The Annenberg Institute will host Jesse Bruhn for a discussion on the use of large language models in education research. The talk will explore how emerging computational methods can be used to examine the underlying structure of student achievement and uncover new ways of analyzing educational data. The presentation will consider the potential of innovative methodologies to deepen understanding of student learning and outcomes.

The Annenberg Institute will host a discussion on the relationship between state-level child care subsidies and maternal time use. The talk will explore research examining how public investments in early care and education shape family experiences and how policies may influence the ways parents allocate time with their children.

The Annenberg Institute will host Ann Mantil for a discussion on immigrant newcomers in Massachusetts high schools. Drawing on research examining the experiences and outcomes of students who recently arrived in the United States, the talk will explore the challenges these students face and the ways schools can better understand and support their educational needs.

The Annenberg Institute will host NaLette Brodnax for a discussion on the role of carceral ideology in shaping public school disciplinary regimes. The talk will explore how schools develop disciplinary policies and examine how approaches centered on surveillance, coercion, and correction influence student experiences and educational inequities. Drawing on computational analysis of school handbooks, the presentation will consider how disciplinary structures vary across school contexts and relate to student outcomes. 

Top-Down Discipline: The Role of Carceral Ideology in the Formation of Public Schools' Disciplinary Regimes 

Black students face significantly higher school discipline rates than their white peers. In investigating these disparities, I consider a "top-down"  perspective on school discipline, where schools create disciplinary policy regimes that shape student behavior. I characterize these policy regimes based on schools' use of carceral ideology---the propensity to solve problems through surveillance, coercion, confinement, and correction. An accumulation of carceral practices in schools may alter the education, beliefs, and identities of poor and racially minoritized students in harmful ways, inhibiting their successful transition to college, the workplace, and other social environments. I develop a school-level measure of carceral ideology based on computational analyses of text from approximately 15,000 school handbooks. I find that carceral ideology is more prevalent among suburban and rural schools than among urban schools. Black students are more likely to encounter carceral ideology when they comprise a statistical minority, unless they attend charter schools, where carceral ideology is most prevalent when Black students are the majority. I also find that carceral ideology is associated with higher rates of in-school and out-of-school suspension, and to a lesser extent, expulsions.

The Annenberg Institute will host a discussion on the relationship between teacher licensure exams and the supply of available teachers. The talk will explore how certification requirements shape pathways into the teaching profession and examine broader questions about teacher recruitment, workforce policy, and efforts to staff schools with qualified educators. 

The Annenberg Institute will host Natasha Kumar Warikoo for a Rethinking Race and Education Seminar on affirmative action in college admissions. The talk will explore the legal and historical context of race-conscious admissions, how these policies have shaped ideas of merit and equity, and questions facing higher education following recent changes to admissions policy.

Abstract: Nearly one year ago, the US Supreme Court ended the ability of colleges to consider race in admissions. In this talk, I highlight the legal context for affirmative action in college admissions. I then discuss how the legal justifications have shaped the social meaning of affirmative action. I draw from my book The Diversity Bargain: And Other Dilemmas of Race, Admissions, and Meritocracy to illustrate the impact on students’ meaning-making about race and meritocracy, and from my book Race at the Top: Asian Americans and Whites in Pursuit of the American Dream in Suburban Schools to illustrate the impact on high school students’ understandings of merit and deservingness. I end with a discussion of better ways to conceptualize college admissions, drawing from my book Is Affirmative Action Fair? The Myth of Equity in College Admissions.

The Annenberg Institute will host Christopher Cleveland for an Education Policy Workshop Series seminar on the impacts of state legislative reform on developmental delay identification. The talk will explore how changes in state policy shape special education identification processes and examine the role of research in understanding how education systems respond to the needs of students with disabilities.

The Annenberg Institute at Brown University, EdTrust, the National Newcomer Network and Results for America invite you to join a webinar highlighting the latest evidence on effective district practices to support English learners and immigrant-origin students.

One in ten students in the U.S. is classified as an English learner, and one in four has a parent born outside the country. Even as these student populations continue to grow, their needs remain largely unmet. For instance, the majority of public school students classified as English learners are not receiving instruction through bilingual or dual language models, despite evidence showing these programs' effectiveness over English-only instruction. What will it take to better serve this growing population?

This webinar brings together a series of key thinkers in the field - researchers, advocates, and school leaders - to discuss how educators can ensure that the services students receive align with the best possible evidence from both research and practice for promoting student academic success and well-being.

The Annenberg Institute will host Jordan Kostiuk and Jesse Morin for an Education Policy Workshop Series seminar on educational inequality. The talk will explore empirical research examining factors that contribute to unequal educational experiences and outcomes, highlighting approaches for understanding challenges in education policy and practice.

The Annenberg Institute will host Andrew Camp for a discussion on the relationship between four-day school weeks, teacher retention, and teacher quality. Drawing on evidence from Arkansas and Missouri, the talk will explore how alternative school calendars shape educator recruitment, retention, and workforce dynamics, and consider the implications for education policy and school staffing.