Education Economics Commons^™

Disruption, Recovery, And Divergence: How Prepandemic Achievement Levels Shaped Learning Loss, Recovery, And Spending Efficiency In Tennessee Public High Schools, Wilson Boyd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant and uneven learning loss in Tennessee public high schools. The statewide ACT composite average fell from 20.2 in 2019 to 19.1 in 2021. By 2024-2025, it recovered only to 19.3. During the same period, Tennessee received approximately $3.86 billion in additional federal funds and $1.15 billion in new state funding. This ex post facto quantitative study examined whether prepandemic achievement levels predicted learning loss severity and recovery patterns of a census of 322 Tennessee public high schools from 2018-2019 through 2024-2025.

The study used two theoretical frameworks. Baumol's cost disease theory predicted that structural productivity …

Attendance And Academic Performance: A Comparison Of 4-Day And 5-Day School Week Schedules In Texas High Schools, Cynthia Miles

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative cross-sectional comparable study examined the differences in academic performance and attendance in Texas public high school campuses between those operating on a 4-day instructional week and those operating on a 5-day instructional week. The study used a quantitative, cross-sectional comparable design. The analysis included campus-level data from the Texas Education Agency’s Texas Academic Performance Reports. The independent variable was instructional schedule—either a 4-day or a 5-day instructional week. The dependent variables included campus attendance rates and student performance on the English I and Algebra I End-of-Course (EOC) STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) assessments of ninth-grade …

Making The Case For Career Academies In Shaping Pre-Collegiate Students For Stem Career Pathways, Felix Quayson

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Career academies are increasingly important in preparing pre-collegiate high school students for STEM pathways by connecting academic learning, technical skill development, career identity, and postsecondary readiness. STEM-focused career academies function as structured bridges between secondary education, higher education, and the labor market. Through small learning communities, interdisciplinary curricula, employer partnerships, work-based learning, and early exposure to college and career expectations, career academies help students understand STEM not only as school subjects but as possible futures. Research suggests that career academies can improve student engagement, support school persistence, and strengthen labor market outcomes when implemented with fidelity. The article concludes that …

Evaluating Sources In The Age Of Ai And Misinformation: Practical Routines For Social Studies Classrooms, Viloshinee Murugan Ph.D

The Great Lakes Social Studies Journal

As students encounter information through search engines, social media, and AI-generated content, evaluating sources has become more complex and essential in social studies classrooms. Research shows that students struggle to judge credibility, trace claims to evidence, and recognize how context, authorship, and purpose shape information. This article argues that these challenges are not the result of student apathy or inability, but of limited opportunities to practice evaluative reasoning as a routine disciplinary habit. Drawing on scholarship in disciplinary literacy and civic reasoning, as well as nearly three decades of practitioner experience, the article presents practical instructional routines, sample mini-lessons, and …

Human Capital And Labor Market Effects Of Elite Schooling In England, Scotland, And Wales: New Causal Evidence From Nonparametric Bounds, Zhanhan Yu, Vikesh Amin, Carlos A. Flores, Alfonso Flores-Lagunes, Giuseppe Germinario

Upjohn Institute Working Papers

We estimate the causal effect of attending elite schools in England, Scotland, and Wales on human capital and labor market outcomes for cohorts of children from the 1958 National Child Development Study and the 1970 British Cohort Study. For identification, we employ a nonparametric partial-identification approach that provides bounds on the causal effect by assuming that, on average, there is positive selection into elite school attendance, and that attending an elite school does not worsen average potential human capital or labor market outcomes. The bounds indicate that there could possibly be large education and labor market returns from attending an …

The Teacher Shortage Crisis: How Workplace Relationships Influence Retention, Attrition, And The Education Labor Market, Jeremy Brooks

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study took a closer look at how high school teachers perceive the ongoing teacher shortage, with particular attention to how workplace conditions and the broader school climate impact whether they choose to stay in the profession. Special focus was given to teachers in their first five years, a group especially vulnerable to early attrition. As the conversation around teacher turnover grows louder, this research seeks to better understand what’s driving teachers’ decisions from their own perspectives, not just policy data or administrative assumptions.

The study used a basic qualitative research design, relying on one-on-one, in-depth interviews to gather insights …

Investigating The Relationship Between Noun Classes And Plant Folk Taxonomy In Chasu Language Of Kilimanjaro Region In Tanzania, Peter Rabson Mziray

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life …

Du Rural Summit 2025: Full Conference Proceedings, 2025 Du Rural Summit

DU Rural Summit Conference Proceedings

Proceedings of the DU Rural Summit 2025, held June 27-27 in the Pueblo Convention Center. A gathering dedicated to addressing the unique opportunities and challenges facing rural schools and their communities.

Why Rural Matters 2025: A Preview And A Forward Look, Jerry Johnson

DU Rural Summit Conference Proceedings

This presentation will provide a preview of the Why Rural Matters 2025 report that is currently in progress, including an overview of statistical gauges and indicators, topical essays, and key findings. Additionally, and looking forward beyond the report, presentation and discussion will engage the topic of cuts to federal programs that provide extant data essential for projects like Why Rural Matters and consider the implications for scholars, practitioners, and the general public.

Bhuga Education: Toward A Financially Sustainable Model Of Catholic-Sponsored Secondary Education For The Poor In Nigeria, Christian Uchechukwu Ekesiobi

Master's Projects and Capstones

This field project aimed to create a Catholic-sponsored, financially sustainable secondary school model to serve the educational needs of the poor in Nigeria. Grounded in the tripartite framework of the Catholic principle of the Preferential Option for the Poor, Dewey’s experience-based learning theory, and the Resource Generation Model, the project sought to address the prevalent problem of inaccessibility to quality education due to financial constraints. Employing a qualitative research approach anchored in document and comparative case analysis of the Cristo Rey and Fe y Alegria educational models, as well as Nigeria’s education landscape, the project created the BHUGA Education model. …

The Digital Incorporated Worker Narrative: A Mixed Methods Study Of Digital Capital, Work Selection, And Outcomes In The Fourth Industrial Revolution, Tracie King

Dissertations

Digital technology permeates society and industry, making digital-ready workers necessary for firms of all sizes as a firm seeks competitiveness in the market (Bergson-Shilcock et al., 2023; de Ruyter et al., 2018; Gorski et al., 2022; Karaboğa, 2023; Kim et al., 2017; Qureshi Zia, 2019). Firms seeking digital-ready workers face a complex digital divide that creates a worker shortage (Bergson-Shilcock et al., 2023; Karaboğa, 2023; Qureshi Zia, 2019). This study aims to describe workers' work selection, work experience, and outcomes in a complex digital society.

Most digital divide research focuses on the individuals excluded from owning, accessing, and having skills …

Twice As Good Half As Much: A Black Feminist Autoenthnography On Urban Teacher Compensation, Tyler Marie Goodwin

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This study uses Black Feminist Autoethnography to examine the systemic inequities that persist in K-12 education for Black women educators within a merit-based pay system. Through self-exploration utilizing the data collection tools of journal entries, audio recordings, and self-led interviews, the author examines the impact of identity, particularly race and gender, on teacher compensation and the ability to navigate merit-based systems. The data collected highlights the challenges Black women face in education, including the impact of evaluation rubrics, the emotional toll of teaching, and the influence of student and administrative interactions. This research amplifies marginalized voices and calls for a …

Three Essays On The Economics Of Crime And Education, Joy Kanengiser

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The first chapter investigates the labor market impacts of the Clean Slate Law, a policy designed to reduce barriers to entry by automating the sealing of criminal records. Using IPUMS CPS data from six states, I employ a difference-in-differences framework with individual fixed effects and an event study design to identify changes in employment outcomes. I find that the Clean Slate policy increases employment by 0.33 percentage points and weekly hours worked by 0.44 hours (approximately 24 minutes). Full-time employment rises, while self-employment declines by 0.12 percentage points, suggesting a shift from informal to more stable, formal jobs. These employment …

A Qualitative Study Of Iranian Efl Teachers’ Perceptions Of A Digital Diversified Education, Seyed Mohammad Reza Marvasti Zadeh, Azizollah Dabaghi Varnosfadrani Advarnosfadrani, Mohammad Amiryousefi

The Qualitative Report

Because Iran is a country of learners of diverse languages, socio-economic classes, genders, and ages, digital diversified education seems appropriate to address needs in English language education. However, there is a notable gap in research on teachers’ perceptions about this type of education. To fill this gap, this study aimed to investigate the perspectives of Iranian teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) regarding a diverse digital education. Data were collected via an open-ended survey with 30 EFL teachers, both male and female, who were selected through convenience sampling. Analysis revealed several key themes, including the utilization of diverse …

Thai Parents’ Reasons For Sending Their Children To Premium-Fee International Schools: Strategies For Establishing International Schools, Issara Wongcharoensin

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

The study investigates the factors influencing Thai parents’ decisions when selecting international schools in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region. It examines how parents’ preferences for educational outcomes shape their choice among UK, US, or IB programs. Key findings reveal that dissatisfaction with Thai public schools drives many families to enroll their children in international schools. These institutions are valued for their supportive community atmosphere, opportunities for foreign college placements, and superior infrastructure. Preferences for different programs reflect distinct priorities: UK programs are preferred for their extracurricular activities, punctuality, and academic reputation; US programs for their emphasis on critical thinking, multiculturalism, and …

The Perspective Of An Alumnus, Rifah Tasnim

Early College Folio

No abstract provided.

Editor’S Note, Amanda Landi

Early College Folio

No abstract provided.

Contributors

Early College Folio

Contributors, Early College Folio, Volume 3, Issue 1 (2024).

African Union’S Youth Education Challenge: A Critical Review Of Agenda 2063, Ruth V. Akumbu, Jennifer Jukanovich

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

It is no easy feat for the African Union to mobilize 55 countries of various political, tribal, and economic demographics, yet the problem remains that nearly 34 million children are out of school, and the continent is not graduating the secondary students needed for the 1.25-billion-member workforce expected by 2050 (ISS Africa, 2017). The paper aims to assess African Union strategies and make recommendations for member countries to utilize to solve educational challenges facing the continent’s growing population and market. We assess the educational challenge and contributing factors followed by suggesting four strategic directions, grounded in Agenda 2063, that the …

A Program Evaluation Of 3de Schools By Junior Achievement, Audra Lewis-Hoesch

Dissertations

3DE Schools by Junior Achievement is a framework for instruction designed to reshape the instructional ecosystem through a high school model that uses project-based learning and case-study methodology to help students acquire core competencies. The context of this inquiry includes various states in America where 3DE Schools are implemented. I utilized a mixed methods approach to collect data and gauge the influence of the 3DE instructional framework on students' readiness for college and career pursuits. Key outcomes showed that students in 3DE cohorts scored higher in math and English than the national average, contributing to an overall higher graduation rate …

Conservatives’ Use Of A Civil Rights Narrative Helped Them Secure Control Of American Education Policy. A Book Review Of The Death Of Public School: How Conservatives Won The War Over Education In America, Jeffrey Frenkiewich

Democracy & Education

In The Death of Public School, Cara Fitzpatrick traces the history of America’s move to privatize its education system. In 23 chapters, she follows the history of this movement from its beginnings as a white supremacist attempt to keep schools segregated, to its development into a bipartisan effort employing a civil rights narrative. Fitzpatrick provides case studies of how privatization efforts played out in places like Cleveland, Ohio, Florida, and New Orleans, and the author shows how conservatives appropriated a civil rights narrative to pursue their own aims for privatization in the 21st century. While others have outlined and …

Table Of Contents

Early College Folio

(2023) "Table of Contents," Early College Folio: Vol. 3: Iss. 1, Article 1. Available at: https://digitalcommons.bard.edu/earlycollegefolio/vol3/iss1/1

Athletic Recruitment Analysis In Higher Education, Landon Palmer

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Since athletic programs are often viewed as the front porch of the higher education institutions, recruiting talented student-athletes is vital and challenging task under the unreasonable demand of high performance, limited and decreasing budget, and dwindling student enrollment. Additionally, the increasing use of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals and transfer portal across the nation have made administrators and coaches worried about their effect on recruitment and program retention. These practices make the recruiting process even more competitive. Through the responses of 106 student-athletes of a regional state university in Eastern Kentucky, the researchers identified respondents’ perception concerning these newly …

Investing In Critical Consciousness And Civic Engagement In Underfunded Schools, Molly Dailey Andersson

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Throughout this thesis I confront inequity in its pervasive and far-reaching form of American K-12 school finance. By analyzing the inequitable school funding practices of funding formulas and debt repayment structures, I explore how past and present-day school funding practices have evolved through the values and modes of racial capitalism and more recently, neoliberalism. Through Critical Action Research, I challenge the hegemonic hold racial capitalism and neoliberalism have on school funding by critiquing the educational practices and relations it helps produce. Despite the pernicious scale of inequitable school funding practices, Critical Action Research allows for imagining and shaping an education …

An Investigation Of The Impact Of Esser Relief Funds On Illinois High Schools, Douglas J. Wildes

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

During and in the immediate years after the global COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government has given school districts across the United States millions of dollars through a series of three final grants called the Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief (ESSER) Grant to help improve education, decrease student learning losses suffered during the shutdown, and make educational facilities safer for students and staff. This study examines ESSER Grant dollars and academic achievement data from 57 Chicagoland high school districts and assesses whether a correlation exists between how these funds were allocated and student achievement performance. A Pearson correlation coefficient was …

From Elementary School To Doctoral Education: An Autoethnographic Journey, Gwendolyn D. Dailey

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Every child has a right to education, and their skin color should not determine their education quality. However, since the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education (1954), it has been proven that race continues to matter in the success and failure of education (Delgado & Stefancic, 2001). The persistent achievement gaps between students of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, as well as the disparities in access to high-quality educational opportunities, demonstrate how race and ethnicity shape the educational experiences of students of color (Stanford Center for Education Policy Analysis, 2012). Unfortunately, stories such as Ruby Bridges of New …

Examining Disparities In Ninth-Grade Advanced Courses, Sarah Mckenzie, Josh Mcgee, Sarah R. Morris

Policy Briefs

In this brief, we examine the racial and socioeconomic disparities in ninth-grade advanced course placement. We utilized a statistical analysis of course placement patterns and interviewed Arkansas counselors. We suggest districts implement local norm-based placement systems that automatically enroll students in ninth-grade advanced courses to enhance equity in course placement.

Parents' Reasons For Choosing To Enroll Their Child In Private High School, Terry Kung

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to describe parents’ reasons for choosing a competitive, private high school (National Association of Independent School (NAIS) member school), over available free, public options. Independent schools have long held a strong presence in the nation’s educational landscape. However, as more families consider how they will pay for college, independent schools are facing new realities and challenges. This study expands upon previous research, which predominantly focused on school choice, by examining a less studied sample–the private school parents. What are parents' reasons for choosing to send their child or children to a NAIS …

Review: Teaching Stem To First Generation College Students: A Guidebook For Faculty And Future Faculty By Gail Horowitz, Jessica S. Robbins

Early College Folio

Book Review: Gail Horowitz’s Teaching STEM to First Generation College Students: A Guidebook for Faculty and Future Faculty (Information Age Publishing, 2019). Horowitz taught chemistry at Bard High School Early College Newark.

Artist Into An Educator—Educator Inside An Artist, Raheela Qabool Abro Ms

Early College Folio

This study is a self-investigation of the author's identity by exploring her two professions: an artist as well as an art educator. Her insights as an educator provided a background for her as an artist through the production of this series of miniature artworks created with cell phone SIM cards. A SIM card, which stands for “Subscriber Identification Module,” contains information tied to the identity of the individual using it. For this reason, the author chose it as a medium for creating an art series to represent identity. In the dialogue of artist and educator, Abro confronts changes to the …