Recent Publications by Della Moran
Publication
Partnering for Pre-K: Opportunities to Scale-Up Pittsburgh’s Collaborative Early Learning Model
Extensive research points to the positive impact of high-quality early childhood education. Unfortunately, demand continues to outpace investment: Today, 64% of Pennsylvania children eligible for publicly-funded slots remain unable to access them due to lack…
Publication
The Fiscal Impact of Charter School Expansion: Calculations in Six Pennsylvania School Districts
As charter school enrollment in Pennsylvania rises, understanding the fiscal impact of charter school expansion is critical for school districts to accurately budget and to anticipate current and future costs. In order to calculate the…
Publication
Executive Summary: Child Care Funding and Finance in Pennsylvania: Budgeting for Survival or Paying for the Cost of True Quality?
Efforts underway to expand access to high-quality child care and pre-K programs in Pennsylvania are aimed at improving school readiness for low-income children and mitigating the wide achievement gaps plaguing them in the later grades.…
Publication
Full Report: Child Care Funding and Finance in Pennsylvania: Budgeting for Survival or Paying for the True Cost of Quality?
Efforts underway to expand access to high-quality child care and pre-K programs in Pennsylvania are aimed at improving school readiness for low-income children and mitigating the wide achievement gaps that plague them in the later…
Publication
Comments Regarding the Civil Rights Data Collection
Comments on behalf of Research for Action, a Philadelphia-based, nonprofit education research organization, regarding the Civil Rights Data Collection from the U.S. Department of Education.
Publication
Racial Disparities in Educational Opportunities in Pennsylvania: A First Look at New Civil Rights Data
We know that segregation and educational inequity are harmful to students and weaken school systems. Yet 62 years after Brown v. Board of Education rendered the doctrine of “separate but equal” unconstitutional, it has been…
Publication
Quality Ratings and Improvement Systems in Early Childhood Education: Promising Approaches for Pennsylvania
Policymakers are recognizing that Pennsylvania has fallen behind in providing equitable access to high quality early childhood education. Gov. Tom Wolf ran on a campaign promise of universal pre-k access and proposed an unprecedented budget…
Publication
Community Schools in Practice: Research on Implementation and Impact
Community schools are receiving increased attention in Pennsylvania and across the country as policymakers and practitioners strive to address the effects of poverty on academic performance, and provide more comprehensive supports for traditionally-underserved populations. While…
Publication
Creating a Comprehensive Picture of School Performance
For more than two decades, states have been required to report publicly on the academic performance of schools and districts. These school rating systems have received increased public attention amid growing concerns about the prevalence and…