We study whether visits to a college campus during eighth grade affect students' interest in and preparation for college. Two cohorts of eighth graders were randomized within schools to a control condition, in which they received a college informational packet, or a treatment condition, in which they received the same information and visited a…

With an abundance of datasets of standardized test score data, researchers and education policymakers run the risk of focusing exclusively on the measurement of cognitive outcomes in key academic subjects such as math and reading at the expense of important non-cognitive outcomes. We use behavioral measures of conscientiousness, perseverance, and…

Of the many entrenched school customs that have been reconsidered and reformed over the past decade, social promotion has been among the most resistant to change. Holding children back in the same grade has long been frowned upon, and a large body of research seems to support that point of view. Despite the old habits and the old research,…

Argues that even though flawed, value-added assessment of student achievement can revolutionize the way public schools hire, promote, and compensate teachers, and the way schools are governed and managed. Draws parallels with measuring productivity in private industry. Asserts that providing better education, not ensuring teacher justice, is the…

Presents data from evaluations of school voucher programs in four cities, analyzing the effects on academic performance of switching from public to private schools. Overall, vouchers have a moderately large, positive effect on the achievement of African American students, but no discernable effect on the performance of students of other…