The QMC’s discussion series, titled, “By the Numbers,” promotes healthy discussion among invited experts and audience members with a focus on the “numbers” (quantitative data & findings). Topics will be current and appeal broadly to educators and social science researchers. We strongly encourage attendees to read listed supplemental briefs/attachments for each event. Each discussion will begin with an introduction of the expert(s), a brief presentation (15-20 minutes), followed by 25-35 minutes minutes of a discussion and Q&A period, moderated by the QMC. This approach allows for a deeper discussion and more critical analysis on the topic than the typical speaker series.
- Ask or disagree nicely.
- Avoid a raised voice.
- Be comfortable to agree to disagree without trying to be the winner.
- Avoid strong language and belittling or dismissive comments.
- Allow equal opportunity to engage in the discussion.
Information about our Spring 2024 By the Numbers Series is provided below, including registration links. As a brief reminder, all presentations for the Spring 2024 semester will be held virtually via Zoom, and registration will be required for attendees to receive a Zoom link.
We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. To request an accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, or if you have any additional questions, please contact our Associate Director Brian Timm (timm.21). At least two weeks’ advance notice will help us to provide seamless access.
Spring 2024 By the Numbers Events
Friday, January 19, 12:00pm – 1:00pm: Josue (Josh) De La Rosa, National Center on Educational Statistics (NCES)
Title: School Pandemic Preparedness By the Numbers
Please join Josue (Josh) De La Rosa, who is the Director of Annual Reports and Information at the NCES., for a presentation and discussion of recent findings regarding pandemic preparedness among K-12 schools.
Please read the following reports authored by De La Rosa before attending:
- School Pulse Panel 2023 (January 2024 data release)
- Available Data from NCES referenced in presentation (excel file)
- Prior Report: Eighty-Two Percent of Public Schools Indicated Having a Written Plan to Handle a Pandemic Disease in the 2022-23 School Year
Recent press releases from NCES to monitor:
- Press Release – New Schools Data Examine Violent Incidents, Bullying, Drug Possession, ‘Restorative’ Practices, Security Staff, and More – January 17, 2024 (ed.gov)
- Press Release – Public School Leaders Report 90 Percent Average Daily Student Attendance Rate in November 2023 – January 18, 2024
- Press Release – Postsecondary Enrollment Dropped by Less Than 1 Percent From Fall 2021 to Fall 2022 – January 16, 2024
Josue (Josh) De La Rosa
Bio
Josue (Josh) De La Rosa is the Director of Annual Reports and information at the National Center on Educational Statistics (NCES). While in this position, Josue oversees NCES’s annual reports and from ideation to dissemination,
led studies on national educational, demographic, and economic trends. Mr. De La Rosa also leads the production of key publications like the Digest of Education Statistics, and manages team allocations, set priorities, and provided strategic organizational input.
Before moving to the NCES, Mr. De La Rosa was a Senior Data Scientist at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and an adjunct professor of Queens College in the Data Analytics and Applied Social Research program. Mr. De La Rosa earned his B.S. in Administrative Studies from St. John’s University, and his M.A. in Data Analytics and Applied Social Research from Queens College.
Event Registration
Registration for this event is closed. Please watch the recording here!
Friday, April 5, 12:00pm – 1:00pm: Dr. Brendan Bartanen, Assistant Professor of Education Policy, University of Virginia
Title: K-12 Teacher Pipeline By the Numbers
Please join Dr. Brendan Bartanen, Assistant Professor of Education Policy at the University of Virginia for a discussion on how to build a stronger K-12 teacher pipeline in the US.
Please read the following publication in the American Educational Research Journal authored by Dr. Bartanen before attending the event:
Bio
Dr. Brendan Bartanen
Brendan Bartanen is an assistant professor of education policy at the University of Virginia. His research aims to increase our understanding of the labor market for principals and teachers. In particular, he examines the intersections among educator turnover, measures of effectiveness, high-stakes evaluation systems, and educator diversity. He was awarded the 2019 New Scholar Award from the Association for Education Finance and Policy and the Outstanding Dissertation Award from the American Educational Research Association (Division L).
His work has been published in leading journals across education, public policy, and economics, including the American Educational Research Journal, Educational Researcher, the Journal of Human Resources, Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, and the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management. His current projects study the validity and reliability of principal value-added models, the pipeline into teaching among high school and college students, and early career teacher skill development.
Brendan began his career as an 8th grade science teacher in Phoenix, Arizona. He earned a B.A. in Economics from Pomona College, an M.Ed. from Arizona State University, and a Ph.D. in Leadership and Policy Studies from Vanderbilt University.
Event Registration
Registration for this event is closed. Please watch the recording here!
Friday, April 19, 12:00pm – 1:00pm: Dr. Douglas Harris, Schlieder Foundation Chair in Public Education & Director, National Center for Research on Education Access and Choice (REACH), Tulane University
Title: High School Graduation By the Numbers
Please join Dr. Douglas Harris, Schlieder Foundation Chair in Public Education, Director of the National Center for Research on Education Access and Choice (REACH), and Professor and Chair of the Department of Economics at Tulane University, for a discussion on high school graduation rates, the future of high school graduation rates, and accountability in graduation standards.
Please read the following publication in the Journal of Labour Economics authored by Dr. Harris before attending the event:
Bio
Dr. Douglas Harris
Douglas Harris is Professor and Chair of the Department of Economics, the Schlieder Foundation Chair in Public Education, founding Director of both the Education Research Alliance for New Orleans (ERA-New Orleans) and Director of the National Center for Research on Education Access and Choice (REACH), all at Tulane University. His research has influenced policy and practice on a wide variety of K-12 and higher education policy issues. He is the author of three books including, most recently, Charter School City: What the End of Traditional Public Schools in New Orleans Means for American Education (University of Chicago Press, 2020). He is also a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and has testified in the U.S. Senate and advised governors in eight states, the U.S. Department of Education, and Biden Transition. His work has also been cited in almost every major national and international media outlet.
In his most recent work, he is the lead editor on the forthcoming Live Handbook of Education Policy, sponsored by the Association for Education Finance and Policy. The handbook will provide open-access summaries of a wide variety of topics in pre-K, K-12, and higher education, written by leading experts but in a way that will be broadly accessible and regularly updated with the latest research. The Live Handbook, to be released in March of 2025, will provide a new way of communicating and interacting with scientific research, one that combines academic expertise with modern online tools such as Wikipedia.
Finally, he is Director of the State of the Nation Project. The project is designed to address current problems of polarization, distrust, pessimism, and misinformation by bringing together a diverse board of experts to identify the most important measures that address the question, how are we doing as a country? Slated for release in January of 2025, the project’s first report will cover topics ranging from education and the economy to the environment and health.
Event Registration
Registration for this event is closed. Please watch the recording here!