Three Department of Education Reform faculty members have contributed to a dynamic new education policy resource, the Live Handbook of education policy research.

The new digital hub for evidence-based education policy research is online-only so it can be easily updated in real time. It was launched in mid-March as part of the Association for Education Finance & Policy's 50th anniversary conference.

The Live Handbook includes short, comprehensive summaries of research on key education policy topics across various disciplines and methodologies. The chapters about high-quality education are continually updated and written by some of the nation's top education researchers.

The handbook website notes that its purpose is to provide "comprehensive, rigorous, objective and useful reviews of research." The information will serve as an evolving collection of insights from education finance and policy experts and serve as a resource for researchers, policymakers and journalists. The initiative aspires to be "the definitive resource for understanding the current state of education policy research."

Gema Zamarro, Twenty-First Century Endowed Chair in Teacher Quality in the U of A Education Reform Department and board member of the Association for Education Finance & Policy, co-authored the chapter on Covid and Schools with former doctoral student Andrew Camp. Their research summary focuses on the unprecedented impact the pandemic had on learning for K-12 students and the road to recovery that's still ahead.

Patrick Wolf, Distinguished Professor of Education Policy and Twenty-First Century Endowed Chair in School Choice, co-authored the chapter on Vouchers/ESAs. He explores the overall performance of private school choice programs, given the evidence of mixed achievement effects among students. Wolf also serves as co-editor of the handbook section on Market-Based Schooling.

Josh McGee, Twenty-First Century Endowed Chair in Education Transparency and Accountability, co-authored the chapter on School Funding and Outcomes. His scholarship focuses on the debate among researchers, policymakers and practitioners on the productivity of additional school spending to improve student outcomes.

"The Live Handbook launch was a big hit at the Association for Education Finance & Policy's conference," said department head Harry Patrinos. "I attended several sessions devoted to the new resource, and they were all over-subscribed and lively. It's gratifying that three of our faculty members had a hand in creating this valuable digital hub."

The Association for Education Finance and Policy is dedicated to the promotion of research and partnerships that can inform education policy and finance and improve education outcomes.