Research

Research Interests

  • Causal inference
  • Machine learning
  • Psychometrics
  • Early childhood education
  • Chronic absenteeism
  • Executive functioning

Peer Reviewed Journal Articles (published or in press)

Wu, T., Weiland, C., McCormick, M., C., Hsueh, J., Snow, C., & Sachs, J. (2024). One score to rule them all: Comparing the predictive and concurrent validity of 30 ways to score the Hearts and Flowers task. Assessment, 1-19. link here

McCormick, M., Hanno, E., Weiland, C., Wu, T., Pralica, M., Hsueh, J., Giles, A., Snow, C., & Sachs, J. (in press). Moving beyond point in time estimates: Using growth models to understand when PreK convergence happens, how, and for which skills. Child Development.

Working Papers

Wu, T., & Weiland, C. (2024). Leveraging Modern Machine Learning to Improve Early Warning Systems and Reduce Chronic Absenteeism in Early Childhood. EdWorkingPaper No. 24-1081. Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. https://doi.org/10.26300/xxvz-cv94 link here

Policy Briefs

Weiland, C., McCormick, M., Wu, T., MacDowell, C., Guerrero-Rosada, P., Taylor, A., Snow, C., & Sachs, J. (2023). Teacher well-being and professional development in a pandemic: Evidence from early educators in the Boston Public Schools. Boston Early Childhood Research Practice Partnership.

Wu, T., McCormick, M., Weiland, C., Hsueh, J., Sachs, J., & Snow, C. (2023). What sustains the pre-K boost? New evidence from Boston Public Schools. Boston Early Childhood Research Practice Partnership.

Wu, T., Weiland, C., McCormick, M., Sachs, J., Taylor, A., Hsueh, J., & Snow, C. (2023). What if You Miss the First Year of an Aligned Curriculum? Boston Public Schools’ Pre-K Non-Attenders Made Equivalent Learning Gains Whether or Not their Kindergarten Program was Aligned with Pre-K. Boston Early Childhood Research Practice Partnership.

Professional Presentations

Weiland, C., Wu, T.., Unterman, R., Shapiro, A., Lightner, S., Staines, T., & Taylor, A. (2025, May). Impacts of Oversubscribed Boston Pre-K Programs through Middle School. Causal Inference in Education Research Seminar, Ann Arbor, MI.

Wu, T. & Weiland, C. (2025, May). Leveraging Modern Machine Learning to Improve Early Warning Systems and Reduce Chronic Absenteeism in Early Childhood. Supporting Students in their Earliest Years: Innovations at the State and Local Levels. Harvard University Strategic Data Project Convening, Boston, MA.

Yerington, E., Weiland, C., Wu, T., McCormick, M., Hsueh, J., Sachs, J., Snow, C., Guerrero-Rosada, P., & Xia, Y. (2025, May). Teacher-Student Racial-Ethnic Match and Kindergarteners’ Academic and Cognitive Gains: Evidence from Boston. Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD), Minneapolis, MN.

Wu, T. (2025, February). Leveraging Modern Machine Learning to Improve Early Warning Systems and Reduce Chronic Absenteeism in Early Childhood. Combined Program in Education and Psychology Brown Bag, Ann Arbor, MI.

Wu, T. & Weiland, C. (2024, September). Leveraging Modern Machine Learning to Reduce Chronic Absenteeism in Early Childhood. Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness (SREE), Baltimore, MD.

Wu, T., Weiland, C., Unterman, R., Shapiro, A. (2023, November). Prekindergarten absenteeism in Boston Public Schools: Predictors, patterns, and relationships to learning outcomes. Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management (APPAM), Atlanta, GA.

Wu, T., Weiland, C., McCormick, M., Hsueh, J., Snow, C., & Sachs, J. (2023, May). One score to rule them all? Comparing the predictive and concurrent validity of 30 ways to score the Hearts and Flowers task. HighScope International Conference, Ypsilanti, MI.

Wu, T., Weiland, C., McCormick, M., Hsueh, J., Snow, C., & Sachs, J. (2023, May). One score to rule them all? Comparing the predictive and concurrent validity of 30 ways to score the Hearts and Flowers task. American Educational Research Association (AERA), Chicago, IL.

Wu, T., Weiland, C., McCormick, M., Hsueh, J., Snow, C., & Sachs, J. (2023, March). One score to rule them all? Comparing the predictive and concurrent validity of 30 ways to score the Hearts and Flowers task. The Susan B. Meister Lecture in Child Health Policy, the University of Michigan Child Health Evaluation and Research Center, Ann Arbor, MI.

Wu, T. (2019, June). Multiplication is Vexation and Practice Drives Me Mad: Retrieval Practice Accuracy Mediates the Effect of Math Anxiety on Test Performance. The University of Chicago MAPSS Conference, Chicago, IL.

Jenifer, J. & Wu, T. (2019, May). Math Anxiety & Retrieval Practice: A Potential Strategy for Reducing Performance Gaps. Association for Psychological Science (APS) 31st Annual Convention. Washington, D.C.

Sommer, T.E., Chase-Lansdale, L., Sabol, T.J., Yoshikawa, H., Brooks-Gunn, J., Wu, T. (2014, June). Barrier or Opportunity to Promote Parental Employment?: Early Childhood Education Programs for Low-Income Children. Work and Family Researchers Network Conference. New York City, NY.