Andrew Avitabile
@andrewavit.bsky.social
Education Policy PhD student at UVA
Evaluating education policies, with a particular focus on teachers, in the US and LMICs
https://www.andrew-avitabile.com
Evaluating education policies, with a particular focus on teachers, in the US and LMICs
https://www.andrew-avitabile.com
I’d swear my oath on a copy of Mostly Harmless Econometrics
January 1, 2026 at 11:42 PM
I’d swear my oath on a copy of Mostly Harmless Econometrics
UVA hoops shot 27% from the field in the first half in protest of an illegitimate president ✊
December 21, 2025 at 12:08 AM
UVA hoops shot 27% from the field in the first half in protest of an illegitimate president ✊
Reposted by Andrew Avitabile
Absolutely embarrassing for everyone involved at UVA. Just, on the most basic level, does he not have friends?
December 19, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Absolutely embarrassing for everyone involved at UVA. Just, on the most basic level, does he not have friends?
OpenAI should have to give Wikipedia a billion dollars so they can stop asking me for $2.75
December 19, 2025 at 1:13 PM
OpenAI should have to give Wikipedia a billion dollars so they can stop asking me for $2.75
Statalist is so funny because you’ll be annoyed about something like why inlist() can only accept 10 string arguments and then Nick Cox will somehow convince you it’s a good idea
December 18, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Statalist is so funny because you’ll be annoyed about something like why inlist() can only accept 10 string arguments and then Nick Cox will somehow convince you it’s a good idea
I just watched Stand By Me and read this piece by Steven King. What a sad time…
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/o...
Opinion | Stephen King: Why I Hugged Rob Reiner After Watching ‘Stand by Me’
www.nytimes.com
December 18, 2025 at 3:12 AM
I just watched Stand By Me and read this piece by Steven King. What a sad time…
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/o...
Reposted by Andrew Avitabile
One of my very favorite holiday traditions! Kevin Mahnken's top graphs from ed research via @the74.bsky.social.
www.the74million.org/article/12-c...
www.the74million.org/article/12-c...
Vax Rates, ESAs, and Cell Phone Bans: 12 Charts That Defined Education in 2025
These research findings captured the K–12 world at the start of President Trump’s second term.
www.the74million.org
December 9, 2025 at 5:34 PM
One of my very favorite holiday traditions! Kevin Mahnken's top graphs from ed research via @the74.bsky.social.
www.the74million.org/article/12-c...
www.the74million.org/article/12-c...
When the Elvis Christmas show comes to town YOU GO
December 5, 2025 at 2:53 AM
When the Elvis Christmas show comes to town YOU GO
Reposted by Andrew Avitabile
This is so deeply at odds with the vision and history of America. Take pretty much any ethnic or racial group that are part of the American mosaic America today - they have all faced the same accusation. The moment these accusations are turned into policy are some of the most shameful in US history
Stephen Miller is now arguing that assimilation is fundamentally impossible and that certain cultures are not compatible with Western civilization
November 28, 2025 at 1:58 PM
This is so deeply at odds with the vision and history of America. Take pretty much any ethnic or racial group that are part of the American mosaic America today - they have all faced the same accusation. The moment these accusations are turned into policy are some of the most shameful in US history
Just putting eststo: in front of a command and hoping that saves 🤞
November 21, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Just putting eststo: in front of a command and hoping that saves 🤞
If we’re gonna destroy ED can we at least get linked data from K-12 -> postsecondary -> employment nationwide?
www.ed.gov/about/news/p...
www.ed.gov/about/news/p...
U.S. Department of Education Announces Six New Agency Partnerships to Break Up Federal Bureaucracy
ED announced six new interagency agreements to break up the federal education bureaucracy, ensure efficient delivery of funded programs, activities, and move closer to fulfilling the President Trump's...
www.ed.gov
November 18, 2025 at 7:17 PM
If we’re gonna destroy ED can we at least get linked data from K-12 -> postsecondary -> employment nationwide?
www.ed.gov/about/news/p...
www.ed.gov/about/news/p...
Reposted by Andrew Avitabile
Resolution calling for resignations of Rector & Vice Rector passes, 41 – 17 – 2.
November 14, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Resolution calling for resignations of Rector & Vice Rector passes, 41 – 17 – 2.
Again, as much as I want to hate Stata, it just rocks
November 7, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Again, as much as I want to hate Stata, it just rocks
I’m using data from a server that shuts down internet access to write my dissertation and have been enjoying programming SO MUCH more without access to ChatGPT
October 29, 2025 at 9:18 PM
I’m using data from a server that shuts down internet access to write my dissertation and have been enjoying programming SO MUCH more without access to ChatGPT
Check it out!
Lots of other cool analyses in the paper. For example, what are the intended majors of people most demographically and academically similar to those intending to teach?
Lots of other cool analyses in the paper. For example, what are the intended majors of people most demographically and academically similar to those intending to teach?
October 29, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Check it out!
Lots of other cool analyses in the paper. For example, what are the intended majors of people most demographically and academically similar to those intending to teach?
Lots of other cool analyses in the paper. For example, what are the intended majors of people most demographically and academically similar to those intending to teach?
Reposted by Andrew Avitabile
Some choice sections from the letter
October 16, 2025 at 3:26 AM
Some choice sections from the letter
Reposted by Andrew Avitabile
I appreciate the preregistration here.
RFK Jr on Tylenol and autism: "It is not proof. We're doing the studies to make the proof."
October 9, 2025 at 5:43 PM
I appreciate the preregistration here.
Working on some slides for a brown bag lunch 🤗
October 9, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Working on some slides for a brown bag lunch 🤗
It’s nice to look back on a paper after a few months and think: this actually doesn’t suck
October 7, 2025 at 5:18 PM
It’s nice to look back on a paper after a few months and think: this actually doesn’t suck
The interim president of UVA sent out an email asking for input on this “compact”. I’d strongly encourage anyone at UVA to read this op ed before responding and firmly oppose any response to the “offer”
for any UVA folks that follow me you should circulate this among your networks balkin.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-...
Balkinization: The Art of Replacing the Law with the Deal
A group blog on constitutional law, theory, and politics
balkin.blogspot.com
October 6, 2025 at 11:45 PM
The interim president of UVA sent out an email asking for input on this “compact”. I’d strongly encourage anyone at UVA to read this op ed before responding and firmly oppose any response to the “offer”
Reminiscing on when I was an undergrad and cold emailed Alberto Abadie to tell him I was using synthetic controls in my thesis lol
September 29, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Reminiscing on when I was an undergrad and cold emailed Alberto Abadie to tell him I was using synthetic controls in my thesis lol
Reposted by Andrew Avitabile
This is a pretty remarkable paper and seems to suggest "grit" is not necessarily the driving force behind student achievement:
www.nber.org/papers/w3427...
www.nber.org/papers/w3427...
Why Don’t Struggling Students Do Their Homework? Disentangling Motivation and Study Productivity as Drivers of Human Capital Formation
Founded in 1920, the NBER is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to conducting economic research and to disseminating research findings among academics, public policy makers, an...
www.nber.org
September 28, 2025 at 2:05 AM
This is a pretty remarkable paper and seems to suggest "grit" is not necessarily the driving force behind student achievement:
www.nber.org/papers/w3427...
www.nber.org/papers/w3427...
Reposted by Andrew Avitabile
🚨New Working Paper🚨 Check out our new working paper "Trajectories into Teaching of Arkansas Educator Preparation Programs Enrollees", together with @taylornwilson.bsky.social @andrewmcamp.com, and @jbmcgee.bsky.social. Taylor is in the job market this year. Keep her in mind as you build your team
September 26, 2025 at 6:54 PM
🚨New Working Paper🚨 Check out our new working paper "Trajectories into Teaching of Arkansas Educator Preparation Programs Enrollees", together with @taylornwilson.bsky.social @andrewmcamp.com, and @jbmcgee.bsky.social. Taylor is in the job market this year. Keep her in mind as you build your team
Reposted by Andrew Avitabile
"for-profit-trained teachers have higher turnover and lower value-added...But the policy significantly increased the supply of certified teachers...lower licensing requirements improved access to teaching and reduced training costs without harming
students" evanriehl.github.io/papers/dr_fo...
students" evanriehl.github.io/papers/dr_fo...
September 8, 2025 at 12:34 PM
"for-profit-trained teachers have higher turnover and lower value-added...But the policy significantly increased the supply of certified teachers...lower licensing requirements improved access to teaching and reduced training costs without harming
students" evanriehl.github.io/papers/dr_fo...
students" evanriehl.github.io/papers/dr_fo...