#AEFP2027 Call for Proposals is out! Submit your paper, poster, Policy Dialogue, or Conversation Group by October 2. Read the full call: aefpweb.org/callforp...
Education Finance and Policy Journal
@efpjournal.bsky.social
EFP publishes policy-relevant research papers concerning education finance, policy, and practice. aefpweb.org
Consider volunteering for @aefpweb.bsky.social. We would love it if you would sign up to volunteer to review our papers or policy briefs. Thanks!
AEFP@aefpweb.bsky.social · 3w agoWant to get more involved with AEFP? Review proposals, chair a session, mentor a member, and more. And to everyone who's already given their time to AEFP: thank you! The 26-27 AEFP Volunteer Survey closes Monday, August 17. Learn more and sign up here: aefpweb.org/volunteer
I hope state & district leaders will find the guidance in @joshbleiberg.bsky.social & my policy brief helpful for minimizing the harm of teacher layoffs "The Inequitable Effects of Teacher Layoffs: What We Know and Can Do" @aefpweb.bsky.social @efpjournal.bsky.social direct.mit.edu/edfp/article...
Help shape AEFP's 2026–27 programming by proposing a webinar you'd organize & facilitate OR request a topic you'd love AEFP to cover! Submissions are due by August 17 to be considered for the initial lineup. Ideas are welcome on a rolling basis after that.
AEFP Webinar Submission Form
AEFP’s year-round programming brings the community together beyond the Annual Conference through webinars on timely education finance and policy topics, professional development, and more. Past webinars have covered topics such as AI in education, outcomes-based contracting, navigating the job market, and applying to dissertation fellowships. This form is for members who would like to help shape our programming for the 2026–27 academic year. Whether you have an idea you’d like to lead yourself, or a topic you’d love to see AEFP take on, we want to hear from you! Priority deadline: Monday, August 17, 2026. Submissions received by this date will be considered as we build the initial 2026–27 lineup. Ideas are welcome on a rolling basis after that. Questions? Reach out to info@aefpweb.org.
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Looking for a resource on education finance & policy? @efpjournal.bsky.social publishes policy-relevant research papers covering topics from early childhood to graduate education in the United States and around the world 📚 direct.mit.edu/edfp/...
Presidential Essay: @aefpweb.bsky.social's Role in an Evidence-Informed Education Ecosystem via @efpjournal.bsky.social direct.mit.edu/edfp/article...
Presidential Essay: AEFP’s Role in an Evidence-Informed Education Ecosystem
Historically, the U.S. federal government has invested in education research as a public good, with the implicit assumption that such research can support more efficient and effective educational oppo...
direct.mit.edu
We are grateful for this amazing team of associate editors 🎉
AEFP@aefpweb.bsky.social · 2mo agoPlease join us in welcoming our new Education Finance and Policy Associate Editors! 🎉
#FridayFeature: April 2017, Spencer Foundation–funded study “Are Student Absences Worth the Worry in U.S. Primary Schools?” Gershenson, Jacknowitz & Brannegan find absences lower achievement, especially for low-income students & ELLs. Read more: dx.doi.org/10.1162/EDFP...
Are Student Absences Worth the Worry in U.S. Primary Schools?
Abstract. Student absences are a potentially important, yet understudied, input in the educational process. Using longitudinal data from a nationally representative survey and rich administrative reco...
dx.doi.org
#FridayFeature: July 2017, IES-funded study “ACT for All,” Joshua Hyman finds that requiring all students to take a college entrance exam increases four-year enrollment, especially for low-income students, and is more cost-effective than traditional aid. Read more: dx.doi.org/10.1162/EDFP...
ACT for All: The Effect of Mandatory College Entrance Exams on Postsecondary Attainment and Choice
Abstract. This paper examines the effects of requiring and paying for all public high school students to take a college entrance exam, a policy adopted by eleven states since 2001. I show that prior t...
dx.doi.org
#FridayFeature: April 2017, article “The Promise of Administrative Data in Education Research,” Figlio, Karbownik & Salvanes, one of the top NSF-funded research teams, highlight how administrative data is reshaping education policy research. Read more: dx.doi.org/10.1162/EDFP... #EFP #Education
The Promise of Administrative Data in Education Research
Abstract. Thanks to extraordinary and exponential improvements in data storage and computing capacities, it is now possible to collect, manage, and analyze data in magnitudes and in manners that would...
dx.doi.org
From 2016, Seth Gershenson’s “Linking Teacher Quality, Student Attendance, and Student Achievement”—a top-cited Spencer Foundation study—shows that great teachers boost both learning and attendance, proving teaching is truly multidimensional. Read more: doi.org/10.1162/EDFP... #EFP
Linking Teacher Quality, Student Attendance, and Student Achievement
Abstract. Research on the effectiveness of educational inputs, particularly research on teacher effectiveness, typically overlooks teachers’ potential impact on behavioral outcomes, such as student at...
doi.org
Sarah J. Reber, Dennis Rünger & Mitchell D. Wong’s “The Effects of Charter High Schools on Academic Achievement and College Enrollment” find that attending high-quality LA charter schools boosts test scores and 4-year college enrollment—especially at UC campuses. Read more: doi.org/10.1162/edfp...
The Effects of Charter High Schools on Academic Achievement and College Enrollment: Evidence from Los Angeles
Abstract. This paper estimates the causal effects of enrollment in one of five oversubscribed high-quality Los Angeles charter schools using a lottery design. Enrolling in a charter school increased e...
doi.org
#FridayFeature: From 2017, Grissom & Loeb’s “Assessing Principals’ Assessments,” a top IES-funded study, shows that principals rate most teachers highly in both high- and low-stakes settings, though low-stakes evaluations reveal more nuance. Read more: doi.org/10.1162/EDFP...
Assessing Principals’ Assessments: Subjective Evaluations of Teacher Effectiveness in Low- and High-Stakes Environments
Abstract. Teacher effectiveness varies substantially, yet principals’ evaluations of teachers often fail to differentiate performance among teachers. We offer new evidence on principals’ subjective ev...
doi.org
#ThrowbackThursday: From 2023, Mokher, Park-Gaghan & Hu find that Florida’s developmental education reform benefitted most students—but ESOL and foreign-born students gained the most from flexible pathways and added support. Read more: doi.org/10.1162/edfp... #HigherEd
Does Developmental Education Reform Help or Hinder the Success of Language Minority Students? An Exploration by Language Minority, ESOL, and Foreign-Born Status
Abstract. Community colleges may face challenges supporting the unique needs of language minority (LM) students whose primary language is not English. Florida provides a unique context for examining w...
doi.org
#FridayFeature: NSF-funded research by Michael A. Gottfried & Robert Bozick shows that high school students who take applied STEM courses like tech & engineering, are more likely to choose STEM majors in college. Read more: doi.org/10.1162/EDFP... #STEMEducation #EdResearch
Supporting the STEM Pipeline: Linking Applied STEM Course-Taking in High School to Declaring a STEM Major in College
Abstract. Recently, through the support from the Obama administration, the traditional STEM curricula (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in high schools are being updated with integra...
doi.org
Rising pension costs are reshaping U.S. school districts. Sarah F. Anzia’s “Public Schools and Their Pensions” finds districts boost revenue but cut staff, mainly non-teaching, as pension spending grows. Read more: doi.org/10.1162/edfp... #TakeawayTuesday #EdResearch #SchoolFinance
Public Schools and Their Pensions: How Is Pension Spending Affecting U.S. School Districts?
Abstract. State and local government decisions about how school funding is raised and allocated have profound impacts on American public education, and in recent years, experts have documented large i...
doi.org
#FridayFeature: In “Does School District Consolidation Cut Costs?” Duncombe & Yinger find consolidation lowers per-pupil operating costs, but high adjustment costs—especially for capital spending, limit net savings. Read more: doi.org/10.1162/edfp... #EFP #SchoolFinance #K12
Does School District Consolidation Cut Costs?
Abstract. Consolidation has dramatically reduced the number of school districts in the United States. Using data from rural school districts in New York, this article provides the first direct estimat...
doi.org
#TakeawayTuesdayThrowback: In “Gaining, Losing, and Regaining Merit-based Scholarships,” Ribar & Rubenstein show that HOPE & Zell Miller awards are far from static—many students lose them, few regain them, and disparities by race, gender, and income persist. Read more: doi.org/10.1162/edfp...
Gaining, Losing, and Regaining Merit-based Scholarships
Abstract. Georgia offers two merit-based scholarships to in-state college students: HOPE Scholarships, which provide partial tuition support, and Zell Miller Scholarships, which provide full tuition s...
doi.org
#FridayFeature: New teachers are often placed in tougher classrooms with more disadvantaged students—raising turnover rates. Li Feng’s “Hire Today, Gone Tomorrow” highlights how classroom assignments shape teacher mobility. Read more: doi.org/10.1162/EDFP... #EFP #TeacherMobility #EducationPolicy
Hire Today, Gone Tomorrow: New Teacher Classroom Assignments and Teacher Mobility
Abstract. This article explores whether new teachers are assigned to tough classrooms and whether such classroom assignment is associated with higher teacher mobility. It utilizes the statewide admini...
doi.org
#TakeawayTuesday: “Gifted & Talented Programs and Racial Segregation.” Owen Thompson found that G&T programs enroll disproportionately more White & Asian students, modestly increasing within-school segregation. 🔗: doi.org/10.1162/edfp... #EFP #EducationPolicy #EquityInEducation #Diversity
Gifted & Talented Programs and Racial Segregation
Abstract. Racial segregation can occur not only between schools but also within schools, and there has been particular concern that gifted & talented (G&T) programs may increase within-school segregat...
doi.org
#FridayFeature: In “Assessed by a Teacher Like Me: Race and Teacher Assessments,” Amine Ouazad finds teachers assess same-race students more favorably, an effect seen as early as kindergarten through grade 5, even after controlling for test scores. 🔗: doi.org/10.1162/EDFP_a_00136
Assessed by a Teacher Like Me: Race and Teacher Assessments
Abstract. Do teachers assess same-race students more favorably? This paper uses nationally representative data on teacher assessments of student ability that can be compared with test scores to determ...
doi.org
#ThrowbackThursday: In EFP Volume 18, Issue 4, Fall 2023 article, Fuller, Lauen & Unlu find ECHS gains in college readiness & enrollment generalize beyond RCTs to all schools. Read more: doi.org/10.1162/edfp... #EFP #EducationPolicy #CollegeReadiness
Leveraging Experimental and Observational Evidence to Assess the Generalizability of the Effects of Early Colleges in North Carolina
Abstract. Early college high schools (ECHSs) in North Carolina are small public schools of choice on college campuses that seek to promote attaining postsecondary credits in high school, college readi...
doi.org
#FridayFeature: In “Teacher Quality and Teacher Mobility,” Li Feng & Tim R. Sass find that top- and bottom-quartile teachers leave at higher rates than average ones, and effective teachers are more likely to stay when surrounded by strong peers. Read more: doi.org/10.1162/EDFP...
Teacher Quality and Teacher Mobility
Abstract. There is growing concern among policy makers over the quality of the teacher workforce in general, and the distribution of effective teachers across schools. The impact of teacher attrition ...
doi.org
#TakeawayTuesday: In “Assessing the Relative Progressivity of the Biden Administration's Federal Student Loan Forgiveness Proposal,” Jacob Goss, Daniel Mangrum & Joelle Scally find up to $442B eligible, with younger, low-credit, Black & Hispanic borrowers benefiting most. 🔗: doi.org/10.1162/edfp...
Assessing the Relative Progressivity of the Biden Administration's Federal Student Loan Forgiveness Proposal
Abstract. We quantify the total stock of balances eligible for the Biden administration's 2022 student loan forgiveness proposal and examine which groups would have benefited most. Up to $442 billion ...
doi.org
#FridayFeature: In “Peaks, Cliffs, and Valleys” (EFP), Robert M. Costrell and Michael Podgursky show how nonlinear pension incentives affect when teachers stay or retire—raising questions of efficiency, equity, and reform. Read more:https://doi.org/10.1162/edfp.2009.4.2.175 #EFP
#ThrowbackThursday: In “Private Schools and Student Achievement” (Fall 2023), Ebrahim Azimi, Jane Friesen, and Simon Woodcock find Catholic and non-Christian faith schools raise scores, while others show smaller or negligible effects. Read more: doi.org/10.1162/edfp... #EFP
Private Schools and Student Achievement
Abstract. We investigate the effects of private schools on reading and numeracy scores using rich population data. Conditional on lagged test scores and narrowly defined neighborhood indicators, Catho...
doi.org
#FridayFeature: “Explaining Gaps in Readiness for College-Level Math: The Role of High School Courses” by Mark C. Long, Patrice Iatarola, and Dylan Conger. Read more: doi.org/10.1162/edfp...
#TakeawayTuesday: “Assessing the Relative Progressivity of the Biden Administration's Federal Student Loan Forgiveness Proposal” by Jacob Goss, Daniel Mangrum, and Joelle Scally. Read more: doi.org/10.1162/edfp... #EFP
