Thurston Domina, Ph.D.

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Director of Graduate Studies

Robert Wendell Eaves Sr. Distinguished Professor in Educational Leadership

Adjunct Associate Professor, UNC Department of Public Policy

Journal Article

Yoo, P. Y., Domina, T., McEachin, A., Clark, L., Hertenstein, H., & Penner, A. M. (2025). Virtual charter students have worse labor market outcomes as young adults. Social Science Research, 132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2025.103240

Carlson, D., Domina, T., Carter, J., Perera, R. M., Radsky, V., & McEachin, A. (2025). Structuring Choice Policy, School Segregation and the Two-Staged School Choice Process. American Educational Research Journal, 62(5), 946–981. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312251355992

Garza, A. N., Renzulli, L., Domina, T., & Kearney, C. (2025). Remote School Parenting: Assessing Home-School Contexts and Parent Practices Aimed at Engaging Children in Learning. Social Currents, 12(3), 305–325. https://doi.org/10.1177/23294965251338468

Spiegel, M., Clark, L., Domina, T., Penner, E. K., Hanselman, P., Yoo, P. Y., & Penner, A. (2025). Peer income exposure across the income distribution. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 122(7). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2410349122

Cohen-Vogel, L., Brooks, C. D., Little, M., Drake, T. A., Domina, T., Springer, M., Gragson, A., & Cadilla, V. (2025). Is Second Grade a Zone of Instructional Development for Teachers? Rethinking Strategic Staffing With a Mixed-Methods Study of Elementary Principals’ Assignment Decisions. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 1–38. https://doi.org/10.3102/01623737251348202

Brummet, Q., Liebert, L., Domina, T., Yoo, P., & Penner, A. (2024). Early Algebra Affects Peer Composition. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis. Published. https://doi.org/10.3102/01623737241267957

Spiegel, M., Clark, L., Domina, T., Radsky, V., Yoo, P., & Penner, A. (2024). Measuring School Economic Disadvantage. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis. Published. https://doi.org/10.3102/01623737231217683

Kearney, C., Garza, A. N., Perez, L., Renzulli, L., & Domina, T. (2024). Offer it and they will come? An investigation of the factors associated with the uptake of school-sponsored resources. American Educational Research Journal, 61(1), 145–176. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312231209231

Domina, T., Clark, L., & Radsky, V. (2024). There is such a thing as a free lunch: School meals, stigma, and student discipline (R. Bhaskar, Trans.). American Educationa Research Journal, 61(2), 287–327. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312231222266

Hwang, N., Penner, E. K., Hanselman, P., Davison, M., Sanabria, T., Domina, T., & Penner, A. (2022). Reining in Punitive Discipline: Recent Trends in Exclusionary School Discipline Disparities. Socius. Published. https://doi.org/DOI: 10.1177/23780231221103044

Hanselman, P., Domina, T., & Hwang, N. (2022). Educational inequality regimes amid Algebra-for-All: The provision and allocation of expanding educational opportunities. Social Forces, 100(4), 1722–1751. https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/soab052

Domina, T., Hashim, A., Kearney, C., Pham, L., & Smith, C. (2022). COVID-19 and the System Resilience of Public Education: A View from North Carolina. Learning Curve. Published. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED620779.pdf

Domina, T., Akos, P., & Bastian, K. (2022). The Impact of School Counselor Resources in Elementary and Middle Grades. Professional School Counseling, 26(1a), 174–225. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Brett-Zyromski-2/publication/359180355_Evidence-Based_School_Counseling_Embracing_ChallengesChanges_to_the_Existing_Paradigm/links/623cf28bfd1c90014d801948/Evidence-Based-School-Counseling-Embracing-Challenges-Changes-to-the-Existing-Paradigm.pdf#page=174

Kearney, C., Akos, P., Domina, T., & Young, Z. (2021). Student-to-School Counselor Ratios: A Meta-Analytic Review of the Evidence. Journal of Counseling and Development, 99(4), 418–428. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.12394

Hwang, N., & Domina, T. (2021). Peer disruption and learning: Links between suspensions and the educational achievement of non-suspended students. Education Finance and Policy, 16(3), 443–463. https://doi.org/10.1162/edfp_a_00308

Domina, T., Carlson, D., Carter, J., Lenard, M., McEachin, A., & Perera, R. (2021). The Kids on the Bus: The Academic Consequences of Diversity-Driven School Reassignments. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 40(4), 1197–1229. https://doi.org/10.1002/pam.22326

Hanselman, P., Domina, T., & Hwang, N. (2021). Educational Inequality Regimes amid Algebra-for-All: The Provision and Allocation of Expanding Educational Opportunities. Social Forces. Published. https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/soab052

Davis-Kean, P. E., Domina, T., Kuhfeld, M., Ellis, A., & Gershoff, E. T. (2021). It matters how you start: Early numeracy mastery predicts high school math course-taking and college attendance. Infant and Child Development. Published. https://doi.org/10.1002/icd.2281

Boylan, R. L., Petts, A., Renzulli, L., Domina, T., & Murray, B. (2021). Practicing Parental Involvement: Heterogeneity in Parent Involvement Structures in Charter and Traditional Public Schools. Educational Administration Quarterly. Published. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013161X21990431

Domina, T., Renzulli, L., Murray, B., Garza, A. N., & Perez, L. (2021). Remote or Removed: Predicting Successful Engagement with Online Learning during COVID-19. Socius, 7. https://doi.org/10.1177/2378023120988200

Bitler, M., Corcoran, S. P., Domina, T., & Penner, E. K. (2021). Teacher Effects on Student Achievement and Height: A Cautionary Tale. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 14(4), 900–924. https://doi.org/10.1080/19345747.2021.1917025

Hwang, N., & Domina, T. (2020). Peer Disruption and Learning: Links between Suspensions and the Educational Achievement of Non-Suspended Students. Education Finance and Policy, 1–44. https://doi.org/10.1162/edfp_a_00308

Murray, B., Domina, T., Petts, A., Renzulli, L., & Boylan, R. (2020). “We’re in This Together”: Bridging and Bonding Social Capital in Elementary School PTOs. American Educational Research Journal, 57(5), 2210–2244. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831220908848

Sanabria, T., Penner, A., & Domina, T. (2020). Failing at Remediation? College Remedial Coursetaking, Failure and Long-Term Student Outcomes. Research in Higher Education, 61(4), 459–484. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-020-09590-z

McEachin, A., Domina, T., & Penner, A. (2020). Heterogeneous Effects of Early Algebra across California Middle Schools. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 39(3), 772–800. https://doi.org/10.1002/pam.22202

Curran, F. C., Little, M. H., Cohen-Vogel, L., & Domina, T. (2020). School Readiness Assessments for Class Placements and Academic Sorting in Kindergarten. Educational Policy, 34(3), 518–547. https://doi.org/10.1177/0895904818802109

Bastain, K., Akos, P., Domina, T., & Griffard, M. (2019). Understanding the allocation of student support personnel in public schools. AREA Open, 5(4), 1–17.

Akos, P., Bastain, K., Domina, T., & Mock Munoz de Luna, L. (published). Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) and student outcomes in elementary and middle schools. Professional School Counseling, 22(1), 1–9.

Kuhfeld, M., Domina, T., & Hanselman, P. (2019). Validating the SEDA Measures of District Educational Opportunities via a Common Assessment. AERA Open, 5(2). https://doi.org/2332858419858324

Domina, T., McEachin, A., Hanselman, P., Agarwal, P., Hwang, N. Y., & Lewis, R. W. (2019). Beyond Tracking and Detracking: The Dimensions of Organizational Differentiation in Schools. Sociology of Education, 92(3), 293–322. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038040719851879

Murray, B., Domina, T., Renzulli, L., & Boylan, R. (2019). Civil Society Goes to School: Parent Teacher Associations and the Equality of Educational Opportunity. Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Science. Accepted.

Reyes, M., & Domina, T. (2019). A mixed-method study: Districts’ implementation of language classification policies and the implications for male, hispanic, and low-income middle school students. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 27. https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.27.4210

Carpenter, C. S., Bruckner, T. A., Domina, T., Gerlinger, J., & Wakefield, S. (2019). Effects of state education requirements for substance use prevention. Health Economics (United Kingdom), 28(1), 78–86. https://doi.org/10.1002/hec.3830

Domina, T., Pharris-Ciurej, N., Brummet, Q., Penner, A., Penner, E., & Rastogi-Porter, S. (2018). Is free and reduced-price lunch a valid measure of educational disadvantage?. Educational Researcher, 47(9), 539–555.

Curran, F. C., Michael, L., Cohen-Vogel, L., & Domina, T. (2018). School Readiness Assessments for Class Placements and Academic Sorting in Kindergarten. Educational Policy. Published. https://doi.org/10.1177/0895904818802109

Jenkins, J., Auger, A., Burchinal, M., Domina, T., Duncan, G., & Bitler, M. (2018). Boosting school readiness with preschool curricula: Should preschools target skills or the whole child?. Economics of Education Review, 65, 65.

Reyes, M., & Domina, T. (2017). Track Placement and the Motivational Predictors of Math Course Enrollment. Teachers College Record, 119(12).

Hwang, N. Y., & Domina, T. (2017). The Links Between Youth Employment and Educational Attainment Across Racial Groups. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 27(2), 312–327. https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.12277

Reyes, M., & Domina, T. (2017). Track placement and the motivational predictors of math course enrollment. Teachers College Record, 119(11). https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85033365657

Domina, T., Hanselman, P., Hwang, N., & McEachin, A. (2016). Detracking and Tracking Up: Mathematics course placements in California middle schools, 2003-2013. American Educational Research Journal. Published.

Simzar, R., Conley, A., Tran, C., & Domina, T. (2016). Eighth grade algebra course placement and student motivation for mathematics. AERA Open. Published. https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858415625227

Reimer, L., Schenke, K., Nguyen, T., O’Dowd, D., Domina, T., & Warschauer, M. (2016). Evaluating Promising Practices in Undergraduate STEM Lecture Courses. RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences, 2(1), 212–233.

Bailey, D. H., Nguyen, T., Jenkins, J. M., Domina, T., Clements, D. H., & Sarama, J. S. (2016). Fadeout in Early Mathematics Intervention: Constraining Curriculum or Preexisting Differences?. Developmental Psychology. Published. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/dev0000188

Domina, T., Penner, A., & Penner, E. (2016). Membership has its privileges: Status incentives and categorical inequality in education. Sociological Science. Published.

Hwang, N., & Domina, T. (2016). The Links between Youth Employment and Educational Outcomes across Racial Groups. Journal of Research on Adolescence. Published.

Bailey, D. H., Nguyen, T., Jenkins, J. M., Domina, T., Clements, D. H., & Sarama, J. S. (2016). Fadeout in an early mathematics intervention: Constraining content or preexisting differences?. Developmental Psychology, 52(9), 1457–1469. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000188

Domina, T., Hanselman, P., Hwang, N. Y., & McEachin, A. (2016). Detracking and Tracking Up: Mathematics Course Placements in California Middle Schools, 2003–2013. American Educational Research Journal, 53(4), 1229–1266. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831216650405

Domina, T., Penner, A. M., & Penner, E. K. (2016). ‘Membership has its privileges’: Status incentives and categorical inequality in education. Sociological Science, 3, 264–295. https://doi.org/10.15195/v3.a13

Reimer, L. C., Schenke, K., Nguyen, T., O’Dowd, D. K., Domina, T., & Warschauer, M. (2016). Evaluating promising practices in undergraduate sTEM lecture courses. RSF, 2(1), 212–233. https://doi.org/10.7758/rsf.2016.2.1.10

Simzar, R. M., Martinez, M., Rutherford, T., Domina, T., & Conley, A. M. (2015). Raising the stakes: How students’ motivation for mathematics associates with high- and low-stakes test achievement. Learning and Individual Differences, 39, 49–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2015.03.002

Domina, T., McEachin, A., Penner, A., & Penner, E. (2015). Aiming high and falling short: California’s eighth-grade algebra-for-all effort. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 37(3), 275–295. https://doi.org/10.3102/0162373714543685

Bitler, M., Domina, T., Penner, E., & Hoynes, H. (2015). Distributional Analysis in Educational Evaluation: A Case Study from the New York City Voucher Program. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 8(3), 419–450. https://doi.org/10.1080/19345747.2014.921259

Domina, T., Lewis, R., Agarwal, P., & Hanselman, P. (2015). Professional Sense-Makers: Instructional Specialists in Contemporary Schooling. Educational Researcher, 44(6), 359–364. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X15601644

Ruzek, E. A., Domina, T., Conley, A. M., Duncan, G. J., & Karabenick, S. A. (2015). Using Value-Added Models to Measure Teacher Effects on Students’ Motivation and Achievement. Journal of Early Adolescence, 35(5-6), 852–882. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272431614525260

Domina, T., Penner, A. M., Penner, E. K., & Conley, A. (2014). Algebra for all: California’s Eighth-grade algebra initiative as constrained curricula. Teachers College Record, 116(8). https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/84905996501

Domina, T. (2014). Does Merit Aid Program Design Matter? A Cross-Cohort Analysis. Research in Higher Education, 55(1), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-013-9302-y

Bruckner, T. A., Domina, T., Hwang, J. K., Gerlinger, J., Carpenter, C., & Wakefield, S. (2014). State-level education standards for substance use prevention programs in schools: A systematic content analysis. Journal of Adolescent Health, 54(4), 467–473. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.07.020

Domina, T. (2014). The link between middle school mathematics course placement and achievement. Child Development, 85(5), 1948–1964. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12255

Woods, C. S., & Domina, T. (2014). The school counselor caseload and the high school-to-college pipeline. Teachers College Record, 116(10). https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/84910664713

Book

Domina, T., Penner, A., & Penner, E. (2023). Schooled & Sorted: How Educational Categories Create Inequality. Russell Sage Foundation. https://www.russellsage.org/publications/schooled-and-sorted

Domina, T., Gibbs, B., Nunn, L., & Penner, A. (2019). Education & Society. University of California Press.

Book Chapter

Spiegel, M., Clark, L., Domina, T., Radsky, V., & Penner, A. (2024). MEASURING ECONOMIC DISADVANTAGE IN SCHOOLS IN THE POST-CEP ERA. In What Comes After Lunch?: Alternative Measures of Economic and Social Disadvantage and Their Implications for Education Research. Information Age Publishing.

Reimer, L. C., Nili, A., Nguyen, T., Warschauer, M., & Domina, T. (2015). Clickers in the Wild: A Campus-Wide Study of Student Response Systems. In G. Weaver, W. Burgess, A. Childress, & L. Slakey (Eds.), Transforming Institutions. Purdue University Press.

Reimer, L. C., Nili, A., Nguyen, T., Warschauer, M., & Domina, T. (2015). Clickers in the wild: A campus-wide study of student response systems. In Transforming Institutions: Undergraduate STEM Education for the 21st Century (pp. 383–398). https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85018848794

Simzar, R., & Domina, T. (2014). Attending to student motivation through critical practice: A recommendation for improving accelerated mathematical learning. In Critical Practice in P-12 Education: Transformative Teaching and Learning (pp. 66–116). https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-4666-5059-6.ch004

Conference Proceeding

Lee, S. E., & Domina, T. (2013). Shopping in a virtual world: An analysis of young users’ experiences. International Journal of Technology, Knowledge and Society, 8, 13–24. https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/84875203842

Magazine/Trade Publication

Perera, R., Carlson, D., Carter, J., Domina, T., Lenard, M., & McEachin, A. (2023). Can school choice support district-led efforts to foster diverse schools?. Brookings Brown Center Chalkboard. Published. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/can-school-choice-support-district-led-efforts-to-foster-diverse-schools/

Domina, T., Carlson, D., Carter, J., Lenard, M., McEachin, A., & Perera, R. (2021). ). “Student reassignments achievement diversity without academic adversity.” Brookings Brown Center Chalkboard.. Published. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2021/09/01/student-reassignments-achieve-diversity-without-academic-adversity/

Domina, T. (2020, March 19). https://theconversation.com/americas-poorest-children-wont-get-nutritious-meals-with-school-cafeterias-closed-due-to-the-coronavirus-133341. The Conversation. Published. https://theconversation.com/americas-poorest-children-wont-get-nutritious-meals-with-school-cafeterias-closed-due-to-the-coronavirus-133341

Bitler, M., Corcoran, S., Domina, T., & Penner, E. (2020, January 21). Can a teacher really impact student height? A cautionary tale on value-added models. Brookings Brown Center Chalkboard. Published. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2020/01/21/can-a-teacher-really-impact-student-height-a-cautionary-tale-on-value-added-models/

Other

Kearney, C., Akos, P., & Domina, T. (2020). Optimal Student-to-School Counselor Ratios: A Meta-Analysis. ASCA.

Thompson Dorsey, D., Domina, T., Ahn, J., McEachin, A., & Woulfin, S. L. (2020). A Letter From the Editors: Reflections on Generative, Cross-Cutting, Transformative, and Timely Education Research. In Educational Researcher: Vol. 49 (6th ed., pp. 395–397). https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X20949196

Domina, T., Penner, A., & Penner, E. (2017). Categorical inequality: Schools as sorting machines. In Annual Review of Sociology: Vol. 43 (pp. 311–330). https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-soc-060116-053354