Although many studies have shown short term benefits to early childhood education, the long-term benefits have been less explored. A new study by William Gormley Jr. and colleagues found that children who had participated in the Tulsa universal Pre-K program in 2006 were 12% more likely to enroll in a 2-year or 4-year college. In particular, Black and Hispanic children who had attended the Pre-K program were more likely to enroll in 4-year institutions. Children who had participated in the Tulsa Head Start program were 7% more likely to enroll in any college or university, but these results were only slightly statistically significant. The research team calculated propensity scores to compare the groups of children who did and did not attend the Pre-K program to account for other factors that may have influenced likelihood to enroll in college. Tulsa’s universal Pre-K program is one of the oldest in the US....

A study posted on preprint archive by Kramer and colleagues examined whether 9th grade students’ academic performance and motivation in mathematics improved by using a formative grading system called PARLO (Proficiency-based Assessment and Re-assessment of Learning Outcomes), and compared it to the traditional summative-grading system. The PARLO system aims to increase academic engagement and achievement by centering instruction, formative feedback, and grading around 10-15 Learning Outcomes per semester and employing a grading system that encourages reassessment and full credit for mastery of content at each learning outcome. A student’s final grade is calculated from the number of “proficient” or “high performance” scores taken from their best assessment at each learning outcome. This differs from traditional grading, which is often based on one-time assessments and summary judgments of student performance. The mixed-methods, cluster randomized study assigned a diverse set of schools to implement PARLO for two years in their 9th grade...

Almost three years since the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a growing number of studies examining the learning loss of school-aged children during the pandemic. The first meta-analysis of global learning loss has been published in Nature Human Behavior, and reviews the existing evidence on the extent to which learning progress has slowed down since the onset of the pandemic, and how it varies across different groups of students, subject domains and country contexts. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to: (1) measure learning progress using test scores that could be standardized across studies using Cohen’s d, (2) base their estimates on empirical data collected since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, rather than making projections based on pre-COVID-19 data, and (3) be written in English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Norwegian, Spanish or Swedish. A total of 42 studies (including 291 estimates) across 15 countries met these inclusion criteria, conducted...

Previous evidence has consistently revealed that students in Teach For America (TFA) classrooms score higher on math assessments in the short run than otherwise similar students in the same schools. In a recent working paper released by American Institutes for Research, the authors extended the existing body of evidence on TFA by researching the relationship between being in a TFA classroom in a given year on both test and non-test academic outcomes in that year and in the following year. Based on the student-level longitudinal data from Miami-Dade County Public Schools, authors found that while students taught by TFA teachers scored higher on math and ELA assessments in a given year, these test score gains faded out by the following year. In addition, students taught by TFA teachers were less likely to miss school due to absences and suspensions both in the year of exposure and the year following. The...

With the rapid development of modern technology and its extensive application in education, China seeks to popularize education technology in K-12 classrooms. A recent meta-analysis by Ni and colleagues provided insights into the impact of educational technology on English reading achievement for Chinese English second language learners (ESLs) and compared different instructional models. The meta-analysis included 35 eligible studies which targeted Chinese K-12 participants conducted from 2000 to 2020 in Greater China. Five learning models were classified in the study: The multimedia-transmission model (k=11) is a teacher-centred model using computer-assisted multimedia instruction (e.g., music, videos). The comprehensive model (k=8) incorporates technology into the core curriculum which integrates computer or mobile-assisted instruction into non-technology-based classroom activities. For example, using digital dictionary apps for a vocabulary memorizing competition in the class. Supplementary activities (k=5) involve supplementary learning activities performed outside the classroom. The integrated online-learning system (k=5) is a learning management system...

Digital monitoring tools are instruments that support teachers in obtaining, organizing, and analyzing student data from test assessments. Through these tools teachers are also provided with feedback on the data they receive. A recent review studied the effects of digital monitoring tools on student academic achievement. Studies included had to compare an experimental group in which teachers used digital monitoring tools with a control group. Each group had to include at least 20 teachers and the intervention had to last a minimum of 12 weeks. Only independent measures, such as standardized tests, were included in the meta-analysis. A total of 14 studies were included in the review. Most of the studies evaluated the effects of the intervention on mathematics or reading. Studies were carried out more frequently in primary school than secondary school. Overall, the results showed positive effects of digital monitoring tools on student academic achievement (ES =+ 0.12)....

The after-school tutoring market is huge in China as families have to boost their children’s competitive advantage through paid after-school tutoring. However, mainly only relatively high-income families can afford to pay the tuition fee, as the cost is too high for vulnerable social classes. Thus, it is unknown how after-school tutoring impacts the academic performance of children from low-income families (LIFs). Li and colleagues conducted a study to explore the impact of after-school English tutoring on the academic performance of LIF children through a randomized controlled trial. The sample consisted of 529 7th grade middle school students (54% boys) from registered poor families* (annual per capita net income lower than national rural poverty alleviation standard in 2019, ¥3747 RMB) from five schools in a county in Guizhou Province. While 120 LIF students were randomly assigned to receive a free online English tutoring program (worth ¥5000 RMB in total), the other...

Academic achievement is closely related to students’ development in numerous aspects. One of the important factors associated with academic achievement is socioeconomic status (SES), which often refers to the status or prestige of an individual or an individual’s family owing to the possession of certain social resources, capabilities, or wealth. Two meta-analyses conducted by Liu and colleagues investigated the relations between SES and academic achievement among primary and secondary education with a focus on macro-level and micro-level moderators. The first meta-analysis was based on 326 empirical studies and 838 effect sizes from 47 countries and areas, while the second was based on three international large-scale assessments (PISA, TIMSS, and PIRLS) with 9883 effect sizes from 105 countries and areas. All studies were conducted from 1990 to 2021. Overall, small to moderate correlations were found between SES and academic achievement around the world (r = 0.22 ~ 0.28). In terms of...

There is an accepted relationship between students’ oral language skills and their ability to master literacy skills in schools. The importance of developing oral language skills in the early years is important so that students can fully engage with instruction. However, to develop those skills, teachers must understand this relationship and support the development of oral language in their classrooms. One proposed approach to this is through professional learning that helps teachers develop new knowledge and beliefs as well as new pedagogy to address oral language development. A recent study by Goldfeld and colleagues tested whether the Classroom Promotion of Oral Language (CPOL) intervention, a teacher professional learning program focused on oral language in kindergarten and first grade, improved student literacy outcomes at the end of first and third grade. The study was conducted in Australia, in government and Catholic schools. A total of 36 schools were randomly assigned to...