Research
My research covers a range of topics in education, public policy, and quantitative methods, with a particular focus on K-12 education funding.
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
A National Randomized Controlled Trial of the Impact of Public Montessori Preschool at the End of Kindergarten
Angeline S. Lillard, David Loeb, Juliette Berg, Maya Escueta, Karen Manship, Alison Hauser, and Emily Daggett. 2025. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Open Science Framework Page | Replication Code
Absence Unexcused: Using Administrative Data to Explore Patterns and Predictors of Habitual Truancy in Pennsylvania
Ericka S. Weathers, Ismael G. Muñoz, and David Loeb. 2023. The High School Journal.
Policy Reports & Briefs
Massachusetts Child Care Cost Models: Report on 2024 Cost Research and Cost Model Updates
Amanda Danks, Maya Escueta, Isaac Kaplan, Austin Gragson, David Loeb, and Ashley Darang. 2025. American Institutes for Research.
The Benefits of Adequacy: Estimating the Economic Impacts of Pennsylvania’s Basic Education Funding Commission Proposal
David Loeb, Katie Pullom, and Brooks Bowden. 2024. Center for Benefit-Cost Studies of Education.
Press: The Philadelphia Inqurier, Chalkbeat, KYW Newsradio, The Philadelphia Tribune, Spotlight PA
The Availability of Truancy Data Across States
Ericka S. Weathers and David Loeb. 2022. The Learning Curve, Urban Institute.
Papers in Progress
The Impact of the Medicaid “Free Care” Reversal on School District Finances and Staffing
Do School Finance Reforms Reduce Non-Education State Spending?
with Chris Wodicka
Missing Data Handling in Education RCTs: A Practitioner’s Guide
with Catherine Asher and Robin Jacob
School District Demographic Change and the Willingness to Fund Local Public Schools
Conference Presentations
*presenting author
The Impact of the Medicaid “Free Care” Reversal on School District Finances and Staffing
David Loeb* and Katie Pullom. 2025. Paper, Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.
A National RCT of the Impact of Public Montessori Schools on Early Childhood Outcomes
David Loeb*, Angeline S. Lillard, Karen Manship, Emily Daggett, and Juliette Berg. 2025. Paper, Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness.
The Impact of the Montessori Early Childhood Model in PK4 and Kindergarten
Angeline S. Lillard, Mark Lachowicz, Juliette Berg, Karen Manship, Emily Daggett, and David Loeb*. 2025. Paper, American Education Research Association.
Typologizing Truancy Policy: A Cross-State Critical Analysis of Truancy Policies Using Mixed Methods
Ericka S. Weathers, David Loeb, and Rebecca Rock. 2025. Roundtable, American Education Research Association.
Medicaid “Free Care” Reversal’s Impact on District Staffing and Finances
David Loeb* and Katie Pullom. 2025. Paper, Association for Education Finance and Policy.
Segregation and Willingness to Fund Public Schools at the Local and State Levels
David Loeb*. 2024. Paper, Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.
Identifying Curriculum and Book Restriction Activity Using School Board Meeting Minutes
David Loeb*. 2024. Poster, Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness.
The Role of Home Values in Linking Segregation and School District Funding Disparities
David Loeb*. 2024. Paper, American Education Research Association.
Absence Unexcused: Using Administrative Data to Explore Patterns and Predictors of Habitual Truancy in Pennsylvania
Ericka S. Weathers, Ismael G. Muñoz, and David Loeb*. 2023. Poster, Association for Education Finance and Policy.