching from the traditional five-day school week to a four-day school week (4DSW). I use 17 years of teacher-level employment data from Texas in a difference-in-differences analysis to examine whether the 4DSW truly affects teacher retention and… more →
Exploring the Relationship Between Test-Optional Admissions and Selectivity and Enrollment Outcomes During the Pandemic
… colleges implemented test-optional admissions during the pandemic, making college entrance exam scores optional … applicants. We draw on descriptive, two-way fixed effects, and event study methods to examine variation in test-optional implementation during …Most selective colleges implemented test-optional admissions during the pandemic, making college entrance exam scores optional for applicants. We draw on descriptive, two-way fixed effects, and event study methods to examine variation in test-optional implementation during the pandemic and how implementation relates to selectivity and enrollment. For “test-optional” colleges during the pandemic,… more →
Does Feedback on Talk Time Increase Student Engagement? Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial on a Math Tutoring Platform
… to express their thinking is pivotal to their learning of mathematical concepts. We introduce the Talk Meter, which provides in-the-moment automated … while in the other arm we show it to both the student and the tutor. We find that the Talk Meter increases student …Providing ample opportunities for students to express their thinking is pivotal to their learning of mathematical concepts. We introduce the Talk Meter, which provides in-the-moment automated feedback on student-teacher talk ratios. We conduct a randomized controlled trial on a virtual math tutoring platform (n=742 tutors) to evaluate the effectiveness of the Talk Meter at increasing student talk… more →
College Counseling in the Classroom: Randomized Evaluation of a Teacher-Based Approach to College Advising
… Guidance counselors provide the main source of college advising for low-income high school students, but … school seniors on postsecondary enrollment, persistence, and degree receipt. The course teaches about postsecondary …Guidance counselors provide the main source of college advising for low-income high school students, but are woefully understaffed in high-need schools. This paper evaluates an approach to school-based college advising that relies on teachers rather than counselors. Using a randomized control trial in sixty-two Michigan high schools, I estimate the effects of a college planning course for high… more →
Intersecting Inequalities: Racial/Ethnic and Socioeconomic Differences in Math Achievement and School Contexts in California
… documents inequalities in educational opportunity and achievement by students’ race/ethnicity or socioeconomic … educational inequalities. We advance this burgeoning line of scholarship by charting math achievement trajectories and … Our findings show that SES does not translate into the same contextual or achievement advantages for students of …Past research extensively documents inequalities in educational opportunity and achievement by students’ race/ethnicity or socioeconomic status (SES). Less scholarship focuses on how race/ethnicity and SES interact and jointly contribute to educational inequalities. We advance this burgeoning line of scholarship by charting math achievement trajectories and school socioeconomic composition by… more →