Rising college prices and student debt, the growth and collapse of online for-profit colleges, and expansions of federal grant, loan, and loan forgiveness policies have increased calls for more accountability in our higher education system. And there is significant consensus among lawmakers that the existing set of quality assurance policies for…

In March, 2021, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP), within the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund to address the specific and urgent needs of children and youth experiencing homelessness. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona emphasized that services provided under the ARP-HCY…

This dissertation consists of two chapters, both of which study the wealth inequality using heterogenous agent general equilibrium model. In particular, the first chapter focuses on a government policy and its implications on wealth inequality. The second chapter incorporates cost to high return assets to generate realistic wealth mobility in the…

This is the second in a series of success stories about how arts organizations, states, schools and other entities are using funding from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) and the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) to support arts education. Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) is one of the nation's 20th largest…

Starting in May 2020, the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund transferred billions of dollars through state departments and on to districts to support COVID-19 recovery efforts. The funding, which lasts through 2024, represents the largest one-time infusion of federal dollars ever provided to K-12 school districts and has…

In this dissertation I use modern microeconomic methods to examine the impact of K-12 education policy interventions on student outcomes. In the first chapter I explore how increased funding for school policing and sentiment surrounding school policing can have downstream effects on student discipline, and how these effects vary by student and…

The COVID-19 global pandemic impacted the United States' educational landscape by intensifying the teacher shortage. In particular, significant help is wanted in filling public school vacancies in specialty areas, which has resulted in non-instructional staff teaching in classrooms and impacting school operations. Federal, state, and local…

The purpose of this article is to examine and critique the manner in which racialized federal education policy and reforms--or the lack thereof--affect higher education. Minority-serving Institutions designations are race-conscious policies that demonstrate a federal commitment to supporting the educational needs of students of color; however,…

This research considers Pell grant restoration for incarcerated people for the field of higher education in prison. Using the original data, we outline the limits of Pell funding in the prison context by surfacing persistent funding challenges that the Pell grant alone cannot address and may exacerbate. By providing the necessary investments to…

Well-executed coaching can drive instructional improvement, teacher retention, and student achievement. However when school systems face intense budget pressures -- as many are now as they grapple with the end of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding and declining enrollment -- instructional coaching is often the…

Many colleges and universities are increasingly relying on grant funding to supplement their efforts to educate and support their growing diverse student populations. Mercy University has a long history of preparing excellent teachers and educational professionals. This article explores how the School of Education at Mercy University has secured…

Career-connected learning is an educational strategy that combines high-quality academic instruction, skill-based learning, and real-world experiences to prepare students with the knowledge and skills that they need to pursue their college and career goals. Career-connected learning can be delivered in a variety of ways, including in core content…

This brief explains why concerns over an impending "fiscal cliff" for public school districts as federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds near their expiration are misplaced. Due in part to federal pandemic aid, most state budgets are flush with cash, with record-high rainy-day funds, positioning them to absorb any…

New Mexico made headlines in 2022 as the first state in the nation to pass a ballot measure amending the state constitution to guarantee funding for early childhood education. The state leadership's intention to make child care affordable for most families in New Mexico was widely celebrated. Not as well known, however, is the story of how a…

There is currently bipartisan support for criminal justice reform in the United States. One reform, recently passed through the Consolidated Appropriations Act/COVID relief package (December 2020), restored need-based, higher educational aid for incarcerated persons. With a resurgence of college-in-prison programs on the horizon, this article…