Dr. Anna Egalite Author of Education Next’s Top Article of 2016

Dr. Anna Egalite helps the College of Education improve student outcomes through her research on education policies and programs that close racial and economic achievement gaps. Egalite, an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership, Policy and Human Development, has published scholarly work in journals including Economics of Education Review, Early Childhood Research Quarterly, and Education Next.

Education Next selected one of Egalite’s recent articles, “How Family Background Influences Student Achievement: Can schools narrow the gap?,” as the top article published in the journal in 2016. The article was part of a special Education Next issue commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Coleman Report, which focused on the equality of educational opportunity in U.S. public schools.

“The article’s goal was twofold — Since Coleman’s original report was published in the 1960s, I wanted to talk about what we have learned since then about how children are affected by scarcity, by family breakdown, and by neighborhood disadvantage,” said Egalite. “I also wanted to focus on the potential of social policy to mitigate and counter the influence of these disadvantages.”

Egalite’s article utilized a large array of methodological tools to look at the distinct influences on student success. She also looked at what policies offer the most promise to help children gain the academic preparation and social skills necessary to ensure they are ready for college, careers and to independently form strong relationships.

Through her research, Egalite hopes to advocate for educational policies that positively impact the learning potential of disadvantaged students. In addition to Education Next, Egalite is held in high regard by her colleagues for her work and impact on the field of education.

“Dr. Egalite has quickly developed a reputation as a go-to scholar who conducts sound, rigorous research with significant implications for policy makers,” said Dr. Lance Fusarelli, interim department head, Department of Educational Leadership, Policy and Human Development.  “As the article in Education Next demonstrates, Dr. Egalite has the ability to take complex research and translate it into effective policy recommendations. For this reason, she is often sought out for her advice on education policy and reform.”

To read the full article, visit http://educationnext.org/how-family-background-influences-student-achievement/.

For more information on how the College of Education increases student success and works to close achievement gaps, visit https://ced.ncsu.edu/news-new.