I finished my PhD two years ago but because of the pandemic our graduation was, like everything, virtual. This weekend though, I got to go back up to Harvard and finally walk across the stage. 8 years after I started, Dr. Smith finally got to wear the robes and make it official.

So glad we were finally able to celebrate the achievements of the classes of 2020 and 2021 in person.

"You. Belong. Here." Sharing words of belonging, hope, and resiliency, Dean Bridget Long kicked off orientation week and welcomed our newest students this morning.

A great piece to truly understand the student loan crisis. To quote Prof Dynarski is at @dynarski.bsky.social, ""It’s time to erase the debts of those millions who borrowed modestly for their education but wound up in financial distress because of our disjointed loan system." nytimes.com/2022/08/30/opi…

The tests tell the story of a “decade of progress,” followed by a “decade of inequality” and then the “shock” of the pandemic... “It erased the progress, and it exacerbated the inequality,” Andrew Ho said. “Now we have our work cut out for us.” nytimes.com/2022/09/01/us/…

This is the first authoritative national account of academic learning loss from 2020 to 2022. It is a story of exacerbated inequality of educational opportunity. It should inspire us not only to invest but invest where we need it most. I'll add 3 measurement tangents in a 🧵 1/

School Is for Hope - "Schools aren’t only about the hopes of individuals but also the larger hope that we can create an inclusive and just society where people of all sorts of backgrounds can thrive." A wonderful piece by Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE)'s own Gabrielle Oliveira nytimes.com/2022/09/01/opi…

Have to agree: "The results should be a 'rallying cry' to focus on getting students back on track," said Janice K. Jackson. One idea: Get the fed govt to step up with big ideas, invoking the Marshall Plan (the initiative to help rebuild Europe after WWII). nytimes.com/2022/09/01/us/…

So honored to be the new Chair of the MDRC Board of Directors mdrc.org/TFH

The education sector has an important role to play in climate action. It was wonderful to engage in conversations about ideas and progress. I look forward to more.

Check out the Education Recovery Scorecard, a tool to help state and local leaders calibrate their recovery plans. Important and timely work by Tom Kane and the Harvard CEPR team along with sean reardon Erin Fahle @BenjaminRShear and The Educational Opportunity Project @ Stanford. gse.harvard.edu/news/22/10/new…

So wonderful to welcome our newest MDRC Board members.

A wonderful chance to talk about my path, my research, and the importance of new perspectives to advance the field. I'm so thankful for the support and mentorship I received, and hope I can pay it forward to others.

“With about 70 million students enrolled in school from PreK through postsec ed, 1 in 5 Americans are currently connected to the education sector, making education a critical lever for change. What we do matters.” gse.harvard.edu/news/22/10/edu…

"Climate change is not a future problem; climate change is already happening, and it affects us all, but the most serious consequences of climate disruption are not being felt equally. Climate change is exacerbating educational inequality." gse.harvard.edu/news/22/10/edu…

Packed room for the Rossi Award Lecture given by Bridget Long! #2022APPAM

It was a delight to meet the Princess Catherine alongside President Bacow at HarvardCenter. We're honored to have the support of The Prince and Princess of Wales to advance science-based innovations that improve the lives of children and families. #RoyalVisitBoston #PrincessofWales

Join us at this important event, "Building Our Resilient Future: Education Driving Hope, Innovation, and Action"

Climate change is not a future problem; climate change is already happening, and it affects us all. We must also realize that it is exacerbating educational inequities. We need to take action. Join us Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) on May 10th: gse.harvard.edu/building-our-r…

Thanks and appreciation to Meira Levinson for bringing together wide-ranging views to discuss Educational Ethics, a growing new field. gse.harvard.edu/news/23/02/cri…