Nick Ainsworth
@nick-ainsworth.bsky.social
phd student @UCIeducation | interested in ece and sped policy | former k-2 sped teacher | @vanderbiltu @unlv alum | he/him 🏳🌈
Reposted by Nick Ainsworth
@lmasonwms.bsky.social & @afgilmour.bsky.social presenting year 1 SPARC center findings in Washington 1 right now- variability in the nature of the challenges facing the special ed workforce across states! Check out our year 1 working paper at sparccenter.org
Home | SPARC Center
sparccenter.org
November 13, 2025 at 4:09 PM
@lmasonwms.bsky.social & @afgilmour.bsky.social presenting year 1 SPARC center findings in Washington 1 right now- variability in the nature of the challenges facing the special ed workforce across states! Check out our year 1 working paper at sparccenter.org
Reposted by Nick Ainsworth
New research on #SpecialEducation Personnel Attrition with PA Dept. of Ed shows:
➡️Admins leave more than teachers
➡️Higher attrition among Black educators, urban settings, and more diverse districts
➡️Retention must be role- & context-specific
Learn more: journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
➡️Admins leave more than teachers
➡️Higher attrition among Black educators, urban settings, and more diverse districts
➡️Retention must be role- & context-specific
Learn more: journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
July 15, 2025 at 7:58 PM
New research on #SpecialEducation Personnel Attrition with PA Dept. of Ed shows:
➡️Admins leave more than teachers
➡️Higher attrition among Black educators, urban settings, and more diverse districts
➡️Retention must be role- & context-specific
Learn more: journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
➡️Admins leave more than teachers
➡️Higher attrition among Black educators, urban settings, and more diverse districts
➡️Retention must be role- & context-specific
Learn more: journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1...
Reposted by Nick Ainsworth
Our researchers recently hosted a webinar on the challenges of identifying #SpecialEducation teachers in state longitudinal data systems (#SLDS). Scroll through some of our initial learnings from our first year analyzing data and stay tuned for a working paper with these results.
July 7, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Our researchers recently hosted a webinar on the challenges of identifying #SpecialEducation teachers in state longitudinal data systems (#SLDS). Scroll through some of our initial learnings from our first year analyzing data and stay tuned for a working paper with these results.
Reposted by Nick Ainsworth
New analysis of census data finds LGBTQ folks are underrepresented in teaching: journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.3...
June 17, 2025 at 2:18 PM
New analysis of census data finds LGBTQ folks are underrepresented in teaching: journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.3...
Reposted by Nick Ainsworth
This is an AWESOME webinar for anyone interested in learning about how to use state longitudinal data systems to study the special education teacher workforce! Researchers, doc students, state data folks - come join us!
There's a #SpecialEducation teacher shortage—but defining and identifying special education teachers varies by state and system. We’re unpacking the complexity in our upcoming webinar.
🗓️ June 26 at 3pm ET
🔗 Register: sparccenter.org/events/regis...
🗓️ June 26 at 3pm ET
🔗 Register: sparccenter.org/events/regis...
May 29, 2025 at 7:02 PM
This is an AWESOME webinar for anyone interested in learning about how to use state longitudinal data systems to study the special education teacher workforce! Researchers, doc students, state data folks - come join us!
Reposted by Nick Ainsworth
New @caldercenter.bsky.social WP! A study from my dissertation, w/ @roddy-theobald.bsky.social, @natejones.bsky.social, & @lizbettini.bsky.social. We find staff turnover matters for SWDs. Ungated WP & one pager:
• Working paper: tinyurl.com/j3rykkp9
• One-pager: tinyurl.com/bddtzxtp
• Working paper: tinyurl.com/j3rykkp9
• One-pager: tinyurl.com/bddtzxtp
May 20, 2025 at 4:49 PM
New @caldercenter.bsky.social WP! A study from my dissertation, w/ @roddy-theobald.bsky.social, @natejones.bsky.social, & @lizbettini.bsky.social. We find staff turnover matters for SWDs. Ungated WP & one pager:
• Working paper: tinyurl.com/j3rykkp9
• One-pager: tinyurl.com/bddtzxtp
• Working paper: tinyurl.com/j3rykkp9
• One-pager: tinyurl.com/bddtzxtp
Reposted by Nick Ainsworth
The Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness (SREE) 2025 conference is October 8-11 in Chicago! The Special education section would love your submissions & participation. Abstracts due 4/1!
Thanks for considering submitting & sharing with your networks! #SREE2025 @sreesociety.bsky.social
Thanks for considering submitting & sharing with your networks! #SREE2025 @sreesociety.bsky.social
2025 Submit an Abstract
www.sree.org
March 18, 2025 at 9:20 PM
The Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness (SREE) 2025 conference is October 8-11 in Chicago! The Special education section would love your submissions & participation. Abstracts due 4/1!
Thanks for considering submitting & sharing with your networks! #SREE2025 @sreesociety.bsky.social
Thanks for considering submitting & sharing with your networks! #SREE2025 @sreesociety.bsky.social
Reposted by Nick Ainsworth
Hi everyone! The Department of Special Education at Vanderbilt University is searching for a Chair and Professor to join our faculty in the summer of 2026.
Please share with your networks and happy to chat with anyone interested! jobs.chronicle.com/job/37806156...
Please share with your networks and happy to chat with anyone interested! jobs.chronicle.com/job/37806156...
Chair and Full Professor of Special Education - Nashville, Tennessee job with Peabody College of Education and Human Development | 37806156
We are seeking an incoming Chair who will collaborate with our faculty to determine the trajectory of the department and lead an innovative future.
jobs.chronicle.com
March 18, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Hi everyone! The Department of Special Education at Vanderbilt University is searching for a Chair and Professor to join our faculty in the summer of 2026.
Please share with your networks and happy to chat with anyone interested! jobs.chronicle.com/job/37806156...
Please share with your networks and happy to chat with anyone interested! jobs.chronicle.com/job/37806156...
Reposted by Nick Ainsworth
Thanks to everyone who attended #AEFP2025 and safe travels home!
We're thinking about how to support members in the year ahead. Feel free to reach out with suggestions, or you can provide ideas on the post-conference survey.
We're thinking about how to support members in the year ahead. Feel free to reach out with suggestions, or you can provide ideas on the post-conference survey.
March 15, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Thanks to everyone who attended #AEFP2025 and safe travels home!
We're thinking about how to support members in the year ahead. Feel free to reach out with suggestions, or you can provide ideas on the post-conference survey.
We're thinking about how to support members in the year ahead. Feel free to reach out with suggestions, or you can provide ideas on the post-conference survey.
Reposted by Nick Ainsworth
What an honor to be part of this incredible crew. There's so much active policymaking right now, focused on the challenges facing the special ed workforce. We need research to identify which investments are worth it-thanks to IES for investing in that research. Check out our website! sparccenter.org
What an inspiring day at the SPARC Center Launch Event! 🎉 Thank you to everyone who joined us and shared ideas on how we can collaborate to drive transformation in #SpecialEducation. Excited for the journey ahead to create lasting change for educators and students! 🙌
March 12, 2025 at 4:36 PM
What an honor to be part of this incredible crew. There's so much active policymaking right now, focused on the challenges facing the special ed workforce. We need research to identify which investments are worth it-thanks to IES for investing in that research. Check out our website! sparccenter.org
Reposted by Nick Ainsworth
What a fantastic resource for evidence-based policymaking!! Thanks to everyone at AEFP who put this together!
Objective, comprehensive, rigorous, timely, and useful:
A digital hub for evidence-based education policy research.
#EdResearch #EdPolicy
livehandbook.org
A digital hub for evidence-based education policy research.
#EdResearch #EdPolicy
livehandbook.org
Evidence-Based Education Policy Research | Live Handbook
Explore evidence-based education policy research at our digital hub. Access data-driven insights to improve learning outcomes and shape effective policies.
livehandbook.org
March 12, 2025 at 8:40 PM
What a fantastic resource for evidence-based policymaking!! Thanks to everyone at AEFP who put this together!
Reposted by Nick Ainsworth
It's come on and offline since, but.... download what you need ASAP
February 11, 2025 at 9:15 PM
It's come on and offline since, but.... download what you need ASAP
Reposted by Nick Ainsworth
New from me in Education Finance & Policy: Pandemic-Era School Staff Shortages: Evidence from Unfilled Position Data in Illinois
doi.org/10.1162/edfp...
doi.org/10.1162/edfp...
January 29, 2025 at 12:57 PM
New from me in Education Finance & Policy: Pandemic-Era School Staff Shortages: Evidence from Unfilled Position Data in Illinois
doi.org/10.1162/edfp...
doi.org/10.1162/edfp...
Reposted by Nick Ainsworth
SUBMISSION DEADLINE for our special issue of JREE focused on using longitudinal data to address questions related to disability & education. Please submit or reach out before February 1: think.taylorandfrancis.com/special_issu...
Leveraging Administrative Data to Expand Research on Disability & Education
think.taylorandfrancis.com
January 21, 2025 at 8:17 PM
SUBMISSION DEADLINE for our special issue of JREE focused on using longitudinal data to address questions related to disability & education. Please submit or reach out before February 1: think.taylorandfrancis.com/special_issu...
Reposted by Nick Ainsworth
🔈new publication alert!
I started this project 7 years ago as a PhD student. It's an extension of my dissertation, and the last of that work to be published (so this feels especially worthy of celebrating). Coauthored w/ former colleagues. 1/n
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
I started this project 7 years ago as a PhD student. It's an extension of my dissertation, and the last of that work to be published (so this feels especially worthy of celebrating). Coauthored w/ former colleagues. 1/n
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
December 5, 2024 at 3:36 PM
🔈new publication alert!
I started this project 7 years ago as a PhD student. It's an extension of my dissertation, and the last of that work to be published (so this feels especially worthy of celebrating). Coauthored w/ former colleagues. 1/n
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
I started this project 7 years ago as a PhD student. It's an extension of my dissertation, and the last of that work to be published (so this feels especially worthy of celebrating). Coauthored w/ former colleagues. 1/n
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Reposted by Nick Ainsworth
Come work with me and my fantastic colleagues in the Dept of Education @ UCSB. Quant methods position w/application details below. Reach out with q’s
recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/JPF02883
recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/JPF02883
Assistant Professor in Quantitative Methods in Educational Research
University of California Santa Barbara is hiring. Apply now!
recruit.ap.ucsb.edu
November 25, 2024 at 9:29 PM
Come work with me and my fantastic colleagues in the Dept of Education @ UCSB. Quant methods position w/application details below. Reach out with q’s
recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/JPF02883
recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/JPF02883
Reposted by Nick Ainsworth
🚀 Meet Part One of our amazing leadership team, @roddy-theobald.bsky.social, @afgilmour.bsky.social, @lizbettini.bsky.social, Li Feng, LaRon Scott, and @lmasonwms.bsky.social! Stay tuned for updates on our journey! #SPARCCenter #SpecialEducation
November 22, 2024 at 2:39 PM
🚀 Meet Part One of our amazing leadership team, @roddy-theobald.bsky.social, @afgilmour.bsky.social, @lizbettini.bsky.social, Li Feng, LaRon Scott, and @lmasonwms.bsky.social! Stay tuned for updates on our journey! #SPARCCenter #SpecialEducation
Reposted by Nick Ainsworth
We document substantial recovery from the drops in identification rates associated with the onset of the pandemic, also documented in OR by @nick-ainsworth.bsky.social and covered in reporting by @evieblad.bsky.social and @bethhawkins.bsky.social.
November 21, 2024 at 10:30 PM
We document substantial recovery from the drops in identification rates associated with the onset of the pandemic, also documented in OR by @nick-ainsworth.bsky.social and covered in reporting by @evieblad.bsky.social and @bethhawkins.bsky.social.
Really interesting and encouraging results from WA about rebounding new ID rates for SpEd services in 2022-23. Despite large declines in 2020 & 2021, schools seem to be catching up. This is important work from a great team. Check out @roddy-theobald.bsky.social’s thread below!
My very first bluesky post! We just released an updated @caldercenter.bsky.social research brief, with @cedr.bsky.social and Andrew Katz, on special education identification rates in WA through the 2022-23 school year. caldercenter.org/publications...
November 22, 2024 at 12:00 AM
Really interesting and encouraging results from WA about rebounding new ID rates for SpEd services in 2022-23. Despite large declines in 2020 & 2021, schools seem to be catching up. This is important work from a great team. Check out @roddy-theobald.bsky.social’s thread below!
Reposted by Nick Ainsworth
Check out my latest publication, providing counter-narratives from historically marginalized families in a rural context, surrounding what they desire from early childhood education journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
November 20, 2024 at 4:43 PM
Check out my latest publication, providing counter-narratives from historically marginalized families in a rural context, surrounding what they desire from early childhood education journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Reposted by Nick Ainsworth
What’s a Special Education Aide Worth? A $9,607 Raise, to the Average Teacher www.educationnext.org/whats-specia...
A good example of the kind of research I've been saying we need more of.
A good example of the kind of research I've been saying we need more of.
What’s a Special Education Aide Worth? A $9,607 Raise, to the Average Teacher
Survey evidence shows teachers would trade additional salary for expert support
www.educationnext.org
November 12, 2024 at 11:55 AM
What’s a Special Education Aide Worth? A $9,607 Raise, to the Average Teacher www.educationnext.org/whats-specia...
A good example of the kind of research I've been saying we need more of.
A good example of the kind of research I've been saying we need more of.
Reposted by Nick Ainsworth
Very excited about this working paper with @nick-ainsworth.bsky.social and @christocleve.bsky.social!
Tldr: RTI adoption lowered SPED identification rates & raised reading achievement among Black students. It did not lower achievement (in either reading or math) for any student subgroups.
Tldr: RTI adoption lowered SPED identification rates & raised reading achievement among Black students. It did not lower achievement (in either reading or math) for any student subgroups.
The Effects of Response to Intervention on Disability Identification and Achievement
Currently 15 percent of U.S. students receive special education services, a widespread intensive intervention with variable effects on students. Spurred by changes in federal policy, many states and d...
edworkingpapers.com
August 6, 2024 at 9:15 PM
Very excited about this working paper with @nick-ainsworth.bsky.social and @christocleve.bsky.social!
Tldr: RTI adoption lowered SPED identification rates & raised reading achievement among Black students. It did not lower achievement (in either reading or math) for any student subgroups.
Tldr: RTI adoption lowered SPED identification rates & raised reading achievement among Black students. It did not lower achievement (in either reading or math) for any student subgroups.