Expert Insights

Leading nonprofits, researchers, and coalitions share their perspectives on district-level data and student performance.

The Center for Education Policy Research partners with leading nonprofits, advocacy organizations, researchers, and national coalitions to understand what programs and interventions are helping students grow and thrive. The organizations below provide critical context, research, and perspectives on the district-level data and insights into student performance found in the Education Scorecard.

Doug Staiger, Professor of Economics, Dartmouth College

“There is wide variation across school districts in achievement growth since the pandemic. Some districts have seen test scores rise rapidly since 2022, while test scores in other districts have stagnated or declined. This report documents that pandemic relief funding through ESSER contributed meaningfully to more rapid academic improvement in high poverty school districts, while higher absence rates since the pandemic were an important headwind reducing growth in achievement. More importantly, we identify exemplar school districts in every state that have far outpaced comparable districts in the growth of math and reading achievement since 2022, and hope that other districts can learn from what has been working in these exemplar districts.”

Learning Heroes

“With historically low NAEP scores in reading and math, highlighting districts that are beating the odds compared to similar systems points us toward what’s working—and what’s possible. We know from our research that stronger student outcomes, including attendance and achievement, are linked to how well schools partner with families. In The Engagement Advantage, our report with TNTP, we found that this requires more than intention—it takes leadership, strong one-on-one relationships, and consistent, transparent communication. Just as important, when families—across income levels and backgrounds—have an accurate understanding of their child’s progress, they take meaningful action to support learning. Making that shared understanding the norm should be central to any strategy to accelerate progress,” said Bibb Hubbard, Founder & CEO of Learning Heroes.

Attendance Works

“The consequences of today’s strikingly high levels of chronic absence for students’ academic prospects are clear.  It makes it harder for teachers to teach and students to learn,” said Hedy Chang, CEO and president, Attendance Works. “Chronic absence data is an essential tool for identifying where improving academic outcomes requires identifying and addressing the barriers in classrooms and communities that are keeping students and their families from engaging in school. Especially post pandemic, improving attendance requires investing in the positive conditions that motivate showing up: challenging, relevant instruction; a safe, welcoming school climate; and strong relationships between students, teachers and families.” 

Learn more about what you can do to reduce chronic absence on the Attendance Works website: www.attendanceworks.org 

Contact: Catherine Cooney, Director, Communications, catherine@attendanceworks.org 

CurriculumHQ

“A commitment to high-quality instructional materials is critical for improving student learning and engagement,” said Jim Cowen, Executive Director, Collaborative for Student Success. “Students deserve rigorous materials that are aligned to state standards, and teachers deserve professional learning that is aligned to the curriculum they teach. States and districts that have invested time and resources in creating this foundation for strong, evidence-based instruction offer examples for others to follow.”

Contact: jparrish@forstudentsuccess.org 

Related Research:

The PIE Network

“Education advocates across the PIE Network work every day to pass and implement policies and practices that will improve student opportunities and outcomes. That work depends on clear, credible data. The Education Scorecard provides district-level bright spots and areas in need of improvement that state and local advocates can leverage to make the case for urgent, targeted action.”

— Jen Alexander, Executive Director, The PIE Network

RELATED RESEARCH

ExcelinEd (Excellence in Education)

“The Education Scorecard gives policymakers and advocates the district-level data they need to move beyond national averages and understand where students are truly struggling. When we can see—community by community—how far students have fallen behind, we can partner with states to provide literacy, math and accountability reforms where they are needed most. This kind of granular, actionable data is the foundation of meaningful education interventions and growth.” 

— Patricia Levesque, ExcelinEd 

RELATED RESEARCH 

American Enterprise Institute

Chronic absenteeism is a central post-pandemic challenge, and progress in reducing it appears to be slowing. Attendance losses–both above and below the chronic threshold—harm student achievement and weaken schools’ effectiveness. Academic recovery is a clear priorty, and there is no credible path to it that does not run through improving attendance.

Nat Malkus

Senior Fellow and Deputy Director, Education Policy Studies, AEI

EdReports

“High-quality instructional materials are foundational to student learning—but they are the floor, not the ceiling,” said Janna Chan, Chief Brand Officer, EdReports. “As schools continue recovery efforts, the field must move beyond access alone and focus on how materials are used, how they work together, and how they support all students to engage in grade-level learning. Strengthening these connections across curriculum, instruction, and implementation is what will turn recovery investments into meaningful, lasting gains for students.”

Contact: Tom Green, TGreen@edreports.org

Related Research:

The Education Data Center

“The Education Scorecard represents exactly the kind of district-level transparency our education system needs,” said Dr. Emily Oster. “The Education Data Center is delighted to contribute data to this project; we believe that accessible, understandable data is the core to accountability and improvement. Districts must see how their students compare in order to move the conversation towards accountability. The Scorecard is an indispensable tool to do that.”

Rivet Education

“A curriculum alone doesn’t drive results. When education leaders know what research-based actions to take at key moments in the implementation journey, they can improve implementation, strengthen teacher practice, and ultimately drive better student outcomes. This work requires a clear roadmap to guide action, track progress, and celebrate success. States and districts that invest in this kind of strategic implementation are seeing real results—and showing others what’s possible.”

Center for Education Market Dynamics

“High-quality data is about more than just numbers – it’s the foundation of informed decision-making,” said Lora Kaiser, Executive Director, Center for Education Market Dynamics. “Using data to understand the instructional materials selected by districts nationwide is critical. Without visibility into the curricula students have access to, it is hard to fully understand the opportunities or barriers shaping their outcomes.”