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Robert Balfanz  // Browsing posts in Robert Balfanz

Want To Make A School Better?

Want To Make A School Better?

Bob Balfanz cites chronic absenteeism as “the biggest thing in school improvement that people have not paid attention to” on NPR’s Morning Edition. Click here to listen to the NPR broadcast, “Want to Make A School Better? Get Kids to Show Up”

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Every Student, Every Day

Every Student, Every Day

Every Student, Every Day: A Virtual Summit on Addressing and Eliminating Chronic Absence. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, Attendance Works, Everybody Graduates Center and United Way Worldwide, this online summit outlines key steps that states, districts and communities can take to improve student achievement by monitoring and reducing chronic absence. Click here to […]

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2015 Building a Grad Nation Report

2015 Building a Grad Nation Report

Too many students are trapped in failing schools or in communities of intergenerational poverty with too few ways out. This sixth annual report to the nation highlights the significant progress that has been made, but also the serious challenges that remain – closing gaping graduation gaps between various student populations; tackling the challenge in key […]

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A Rising Tide of Graduation Rates

A Rising Tide of Graduation Rates

John Bridgeland, former Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council & CEO of Civic Enterprises, and Robert Balfanz, Director of the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University, are co-authors of an Executive Brief on high school graduation rates and trends. The pair authored an op/ed on Huffington Post Education March 17, 2015. Recent […]

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Building a Grad Nation 2015 Executive Brief

Building a Grad Nation 2015 Executive Brief

The Building a Grad Nation Executive Brief highlights the national high school graduation rate trends, depicting the progress being made across states and student subgroups. The brief also provides evidence of the benefits gained by earning a high school diploma, underscoring the significance of getting students to and through this critical juncture. The Executive Brief is […]

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Fixing No Child Left Behind: Innovation to Better Meet the Needs of Students (Roundtable)

Fixing No Child Left Behind: Innovation to Better Meet the Needs of Students (Roundtable)

Dr. Robert Balfanz testified before the US Senate HELP Committee on February 3, 2015. The hearing was a roundtable on Fixing No Child Left Behind: Innovation to Better Meet the Needs of Students. The hearing was live streamed via the HELP website. It can be found here. Read a transcript of Dr. Balfanz’ testimony, available […]

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Harnessing Penny Power to Learn What Works

Harnessing Penny Power to Learn What Works

Teachers and principals are always looking for ways to better teach and support students—including searching for reliable information about interventions that have been proven to work in classrooms similar to their own. Unfortunately, these searches often come up empty, and education policy discussions on how to invest limited taxpayer dollars are too often driven by […]

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Omarina’s Story – An Update on Middle School Moment

Omarina’s Story – An Update on Middle School Moment

How has Omarina Cabrera fared since her Middle School Moment? Frontline checked in. NARRATOR:  It’s the last day of the semester at the Brooks School, an exclusive private academy in North Andover, Massachusetts.  Omarina Cabrera is halfway through her sophomore year. OMARINA CABRERA:  I remember first getting here, it definitely was an adjustment.  A lot […]

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The Power of a Penny: Building Knowledge to Invest in What Works in Education

The Power of a Penny: Building Knowledge to Invest in What Works in Education

The federal government spends less than one-tenth of a penny, out of every dollar invested in education programs, to evaluate those programs. That ratio is far lower than other fields, and it means that policymakers often lack basic evidence on how to spend taxpayer resources wisely to improve education. This paper outlines why and how […]

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Stop Holding Us Back

Stop Holding Us Back

This month, more than three million high school students will receive their diplomas. At more than 80 percent, America’s graduation rate is at a record high. More kids are going to college, too. But one-third of the nation’s African-American and Latino young men will not graduate. In an era when there is virtually no legal […]

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