A new study in AERA Open found that post-COVID, each day absent was associated with a decline in a student’s math achievement, with evidence of additional negative effects from peer absenteeism. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

New paper! Using data from NC, we estimate that getting attendance rates back to pre-pandemic levels in 2023-24 could have improved state math achievement by 0.017-0.025 SDs in this year, or 13-19% of what would be needed for a full academic recovery. journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....

With colleagues at @epic-unc.bsky.social, I've had the pleasure of evaluating the Rethink Education project. We've been excited to see positive impacts of Blended Learning Badged Facilitators on math and reading test scores. www.dpi.nc.gov/news/press-r... @ncpublicschools.bsky.social #nced

New pub (open-access)! School absence rates have been above pre-pandemic levels for multiple years. We show how this is adding up for students over time, revealing that some students are experiencing especially deep and persistent levels of absenteeism. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.3102/...

As I am reading various reactions to the new NAEP data, I am surprised to see so many people who are pointing to policies and educational trends that have been going on for decades (e.g. budget cuts, testing). That just doesn't match the data.

Out today! I wrote an op-ed for EdNC reflecting on learning recovery. I suggest that the multiple other challenges schools face (attendance, mental health, teacher burn-out) undercut recovery efforts, & offer some ideas about what that means we should do moving forward. www.ednc.org/learning-los...

Excited to release, with coauthors Camille Mikkelsen and @sarahcfuller.bsky.social, a new research brief on NC’s support personnel workforce (counselors, social workers, school psychologists) through the pandemic epic.unc.edu/wp-content/u... A few key findings:

I'm very happy to share this new article co-authored with @tswid.bsky.social, @kevincbastian.bsky.social, and Camille Mikkelsen. It was a long road to have this published. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.3102/...

New report from Detroit PEER by @jeremylsinger.bsky.social highlights persistent higher rates of chronic absence in Mich., despite significant progress since the peak of the pandemic. All but the most high-absenteeism schools still have 10-20pp higher chronic absenteeism than prior to COVID. #EduSky

Excited to be able to share these early results showing potential benefits of paid year-long teacher residencies for teacher candidates in Texas.

Four years on Twitter and somehow I still feel weird following people I don't know. Yet I talk to random people in elevators and the grocery store.

New WP! How might post-COVID test scores change if absence rates returned to pre-COVID levels? We estimate achievement would improve some, but not enough for full academic recovery. Absences may also be having less of a negative impact on scores post-COVID vs pre. edworkingpapers.com/ai24-951