Liz Cohen Journalist Profile

Articles

Q&A: Mike Miles on Houston’s New Education Reform Strategy

Dec 10, 2024 | future-ed.org | Liz Cohen

On June 1, 2023, the Texas Education Agency took control of the state’s largest school district, Houston ISD. State officials tapped Mike Miles, who had previously led Dallas ISD and the Third Future network of charter schools, to lead the district, bringing a new reform approach to Houston.
Q&A: David Yeager on the Science of Motivating Young People

Nov 21, 2024 | future-ed.org | Liz Cohen

In his new book, “10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People,” David Yeager, Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and a FutureEd research advisor, promotes a new leadership style for working with young people, what he calls “the mentor mindset.” Combining an extensive literature review with years of Yeager’s own psychology research, the book asks us to rethink our assumptions about young people and how we interact with them.
No on Choice, Yes on Trump?

Nov 13, 2024 | possibleimprobables.substack.com | Liz Cohen

In Kentucky and Nebraska last week, roughly the same number of voters went to Donald Trump as went against efforts to expand school choice. But school choice is high on Trump’s education agenda. So why would voters pick Trump if they don’t want choice? Thanks for reading Liz’s Substack! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. First, there’s a difference between voting for president and voting for any issue or person that immediately impacts your life.
Rhode Island’s Statewide Push to Cut Chronic Absenteeism

Aug 26, 2024 | future-ed.org | Liz Cohen

As the nation’s educators ready themselves for the start of a new school year, they’re no doubt wondering how many students are going to show up after several years of sharply higher absenteeism rates postpandemic. In Rhode Island, where an innovative statewide campaign lowered absenteeism in 57 of 64 school districts in 2023-24 and closed absenteeism gaps between students from high- and low-income backgrounds, there’s reason for optimism.
How a Real-Time Dashboard & Statewide Push Are Cutting Chronic Absenteeism in RI

Aug 12, 2024 | the74million.org | Liz Cohen

Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter As the nation’s educators ready themselves for the start of a new school year, they’re no doubt wondering how many students are going to show up after several years of sharply higher absenteeism rates postpandemic.
Could Tutoring Be the Next Big Bipartisan School Reform?

Jul 9, 2024 | future-ed.org | Liz Cohen

This piece originally appeared in Washington Monthly. For most people, the lesson of pandemic schooling was that remote learning was an unmitigated disaster for America’s K–12 students, especially those from lower-income families. Learning loss at all ages was profound. Chronic absenteeism nearly doubled. The achievement gap that separates rich and poor kids widened. And the disaffection of that dark period is still with us: Parent satisfaction with education has plunged to a 23-year low.
Public Education’s Reinforcements

Jun 23, 2024 | washingtonmonthly.com | Thomas Toch |Liz Cohen

For most people, the lesson of pandemic schooling was that remote learning was an unmitigated disaster for America’s K–12 students, especially those from lower-income families. Learning loss at all ages was profound. Chronic absenteeism nearly doubled. The achievement gap that separates rich and poor kids widened. And the disaffection of that dark period is still with us: Parent satisfaction with education has plunged to a 23-year low.
Testimony: Strategies for Solving Chronic Absenteeism in the District of Columbia

May 20, 2024 | future-ed.org | Liz Cohen

FutureEd Policy Director Liz Cohen delivered testimony to the Council of the District of Columbia, Committee of the Whole, on May 13, 2024. Good afternoon and thank you for inviting me to testify today. My name is Liz Cohen, and I am the policy director at FutureEd, an independent policy center based at the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy, that has written extensively about chronic student absenteeism.
Tapping College Students to Sustain High-Quality Tutoring Post Pandemic

Apr 29, 2024 | future-ed.org | Liz Cohen

This piece originally appeared in The Hechinger Report. Thousands of public school districts and charter schools have turned to tutoring as a popular and effective way to jumpstart lagging student performance post-pandemic. Educators strongly endorse tutoring, when done right, and believe it can help students make real academic gains.
Analysis: Leadership is key, autonomy matters - 7 reasons why tutoring programs work

Apr 26, 2024 | youthtoday.org | Liz Cohen

This story first appeared at The 74. Jackson Elementary School in Louisiana’s East Feliciana Parish District sits on a quiet street just outside the town of Jackson, population 4,130. It’s a 30-mile drive north from Baton Rouge, past open fields, small homes and the Dixon Correctional Institution.