Think Twice Weekly Report

JUNE 13, 2026 - June 18, 2026

The Think Twice Weekly Report compiles public education-related policy reports, research and articles of interest to policymakers, educators and stakeholders. This list is not exhaustive but is meant to highlight recent reports that may be used to support or undermine the work of our subscribers in supporting public schools. We encourage you to take a moment to scan these reports and determine if they may be used by policy makers to assist or erode your mission.



Policy Reports


Absenteeism

Source: AEI
Date: 6/15/26
Catching Absenteeism Early and Often: Introducing the AEI Absence Forecast

Key Points
Prior research shows that models can predict students' likelihood of becoming chronically absent early in the school year using the data that school districts typically have.
The AEI Absence Forecast operationalizes these models in a tool that school and district officials can use to identify the students most likely to benefit from interventions to improve attendance.
The AEI Absence Forecast is designed to be private, transparent, simple, and free, and it uses data that districts already routinely collect so that school officials can intervene early and often.

Literacy Education

Source: Harvard-CEPR
Date: 6/15/26
Randomized Controlled Trial of BookNook Virtual ELA Tutoring (SY24-25)

This study examined the impact, implementation, and cost-effectiveness of BookNook's online high-impact tutoring intervention on students' literacy and English Language Arts (ELA) achievement in a public school district and a charter network in the southern United States. Over 900 students in kindergarten through 8th grade were identified by their school districts as eligible for tutoring based on low scores on their prior assessments. Within each district, students were randomly assigned to tutoring or control conditions, blocking on school and grade.

School Finance and Funding

Source: Bellwether
Date: 6/18/26
Resource Realities: Understanding Pennsylvania's District and Charter Funding System

This report examines how Pennsylvania funds K-12 education, explains how districts calculate per-pupil payments to public charter schools, and analyzes the structural features of the funding system that systematically exclude charter schools from key revenue streams and produce wide variation in per-pupil payments across districts.




Reports Reviewed


GLC seeks to ensure that policy briefs impacting education reform are based on sound, credible academic research. Below are reviews conducted with GLC support.



Review of The Economic Impact from Colorado's Choice to Participate in the "Education Freedom Tax Credit" Provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

Source: Common Sense Institute
Reviewed by: Joydeep Roy, Teachers College, Columbia University

The Common Sense Institute recently published a report declaring large potential benefits of the federal education tax-credit voucher program created through President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill. However, the report's claims about the improvements the program would create for Colorado are unlikely to materialize.

Joydeep Roy of Teachers College, Columbia University explains why in his review of The Economic Impact from Colorado's Choice to Participate in the "Education Freedom Tax Credit" Provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.