About News UVA | Batten Faculty Excellence Award Winners Jun 21, 2024 UVA | Batten Faculty Excellence Award Winners In the faculty’s extensive peer-based annual review process, Batten’s Executive Committee selects the Batten Faculty Awards Winners in the four areas of review: research, teaching, engagement and service. This year’s awards are given in recognition for the faculty members’ contributions throughout 2023. Batten Excellence in Research Award Ashley Jardina, Associate Professor of Public Policy (as of August 2024) Over the past three years, Ashley Jardina has published more than a dozen articles, made nearly two dozen scholarly presentations, and drafted two new book manuscripts – in addition to joining Batten’s faculty in the fall of 2023. Jardina exemplifies the interdisciplinary approach to scholarship embraced by the Batten School, with an NBER working paper, psychology and sociology publications, and highly cited pieces in Political Behavior and in the British Journal of Political Science. Batten Excellence in Teaching Award Andy Pennock, Associate Professor of Public Policy Pennock consistently brings thoughtful and innovative teaching practices to the core and elective courses he teaches in our MPP curriculum. Over the last year, in addition to publishing a revised version of his textbook, The CQ Press Writing Guide for Public Policy, and an article on innovations in teaching leadership, Pennock was a particularly invaluable resource to Batten and the University more broadly for his leadership on UVA’s Generative AI in Teaching and Learning Task Force. His contributions allowed Batten to take an important leadership role in addressing the challenges of effective teaching in the era of AI. Batten Excellence in Service Award Dan Player, Associate Professor of Public Policy Through service within Batten and beyond, Dan Player demonstrates his deep commitment in this area of faculty excellence. This year, Player dedicated his time to serving as a leader on essential committees including Batten’s Executive Committee, the Curriculum Committee, the Admissions Committee, and various hiring and review committees. In addition, he co-leads the Education Policy Associates program, which provides a cohort of students with regular mentoring, professional development, and opportunities to conduct research directly with policymakers. Beyond this, Player regularly assists in hosting job candidates, attends student-focused events, and makes himself available to the Batten community. Batten Excellence in Engagement Award Daphna Bassok, Professor of Education and Public Policy Daphna Bassok's engagement activities are deeply intertwined with her research, which focuses on early childhood education policy. She collaborates closely with the Virginia Department of Education and other federal, state, and local policymakers, holding federal grants for partnered research in Virginia and Louisiana. Bassok’s work has notably influenced early childhood policy, with her studies being included in the United States Economic Report of the President and guiding policy changes in Virginia and other states. Bassok also regularly presents her findings to policymakers and practitioners, contributing to significant policy impacts - including compensation reform for child-care teachers in Virginia, which was expanded during the COVID pandemic due to her research findings. Ashley Jardina Ashley Jardina is an associate professor of public policy and politics at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia. Jardina’s research focuses on racial attitudes, racial conflict, and the way in which group identities influence political preferences in the United States. Read full bio Andrew S. Pennock Andy Pennock is an associate professor of public policy at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. He serves UVA as the faculty director of Batten’s MPP orientation program, on Batten’s curriculum committee, and as an elected member of the Executive Council of the Faculty Senate. Pennock’s academic research examines public policy in the global economy as well as the scholarship of teaching and learning Read full bio Daniel W. Player Dan Player is an associate professor of public policy at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. His research focuses on issues in education policy. His work has examined questions such as how teacher ability is recognized and rewarded in schools, whether teacher performance predicts turnover, and how teachers respond to working conditions. Read full bio Daphna Bassok Daphna Bassok is professor of education and public policy at the University of Virginia and associate director of EdPolicyWorks, a collaboration between the School of Education and Human Development and the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Her research focuses on early childhood education policy and efforts to improve early childhood education at scale, particularly policies aimed at supporting the early childhood education workforce. Read full bio Related Content Ashley Jardina Andrew S. Pennock Teaching Policy Analysis Through Animated Films: A Mickey Mouse Assignment? Research Pennock Shares Insight on Leadership with Georgia Mayors News Professor Andy Pennock was invited to be a plenary speaker at the inaugural Georgia Mayors Leadership Academy where he provided an immersive learning experience about how to cultivate relationships, respond effectively during crises, advance community engagement and more. Batten Professor Andy Pennock has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award News Batten Professor Andy Pennock has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award in leadership education to Slovenia for the 2023-2024 academic year from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Daniel W. Player Measuring the Quality of Teacher-Child Interactions at Scale: The Implications of Using Local Practitioners to Conduct Classroom Observations Research Are Parents’ Ratings and Satisfaction with Preschools related to Program Features? Research This study examines whether parents’ overall satisfaction with their child’s early childhood education (ECE) program is correlated with a broad set of program characteristics, including (a) observational assessments of teacher-child interactions; (b) structural features of the program, such as teacher education and class size; (c) practical and convenience factors (e.g., hours, cost); and (d) a measure of average classroom learning gains. It then describes associations between parents’ evaluation of specific program characteristics and externally collected measures of those features. Building Connections & Finding Purpose: Prof. Daniel Player on Teaching News Daniel Player, associate professor of public policy with a focus on education policy, found his "dream job" teaching at the Batten School. Batten Faculty Recognized for Excellence in Teaching, Service, Research and Engagement News This academic year, Batten School professors won a slew of internal and external recognitions for excellence in teaching, service, research and engagement. Daphna Bassok Hard-to-staff centers: Exploring center-level variation in the persistence of child care teacher turnover Research High rates of teacher turnover in child care settings have negative implications for young children's learning experiences and for efforts to improve child care quality. Prior research has explored the prevalence and predictors of turnover at the individual teacher level, but less is known about turnover at the center level––specifically, how turnover varies across child care centers or whether staffing challenges persist year after year for some centers. This study tracks annual turnover rates for all publicly funded child care centers that were continuously operating in Louisiana from the 2015-16 to 2018-19 school years. Measuring the Quality of Teacher-Child Interactions at Scale: The Implications of Using Local Practitioners to Conduct Classroom Observations Research Bassok Wins Award to Study Childcare Access News UVA Batten Professor Daphna Bassok and her team were awarded a $1.2 million federal grant for a new project to accurately measure the number and quality of childcare options in communities across Virginia – a critical first step towards improving childcare access. Child Care Centers Are Turning Away Families Due to Teacher Turnover News Batten School professor Daphna Bassok spoke with UVA Today about the how teacher turnover is impacting child care centers. Stay Up To Date with the Latest Batten News and Events Subscribe
Ashley Jardina Ashley Jardina is an associate professor of public policy and politics at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia. Jardina’s research focuses on racial attitudes, racial conflict, and the way in which group identities influence political preferences in the United States. Read full bio
Andrew S. Pennock Andy Pennock is an associate professor of public policy at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. He serves UVA as the faculty director of Batten’s MPP orientation program, on Batten’s curriculum committee, and as an elected member of the Executive Council of the Faculty Senate. Pennock’s academic research examines public policy in the global economy as well as the scholarship of teaching and learning Read full bio
Daniel W. Player Dan Player is an associate professor of public policy at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. His research focuses on issues in education policy. His work has examined questions such as how teacher ability is recognized and rewarded in schools, whether teacher performance predicts turnover, and how teachers respond to working conditions. Read full bio
Daphna Bassok Daphna Bassok is professor of education and public policy at the University of Virginia and associate director of EdPolicyWorks, a collaboration between the School of Education and Human Development and the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. Her research focuses on early childhood education policy and efforts to improve early childhood education at scale, particularly policies aimed at supporting the early childhood education workforce. Read full bio
Pennock Shares Insight on Leadership with Georgia Mayors News Professor Andy Pennock was invited to be a plenary speaker at the inaugural Georgia Mayors Leadership Academy where he provided an immersive learning experience about how to cultivate relationships, respond effectively during crises, advance community engagement and more.
Batten Professor Andy Pennock has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award News Batten Professor Andy Pennock has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award in leadership education to Slovenia for the 2023-2024 academic year from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.
Measuring the Quality of Teacher-Child Interactions at Scale: The Implications of Using Local Practitioners to Conduct Classroom Observations Research
Are Parents’ Ratings and Satisfaction with Preschools related to Program Features? Research This study examines whether parents’ overall satisfaction with their child’s early childhood education (ECE) program is correlated with a broad set of program characteristics, including (a) observational assessments of teacher-child interactions; (b) structural features of the program, such as teacher education and class size; (c) practical and convenience factors (e.g., hours, cost); and (d) a measure of average classroom learning gains. It then describes associations between parents’ evaluation of specific program characteristics and externally collected measures of those features.
Building Connections & Finding Purpose: Prof. Daniel Player on Teaching News Daniel Player, associate professor of public policy with a focus on education policy, found his "dream job" teaching at the Batten School.
Batten Faculty Recognized for Excellence in Teaching, Service, Research and Engagement News This academic year, Batten School professors won a slew of internal and external recognitions for excellence in teaching, service, research and engagement.
Hard-to-staff centers: Exploring center-level variation in the persistence of child care teacher turnover Research High rates of teacher turnover in child care settings have negative implications for young children's learning experiences and for efforts to improve child care quality. Prior research has explored the prevalence and predictors of turnover at the individual teacher level, but less is known about turnover at the center level––specifically, how turnover varies across child care centers or whether staffing challenges persist year after year for some centers. This study tracks annual turnover rates for all publicly funded child care centers that were continuously operating in Louisiana from the 2015-16 to 2018-19 school years.
Measuring the Quality of Teacher-Child Interactions at Scale: The Implications of Using Local Practitioners to Conduct Classroom Observations Research
Bassok Wins Award to Study Childcare Access News UVA Batten Professor Daphna Bassok and her team were awarded a $1.2 million federal grant for a new project to accurately measure the number and quality of childcare options in communities across Virginia – a critical first step towards improving childcare access.
Child Care Centers Are Turning Away Families Due to Teacher Turnover News Batten School professor Daphna Bassok spoke with UVA Today about the how teacher turnover is impacting child care centers.