EdWorkingPapers
Biased Opportunities: The Role of Implicit and Explicit Bias in Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment
… Black and Latinx students are under-represented in Advanced … Placement (AP) and Dual Enrollment (DE), and implicit bias of educators has been discussed as one potential contributing … … Program and policy effects … Biased Opportunities: The Role of Implicit and Explicit Bias in Advanced Placement …Black and Latinx students are under-represented in Advanced Placement (AP) and Dual Enrollment (DE), and implicit bias of educators has been discussed as one potential contributing factor. In this study, I test whether implicit and explicit racial bias are related to AP and DE participation and racial/ethnic gaps in participation, controlling for various observable contextual factors. I find a… more →
Can Personnel Policy Improve Teacher Quality? The Role of Evaluation and the Impact of Exiting Low-Performing Teachers
… evaluation systems have historically failed to identify and remediate low-performing teachers. In 2012, Chicago … teachers. Regression discontinuity estimates indicate that the evaluation reform increased the exit of low-rated tenured teachers by 50 percent. The teacher …Personnel evaluation systems have historically failed to identify and remediate low-performing teachers. In 2012, Chicago Public Schools implemented an evaluation system that incorporated remediation and dismissal plans for low-rated teachers. Regression discontinuity estimates indicate that the evaluation reform increased the exit of low-rated tenured teachers by 50 percent. The teacher labor… more →
Sibling Spillovers in Rural China: A Story of Sisters
… We study sibling spillover effects on the school performance of the elder sibling from the younger sibling using data on … schooling status to parse out the spillover effects and exploit the arbitrary school enrollment eligibility …We study sibling spillover effects on the school performance of the elder sibling from the younger sibling using data on multi-children households in rural China. We use the variation in the younger sibling’s schooling status to parse out the spillover effects and exploit the arbitrary school enrollment eligibility cutoff dates imposed by the Chinese Law of Compulsory Education as exogenous… more →
Does Online Course-taking Increase High School Completion and Open Pathways to Postsecondary Education Opportunities?
… quality online instruction could diminish student learning and discourage persistence toward graduation and further … methods in an eight-year longitudinal study of high school online course-taking, w e find positive … enrollments for all online course-takers, leaving open the question of whether online course-taking will lead to …Recent increases in high school graduation rates have been linked anecdotally to online course-taking for credit recovery. Online course-taking that supports high school completion could open opportunities for postsecondary education pursuits. Alternatively, poorer quality online instruction could diminish student learning and discourage persistence toward graduation and further education. Using… more →
Nearly three decades into the charter school movement, what has research told us about charter schools?
… When charter schools first entered the landscape, the debate was contentious, with both advocates and critics using strong rhetoric. Advocates often sold … this debate, research has evolved over time, with much of the first generation (through about 2005) of research …When charter schools first entered the landscape, the debate was contentious, with both advocates and critics using strong rhetoric. Advocates often sold charter schools as a silver bullet solution for not only the students who attend these schools, but the broader traditional public school system as well. Similarly, critics painted charter schools as an apocalyptic threat to public… more →
Parental Occupational Choice and Children’s Entry into a STEM Field
… We explore the intergenerational occupational transmission between parents and their children as it pertains to entry into the STEM field. Using the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002, we study student’s aspirations to work in a STEM …We explore the intergenerational occupational transmission between parents and their children as it pertains to entry into the STEM field. Using the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002, we study student’s aspirations to work in a STEM field and eventual STEM education and employment. We show how these patterns change depending on whether the student’s parents work in a STEM field. We find strong… more →
The Net Benefits of Raising Bachelor’s Degree Completion through the City University of New York ACE Program
… In 2015, the City University of New York (CUNY) launched a new program— Accelerate, Complete, and Engage (ACE)—aimed at improving college graduation rates. …In 2015, the City University of New York (CUNY) launched a new program— Accelerate, Complete, and Engage (ACE)—aimed at improving college graduation rates. A randomized-control evaluation of the program found a nearly 12 percentage point increase in graduation five years after college entry. Using this impact estimate and national data on earnings by gender, age, and degree status; we estimate… more →
When Does School Autonomy Improve Student Outcomes?
… This paper presents new evidence on the benefits of decentralization in public education, focusing on a … that granted school principals more control over budgeting and operations. Meta-analysis of similar policies shows a …This paper presents new evidence on the benefits of decentralization in public education, focusing on a Chicago policy that granted school principals more control over budgeting and operations. Meta-analysis of similar policies shows a small average effect with significant variation across settings. To explain this heterogeneity, I adopt theories from public finance, contract… more →
Are public housing projects good for kids after all?
… charge that public housing projects concentrate poverty and create neighborhoods with limited opportunities, … including low-quality schools. However, whether the net effect is positive or negative is theoretically … ambiguous and likely to depend on the characteristics of the neighborhood and schools compared to origin …Is public housing bad for children? Critics charge that public housing projects concentrate poverty and create neighborhoods with limited opportunities, including low-quality schools. However, whether the net effect is positive or negative is theoretically ambiguous and likely to depend on the characteristics of the neighborhood and schools compared to origin neighborhoods. In this paper, we draw… more →
Career and Technical Education as a Strategy to Improve Long-term Outcomes for English Language Learners
… Career and Technical Education (CTE) has emerged as a strategy to … data from Massachusetts, this study provides some of the first evidence on ML-ELs’ CTE participation and its …Career and Technical Education (CTE) has emerged as a strategy to enhance college and labor market outcomes for all students, yet little is known about its implications for multilingual students classified as English Learners (ML-ELs). Using longitudinal data from Massachusetts, this study provides some of the first evidence on ML-ELs’ CTE participation and its relationship with long-term… more →
The Causal Effect of Student Absences Post Pandemic: Evidence from Three School Systems
… Researchers, educators, and policymakers have long worried about the consequences of student absences for educational achievement and …Researchers, educators, and policymakers have long worried about the consequences of student absences for educational achievement and attainment—concerns that have grown with the significant rise in absenteeism during and following the Covid-19 pandemic. Using administrative data from Maryland, North Carolina, and a large urban school district, we find that the impact of absences on test scores… more →
Did COVID-19 Shift the “Grammar of Schooling”?
… The immediate impacts of COVID-19 on K12 schooling are well known. Over nearly 18 months, students’ academic performance and mental health deteriorated dramatically. This study aims to identify if and how the pandemic led to longer-term …The immediate impacts of COVID-19 on K12 schooling are well known. Over nearly 18 months, students’ academic performance and mental health deteriorated dramatically. This study aims to identify if and how the pandemic led to longer-term changes in core aspects of schooling. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 31 teachers and administrators across 12 districts in two states, we find that… more →
The Effects of Public Pre-K for 3-year-olds on Early Elementary School Outcomes: Evidence from the DC Centralized Lottery
… This study examines the effects of universal public pre-kindergarten for 3-year-olds (Pre-K3) … enrollment, school mobility, special education status, and in-grade retention from kindergarten through second …This study examines the effects of universal public pre-kindergarten for 3-year-olds (Pre-K3) on later public education outcomes, including enrollment, school mobility, special education status, and in-grade retention from kindergarten through second grade. While universal pre-kindergarten programs typically target 4-year-olds, interest in expanding to 3-year-olds is growing. Using the… more →
Sustained Effects of Small-Group Instruction in Mathematics
… treatment effects on test scores can fade over time, and less is known about the lasting effects of such interventions. We leverage data from a Norwegian …Recent research suggests that using additional teachers to provide small-group instruction or tutoring substantially improves student learning. However, treatment effects on test scores can fade over time, and less is known about the lasting effects of such interventions. We leverage data from a Norwegian large-scale field experiment to examine the effects of small-group instruction in… more →
What Works and For Whom? Effectiveness and Efficiency of School Capital Investments Across the U.S.
… which investments in school facilities help students and are valued by homeowners. Using novel data on school … on average. However, impacts differ vastly across types of funded projects. Spending on basic infrastructure (such as HVAC) or on the removal of pollutants raises test scores but not house …This paper identifies which investments in school facilities help students and are valued by homeowners. Using novel data on school district bonds, test scores, and house prices for 29 U.S. states and a research design that exploits close elections with staggered timing, we show that increased school capital spending raises test scores and house prices on average. However, impacts differ vastly… more →
Explaining the Productivity Paradox: Experimental Evidence from Educational Technology
… Explaining the productivity paradox—the phenomenon where an introduction of information and communication technology (ICT) does not lead to …Explaining the productivity paradox—the phenomenon where an introduction of information and communication technology (ICT) does not lead to improvements in labor productivity—is difficult, as changes in technology often coincide with adjustments to working hours and substitution of labor. I conduct a cluster-randomized trial in India to investigate the effects of a program that provides teachers… more →
EMERGEing Educational Opportunities: The Effects of Social Capital and Nudging on Selective College Outcomes
… There is a growing debate in social science and education policy research on how to improve college … do not and suggest that students may need more support in the college search and choice processes. Using a regression … effects on applying to a selective college, the number of applications submitted to selective colleges, and …There is a growing debate in social science and education policy research on how to improve college access for high-performing students from low-income or first-generation backgrounds. While some studies suggest that providing information to students impacts college access, other studies do not and suggest that students may need more support in the college search and choice processes. Using a… more →
New Schools and New Classmates: The Disruption and Peer Group Effects of School Reassignment
… policies to improve educational outcomes by altering the socio-economic and academic skill composition of schools. We exploit the quasi-random reassignment of …Policy makers periodically consider using student assignment policies to improve educational outcomes by altering the socio-economic and academic skill composition of schools. We exploit the quasi-random reassignment of students across schools in the Wake County Public School System to estimate the academic and behavioral effects of being reassigned to a different school and, separately, of… more →
Navigating Remote Delivery of Assessments for Head Start Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic
… agencies nationwide continue to experience closures and/or conversions to virtual or hybrid instruction due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the importance of understanding young children’s learning and development …Many preschool agencies nationwide continue to experience closures and/or conversions to virtual or hybrid instruction due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the importance of understanding young children’s learning and development during the COVID emergency, limited knowledge exists on adaptable practices of assessing young children during the pandemic. We detail practices used to assess… more →
Can Schools Change Religious Attitudes? Evidence from German State Reforms of Compulsory Religious Education
… affects students' religiosity as adults. We exploit the staggered termination of compulsory religious education across German states in models with state and cohort fixed effects. Using three different datasets, we …We study whether compulsory religious education in schools affects students' religiosity as adults. We exploit the staggered termination of compulsory religious education across German states in models with state and cohort fixed effects. Using three different datasets, we find that abolishing compulsory religious education significantly reduced religiosity of affected students in adulthood. It… more →
Distribution of Education Savings Accounts Usage Among Families: Evidence from the Florida Gardiner Program
… mechanisms that allow for families to receive a deposit of public funds to a government-authorized savings account. … data, this paper examines how families participating in the Florida Gardiner Scholarship Program use education … shares increase for curriculum, instruction, tutoring, and specialized services. Students in rural areas not only …Education savings accounts (ESAs) are education funding mechanisms that allow for families to receive a deposit of public funds to a government-authorized savings account. Using student-level longitudinal data, this paper examines how families participating in the Florida Gardiner Scholarship Program use education savings account funds. Results indicate that families use an increasing proportion… more →
Building Experience and Retention: The influence of principal tenure on teacher retention rates
… This study investigates the influence of principal tenure on the retention rates of the teachers … they hire over time. We analyzed the hiring practices and teacher retention rates of 11,717 Texas principals from …This study investigates the influence of principal tenure on the retention rates of the teachers they hire over time. We analyzed the hiring practices and teacher retention rates of 11,717 Texas principals from 1999 to 2017 employing both individual and year fixed effects. Main findings indicate that a principal who stays in the same school for at least three years begins to hire teachers who… more →
The Non-Democratic Roots of Mass Education: Evidence from 200 Years
… its provision. But primary education can also serve the goals of autocrats, including redistribution, promoting loyalty, nation-building, and/or industrialization. To examine the relationship between …Because primary education is often conceptualized as a pro-poor redistributive policy, a common argument is that democratization increases its provision. But primary education can also serve the goals of autocrats, including redistribution, promoting loyalty, nation-building, and/or industrialization. To examine the relationship between democratization and education provision empirically, I… more →
Pre-Service Teacher Quality and Workforce Entry
… Using rich longitudinal data from one of the largest teacher education programs in Texas, we … the measurement of pre-service teacher (PST) quality and its relationship with entry into the K–12 public school …Using rich longitudinal data from one of the largest teacher education programs in Texas, we examine the measurement of pre-service teacher (PST) quality and its relationship with entry into the K–12 public school teacher workforce. Drawing on rubric-based observations of PSTs during clinical teaching, we find that little of the variation in observation scores is attributable to actual… more →
Shifting Alliances in State Political Parties: The Case of Education Interest Groups
… Political parties in the U.S. are composed of networks of interest groups, according to the extended … time. In 2000, teachers unions were the dominant group and aligned with Democrats. Meanwhile, Republicans lacked …Political parties in the U.S. are composed of networks of interest groups, according to the extended party network theory. Scholars have focused on national extended party networks. We use the case of education interest groups to explore how policy environments shape party networks on the state level. Using 145,000 campaign contributions from 2000 to 2017, we show that the alignment of education… more →
The Effect of Universal Free School Meals on Child BMI
… We estimate the effect of universal free school meal access through the Community … for free or reduced-priced meals can offer freebreakfast and lunchto all students. With administrative data from a …We estimate the effect of universal free school meal access through the Community Eligibility Program (CEP) on child BMI. Through the CEP, schools with high percentages of students qualified for free or reduced-priced meals can offer freebreakfast and lunchto all students. With administrative data from a large school district in Georgia, we use student-level BMI measures from the FitnessGram to… more →
The Short- and Long-Run Impacts of Secondary School Absences
… We provide novel evidence on the causal impacts of student absences in middle and high school on state test scores, course grades, and …We provide novel evidence on the causal impacts of student absences in middle and high school on state test scores, course grades, and educational attainment using a rich administrative dataset that tracks the date and class period of each absence. We use two similar but distinct identification strategies that address potential endogeneity due to time-varying student-level shocks by exploiting… more →
Social Spending and Educational Gaps in Infant Health in the United States, 1998-2017
… Recent expansions of child tax, food assistance and health insurance programs … while researchers and policymakers continue to debate the best way to support families via the welfare state. How …Recent expansions of child tax, food assistance and health insurance programs have made American families’ need for a robust social safety net highly evident, while researchers and policymakers continue to debate the best way to support families via the welfare state. How much do children – and which children – benefit from social spending? Using the State-by-State Spending on Kids Dataset,… more →
Integrated Student Support and Student Achievement: A Replication Study
… progress for economically disadvantaged students (Duncan and Murnane, 2016). Because schools alone have limited capacity to address the systemic nature of economic inequalities that directly affects student …Growing up in poverty presents numerous nonacademic barriers that impede academic progress for economically disadvantaged students (Duncan and Murnane, 2016). Because schools alone have limited capacity to address the systemic nature of economic inequalities that directly affects student outcomes, policymakers and researchers in recent years have increased calls for the use of comprehensive,… more →
When interventions don’t move the needle: Insights from null results in education research
… on improving learning, they can learn not only from when and where interventions work—but also from why they sometimes … strategy to address learning delays from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, scaling these promising … day. Using random assignment, we evaluate the impacts of one such program for 3rd through 8th grade students in a …As school districts focus on improving learning, they can learn not only from when and where interventions work—but also from why they sometimes do not. Policymakers widely embraced high-impact tutoring as an evidence-supported strategy to address learning delays from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, scaling these promising practices can be difficult, and not all implementations will be effective… more →
Keep Me In, Coach: The Short- and Long-Term Effects of Targeted Academic Coaching
… academic supports such as coaching or mentoring. Proactive and intensive coaching interventions are effective, but are … Using a difference-in-discontinuity design, we show that the program raises students’ first-year GPA by 14.6% of a standard deviation, and decreases the probability of …To boost college graduation rates, policymakers often advocate for academic supports such as coaching or mentoring. Proactive and intensive coaching interventions are effective, but are costly and difficult to scale. We evaluate a relatively lower-cost group coaching program targeted at first-year college students placed on academic probation. Participants attend a workshop where coaches aim to… more →
Altered Attitudes and Actions: Social-Emotional Effects of Multiple Arts Field Trips
… In recent decades, institutions, teachers, and students report a decline in field trip attendance. The impact of this decline on educational and societal outcomes such as …In recent decades, institutions, teachers, and students report a decline in field trip attendance. The impact of this decline on educational and societal outcomes such as social-emotional skill acquisition is unknown. Social-emotional learning (SEL) are skills thought to be important to life and relationship success and are associated with better long-term student outcomes. This study describes… more →
Choosing Schools in Choice Neighborhoods: Impacts of Student Mobility, School Composition, and Case Management on Academic Outcomes
… This study examines the academic impacts of the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative (CNI), a federal … focusing on how case management, student mobility, and school compositional change intersect to shape outcomes. …This study examines the academic impacts of the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative (CNI), a federal public housing revitalization program, focusing on how case management, student mobility, and school compositional change intersect to shape outcomes. Using an eight-year student-level panel (2015–2023), we estimate three-way fixed effects models that account for school year, grade, and individual… more →
Using experimental variation to examine the (co-)development of cognitive and social-emotional skills in early childhood
… Questions about the stability of psychological constructs, skill generalization, and transfer have long motivated psychological research. … cognitive and social-emotional skills in early childhood using longitudinal randomized controlled trial data from the …Questions about the stability of psychological constructs, skill generalization, and transfer have long motivated psychological research. Despite a proliferation of theory, the field has rarely established causal effects. We employed a novel approach to test the stability and codevelopment of cognitive and social-emotional skills in early childhood using longitudinal randomized controlled trial… more →
Going the Distance or Growing More Remote? The Academic Impacts of Course Modality following Pandemic-Era Investments
… Since the COVID-19 pandemic, distance education has rapidly expanded, transforming the landscape of community colleges. This paper explores how different … Community College District (LACCD), one of the largest and most diverse systems in the United States. With the …Since the COVID-19 pandemic, distance education has rapidly expanded, transforming the landscape of community colleges. This paper explores how different online learning modalities impact student success in the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), one of the largest and most diverse systems in the United States. With the purpose of providing actionable insights to community college… more →
Unlocking College Potential: The Role of Student Expectations and Non-Cognitive Skills in College Success
… a significant human capital investment but only about 60% of those who start college will have a completed degree six years later. This makes identifying the skills associated with college success an important … over 1,100 entering college freshmen, majoring in business and engineering at a public university in the US, and …Attending college is a significant human capital investment but only about 60% of those who start college will have a completed degree six years later. This makes identifying the skills associated with college success an important policy concern. We surveyed over 1,100 entering college freshmen, majoring in business and engineering at a public university in the US, and combined this information… more →
Did Mathematics Achievement Gaps for Students with Disabilities Widen after the Introduction of the Common Core and its Aligned Assessments?
… This study addresses the important yet underexplored question of whether the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics, which emphasize critical thinking and problem-solving, as well as the computer-based …This study addresses the important yet underexplored question of whether the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics, which emphasize critical thinking and problem-solving, as well as the computer-based assessments aligned with the Common Core, have facilitated or hindered learning for students with disabilities. By analyzing administrative data from a large county in California, we track… more →
Untapped Potential? Understanding the Paraeducator-to-Teacher Pipeline and its Potential for Diversifying the Teacher Workforce
… Paraeducators are among the largest categories of public education employees and are increasingly seen as a pool of potential teachers. …Paraeducators are among the largest categories of public education employees and are increasingly seen as a pool of potential teachers. However, little is known about paraeducator-to-teacher transitions. Using statewide administrative data, we show that while paraeducators may be more racially/ethnically diverse than the teacher workforce, Black and Hispanic paraeducators are less likely than… more →
The Teacher Labor Market in Context: What We Can Learn from Nurses
… theories to explain supposed declines in teaching quality: the expansion of labor market opportunities for women, low relative wages, compressed compensation structures, and substituting quantity for quality. We synthesize these …Researchers have posited various theories to explain supposed declines in teaching quality: the expansion of labor market opportunities for women, low relative wages, compressed compensation structures, and substituting quantity for quality. We synthesize these previous theories and expand on the current literature by incorporating a useful comparison group: the nursing workforce. We document… more →
"Trial and error" and "trudging up a hill": Superintendents' beliefs about and engagement in state education policymaking
… research study explores superintendents’ beliefs about and engagement in state education policymaking processes. … interviews with 58 superintendents and a national survey of superintendents, I find that many superintendents feel … state capitol, and (3) district size. This work can guide the development of formal educational opportunities and …This mixed methods research study explores superintendents’ beliefs about and engagement in state education policymaking processes. Through interviews with 58 superintendents and a national survey of superintendents, I find that many superintendents feel that their voices have value in state policymaking spaces; however, superintendents’ actual engagement in state policymaking processes is… more →
For-profit milk in nonprofit cartons? The case of nonprofit charter schools subcontracting with for-profit education management organizations
… in name but not in fact. We consider this concern in the context of nonprofit charter schools, which sometimes subcontract … on for-profit operators affects student achievement and attendance. The results indicate that nonprofit charters …There is growing concern that some nonprofit public service providers may be nonprofit in name but not in fact. We consider this concern in the context of nonprofit charter schools, which sometimes subcontract their daily operations to for-profit management organizations. We use unique data from Ohio to study how nonprofit charter schools’ reliance on for-profit operators affects student… more →
The impact of school desegregation on White individuals' racial attitudes and politics in adulthood
… how school desegregation by race following Brown v. Board of Education affected White individuals’ racial attitudes and politics in adulthood. I use geocoded nationwide data from the General Social Survey and differences-in-differences to …In this paper I study how school desegregation by race following Brown v. Board of Education affected White individuals’ racial attitudes and politics in adulthood. I use geocoded nationwide data from the General Social Survey and differences-in-differences to identify causal impacts. Integration significantly reduced White individuals’ political conservatism as adults in the U.S. South but not… more →
Challenges and Tradeoffs of “Good” Teaching: The Pursuit of Multiple Educational Outcomes
… The pursuit of multiple educational outcomes makes teaching a complex craft subject to potential conflicts and competing commitments. Using a dataset in which teachers were randomly assigned to …The pursuit of multiple educational outcomes makes teaching a complex craft subject to potential conflicts and competing commitments. Using a dataset in which teachers were randomly assigned to students paired with videotapes of instruction, we both document and unpack such a tradeoff. Upper-elementary teachers who excel at raising students’ math test scores often are less successful at improving… more →
Learning-Mode Choice, Student Engagement, and Achievement Growth During the COVID-19 Pandemic
… The COVID-19 pandemic initially resulted in an unanticipated and near-universal shift from in-person to virtual … and virtual-learning data to examine the determinants of family learning-mode choice and the effects of virtual …The COVID-19 pandemic initially resulted in an unanticipated and near-universal shift from in-person to virtual instruction in spring 2020. During the 2020-21 school year, schools began to re-open and families were faced with decisions regarding the instructional mode for their children. We leverage administrative, survey, and virtual-learning data to examine the determinants of family learning-… more →
A Meta-Analysis of the Experimental Evidence Linking STEM Classroom Interventions to Teacher Knowledge, Classroom Instruction, and Student Achievement
… interventions in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) can increase student achievement, … student learning. We present results from a meta-analysis of 37 experimental studies of preK-12 STEM professional … on student achievement, on average. Findings highlight the positive effects of STEM instructional interventions on …Despite growing evidence that classroom interventions in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) can increase student achievement, there is little evidence regarding how these interventions affect teachers themselves and whether these changes predict student learning. We present results from a meta-analysis of 37 experimental studies of preK-12 STEM professional learning and… more →
Bringing Transparency to Predictive Analytics: A Systematic Comparison of Predictive Modeling Methods in Higher Education
… to target at-risk students for additional support. Most of the predictive analytic applications in higher education … important dimensions: (1) different approaches to sample and variable construction and how these affect model …Colleges have increasingly turned to predictive analytics to target at-risk students for additional support. Most of the predictive analytic applications in higher education are proprietary, with private companies offering little transparency about their underlying models. We address this lack of transparency by systematically comparing two important dimensions: (1) different approaches to sample… more →
Free and reduced-price meal eligibility does not measure student poverty: Evidence and policy significance
… Free and reduced-price meal (FRM) enrollment is commonly used in … education research and policy applications as an indicator of student poverty. However, using multiple data sources external to the school system, we show that FRM status is a poor proxy …Free and reduced-price meal (FRM) enrollment is commonly used in education research and policy applications as an indicator of student poverty. However, using multiple data sources external to the school system, we show that FRM status is a poor proxy for poverty, with enrollment rates far exceeding what would be expected based on stated income thresholds for program participation. This is true… more →
The effects of higher-stakes teacher evaluation on office disciplinary referrals
… Despite frequent political and policy debates, the effects of imposing accountability pressures on public school …Despite frequent political and policy debates, the effects of imposing accountability pressures on public school teachers are empirically indeterminate. In this paper, we study the effects of accountability in the context of teacher responses to student behavioral infractions in the aftermath of teacher evaluation reforms. We leverage cross-state variation in the timing of state policy… more →
The Unwavering SES Achievement Gap: Trends in U.S. Student Performance
… Concerns about the breadth of the U.S. income distribution and limited intergenerational …Concerns about the breadth of the U.S. income distribution and limited intergenerational mobility have led to a focus on educational achievement gaps by socio-economic status (SES). Uintertemporally linked assessments from NAEP, TIMSS, and PISA, we trace the achievement of U.S. student cohorts born between 1954 and 2001. Achievement gaps between the top and bottom deciles and the top… more →
Curricular-Credential Decoupling: How Schools Respond to Career and Technical Education Policy
… This study examines College and Career Readiness (CCR) policy implementation through the lens of decoupling. We investigate how high schools have jointly …This study examines College and Career Readiness (CCR) policy implementation through the lens of decoupling. We investigate how high schools have jointly implemented Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Industry-Based Certifications (IBCs), and whether there is evidence of curricular-credential decoupling via misalignment between the subject-areas of students’ CTE course and IBC completion.… more →