Brian Holzman
LightNews LightNews
banner
brianholzman.bsky.social
Brian Holzman
@brianholzman.bsky.social
240 followers 300 following 43 posts
Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University, College of Education & Human Development || Soc of ed, higher ed, ed policy, race/immigration/language, & RPPs || "a noted dog enthusiast"

www.brianholzman.com
Posts Replies Media Videos
brianholzman.bsky.social
🚨 New preprint!

We examine how Texas’s high-school endorsement system (similar to majors)—especially STEM—shapes college choice. Rather than expanding opportunity, the STEM endorsement largely reflects pre-existing academic advantages and rebrands old sorting practices.
October 21, 2025 at 1:34 PM
brianholzman.bsky.social
🚨 New preprint!

We examine how English learner (EL) status shapes access to college-level coursework (AP, IB, dual credit) in high school—and how this contributes to postsecondary enrollment & completion gaps.

#SocEd #HigherEd #EdPolicy #EL
September 10, 2025 at 2:48 PM
brianholzman.bsky.social
The Texas A&M College of Education & Human Development Ph.D. program in Educational Administration, PK-12 Leadership & Policy will host an informational webinar on Tuesday, September 30th at 7:00 PM CT.

Join us to learn more about our program! Register here: bit.ly/4p2OMuw
Informational Webinar - Ph.D. in Educational Administration, Emphasis in PK-12 Leadership & Policy at Texas A&M University. Save the Date: Tuesday, September 30 from 7:00-8:00 PM Central Time. Register by visiting bit.ly/4p2OMuw.
September 2, 2025 at 5:32 PM
brianholzman.bsky.social
📢 New working paper with Daniel Klasik & Angel Jones:

"The Many Paths to College Enrollment: Re-Conceptualizing the Transition to College"

We propose a new college choice model that captures the diverse, nonlinear pathways students take to college.

edworkingpapers.com/ai25-1269
Traditional college choice models often fall short in capturing the complex paths that today’s student population takes to postsecondary enrollment. This paper identifies the limitations of the predominant frameworks, such as Hossler and Gallagher’s (1987) three-phase model, arguing that they reflect an outdated enrollment-management perspective, which fails to capture the experiences of many students. We propose a new, student-centered conceptual framework rooted in higher education research that better reflects the realities of the contemporary college-going process. Our model consists of six elements: (1) expectations, (2) academic preparation and the development of “admissions capital,” (3) college knowledge, (4) information gathering and application set formation, (5) application and admission, and (6) enrollment. The framework recognizes that students’ postsecondary pathways are often indirect and shaped by a range of individual and contextual factors. Moreover, it allows for interactions among the elements and emphasizes the enduring influence of educational expectations. By re-conceptualizing the transition to college, our model offers a more nuanced lens for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to understand and support an increasingly diverse student body and address persistent inequities in college access and choice.
August 20, 2025 at 2:49 PM
brianholzman.bsky.social
Houston Education Research Consortium representation at ASA! #rpp #soced
August 10, 2025 at 12:08 AM
brianholzman.bsky.social
🚨 New preprint!

We examine gender gaps in high school STEM pathways & whether senior-year guidance counseling was associated with greater persistence among girls—especially those from low-income backgrounds & underserved communities.

#EdPolicy #STEMEducation #SocEd
July 23, 2025 at 1:39 PM
brianholzman.bsky.social
5/
📊 Findings (via sharp RD design):
• +17 pp → Applied to most competitive colleges
• +15 pp → Enrolled in most competitive colleges
• +58 pts → Higher median SAT of colleges attended
• No effect on students’ own SAT scores
June 23, 2025 at 1:42 PM
brianholzman.bsky.social
1/
🚨New paper from me in Education Finance & Policy:
"EMERGEing Educational Opportunities: The Effects of Social Capital on Selective College Outcomes"

doi.org/10.1162/edfp...

#EdPolicy #HigherEd #SocEd
Improving college access for high-achieving students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds remains a critical challenge. While some research suggests that providing information alone can influence college access, other studies highlight the need for more comprehensive support throughout the college search and decision-making process. This study uses a sharp regression discontinuity design to examine the impact of personalized assistance on selective college enrollment, application behaviors, and SAT scores among high-achieving, low-income, and first-generation high school students in a large urban school district. Results indicate that admission to an intensive, multi-year college access program led to significant increases in applications to selective colleges, the number of applications submitted, and enrollment at selective colleges (Cohen’s d effect sizes: 0.32–0.58 SD). Further analyses reveal positive effects on enrollment in colleges with higher median SAT scores, lower admission rates, and higher graduation rates. These findings highlight the importance of sustained, personalized college advising programs in supporting low-income, first-generation students to access selective colleges and advance educational equity.
June 23, 2025 at 1:42 PM
brianholzman.bsky.social
Abe says welcome back
March 29, 2025 at 4:05 AM
brianholzman.bsky.social
Seen on my morning walk 📈
March 21, 2025 at 5:49 PM
brianholzman.bsky.social
📢 Check out these 2 #AEFP2025 presentations on college access on Friday:

1. A study on AVID and college predisposition & search at 8:15am (presented by Kristian Edosomwan)

2. A qual study on selective college choice among low-income & first-gen students at 1:45pm (presented by me)
March 14, 2025 at 1:00 AM
brianholzman.bsky.social
Come to the Joint Community Group Happy Hour on March 14th from 6-8pm during the @aefpweb.bsky.social conference. All are welcome! Details are below. 🥂
AEFP Joint Community Group Happy Hour. Co-hosted by Scholars of Color, Ed Dev, First Gen, and Policymaker & Practitioner community groups. When: Friday, March 14 from 6:00-8:00 pm. Where: Blackfinn DC (1620 I St NW, Washington, DC 20006). Food and drinks will be provided!
March 6, 2025 at 4:58 PM
brianholzman.bsky.social
Got to spend the week at @ucirvine.bsky.social interacting with affiliates of the Center for Population, Inequality, and Policy, courtesy of @irpwisc.bsky.social. I had a great time and learned a lot, thanks for hosting me!
January 17, 2025 at 11:33 PM
brianholzman.bsky.social
📣The 6th & final Kinder Institute for Urban Research research brief on newcomer students/schools just got released!

In this brief, we find that newcomer school attendance has positive impacts on English language proficiency & EL reclassification 📈

kinder.rice.edu/research/new...
February 14, 2024 at 10:18 PM