Chad Aldeman
@chadaldeman.bsky.social
I write about education finance policy and teacher labor markets. Follow that work: https://www.chadaldeman.com/
And helping children learn to read @ ReadNotGuess.com
And helping children learn to read @ ReadNotGuess.com
Reposted by Chad Aldeman
Officials often brag about NJ's over-90% high school graduation rate. But it’s a mirage, according to a new report by @ChadAldeman. Nearly 40% of the kids who earn diplomas can’t do basic high school math—forcing colleges like Rutgers to pick up the slack. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/09/fals...
'False Hope': Why NJ high schoolers aren’t ready for college | NJ Spotlight News
Nearly 40% of students who earn diplomas can’t do basic high school math
www.njspotlightnews.org
September 15, 2026 at 1:11 PM
Officials often brag about NJ's over-90% high school graduation rate. But it’s a mirage, according to a new report by @ChadAldeman. Nearly 40% of the kids who earn diplomas can’t do basic high school math—forcing colleges like Rutgers to pick up the slack. www.njspotlightnews.org/2026/09/fals...
Reposted by Chad Aldeman
"Throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, when Finnish students were making their big gains, schooling was quite centralized and prescriptive, and classroom instruction was traditional and teacher-led."
(Always read @chadaldeman.bsky.social)
www.chadaldeman.com/p/remember-f...
(Always read @chadaldeman.bsky.social)
www.chadaldeman.com/p/remember-f...
Remember Finland?
Finland’s achievement scores have gone straight down hill
www.chadaldeman.com
September 11, 2026 at 8:20 PM
"Throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, when Finnish students were making their big gains, schooling was quite centralized and prescriptive, and classroom instruction was traditional and teacher-led."
(Always read @chadaldeman.bsky.social)
www.chadaldeman.com/p/remember-f...
(Always read @chadaldeman.bsky.social)
www.chadaldeman.com/p/remember-f...
Among NYC parents, 92% agreed with the statement that, “My child is progressing in reading the way I would expect.”
And yet, just 44% of those students scored proficient on the state test.
My latest piece @the74.bsky.social digs into this gap -->
www.the74million.org/article/new-...
And yet, just 44% of those students scored proficient on the state test.
My latest piece @the74.bsky.social digs into this gap -->
www.the74million.org/article/new-...
New York City Parents Think Their Kids Are on Track in Reading. But Are They?
Aldeman: If classroom grades show progress and parents discount test scores, students who most need additional help may be the least likely to get it.
www.the74million.org
August 31, 2026 at 12:47 PM
Among NYC parents, 92% agreed with the statement that, “My child is progressing in reading the way I would expect.”
And yet, just 44% of those students scored proficient on the state test.
My latest piece @the74.bsky.social digs into this gap -->
www.the74million.org/article/new-...
And yet, just 44% of those students scored proficient on the state test.
My latest piece @the74.bsky.social digs into this gap -->
www.the74million.org/article/new-...
Reposted by Chad Aldeman
🚨New working paper alert!🚨
Private tutoring chains like Kumon and Sylvan have grown rapidly. Who uses them? Do they improve kids' skills?
BU econ PhD student Samuel Nitkin and I provide answers in:
"Kumon Up: Private Tutoring Centers and Student Achievement"
www.nber.org/papers/w35671
1/?
Private tutoring chains like Kumon and Sylvan have grown rapidly. Who uses them? Do they improve kids' skills?
BU econ PhD student Samuel Nitkin and I provide answers in:
"Kumon Up: Private Tutoring Centers and Student Achievement"
www.nber.org/papers/w35671
1/?
August 31, 2026 at 12:32 PM
🚨New working paper alert!🚨
Private tutoring chains like Kumon and Sylvan have grown rapidly. Who uses them? Do they improve kids' skills?
BU econ PhD student Samuel Nitkin and I provide answers in:
"Kumon Up: Private Tutoring Centers and Student Achievement"
www.nber.org/papers/w35671
1/?
Private tutoring chains like Kumon and Sylvan have grown rapidly. Who uses them? Do they improve kids' skills?
BU econ PhD student Samuel Nitkin and I provide answers in:
"Kumon Up: Private Tutoring Centers and Student Achievement"
www.nber.org/papers/w35671
1/?
Reposted by Chad Aldeman
Aldeman: The school staffing boom may finally be ending. Still, most districts serve fewer kids per educator than they did eight years ago www.the74million.org/article/fewe...
August 26, 2026 at 1:36 PM
Aldeman: The school staffing boom may finally be ending. Still, most districts serve fewer kids per educator than they did eight years ago www.the74million.org/article/fewe...
In exchange for over $8,100 in state funds, Iowa’s ESA students have to take the same state tests as public school students do.
That seems like a reasonable trade to me: www.chadaldeman.com/p/what-happe...
That seems like a reasonable trade to me: www.chadaldeman.com/p/what-happe...
August 25, 2026 at 4:06 PM
In exchange for over $8,100 in state funds, Iowa’s ESA students have to take the same state tests as public school students do.
That seems like a reasonable trade to me: www.chadaldeman.com/p/what-happe...
That seems like a reasonable trade to me: www.chadaldeman.com/p/what-happe...
Reposted by Chad Aldeman
It’s not just that AI negatively impacts learning over the long term, it’s that it also masks the lack of learning taking place along the way. It’s a mental masquerade.
Using AI helps people get higher grades and get their work done faster, but they learn less & suffer on actual exams
I saw this in my own large Intro Psych class:
-the exam average is 85%
-after AI, it shot up to 95%
-after I made the final in person it went to 68%
www.economist.com/graphic-deta...
I saw this in my own large Intro Psych class:
-the exam average is 85%
-after AI, it shot up to 95%
-after I made the final in person it went to 68%
www.economist.com/graphic-deta...
August 19, 2026 at 4:15 PM
It’s not just that AI negatively impacts learning over the long term, it’s that it also masks the lack of learning taking place along the way. It’s a mental masquerade.
Reposted by Chad Aldeman
Hard to argue with the first-hand experience of a UC math professor that the system made a bad mistake by banning the use of standardized math tests in admissions.
sfstandard.com/opinion/2026...
sfstandard.com/opinion/2026...
Opinion: I teach calculus at Berkeley. Some of my students can’t do middle school math
Since the University of California abandoned the SAT and ACT, thousands of faculty say it’s admitting students who aren’t prepared for the coursework. Will UC listen?
sfstandard.com
August 16, 2026 at 2:40 PM
Hard to argue with the first-hand experience of a UC math professor that the system made a bad mistake by banning the use of standardized math tests in admissions.
sfstandard.com/opinion/2026...
sfstandard.com/opinion/2026...
Reposted by Chad Aldeman
Really helpful summary of how public school spending: has evolved over time, varies betweens states and student groups, and does not all flow to teacher salaries (particularly in recent years).
One. Trillion. Dollars. Read my latest piece @the74.bsky.social on where that money is going --> www.the74million.org/article/amer...
America’s Trillion-Dollar School System: 5 Trends Explain Where the Money Goes
Aldeman: Enrollment is down, spending has risen substantially and staffing has expanded, yet pay has stagnated and student outcomes remain uneven.
www.the74million.org
July 22, 2026 at 12:55 PM
Really helpful summary of how public school spending: has evolved over time, varies betweens states and student groups, and does not all flow to teacher salaries (particularly in recent years).
One. Trillion. Dollars. Read my latest piece @the74.bsky.social on where that money is going --> www.the74million.org/article/amer...
America’s Trillion-Dollar School System: 5 Trends Explain Where the Money Goes
Aldeman: Enrollment is down, spending has risen substantially and staffing has expanded, yet pay has stagnated and student outcomes remain uneven.
www.the74million.org
July 22, 2026 at 12:39 PM
One. Trillion. Dollars. Read my latest piece @the74.bsky.social on where that money is going --> www.the74million.org/article/amer...
{new} I have a piece @the74.bsky.social on what I call The Lexington Problem.
Basically, what should a state do about districts getting decent reading outcomes despite choosing a weaker reading program?
Basically, what should a state do about districts getting decent reading outcomes despite choosing a weaker reading program?
The Lexington Problem: Beating the Literacy Odds Without the Science of Reading
Aldeman: As Massachusetts implements a new literacy mandate, officials must not lose sight of the ultimate goal: helping more students learn to read
www.the74million.org
July 8, 2026 at 2:01 PM
{new} I have a piece @the74.bsky.social on what I call The Lexington Problem.
Basically, what should a state do about districts getting decent reading outcomes despite choosing a weaker reading program?
Basically, what should a state do about districts getting decent reading outcomes despite choosing a weaker reading program?
Reposted by Chad Aldeman
Kindergartners' Math and Reading Scores Can Predict Their 3rd Grade Performance: But their academic trajectories aren't set in stone, and early intervention is key, researchers say.
Kindergartners' Math and Reading Scores Can Predict Their 3rd Grade Performance
But their academic trajectories aren't set in stone, and early intervention is key, researchers say.
www.edweek.org
June 25, 2026 at 10:16 AM
Kindergartners' Math and Reading Scores Can Predict Their 3rd Grade Performance: But their academic trajectories aren't set in stone, and early intervention is key, researchers say.
Reposted by Chad Aldeman
"Pensions do not improve teacher effort or selectively retain high-performing teachers." www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com
June 15, 2026 at 10:48 AM
"Pensions do not improve teacher effort or selectively retain high-performing teachers." www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Chad Aldeman
June 12, 2026 at 10:16 AM
Reposted by Chad Aldeman
Love education data? The Strategic Data Project is looking for data fellows for placements in Texas, Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles, Trenton, and NOVA/DC.
Position description and requirements: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Application Deadline: 11:59pm ET on 6/21
Position description and requirements: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Application Deadline: 11:59pm ET on 6/21
[Job Posting] Strategic Data Project Fellow Cohort 18
The Cohort 18 application will open on Monday, September 29, 2025. Position: Strategic Data Project Fellow Location: Multiple US Locations (see below) Duration: Summer/Fall 2026 through Summer 2028 ...
docs.google.com
June 2, 2026 at 10:29 PM
Love education data? The Strategic Data Project is looking for data fellows for placements in Texas, Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles, Trenton, and NOVA/DC.
Position description and requirements: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Application Deadline: 11:59pm ET on 6/21
Position description and requirements: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Application Deadline: 11:59pm ET on 6/21
{new} The *threat* of holding students back if they can't read properly is a warning to schools to make sure each child is on track in literacy --> www.the74million.org/article/3rd-...
3rd-Grade Retention Isn’t Really About Kids — It’s About Adults Who Teach Them
Aldeman: Threat of holding students back if they can't read properly is a warning to schools to make sure each child is on track in literacy.
www.the74million.org
May 12, 2026 at 11:58 AM
{new} The *threat* of holding students back if they can't read properly is a warning to schools to make sure each child is on track in literacy --> www.the74million.org/article/3rd-...
Reposted by Chad Aldeman
Federal data on enrollment, teacher pay, school spending, safety, and more has gone stale — raising questions about what the public can still know about American education.
What happens when the federal government stops updating facts about schools?
Federal data on enrollment, teacher pay, school spending, safety, and more has gone stale — raising questions about what the public can still know about American education.
bit.ly
May 7, 2026 at 12:40 AM
Federal data on enrollment, teacher pay, school spending, safety, and more has gone stale — raising questions about what the public can still know about American education.
Reposted by Chad Aldeman
A huge winner on both politics and substance — pay higher salaries to the most effective teachers.
www.slowboring.com/p/we-should-...
www.slowboring.com/p/we-should-...
We should pay more for the best teachers
A popular, compelling, correct idea
www.slowboring.com
May 4, 2026 at 10:10 AM
A huge winner on both politics and substance — pay higher salaries to the most effective teachers.
www.slowboring.com/p/we-should-...
www.slowboring.com/p/we-should-...
Reposted by Chad Aldeman
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my time at @Arnold_Ventures, it’s that nobody submits proposals early.
So, consider this a friendly last‑minute reminder: Letters of interest for our Cell Phones in Schools RFP are due this week (5/1).
Details: bit.ly/47n9e1L
So, consider this a friendly last‑minute reminder: Letters of interest for our Cell Phones in Schools RFP are due this week (5/1).
Details: bit.ly/47n9e1L
April 27, 2026 at 6:55 PM
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my time at @Arnold_Ventures, it’s that nobody submits proposals early.
So, consider this a friendly last‑minute reminder: Letters of interest for our Cell Phones in Schools RFP are due this week (5/1).
Details: bit.ly/47n9e1L
So, consider this a friendly last‑minute reminder: Letters of interest for our Cell Phones in Schools RFP are due this week (5/1).
Details: bit.ly/47n9e1L
Reposted by Chad Aldeman
An important contrarian take of mine — dogs aren’t people, they don’t need anti-discrimination legislation or public subsidies.
www.slowboring.com/p/dogs-arent...
www.slowboring.com/p/dogs-arent...
Dogs aren’t people
One of my hottest takes
www.slowboring.com
April 20, 2026 at 10:06 AM
An important contrarian take of mine — dogs aren’t people, they don’t need anti-discrimination legislation or public subsidies.
www.slowboring.com/p/dogs-arent...
www.slowboring.com/p/dogs-arent...
Reposted by Chad Aldeman
If you win the Masters back to back you should get green pants
April 12, 2026 at 10:57 PM
If you win the Masters back to back you should get green pants
"Get kids reading fluently. As much as you can. Have them read and write about books."
That was my attempt to very concisely summarize a new book on how to translate the science of reading into classroom practice.
Read my full review @the74.bsky.social here: www.the74million.org/article/new-...
That was my attempt to very concisely summarize a new book on how to translate the science of reading into classroom practice.
Read my full review @the74.bsky.social here: www.the74million.org/article/new-...
New Book Helps Teachers Implement Science of Reading in Their Classrooms
Aldeman: Practical guide offers concrete tips and embedded QR codes that link to videos of teachers putting those strategies into practice.
www.the74million.org
March 17, 2026 at 12:47 PM
"Get kids reading fluently. As much as you can. Have them read and write about books."
That was my attempt to very concisely summarize a new book on how to translate the science of reading into classroom practice.
Read my full review @the74.bsky.social here: www.the74million.org/article/new-...
That was my attempt to very concisely summarize a new book on how to translate the science of reading into classroom practice.
Read my full review @the74.bsky.social here: www.the74million.org/article/new-...
Reposted by Chad Aldeman
📢Just launched: the SPARC Center Scholars Program! This program aims to support early career scholars in conducting rigorous research on the #SpecialEducation teacher workforce. Learn more and apply by May 1:
sparccenter.org/sparc-center...
sparccenter.org/sparc-center...
March 2, 2026 at 12:56 PM
📢Just launched: the SPARC Center Scholars Program! This program aims to support early career scholars in conducting rigorous research on the #SpecialEducation teacher workforce. Learn more and apply by May 1:
sparccenter.org/sparc-center...
sparccenter.org/sparc-center...
Reposted by Chad Aldeman
Thanks to backloaded compensation and high cost of living, lots of blue states with high average teacher salaries are actually pretty unattractive places for *entry-level* teachers.
www.slowboring.com/p/is-a-new-t...
www.slowboring.com/p/is-a-new-t...
March 5, 2026 at 11:21 AM
Thanks to backloaded compensation and high cost of living, lots of blue states with high average teacher salaries are actually pretty unattractive places for *entry-level* teachers.
www.slowboring.com/p/is-a-new-t...
www.slowboring.com/p/is-a-new-t...
Reposted by Chad Aldeman
I had the opportunity to write this week for HMH’s Policy in Motion about what to watch as the FY2027 federal appropriations process gets underway. Early signals from Congress could shape education funding debates in the months ahead.
bit.ly/4rbHlkn
bit.ly/4rbHlkn
Federal funding: What to watch for this year | HMH
With the approval of the 2026 federal budget for education behind us, and the President’s annual budget request for next year around the corner, many education leaders are asking the same question: W...
bit.ly
March 4, 2026 at 6:02 PM
I had the opportunity to write this week for HMH’s Policy in Motion about what to watch as the FY2027 federal appropriations process gets underway. Early signals from Congress could shape education funding debates in the months ahead.
bit.ly/4rbHlkn
bit.ly/4rbHlkn