top of page

My Writing

1. High Dosage Tutoring

A)   Context

In 2004 we launched an unusual team called Match Corps – full-time tutors who lived on the top floor of our Boston school.  We created a name for their work: “High Dosage Tutoring” or HDT.  Years later, we brought it to Houston where it was validated by economist Roland Fryer.  My colleague Alan then brought it to Chicago – even more research, this time by University of Chicago. Large gains. 

 

Our approach went from a cute little program described here in the New York Times, to a big idea described here, here, and here in the same newspaper.  “Staggering results,” they wrote.  The HDT phrase caught on. 

 

But I became concerned.  Backed by Big Philanthropy, HDT was scaling, but neither dosage nor quality was high.  Kids weren’t getting what they needed.  Boston Globe here, Hechinger here. 

B.   My Writing 

​

​

​​

The latest claim? AI tutors will save the day. 

​

  • I’m skeptical and wrote about that here for Fordham (with Sean Geraghty); helpful Dan Meyer context here and here. 

2. Teacher Quality

I admire great teachers.  Truly, when you watch a great teacher in action, it’s mesmerizing.  

A)   Context

Back in 2009, the Obama Administration – backed by the Gates Foundation – tried an ambitious effort to overhaul the teaching profession.  I described it here in the New York Times, and here.  Teachers would be measured by kids’ test score gains.  Those scores, in turn, would drive pay.  And those student scores would also be linked backed the universities which prepared those teachers. 

 

For better or worse, I think everyone agrees in 2024 that these measurement and accountability efforts haven’t come to pass. 

 

Michelle Rhee and Kaya Henderson actually got that system to succeed in the DC Public Schools.  But they were an outlier, and politically, it didn’t last even there. 

 

So where does that leave us?

 

I see 5 paths. 

B.   My Writing 

  • Other sectors have perspective about human development.  We need more of this.  I interviewed NFL defensive coach Brendan Daly about player/teacher development, here and here. 

 

  • Teachers need support so they aren’t triaging student mental health.  But the most common policy response – hire more counselors – belies the fact that teachers often perceive their school counselors as well-intentioned but ineffective. 

 

  • Unusual training can help teachers; typical training does not.  I described a different approach here in the Washington Post.  

 

 

  • Individual Teacher Choice, I believe, may offer a better approach at scale.  Let teachers find their tribes.  This approach certainly doesn’t combine well with Top Down efforts.  So the most ambitious policymakers and leaders hate it.  I’d be on board with Top Down efforts if empirically they helped kids.  But that’s rare. 

 

 

 

 

 

  • (Bob Slavin response here)

3. Parenting and Teacher-Parent Communication

 

 

 

4. Education Policy

 

 

 

 

 

 

bottom of page