@brbackes

Education policy at American Institutes for Research and CALDER

 Arlington, VA
scholar.google.com/citations?user=wgy9ucYAAAAJ&hl=en
Joined April 2016
  • Tweets179
  • Following70
  • Followers181
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New CALDER paper by @_ZeyuXu_ & @brbackes finds that in 2-year colleges in @KCTCS, HS GPA is a stronger predictor of gateway course success than test scores-- though neither has very strong predictive power alone. Read the full paper to learn more: bit.ly/4iNTibV
Figure 4 from CALDER Working Paper 318-0525

ALT Figure 4 from CALDER Working Paper 318-0525

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Publication alert! Our @caldercenter paper on inclusion and special education teacher attrition in MA, w/ @brbackes, @jecowan, @CEDR_US, & Zeyu Jin, is now published in JLD. Abstract and links below! Published: tinyurl.com/p5hvfdwx Ungated: tinyurl.com/3t94s45f
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Want to learn more about what different measures tell us about the quality of the teacher workforce? Check out this new CALDER Brief by @brbackes, @jecowan, @DeArmondMM, @CEDR_US & @RoddyTheobald based on findings from the paper below. Brief: caldercenter.org/publication…
Ben Backes@brbackes5 Oct 2022
Excited to finally release into the wild our @caldercenter Working Paper that examines the relationship between both test and non-test value added and student long-run outcomes (i.e., college enrollment) (with @jecowan, @RoddyTheobald, and @CEDR_US) caldercenter.org/publication…
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Replying to @brbackes
@brbackes, James Cowan, Dan Goldhaber (@CEDR_US) & @RoddyTheobald connect "nontest" teacher performance markers, such as absences and grade progression, to student college enrollment with important findings for #EducationEquity. doi.org/10.3368/jhr.1023-131…
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A big thanks to @NCTQ for their write up of our (@brbackes, @jecowan, @CEDR_US) research on emergency license teachers in MA. This paper is now out in EER, see below for the paper and one page summary! Published paper: sciencedirect.com/science/ar… One pager: caldercenter.org/sites/defau…
NCTQ
@NCTQ25 Jul 2024
In the past four years, almost every state has lowered its entry standards for teaching. NCTQ President @HeatherPeske knows this all too well, as she was one of those state policymakers in Massachusetts. At first, the policy impact seemed slight. New research says otherwise 👇
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It feels crazy that, in these times of school staffing challenges, we're likely facing staff layoffs in coming years as we reach the ESSER fiscal cliff. See ⬇️ for Dan's overview of our attempt, with Grace Falken, to quantify the likely impact on the public school workforce in WA
Dan Goldhaber@CEDR_US1 Apr 2024
As promised, we just released a new @caldercenter paper on how ESSER funding INFLUENCED school system hiring in WA. In particular, we are estimating the number of school system employees got hired that wouldn't have in the absence of ESSER funds. 1/n
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See below for Dan's thread about our new @caldercenter paper on teacher education program admissions. I rarely get to do new things in this job, and I loved learning about and doing our first conjoint analysis as part of this paper!
Dan Goldhaber@CEDR_US8 Mar 2024
Most teachers are prepared at university-based prep programs. So, who these programs recruit & admit goes a long way to shaping the teacher workforce. What do faculty value in STEM applicants? We (many authors) asked them! tinyurl.com/bdf7xryx 1/n
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{New} When COVID hit, states granted waivers to allow teachers "emergency" licenses without their normal training. Were those teachers worse? Today @The74 I dig into research from @brbackes @CEDR_US @abacherhicks @OliviaLChi which suggests maybe not: the74million.org/article/eme…

Emergency-Hired Teachers Do Just as Well as Those Who Go Through Normal Training

Aldeman: Research from NJ and Massachusetts begs the question — why not make their COVID waivers permanent?

the74million.org
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I'm thrilled that this chapter on financial incentives for special educators with @AllisonFGilmour and @NateJones_BU is out in the world. I've worked with Alli and Nate for years on various research proposals and it's about time that the collaboration was made official!
Allison Gilmour, PhD@AllisonFGilmour4 Apr 2023
Thinking of offering bonuses to recruit and retain special educators? Check out this new chapter w/ @RoddyTheobald & @NateJones_BU on financial incentives for recruiting and retaining special educators. researchgate.net/publication…

(PDF) Economic Interventions as Policy Levers For Attracting and Retaining Special Education...

PDF | Recruiting and retaining effective special educators is essential for improving the outcomes of students with disabilities, yet it remains one of... | Find, read and cite all the research you...

researchgate.net
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Ben Backes retweeted
James Cowan@jecowan21 Feb 2023
Nice overview of some of our (@brbackes @CEDR_US @RoddyTheobald) recent @caldercenter research on alternative measures of teaching effectiveness by @DeArmondMM here: caldercenter.org/sites/defau…
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Here's my new piece with @brbackes on @TeachForAmerica, @TFAMiamiDade. We wondered why TFA is shrinking in the midst of widespread reports of teacher shortages, and whether we should be worried about other alt cert providers coming in. brookings.edu/blog/brown-cen… via @BrookingsInst

Teach For America is shrinking—Is this cause for celebration? | Brookings

TFA has clearly had a positive impact on students, but its diminished stature creates space for less-rigorous and less-tested alternative certification programs to expand, possibly undermining...

brookings.edu
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Ben Backes retweeted
James Cowan@jecowan14 Oct 2022
Excited to release a new working paper, "Teachers and school climate: Effects on student outcomes and academic disparities", joint with @brbackes, @cedr_us, and @RoddyTheobald.
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Many teachers are not very good at improving test scores but are effective in other ways (upper left quadrant) and vice versa (lower right). caldercenter.org/sites/defau…
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Our summary of the degree to which high school transition programs affect college success just went up at @BrookingsInst: brook.gs/3yXWD21
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🚨New CALDER Working Paper🚨 Do Transition Intervention Programs help high school students graduate ready for college? It’s complicated… Read our latest findings from @_ZeyuXu_ @brbackes & @CEDR_US here!👉 bit.ly/3iBcIox #EdData #K12 #collegeandcareerready
Transition Intervention in High School and Pathway Through College. Zeyu Xu, Ben Backes, and Dan Goldhaber.

ALT Transition Intervention in High School and Pathway Through College. Zeyu Xu, Ben Backes, and Dan Goldhaber.

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⚠️NEW CALDER Working Paper⚠️ Is Online a Better Baseline? Comparing the Predictive Validity of Computer- and Paper-Based Tests, by @brbackes & @jecowan Read here: caldercenter.org/publication…
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A large-scale study finds that schools that switch from paper to online testing see lower scores, on average—with vulnerable students being hardest-hit. My latest article on @edutopia. edutopia.org/article/standar…

On Standardized Tests, Students Face an ‘Online Penalty’

Switching from paper to online standardized tests caused significant drops in students’ scores—and vulnerable students were hurt the worst.

edutopia.org
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Ben Backes retweeted
AEFP@aefpweb11 Jun 2020
Replying to @mitpress
@mitpress just released "Articles for Understanding" - a collection of readings regarding systemic racism. A number of past @EFPJournal articles are highlighted. Be sure to check it out. mitpress.mit.edu/blog/articl…
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ICYMI: Big new @AIRInforms study shows Mass. students who took PARCC exams online in 2015 & 2016 performed significantly worse than peers who took the exams on paper. Really big effects in ELA; disparities by testing mode diminished over time. blogs.edweek.org/edweek/Digi…
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New: Why does so much education research come from North Carolina? chalkbeat.org/posts/us/2018/…
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