Grant Funded Research

Project Overview: 
With the advent of a greater array of school choices, a growing share of students are pursuing alternative school options including charter schools. Despite this growth, little is known about how families made enrollment choices during or after the pandemic. Further, while it is clear students have generally experienced learning loss during the pandemic, it is unknown whether this has differed for students across various school types, including charter schools, and how strategies to address the learning loss varied across school types. In this study, we are examining enrollment and performance trends of charter schools during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Investigators & Researchers: 
Adam Kho, University of Kentucky
Ron Zimmer, University of Kentucky
Joe Waddington, University of Notre Dame
Mark Berends, University of Notre Dame
Joe Ferrare, University of Washington, Bothell

Project Overview: The Project on Workforce Aligned Education Finance seeks to understand how, and why workforce-aligned educational programs might affect economic outcomes as well as the geographic mobility of individuals. More specifically, the project examines who participates in workforce-aligned programs, whether the programs affect educational outcomes, and the extent to which these educational choices shape labor market outcomes. The ultimate goal is to provide crucial evidence that can be used to refine and reform current financial aid and postsecondary attainment policies in Kentucky and beyond; and to improve state agencies' and postsecondary institutions' targeting and outreach efforts.

Grant Amount: $517,000.00
Grant Source: Walton Family Foundation
Investigators: Rajeev Darolia, University of Kentucky, and Ron Zimmer, University of Kentucky

See Work Ready Kentucky Scholarships: Who Participates? 

Additional Information: 
https://martin.uky.edu/news/workforce-aligned-scholarship-programs-are-focus-martin-school-grant-award-0