Inequality in the shadow? Cross-national comparisons of the effects of additional instruction on math and science performance based on PISA 2018 data Background Many educational systems worldwide are experiencing a growing demand for shadow education, which often takes the form of outside-school educational activities such as private tutoring…

Random encouragement designs are randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that test interventions aimed at increasing participation in a program or activity whose take up is not universal. In these RCTs, instead of randomizing individuals or clusters directly into treatment and control groups to participate in a program or activity, the randomization…

Improving achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is essential for elevating individual success and solving societal challenges. Yet national and international assessments paint a poor picture of students' STEM competencies (NAEP, 2019; OECD, 2018). An untapped avenue to improve STEM education lies in developing…

Background: Failure to learn early reading skills leads to lower reading comprehension later in elementary school (Double et al., 2019; Paige et al., 2019), which can then lead to poverty, underemployment, and increased likelihood of being incarcerated (World Literacy Foundation, 2018). Early reading skills are best developed in kindergarten…

Background: Gaming the system -- attempting to progress through a learning activity without learning (R. Baker et al., 2008) -- is an enduring problem that reduces the efficacy of Computer Based Learning Platforms (CBLPs). Researchers made substantial progress in identifying instances when students are gaming the system (Baker et al., 2006; Dang…

Background: Much has been made of whether the evidence supporting mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) is consistent or high-quality enough to merit their wide implementation, and numerous meta-analyses, reviews, and meta-analyses of meta-analyses have been conducted in pursuit of this question (e.g., Bockmann & Yu, 2023; Goldberg et al.,…

Background & Context: Intersectionality theory posits that each individual's unique intersection of identity is integral to understanding their lived experience. Intersectionality theory also understands that social positions interact with oppression to influence an individual's lived experience (Bowleg, 2012; Collins, 2007; Crenshaw, 1989).…

This investigation scrutinizes the relative effectiveness of individual versus bundled accommodations -- specifically, breaks and extended time (ET) -- on the performance, behaviors, and attitudes of eighth-grade students with disabilities during the 2017 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) digital math test. Through a detailed…

Background: Gaps between dual language learners (DLLs) and monolingual English-speaking children have been reported at kindergarten entry, and many DLL children are classified as long-term English learners, having less access to the general curriculum in the upper grades (NASEM, 2017). The supposed underperformance of DLLs might be due to the…

Background: Dyslexia is a specific reading disability characterized by word recognition difficulties that can qualify a student for special education services under the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" (IDEA; 2004; Yudin, 2015). As of 2024, 49 US states have legislation defining dyslexia and enumerating for schools…

Background: Federal lawmakers passed the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant program in 2008 to incentivize enrollment in bachelor's and master's degrees in education and to reduce teacher labor supply issues in high-need fields at low-income schools. The program offers undergraduate and graduate students up…

Background/Context: Research consistently emphasizes the importance of social-emotional learning (SEL) in education settings (Cipriano et al., 2023; Wigelsworth et al., 2023). In addition, it has become increasingly evident that educators' social-emotional competence and well-being plays a crucial role in fostering SEL among students (Braun et…

Background: Organizational and systems-level conditions affect school systems during crises, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted student's academic achievement and well-being (Ingzell et al., 2021; Donelley et al., 2021; Meherali et al., 2021). Existing literature addressing organizations' responses to crises highlights the…

Background/Significance: College algebra traditionally serves as the default math requirement for community college students. Lattimore and Depenbrock (2017) reported that approximately two-thirds of community college enrollees are required to take this course, yet nearly 80% fail to complete it, making it "the single most failed course in…

Background: To combat stereotype threat, several school-based field trials have leveraged self-affirmation theory (Steele & Liu, 1983; Liu & Steele, 1986), wherein affirming one's important beliefs and values can buffer against identity threats. Self-affirmation theory posits that individuals are motivated to maintain a positive overall…