Contact Information

 

Mobile: 603/312/8636

Email: davisre@upenn.edu

Citizenship: USA 

Twitter: @radavisedu

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Objective

To investigate the challenges facing marginalized students in PreK-12 education, evaluate policy solutions and contribute to a more equitable public education through rigorous research. 

 

Research Interests

Economic evaluation of education including cost-effectiveness and benefit-cost analysis. Intersections and collaborations between policy areas, especially housing policy and education policy. Comprehensive systems of student supports. The research/practice/policy relationship. How decisionmakers utilize data and research. Causal methods, RCTs, and mixed methods. 

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Education

2022 (Expected)          

Ph.D: University of Pennsylvania                            

Education Policy 

Dissertation: An Analysis of the Community Eligibility Provision: Effects, Evidence Synthesis, and Policy Analysis. 

Committee: Professors Brooks Bowden (chair), Rebecca Maynard, Robert Boruch, and Michael Gottfried

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2009       

Master of Education: University of New Hampshire

Research Focus: Implementation of a teaching model focused on student choice and autonomy in elementary school classrooms.

 

2008       

Bachelor of Arts: Studio Art: University of New Hampshire 

University Scholar

 

Professional License

K-12 Art Teacher, State of North Carolina

 

Fellowships & Awards

2020-Present   IES Predoctoral Fellow, University of Pennsylvania

A rigorous, two-year fellowship with a focus on randomized control trials and interdisciplinary studies of education. Fulltime training activities include weekly seminars with visiting scholars, short and long methods courses and apprenticeships in research and policy organizations.  

 

2019-20 Dean’s Fellow, University of Pennsylvania 

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2021 AERA Division L – Education Policy and Politics Outstanding Policy Report

 

2019  Stone Center Inequality by the Numbers Fellow

 

2019 North Carolina State University Education Leadership Policy and Human Development Departmental Graduate Assistant Travel Award

 

2017-2018       Education Policy Fellow 

Institute for Education Leadership

Hosted by: Public School Forum of North Carolina  

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Grant Activity

With principal investigator E. Davis, “Examining Heterogeneity in Nudging Intervention Efforts on Postsecondary Student Outcomes” Institute for Education Sciences Exploration Grant. Grant application 2021. 

 

Co-author with M. Gottfried & J. Kirksey, “Not If, But Where: Do Students Attend School More Often when Breakfast is Moved from Cafeteria to Classroom?” Spencer Foundation. Grant applied for in 2020, not funded.

Research Assistant, “Predoctoral Training Program in Interdisciplinary Methods for Field-based Research in Education” grant applied for & received. Institute for Education Sciences. Award # R305B200035

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Employment

2018-Present   Research Assistant                                                              

Under Dr. Brooks Bowden, University of Pennsylvania, Education Policy Division

• Served on several evaluation teams including and evaluation of school based student hunger interventions and a statewide digital learning policy

• Assisted in the application for large IES and foundation grants. 

• Collaborated with a team from the Friday Institute to work on a report concerning the Leandro Case; an ongoing court case regarding students’ constitutional right to an adequate education. 

• Worked with a research team to conduct economic evaluations of educational policy and interventions. 

• Managed and analyzed large data sets using Excel and STATA software. 

 

Research Experience

2018-Present: Research Assistant                                                               

Center for Benefit-Cost Studies in Education

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2021-Present: Apprentice in District Partnerships to Improve Education Equity                                                       

Coalition for Educational Equity 

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2021    Apprentice in meta-analysis, randomized control trials, grant applications, and methods         development

American Institute of Research

Advisors: Dr. Ryan Williams & Dr. Josh Polanin

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2020: Consultant

Cost of COVID-19 Related Childcare Facility Closures 

Penn State Harrisburg Institute of State and Regional Affairs​

 

2019-Present: Research Assistant 

Randomized Control Trial of Zoology One, IES Efficacy Trial

University of Pennsylvania & Consortium for Policy Research in Education

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2019-2020: Consultant

Cost of Childcare

Consortium for Policy Research in Education

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2018-2019 Research Assistant 

Leandro Action Plan Success Factors Study, 

The Friday Institute for Educational Innovation & North Carolina State    University ​

 

2018-2019 Research Assistant 

North Carolina Digital Learning Initiative 

The Friday Institute for Educational innovation & North Carolina State    University ​

 

2018 Facilitator

Conversations to Elevate Educator Voice. 

Jefferson Education Exchange &  the United States Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences 

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Papers under review

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Davis, R. A., Polanin, J. & Williams, R. Incorporating Economic Evidence in Systematic Reviews of Education Programs and Policies. 

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Bowden, A.B., & Davis, R.A. School Food Innovations to Address Food Insecurity Among Children.

 

Bowden, A.B., Danks, A., Rodriguez, V., Yang, H., & Davis, R. Examining Approaches to Support Digital Learning through State and District Resource Allocation and Policy. 

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Book Chapters

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Davis, R.A., Bowden, A.B., & Altmann, L (in press). The Yum Yum Bus: An innovative summer meal program. In Gaddis, J. & Robert, S. (Eds.), School food politics around the world.

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Working Papers

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Bowden, A. B., Davis, R. A, & Bernard, J. Leveraging Home Reading to Strengthen Literacy Development in Kindergarten.

 

Mielke, M., Davis, R. A., & Bowden, A. B. Do Universal Free School Meals Improve Student Behavior? 

 

Davis, R.A. Patterns of Entrance and Exit from Universal Free School Meal Programs Under the Community Eligibility Provision.

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Shand, R., Bowden A. B, & Davis, R. A. Has Godot Arrived? An update on the State of Economic Evaluation in Education Research.

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Sirinides, P., Collins, C. & Davis, R.A. Estimating the Costs of Child Care. 

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Teaching Experience

 

2020    Co-Instructor: University of Pennsylvania EDUC 601: Economic Aspects of Education Policy. 

 

2019    Teaching Assistant: University of Pennsylvania EDUC 545-01: Methods of Economic Evaluation. 

 

Policy Reports

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Davis, R.A. & Polanin, J., (2021). How Much Does an Evidence-Based Cyberbullying Program Cost? Arlington, VA: Methods of Synthesis and Integration Center Brief.

 

Sirinides, P.,  Wechnau, S., Sturges, N., Sevinsky, T., Kuntz, A., Collins, G., Davis, R. A., Gilliard R. (2020). The Impacts of COVID-19 on Pennsylvania Child Care Providers. Harrisburg, PA: PennState Harrisburg Institute of State and Regional Affairs. 

 

Collins, G., Sirinides, P., Davis, R. A., & Bryson, E.A.R, (2020). Economic Value of Resources Delivered in Early Childhood Education Settings. Philadelphia, PA: Consortium for Policy Research in Education.

 

Bowden, A. B. & Davis, R. A. (2019) Addressing Leandro: Supporting Student Learning by Mitigating Student Hunger. Raleigh, NC: North Carolina State University.  

 

Op Eds & Periodicals

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Davis, R.A. & Bowden, A.B. (2021, August). Using Evidence on Cost-Effectiveness: The influx of federal dollars through the American Rescue Plan warrants careful attention by district leaders to higher-value investments. School Administrator. https://www.pageturnpro.com/AASA/100870-August-2021/sdefault.html#page/38

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Bowden, A.B., & Davis, R.A. (2020). With Fewer Funds and Greater Needs, Schools Should Pursue Cost-Effectiveness Strategies. The Brown Center Chalkboard at Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2020/05/26/with-fewer-funds-and-greater-needs-schools-should-pursue-cost-effectiveness-strategies/

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Methodological Workshops & Materials 

2022    Davis, R. A., presenting instructor along with PI A. Brooks Bowden & other CBCSE Instructors. IES Methods Training in Economic Evaluation. Center for Benefit-Cost Analysis in Education (CBCSE)

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2021     Davis, R. A. & Rodriguez, V. Data Collection Methods for Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Educational Interventions. Society for Research of Educational Effectiveness Professional Development Webinar.

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2020     Bowden, A.B., Davis, R. A. & Shand, R. Development Trials and Cost Analysis. CBCSE IES Methods Training in Economic Evaluation Methods Brief

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2020     Bowden, A.B., & Davis, R. A. Measurement Trials and Cost Analysis. CBCSE IES Methods Training in Economic Evaluation Methods Brief

 

Conference Presentations

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Davis, R.A, Williams, R. & Polanin, J. (2022). Incorporating Economic Evidence in Systematic Reviews in Education. Annual Meeting of American Education Research Association, San Diego, CA. (Paper accepted) 

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Mielke, M., Davis, R.A., & Bowden, A.B. (2022). Do Universal Free School Meals Improve Student Behavior? Annual Meeting of American Education Research Association, San Diego, CA. (Paper accepted) 

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Davis, R.A, Williams, R. & Polanin, J (2021). Including Cost analysis in Education Evidence Synthesis as a part of Discussions on the Next Phase of Evidence Syntheses (J. Polanin, organizer). Annual Meeting of Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness, Arlington, VA. (Invited Symposium) 

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Bowden, A. B., Davis, R.A., & Bernard, J., (2021). Does Assigned Home Reading Improve Literacy Development Among Kindergarten Students? Annual Meeting of Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness, Arlington, VA.

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Shand, R., Bowden, A. B., & Davis, R.A. (2021). Has Godot Arrived? An Update on the State of Economic Evaluation in Education Research. Annual Meeting of Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness, Arlington, VA. 

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Davis, R. A., (2021). No More Free Lunch? The Effects of Departure from a Universal Free School Meal Program. Annual meeting of the Association for Education Finance Policy, Virtual.

 

Davis, R. A., (2020). Patterns of Entrance and Exit from Universal Free School Meal Programs Under the Community Eligibility Provision. Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management Fall Conference, Virtual. 

 

Davis, R. A., (2020). Patterns of Entrance and Exit from Universal Free School Meal Programs Under the Community Eligibility Provision. Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management Student Research Conference, Washington D.C. (Accepted, conference canceled)

 

Bowden, A.B., Davis, R.A. (2020). Estimating the Cost-Effectiveness of a Comprehensive Kindergarten Literacy and Science Curriculum that Strengthens Reading at Home. Annual Meeting of Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness, Arlington, VA. (Accepted, conference canceled)

 

Shand, R., Bowden A. B, & Davis, R. A., (2020). Has Godot Arrived? An update on the State of Economic Evaluation in Education Research. AERA, San Francisco, CA. (Accepted, conference canceled)

 

Collins, G., Sirinides, P., Davis, R. A., & Bryson, E.A.R, (2020). Economic Value of Resources Delivered in Early Childhood Education Settings. Annual meeting of the Association for Education Finance Policy, Fort Worth, TX. (Accepted, conference canceled, G. Collins presented virtually)

 

Bowden, A.B., & Davis, R. A. (2019). Addressing Hunger in School: An Analysis of the Costs and Potential Benefits of Food Insecurity Interventions. Poster prepared for the Harvard Graduate School of Education Student Research Conference, Cambridge, MA. 

 

Bowden, A.B., & Davis, R. A. (2019). Addressing Hunger in School: An Analysis of the Costs and Potential Benefits of Food Insecurity Interventions. Poster prepared for the annual meeting of the Association for Education Finance Policy, Kansas City, MO. 

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Service

021-22 Hiring Committee Member, University of Pennsylvania Cluster Hire, Education Policy Assistant or Associate Professor. 

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2020-21 Coach, Philadelphia Reading Coaches

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2020-21  Judge, Philadelphia High School Ethics Bowl

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2019 Graduate Student Representative, Association for Education Finance and Policy 2021 Conference Program Committee. 

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2019 Social Media Representative, Society for Research in Educational Effectiveness 2019 Conference, Washington D.C. 

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2018 Graduate Student Board Member, Membership Committee Association for Educational Finance and Policy

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2018 Chair of the Professional Development Committee 

North Carolina State University Graduate Student Advisory Board

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PK-12 Teaching Experience

I come to my policy research career with the unique experience of having taught in a variety of diverse schools including high poverty rural and urban schools, schools in areas with relatively strong public support as well as significantly under-resourced schools in three different states at all grade levels from PreK-12th grade. I served as a leader and mentor to my colleagues and bring with me multiple areas of strength including student advocacy, assessment, instructional design, parental communication, technology integration and differentiation. 

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2009-18    Art & Technology Teacher with Elementary & Middle School appointments in public schools in Maine, New Hampshire, and North Carolina

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2008-09    Graduate Student Teacher, South Berwick, Maine & Madbury, New Hampshire

                                                                                            

2007-08    Assistant Preschool Teacher, Lee, NH

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2006-07    Art Director/International Staff Mentor, Greenland, NH

 

 

Association Memberships

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Association for Education Finance & Policy (AEFP)

Society for Research in Educational Effectiveness (SREE)

Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management (APPAM) 

American Education Research Association (AERA)  

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References

A. Brooks Bowden,

Assistant Professor

The University of Pennsylvania

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Robert Boruch

University Trustee Chair Professor of Education and Statistics

The University of Pennsylvania

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Rebecca Maynard

Professor Emeritus of Education and Social Policy

The University of Pennsylvania

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Michael Gottfried

Associate Professor

Chair of the Education Policy Division

The University of Pennsylvania

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Robert Shand

Assistant Professor

American University

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