Line graph showing monthly absence rates for the 2024-25 school year. Two lines track students born inside vs. outside the U.S. from September through May. Both groups follow similar patterns through the fall, but diverge sharply at a vertical dashed line marking the January 20th inauguration. After that point, foreign-born students' absence rates remain elevated while U.S.-born rates decline as expected, eliminating the pre-inauguration gap.

NEW PAPER: We study the effects of immigration policy on student attendance in 2025. Students born outside the U.S. were 2.2pp more likely to be absent after Jan 2025 (a 37% increase).

That's ~2 extra missed days per semester.

LINK: edworkingpapers.com/ai26-1453
@annenberginstitute.bsky.social

How immigration enforcement is harming US schools and students | Brookings Carolyn Sattin-Bajaj examines how aggressive immigration enforcement harms students' attendance, health, and academics.

New @Brookings commentary on the consequences of current immigration enforcement campaigns & attacks on immigrant communities for students & schools. www.brookings.edu/articles/how...

there is no other Capt Wentworth than Ciarán Hinds!!

The messages from US government regarding autism are built on two assumptions that reflect the long-standing ableism underpinning healthcare systems in the United States and many other western countries. First, they assume that avoiding autism is so desirable that any intervention that might reduce its occurrence should be attempted, regardless of unknown harms and lack of evidence for benefits. Second, it assumes any intervention that is (erroneously) thought to increase the occurrence of autism should be avoided, regardless of robust evidence of benefit including decreased mortality, and weak evidence of association with autism. While these ableist assumptions are not novel, the incoherence of US federal guidance is now on full view.

New editorial on RFK Jr.’s ableist health policies:

journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Fantastic reporting from @bethhawkins.bsky.social on the history of special education. We take for granted the systems we have right now -what a great reminder of how far we've come & the threats that continue to face education for people w/disabilities today.
www.the74million.org/article/befo...

The Politics of Administrative Ease: Public Access to Local Special Education Information What political and administrative resources contribute to the realization of rights in the United States? We examine this puzzle in the context of rights to education for students with disabilities by measuring the administrative ease of accessing local special education information: the extent to which governments actively reduce learning costs and make information accessible.

I'm excited to share our latest EdWorking paper, "The Politics of Administrative Ease: Public Access to Local Special Education Information" (w/ @lindseykaler.bsky.social
and co-authors).
edworkingpapers.com/ai26-1447
#SpecialEducation #EdResearch
@annenberginstitute.bsky.social

Grateful to all the amazing BU folks who spoke up about this policy!

Such a cool study!!

Friends - please help amplify and share in your networks.

This small conference will convene multidisciplinary researchers w/ practitioners, non-profit organizers, & policymakers to share cutting-edge research on 🎓+🌎.

We have only 25 spots left. Join us!

Iran Join Rick as he explores the most surprising and fascinating land he's ever visited: Iran. In a one-hour, ground-breaking travel special on public television, you'll discover the splendid monuments of...

My one-hour special “Rick Steves Iran: Yesterday and Today,” which helps humanize 90 million Iranian people, is streaming free and ad-free at www.ricksteves.com/watch-iran.

Navigating School Choice at the Intersection of Disability, Race, and Class: Mothers of Students With Disabilities Accessing Information in Competitive Local Education Markets - Federico R. Waitoller, Christopher Lubienski, 2025 In this study, we examine how mothers of students with disabilities (SWDs) from different racial and class backgrounds access information about schools in compe...

3 findings on school choice & disability:
1⃣ Special ed info is nearly impossible to find online
2⃣ Campus tours exclude students with disabilities
3⃣ Social networks fill the gap — but unequally by race & class
📄

When I was first asked to take my flag down, I consulted a lawyer & this was the case she brought up :-)

Also, check out this story about one of our alum, who fought a similar case at BU almost 40 years ago: dailyfreepress.com/04/02/14/219...

Seeing this get 100s of re-tweets has made my day!

SOO SOOO proud of Dr. @jmpsych.bsky.social and the very cool work she's doing!! Can't wait to see next steps in her dissertation research on integrating SEL and literacy interventions in early elementary 🎉

Graphic promoting the SPARC Center Scholars Program FAQ Session. Text reads “SPARC Center Scholars Program FAQ Session,” “April 15 at 4pm ET,” and “Virtual.” Additional text invites participants to ask questions live and learn about the program’s mission, benefits, eligibility requirements, and application process. The graphic lists Loretta Mason‑Williams, SPARC Center Co‑Principal Investigator, and includes the SPARC Center logo and website, sparccenter.org, at the bottom.

Are you interested in applying for the SPARC Center Scholars Program but have questions or want to learn more? Attend our Q&A Session on April 15 at 4pm ET hosted by @lmasonwms.bsky.social.

🔗Register now: binghamton.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

‘The people have spoken’: Pride flags multiply as BU students, staff protest against signage policy Boston University community members protested against BU’s administration by placing pride and other flags in windows across campus after the University removed several over spring break and later ins...

Boston University’s student paper, The Daily Free Press, reports about the multiplication of pride flags on campus following the administration’s attempted crackdown on free speech.

Survey shows alarming drop in working conditions for teachers: What are we doing about it? | Brookings Post-pandemic teacher working conditions have plummeted as classroom disruptions surge, fueling a crisis in U.S. schools.

Alarming drops in working conditions for teachers during and after the pandemic www.brookings.edu/articles/sur...

Graphic from the Trans Journalists Association titled ‘The Trans News Initiative.’ Subheading reads: ‘Understanding the landscape of trans news coverage — and where major media is falling short.’ Includes the TJA logo and a link to www.transnewsinitiative.org.

🧵✨ This Trans Day of Visibility: let’s talk about how trans stories show up in the media — and why it matters. 🏳️‍⚧️

Introducing the Trans News Initiative (TNI) from the Trans Journalists Association. transnewsinitiative.org

Photo of trans flag with text on flag which reads, “There are trans people here.”

Today is Transgender Day of Visibility. Solidarity today and everyday with trans and non-binary folk who claim space unapologetically. As governments turn trans visibility into a matter of “ideology,” we must refuse to see trans lives as a debate and instead nurture trans joy, safety, and belonging.

🚨New working paper alert! 🚨

The US spends huge $ on special education services for students with disabilities. Is that spending effective?

Today we released a working paper suggesting it is.

"Special Education Substantially Improves Learning: Evidence from Three States"

Let me explain...

Are you affiliated with BU as an alumnus, students, staff or faculty? Please sign & share!!

Boston University’s removal of Pride flags and other peaceful displays is not a minor policy issue. When a university that claims to support free speech starts policing what faculty, students, and staff can express in their own spaces, it undermines the open exchange of ideas it says it values. 1/3

Please sign and share!

Fun AND learning with a dash of unintended policy consequences

Please sign and share!

Lucky Mason-Williams, Elizabeth Bettini, & Lynn Holdheide stand in front of a large screen displaying a session titled “Strengthening the Special Education Workforce with the SPARC Center and LEAD IDEA” at the CEC 2026 Convention & Expo in Salt Lake City. The three presenters are smiling and wearing lanyards with name tags.

A group of 11 SPARC Center researchers and colleagues pose together indoors at a conference, smiling and wearing name badges on lanyards.

💡We’ve been busy! This month, our experts presented at the conferences of @cecmembership.bsky.social & @aefpweb.bsky.social.

It's always valuable to share findings, learn from others, and bring back feedback that strengthens our work.

Boston University: Protect free speech for faculty, students, and staff Boston University’s removal of Pride flags and other peaceful displays is not a minor policy issue. When a university that claims to support free speech starts policing what faculty, students, and sta...

If you are affiliated with BU in any capacity (faculty, student, staff, alum) please consider signing this petition:

alumni.standforcampusfreedom.org/petitions/te...

Boston University: Protect free speech for faculty, students, and staff Boston University’s removal of Pride flags and other peaceful displays is not a minor policy issue. When a university that claims to support free speech starts policing what faculty, students, and sta...

If you are affiliated with BU in any capacity (faculty, student, staff, alum) please consider signing this petition:

alumni.standforcampusfreedom.org/petitions/te...

Sage Journals: Discover world-class research Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.

"while almost all schools engaged in private fundraising, the magnitude was $500 to $700 more per pupil at low-poverty schools compared to high-poverty schools. Private fundraising thus offset the difference in public funds by an estimated 23% to 35%." journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.3...