My presentation from the 2026 AERA meetings. This paper examines publicly funded school choice as a form of education public-private partnership (PPP) and evaluates whether cross-national differences in system performance correspond to institutional design rather than private provision alone. Using structured comparative case analysis and policy benchmarking data, six countries and the fragmented U.S. modelContinue reading “Designing Effective PPPs in Education: Does governance design matter more than private provision”
Education Pays – And Now We Know It’s Causal
For years, a familiar critique has shadowed one of the most robust findings in economics: people with more education earn more.Yes – but is it causal?Do schools actually raise earnings? Or are more able, more motivated individuals simply more likely to stay in school?In a new paper with George Psacharopoulos, published in the International JournalContinue reading “Education Pays – And Now We Know It’s Causal”
Department of Education Reform February 2026 Newsletter
Department of Education Reform February 2026 Newsletter https://shorturl.at/MLCm
New in The 74: Arkansas’ 3rd-grade retention is coming — but retention isn’t the reform
Arkansas is about to implement a high-stakes element of the Right to Read Act: beginning this summer, third-graders who aren’t reading proficiently can be retained. That reality is creating understandable anxiety for families and educators. In my new The 74 analysis, I make a simple, evidence-based point: retention by itself won’t raise literacy. What movedContinue reading “New in The 74: Arkansas’ 3rd-grade retention is coming — but retention isn’t the reform”
Department of Education Reform: Impact in Arkansas
Our latest newsletter highlights how the Department of Education Reform, Arkansas Teacher Corps, and the Office for Education Policy are making a real impact across Arkansas. This month’s spotlight features new research on the returns to education in Arkansas, updates on teacher pipeline initiatives, evidence-based policy work with schools and state leaders, and upcoming lecturesContinue reading “Department of Education Reform: Impact in Arkansas”
Can More Schooling Change How We Act on Climate?
I’m pleased to share a new paper, co-authored with Diego Ambasz and Anshuman Gupta, A review of human development and environmental outcomes. Although there is now substantial research on how climate and environmental conditions affect human development, much less is known about the reverse channel: can education itself help mitigate climate change and improve environmentalContinue reading “Can More Schooling Change How We Act on Climate?”
Can Tutoring—and Technology—Finally Solve Bloom’s Two Sigma Problem?
University of Arkansas education reform department marks 20 years of impact
The Department of Education Reform at the University of Arkansas is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month. Last week, two faculty members from the department joined Ozarks at Large’s Matthew Moore in the Bruce and Ann Applegate News Studio 2 to discuss the beginnings, the impact and the future of their work. You can hearContinue reading “University of Arkansas education reform department marks 20 years of impact”
Arkansas a model for evidence-based education reform
My op-ed in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: Arkansas a model for evidence-based education reform: Arkansas a proving ground for reform Twenty years ago, the University of Arkansas launched the Department of Education Reform (EDRE) with the bold vision of using research to transform how education policy is designed and delivered. Two decades later, Arkansas has becomeContinue reading “Arkansas a model for evidence-based education reform”
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS CONCLUDES EDUCATION REFORM THEN AND NOW: A NEW POLICY CONFERENCE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT:Evan Sullivan, Evan@larsonpr.com Education and policy leaders from across the nation discuss the future of education Fayetteville, Ark. – (October 24, 2025) – The University of Arkansas today concluded its two-day Education Reform Then and Now: A Policy Conference, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Department of Education Reform (EDRE). HeldContinue reading “UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS CONCLUDES EDUCATION REFORM THEN AND NOW: A NEW POLICY CONFERENCE”
Education, economics and public policy 