EdWorkingPapers
Did Spending Cuts During the Great Recession Really Cause Student Outcomes to Decline?
… Jackson, Wigger, and Xiong (2020a, JWX) provide evidence that education spending reductions following the Great Recession had widespread negative impacts on … and attainment. This paper describes our process of duplicating JWX and highlights a variety of tests we …Jackson, Wigger, and Xiong (2020a, JWX) provide evidence that education spending reductions following the Great Recession had widespread negative impacts on student achievement and attainment. This paper describes our process of duplicating JWX and highlights a variety of tests we employ to investigate the nature and robustness of the relationship between school spending reductions and student… more →
The Dynamic Effects of a Summer Learning Program on Behavioral Engagement in School
… The evidence that student learning declines sharply (or … two subjects, have modest effects on students’ achievement and no impact on measures of their engagement in school. In this quasi-experimental …The evidence that student learning declines sharply (or stagnates) during the summer has motivated a substantial interest in programs that provide intensive academic instruction during the summer. However, the existing literature suggests that such programs, which typically focus on just one or two subjects, have modest effects on students’ achievement and no impact on measures of their… more →
What Factors Drive Individual Misperceptions of the Returns to Schooling in Tanzania? Some Lessons for Education Policy
… Evidence on educational returns and the factors that determine the demand for schooling in … variable methods, we find that each additional year of schooling in Tanzania increases earnings, on average, by 9 …Evidence on educational returns and the factors that determine the demand for schooling in developing countries is extremely scarce. We use two surveys from Tanzania to estimate both the actual and perceived schooling returns and subsequently examine what factors drive individual misperceptions regarding actual returns. Using ordinary least squares and instrumental variable methods, we find… more →
College Now...or Later: Measuring the Effects of Dual Enrollment on Postsecondary Access and Success
… that earning college credits in high school increases the likelihood of postsecondary progress and graduation. In this study, we measure the impact of dual …Research suggests that earning college credits in high school increases the likelihood of postsecondary progress and graduation. In this study, we measure the impact of dual enrollment in high school and college courses through the College Now (CN) program on college enrollment for students in New York City. We use a regression discontinuity design (RDD) that estimates the causal local… more →
Government Privatization and Political Participation: The Case of Charter Schools
… Governments around the world have privatized public services in the name of efficiency and citizen empowerment, but some argue that privatization …Governments around the world have privatized public services in the name of efficiency and citizen empowerment, but some argue that privatization could also affect citizen participation in democratic governance. We explore this possibility by estimating the impact of charter schools (which are publicly funded but privately operated) on school district elections. The analysis indicates that the… more →
The Effects and Local Implementation of School Finance Reforms on Teacher Salary, Hiring and Turnover
… salary schedule changes affect teacher recruitment and retention will significantly advance our understanding of how resources matter for K-12 student learning. This study … funding changes in Washington state in 2018-19—induced by the McCleary court-ordered reform—affected teacher salaries …Knowing how policy-induced salary schedule changes affect teacher recruitment and retention will significantly advance our understanding of how resources matter for K-12 student learning. This study sheds light on this issue by estimating how legislative funding changes in Washington state in 2018-19—induced by the McCleary court-ordered reform—affected teacher salaries and labor market… more →
Proactive student support using artificially intelligent conversational chatbots: The importance of targeting the technology
… We examine through a field experiment whether outreach and support provided through an AI-enabled chatbot can reduce … at a four-year university and at a community college. At the four-year college, the chatbot increased overall success … financial aid processes, such that student take up of educational loans increased by four percentage points. …We examine through a field experiment whether outreach and support provided through an AI-enabled chatbot can reduce summer melt and improve first-year college enrollment at a four-year university and at a community college. At the four-year college, the chatbot increased overall success with navigating financial aid processes, such that student take up of educational loans increased by four… more →
The Impact of Tutor Gender Match on Girls’ STEM Interest, Engagement, and Performance
… girls perform as well in STEM in school as boys, highlight the potential importance of preconceived views of STEM work in these difference and the potential need for role models to upend these views. …Persistent gender disparities in STEM fields, even when young girls perform as well in STEM in school as boys, highlight the potential importance of preconceived views of STEM work in these difference and the potential need for role models to upend these views. In this study, we investigate whether female math tutors positively influence girls’ STEM interest, attendance, and math performance.… more →
Is Effective Teacher Evaluation Sustainable? Evidence from DCPS
… Ten years ago, many policymakers viewed the reform of teacher evaluation as a highly promising mechanism to improve teacher effectiveness and student achievement. Recently, that enthusiasm has dimmed …Ten years ago, many policymakers viewed the reform of teacher evaluation as a highly promising mechanism to improve teacher effectiveness and student achievement. Recently, that enthusiasm has dimmed as the available evidence suggests the subsequent reforms had a mixed record of implementation and efficacy. Even in districts where there was evidence of efficacy, the early promise of teacher… more →
Closing the Gaps: An Examination of Early Impacts of Dallas ISD’s Opt-out Policy on Advanced Course Enrollment
… to subsequent academic outcomes, well-qualified Students of Color are less likely than White students to take advanced … secondary school. One policy that has gained traction is the “opt-out” policy. Traditionally, qualified students must opt-in to enroll in advanced coursework, and many qualified students - particularly those of color - …While there is consensus that taking advanced coursework in high school is strongly related to subsequent academic outcomes, well-qualified Students of Color are less likely than White students to take advanced high school courses. K12 schools have sought strategies to encourage more qualified Students of Color to take advanced courses in secondary school. One policy that has gained traction… more →
What is the impact of changing schools on the academic outcomes of elementary and middle school students?
… We study how different kinds of school changes shape achievement in grades 4–8 using data … districts (2016–17 through 2019–20). We estimate the effects of structural (promotional), nonstructural summer, and midyear moves and find that structural and summer moves …We study how different kinds of school changes shape achievement in grades 4–8 using data from six California districts (2016–17 through 2019–20). We estimate the effects of structural (promotional), nonstructural summer, and midyear moves and find that structural and summer moves have near-zero effects on ELA and math, while midyear moves lower ELA by 0.073 SD and math by 0.083 SD. Midyear… more →
Disentangle the Curriculum and Structural Effects of Math Pathway Reforms: Evidence from Maryland Community College System
… This study evaluates the impact of Maryland's Mathematics Reform Initiative (MMRI), which sought to improve student success in developmental and college-level math through comprehensive curriculum and …This study evaluates the impact of Maryland's Mathematics Reform Initiative (MMRI), which sought to improve student success in developmental and college-level math through comprehensive curriculum and structural reforms. Launched in 2015, the MMRI developed and implemented non-algebra math pathways tailored to students’ chosen program of study. Using administrative data of Maryland community… more →
Weighing Risks: How Families of Disabled Children Made School Choices During the Pandemic
… (Cooper, 2025; Posey-Maddox et al., 2021) to examine the positions from which families of disabled and multiply-marginalized children make educational choices. …In this paper, we show how positionality shapes caregivers’ decisions about children’s schooling, by expanding on research on Black families’ educational decision-making (Cooper, 2025; Posey-Maddox et al., 2021) to examine the positions from which families of disabled and multiply-marginalized children make educational choices. The families of disabled children in our sample made holistic,… more →
Results from NCME Survey on Revisions to the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing
… The Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing have served as a cornerstone for … on Measurement in Education (NCME) conducted a survey to gather feedback from its members regarding potential … the Standards, ensuring broad relevancy to many types of assessment, and accommodating various psychometric …The Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing have served as a cornerstone for best practices in assessment. As the field evolves, so must these standards, with regular revisions ensuring they reflect current knowledge and practice. The National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) conducted a survey to gather feedback from its members regarding potential updates to the 2014… more →
Skills and Earnings: A Multidimensional Perspective on Human Capital
… The multitude of tasks performed in the labor market requires skills in … in the labor market. This paper examines the returns to cognitive, personality, and social skills as three important dimensions of basic …The multitude of tasks performed in the labor market requires skills in many dimensions. Traditionally, human capital has been proxied primarily by educational attainment. However, an expanding body of literature highlights the importance of various skill dimensions for success in the labor market. This paper examines the returns to cognitive, personality, and social skills as three important… more →
The Politics of Teachers' Union Endorsements
… supported by local teachers' unions overwhelmingly win and we examine the causes and consequences of the "teachers' union premium" in these elections. First, …School board candidates supported by local teachers' unions overwhelmingly win and we examine the causes and consequences of the "teachers' union premium" in these elections. First, we show that union endorsement information increases voter support. Although the magnitude of this effect varies across ideological and partisan subgroups, an endorsement never hurts a candidate's prospects among… more →
Foreign Student Share and Supply of STEM-Designated Economics Programs
… Over the past decade, there has been a significant increase in the number of U.S. institutions offering STEM-eligible degree programs … the trends in STEM-degree offerings across degree levels and examines the share of foreign students and other …Over the past decade, there has been a significant increase in the number of U.S. institutions offering STEM-eligible degree programs in economics. This paper documents the trends in STEM-degree offerings across degree levels and examines the share of foreign students and other characteristics of institutions that offer STEM-eligible programs. Using a difference-in-differences design, this… more →
Classifying Courses at Scale: a Text as Data Approach to Characterizing Student Course-Taking Trends with Administrative Transcripts
… Students’ postsecondary course-taking is of interest to researchers, yet has been difficult to study … or state systems. This paper uses machine learning and natural language processing to standardize college transcripts at scale. We demonstrate the approach’s utility by showing how the disciplinary …Students’ postsecondary course-taking is of interest to researchers, yet has been difficult to study at large scale because administrative transcript data are rarely standardized across institutions or state systems. This paper uses machine learning and natural language processing to standardize college transcripts at scale. We demonstrate the approach’s utility by showing how the disciplinary… more →
The Benefits of Math Corequisite Support for Academic Outcomes for Students in Texas
… An increasing body of robust evidence concludes that corequisite remediation in math and English is a cost-effective alternative to traditional … and potentially better persistence and completion. This is the first study to disentangle the impacts of the two main …An increasing body of robust evidence concludes that corequisite remediation in math and English is a cost-effective alternative to traditional developmental education, offering improved immediate course progression and potentially better persistence and completion. This is the first study to disentangle the impacts of the two main elements of the corequisite model: accelerated college course… more →
M-Powering Teachers: Natural Language Processing Powered Feedback Improves 1:1 Instruction and Student Outcomes
… 1:1 with instructors at an increasing scale, most of these instructors do not receive effective, consistent … their uptake of student contributions, talk time and questioning practices — in a 1:1 online learning context. … platform for high schoolers (n=414 mentors) to evaluate the effectiveness of the feedback tool. We find that the …Although learners are being connected 1:1 with instructors at an increasing scale, most of these instructors do not receive effective, consistent feedback to help them improved. We deployed M-Powering Teachers, an automated tool based on natural language processing to give instructors feedback on dialogic instructional practices —including their uptake of student contributions, talk time and… more →
Descriptive evidence on school leaders' prior professional experiences and instructional effectiveness
… Many education policymakers and system leaders prioritize recruiting and developing … leaders, however, relatively little is understood about the prior professional experiences and skillsets that … positions. In this descriptive paper, we use 14 years of administrative data on all educators in Oregon to trace …Many education policymakers and system leaders prioritize recruiting and developing effective school leaders as key mechanisms to improve school climate and student learning. Despite efforts to select and support successful school leaders, however, relatively little is understood about the prior professional experiences and skillsets that principals possess upon entry into their positions. In… more →
Heterogeneity in Labor Market Returns to Master’s Degrees: Evidence from Ohio
… Graduate education is among the fastest growing segments of the U.S. higher educational system. This paper provides … evidence on labor market returns to Master’s degrees and examines heterogeneity in the returns by field area, …Graduate education is among the fastest growing segments of the U.S. higher educational system. This paper provides up-to-date causal evidence on labor market returns to Master’s degrees and examines heterogeneity in the returns by field area, student demographics and initial labor market conditions. We use rich administrative data from Ohio and an individual fixed effects model that compares… more →
Test-Based Accountability and the Effectiveness of School Finance Reforms
… that had test-based accountability policies in place at the time. By incentivizing school improvement, accountability … gets spent. Our empirical approach leverages the timing of school finance reforms to compare funding impacts on … role of accountability incentives in education production and the mechanisms supporting the effectiveness of school …A recent literature provides new evidence that school resources are important for student outcomes. In this paper, we show that school finance reform-induced increases in student performance are driven by those states that had test-based accountability policies in place at the time. By incentivizing school improvement, accountability systems (such as the federal No Child Left Behind act) may… more →
Racial Disparities in Pre-K Quality: Evidence from New York City’s Universal Pre-K Program
… to almost 70,000 children, is ambitious in both scale and implementation speed. We provide new evidence on the distribution of pre-K quality in NYC by student race/ethnicity, and …New York City’s universal pre-kindergarten program, which increased full-day enrollment from 19,000 to almost 70,000 children, is ambitious in both scale and implementation speed. We provide new evidence on the distribution of pre-K quality in NYC by student race/ethnicity, and investigate the extent to which observed differences are associated with the spatial distribution of higher-quality… more →
Teacher Evaluation, Ambitious Mathematics Instruction, and Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching: Evidence from Early Career Teachers
… been central to efforts to enhance teaching quality over the past decade, little is known about how teachers change … this question, this paper drew on classroom observation and survey data to examine how early career teachers’ (ECTs’) perceptions of pressure associated with teacher evaluation policies …While teacher evaluation policies have been central to efforts to enhance teaching quality over the past decade, little is known about how teachers change their instructional practices in response to such policies. To address this question, this paper drew on classroom observation and survey data to examine how early career teachers’ (ECTs’) perceptions of pressure associated with teacher… more →
School Segregation At The Classroom Level In A Southern 'New Destination' State
… administrative data for public schools, we document racial and ethnic segregation at the classroom level in North Carolina, a state that has … the within-school component accounted for a sizable share of total segregation in middle schools and high schools. …Using detailed administrative data for public schools, we document racial and ethnic segregation at the classroom level in North Carolina, a state that has experienced a sharp increase in Hispanic enrollment. We decompose classroom-level segregation in counties into within-school and between-school components. We find that the within-school component accounted for a sizable share of total… more →
Using a Factorial Design to Maximize the Effectiveness of a Parental Text Messaging Intervention
… to encourage at-home reading, school-attendance, and other educational behaviors. These interventions, which … components, frequently demonstrate varying amounts of effectiveness, and researchers often cannot determine how … Using a 2x2x3 factorial experiment, we investigate the effects of individual and interacted components from …Parental text messaging interventions are growing in popularity to encourage at-home reading, school-attendance, and other educational behaviors. These interventions, which often combine multiple components, frequently demonstrate varying amounts of effectiveness, and researchers often cannot determine how individual components work alone or in combination with one another. Using a 2x2x3… more →
Heterogeneity of item-treatment interactions masks complexity and generalizability in randomized controlled trials
… Researchers use test outcomes to evaluate the effectiveness of education interventions across numerous randomized … the sum of correct responses—are compared across treatment and control groups to determine whether an intervention has …Researchers use test outcomes to evaluate the effectiveness of education interventions across numerous randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Aggregate test data—for example, simple measures like the sum of correct responses—are compared across treatment and control groups to determine whether an intervention has had a positive impact on student achievement. We show that item-level data and… more →
Can Camp Get You Into a Good Secondary School? A Field Experiment of Targeted Instruction in Kenya
… for this exam is a high priority for Kenyan families and educators. To increase the share of students gaining entry to these schools, some educational …Access to quality secondary schooling can be life-changing for students in developing contexts. In Kenya, entrance to such schools has historically been determined by performance on a high-stakes exam. Understandably then, preparation for this exam is a high priority for Kenyan families and educators. To increase the share of students gaining entry to these schools, some educational providers… more →
Challenges and opportunity: An examination of barriers to postsecondary academic success
… Community colleges are a critical component of the U.S. higher education system, providing access to … to completion stemming from educational, economic, and social inequities persist. Building on prior work that …Community colleges are a critical component of the U.S. higher education system, providing access to students from traditionally underserved communities. However, enduring challenges to completion stemming from educational, economic, and social inequities persist. Building on prior work that examines barriers to student success and their relationship to student outcomes, this descriptive study… more →
A Half Century of Progress in U. S. Student Achievement: Agency and Flynn Effects; Ethnic and SES Differences
… as to whether U. S. student performance has changed over the past half century. To inform conversations, agents … seven million psychometrically linked tests in math (m) and reading (rd) in 160 survey waves to national probability samples of cohorts born between 1954 and 2007. Estimated change in …Principals (policymakers) disagree as to whether U. S. student performance has changed over the past half century. To inform conversations, agents administered seven million psychometrically linked tests in math (m) and reading (rd) in 160 survey waves to national probability samples of cohorts born between 1954 and 2007. Estimated change in standard deviations (sd) per decade varies by agent… more →
Neighborhood Effects on STEM Major Choice
… This paper provides causal evidence that the neighborhoods where students grow up play a significant … on STEM fields. Using administrative data from Texas and variation in the timing of school moves across counties and districts, we estimate …This paper provides causal evidence that the neighborhoods where students grow up play a significant role in shaping their college major choices, focusing on STEM fields. Using administrative data from Texas and variation in the timing of school moves across counties and districts, we estimate the impact of neighborhood exposure on the likelihood of pursuing a STEM major. We find that students… more →
Let’s Chat: Leveraging Chatbot Outreach for Improved Course Performance
… This study reports on the causal effects of using a non-generative artificial intelligence (AI) … chatbot to provide course-specific, proactive outreach and support to students in large-enrollment undergraduate …This study reports on the causal effects of using a non-generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot to provide course-specific, proactive outreach and support to students in large-enrollment undergraduate courses. Across both an American Government and Microeconomics course, students randomly assigned to receive chatbot messaging were four percentage points more likely to earn an A or B in… more →
Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due: Causal Impacts of Reverse Transfer Associate Degrees on Education and Labor Market Outcomes
… with an associate degree may not only increase motivation and persistence en route to completing a bachelor’s but may also provide important labor market benefits by way of increased marketability and earnings potential. Despite the proliferation of reverse transfer policies across at …Reverse transfer associate degrees are credentials retroactively awarded to current bachelor’s degree seekers that combine current four-year credits with credits previously earned at a community college. Providing students with an associate degree may not only increase motivation and persistence en route to completing a bachelor’s but may also provide important labor market benefits by way of… more →
Portraying Governance: Demographic Misalignment in University Board Representation
… boards are important bodies with far-reaching powers over the institutions they oversee. Yet little is known about individual board members, how the composition of boards varies across institutions, or whether boards are … higher education boards nationwide. Using this dataset and the text of bylaws of boards, I show that while boards …Higher education governing boards are important bodies with far-reaching powers over the institutions they oversee. Yet little is known about individual board members, how the composition of boards varies across institutions, or whether boards are at all representative of their institutional populations. In this paper, I introduce a novel dataset that includes individual-level details about… more →
SEEDS of Early Learning: A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Early Literacy Teacher Professional Development Program
… NORC at the University of Chicago designed and implemented an impact evaluation of … oral language, literacy, and social-emotional outcomes. Using a clustered randomized controlled trial design, the …NORC at the University of Chicago designed and implemented an impact evaluation of the SEEDS of Learning (SEEDS) professional development (PD) program on behalf of the Kenneth Rainin Foundation, in collaboration with Kidango. SEEDS of Learning is an evidence-based PD program that prepares early childhood educators to help children develop the social-emotional, language, and emergent literacy… more →
Time in School: A Conceptual Framework, Synthesis of the Causal Research, and Empirical Exploration
… We examine the fundamental and complex role that time plays in the learning process. We … the causal research and document a clear positive effect of additional time on student achievement typically of small …We examine the fundamental and complex role that time plays in the learning process. We begin by developing a conceptual framework to elucidate the multiple obstacles schools face in converting total time in school into active learning time. We then synthesize the causal research and document a clear positive effect of additional time on student achievement typically of small to medium… more →
How and Why Do Estimates of US Education Finance Progressivity Change with School-Level Finance Data?
… is school spending when spending is measured at the school-level, instead of the district-level? We use the first dataset on … that are empirically attributable to special education and English language learning programs. Our findings are thus …How progressive is school spending when spending is measured at the school-level, instead of the district-level? We use the first dataset on school-level spending across schools throughout the United States to ask to what extent progressivity patterns previously examined across districts are amplified, nullified, or reversed, upon disaggregation to schools. We find that progressivity is… more →
Engaging Girls in Math: The Unequal Effects of Text Messaging to Help Parents Support Early Math Development
… This study assesses the effects of two text messaging programs for parents that aim to … approach but focuses on a combination of math, literacy, and social-emotional skills. We find no evidence that the …This study assesses the effects of two text messaging programs for parents that aim to support the development of math skills in prekindergarten students. One program focuses purely on math, while the other takes an identical approach but focuses on a combination of math, literacy, and social-emotional skills. We find no evidence that the math-only program benefits children’s math development… more →
Understanding how COVID-19 has Changed Teachers’ Chances of Remaining in the Classroom
… The 2020-2021 academic year was a trying year for teachers. We use a nationally representative sample of teachers from the RAND American Teacher Panel to document … with teachers’ consideration of leaving the profession and high levels of job burnout during the pandemic. …The 2020-2021 academic year was a trying year for teachers. We use a nationally representative sample of teachers from the RAND American Teacher Panel to document that teachers’ stated consideration of leaving the profession increased during the pandemic. We also study factors associated with teachers’ consideration of leaving the profession and high levels of job burnout during the pandemic.… more →
The Long-Run Educational Benefits of High-Achieving Classrooms
… Despite the prevalence of school tracking, evidence on whether it improves student … within high school impacts high-achieving students’ short- and longer-term academic outcomes. Our setting is a large and …Despite the prevalence of school tracking, evidence on whether it improves student success is mixed. This paper studies how tracking within high school impacts high-achieving students’ short- and longer-term academic outcomes. Our setting is a large and selective Chinese high school, where first-year students are separated into high-achieving and regular classrooms based on their performance… more →
White Advantage in Teacher Assignment
… gaps in access to high-quality teachers. We calculate the exposure of White, Black and Hispanic students to teachers with various …Using detailed classroom-level data for North Carolina, we build on previous research to examine racial gaps in access to high-quality teachers. We calculate the exposure of White, Black and Hispanic students to teachers with various characteristics in 4th grade, 7th grade math and English, and 10th grade math and English. We find that across the state White students enjoy sizable advantages… more →
Are Power Plant Closures a Breath of Fresh Air? Local Air Quality and School Absences
… In this paper we study the effects of three large, nearly-simultaneous coal-fired power plant … schools more frequently in the wind path of the plants, and non-magnet (i.e., neighborhood) schools where students …In this paper we study the effects of three large, nearly-simultaneous coal-fired power plant closures on school absences in Chicago. We find that the closures resulted in a 7 percent reduction in absenteeism in nearby schools relative to those farther away following the closures. For the typical elementary school in our sample, this translates into around 372 fewer absence-days per year in… more →
The data revolution comes to higher education: Identifying students at risk of dropout in Chile
… in Latin America, especially in Chile. Yet graduation and persistence rates remain low. One way to improve … is to use data and analytics to identify students at risk of dropout, target interventions, and evaluate interventions’ … effectiveness at improving student success. We illustrate the potential of this approach using data from eight Chilean …Enrollment in higher education has risen dramatically in Latin America, especially in Chile. Yet graduation and persistence rates remain low. One way to improve graduation and persistence is to use data and analytics to identify students at risk of dropout, target interventions, and evaluate interventions’ effectiveness at improving student success. We illustrate the potential of this approach… more →
Parental preferences for charter schools in North Carolina: Implications for racial segregation and isolation
… We use information on the charter school choices made by North Carolina families, … how such choices affect racial segregation between schools and racial isolation within charter schools. We find that the movement of white switchers, but not minority switchers to charter …We use information on the charter school choices made by North Carolina families, separately by race, who switched their child from a traditional public school (TPS) to a charter school in 2015-16 to explore how such choices affect racial segregation between schools and racial isolation within charter schools. We find that the movement of white switchers, but not minority switchers to charter… more →
Do Response Styles Affect Estimates of Growth on Social-emotional Constructs? Evidence from Four Years of Longitudinal Survey Scores
… respondents use different response styles when they use the categories of the Likert scale differently despite having the same true … is underexamined. In this study, we conducted empirical and simulation analyses in which we scored surveys using item …Survey respondents use different response styles when they use the categories of the Likert scale differently despite having the same true score on the construct of interest. For example, respondents may be more likely to use the extremes of the response scale independent of their true score. Research already shows that differing response styles can create a construct-irrelevant… more →
A Coming Crisis in Teaching? Teacher Supply, Demand, and Shortages in the U.S.
… Recent media reports of teacher shortages across the country are confirmed by the … severe in special education, mathematics, science, and bilingual/English learner education, and in locations …Recent media reports of teacher shortages across the country are confirmed by the analysis of several national data sets reported in this paper. Shortages are particularly severe in special education, mathematics, science, and bilingual/English learner education, and in locations with lower wages and poorer working conditions. Shortages are projected to grow based on declines in teacher… more →
Ready or Not? California's Early Assessment Program and the Transition to College
… In this paper we investigate the impact of a statewide program aimed at better aligning K-12 to higher education and improving college readiness. We replicate an earlier …In this paper we investigate the impact of a statewide program aimed at better aligning K-12 to higher education and improving college readiness. We replicate an earlier study focused on the effects of this program at one campus by employing detailed administrative data on the census of California students that enroll at all twenty-three campuses of the California State University (CSU) system… more →
College Advising at a National Scale: Experimental Evidence from the CollegePoint initiative
… generate large improvements in college persistence and success for low-income students but face numerous … to address informational and assistance barriers facing the substantial majority of low-income students who do not have access to …In-person college advising programs generate large improvements in college persistence and success for low-income students but face numerous barriers to scale. Remote advising models offer a promising strategy to address informational and assistance barriers facing the substantial majority of low-income students who do not have access to community-based advising, yet the existing evidence base… more →
The Extent of Student Mobility Among Vulnerable Groups in California
… changes not tied to grade-level promotion—is common and consequential yet remains underexamined in recent research. This paper analyzes the incidence, disparities, and predictors of nonstructural school mobility using longitudinal data from …Nonstructural student mobility—school changes not tied to grade-level promotion—is common and consequential yet remains underexamined in recent research. This paper analyzes the incidence, disparities, and predictors of nonstructural school mobility using longitudinal data from six demographically diverse California school districts, with attention to pre- and post-COVID-19 trends and… more →