Due to data limitations, very little is known about patterns of cross-state teacher mobility. It is an important issue because barriers to cross-state mobility create labor market frictions that could lead both current and prospective teachers to opt out of the teaching profession. In this article, we match state-level administrative data sets…

The College Ambition Program (CAP) is designed to encourage low-income and minority students to enroll in college. The following analysis presents updated results from my AERA presidential talk in 2014. Results indicate that CAP, which is a schoolwide intervention, increased college attendance for low-income and minority students in seven…

This article uses Florida administrative data to evaluate the role that public high schools play in the growing female advantage in college enrollment. We first show evidence of gender sorting across public high schools that is beyond what one would observe if students were randomly assigned to their schools. Using regression and decomposition…

How many students repeat a grade each year? How do retention rates vary across states and over time? Despite extensive research on the predictors and consequences of grade retention, there is no systematic way to quantify state-level retention rates; even national estimates rely on imperfect proxy measures. We present a conceptually simple…

Discusses criticisms of null hypothesis significance testing (NHST), suggesting that historical use of NHST was reasonable, and current users should read Sir Ronald Fisher's applied work. Notes that modifications to NHST and interpretations of its outcomes might better suit the needs of modern science. Concludes that NHST is most often useful as…

Education lags behind other scientific disciplines in its effective use of data displays. An example is provided in which the reorganization of data from two bar graphs into one table highlights the obvious and subtle results. To address the need for effective data display, the companion article, "Understanding Graphs and Tables," was…

Describes new directions and initiatives instituted at the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) since 1986 to fill data gaps, raise technical standards, and expand staff resources. Discusses implications for educational research and policy. (FMW)

Three historic examples demonstrate the vital role data displays (graphs and tables) have played in important discoveries. Levels of information that form the basis of a theory of display are described, and steps to improve the quality of tabular presentations in educational writing are outlined. (SLD)