Education policy

From cradle through career, education programs exist to help children and youth learn, grow, and succeed in school and in life. But how do decision makers know which interventions work? How can their investments address institutional and systemic inequalities in education?

Ford School faculty and staff use rigorous analytical methods to understand which policies, programs, and practices improve educational outcomes—and which do not. They use this data to partner with and empower community stakeholders, government agencies, and policymakers across the country to make informed decisions and create better results for students. And our faculty trains the next generation of education policy professionals to help create a brighter future.

Much of this work takes place within two education-focused research centers housed at the Ford School—the Education Policy Initiative and the Youth Policy Lab.

Research insights

EPI study offers deeper dive into demand for educational choices, implications for schools during pandemic

As school districts consider their options in light of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, a study by the Education Policy Initiative shows they need...

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A teacher takes the temperature of a masked young student next to the class blackboard

Research by Brian Jacob and Jeremy Guardiola found students with disabilities who participated in a CTE program were almost 50% more likely to graduate high school and found jobs more easily than those who didn't.

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A parent/guardian and two young children in masks walking outdoors (Credit: Shutterstock)

Christina Weiland’s new report sheds light on the impact of COVID-19 on early learning, and the policies that can set the stage for an equitable future.

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Photo of two students comparing notes, smiling.

Policy engagement

HAIL scholarship

With just over 1,000 big, maize and blue envelopes, Susan Dynarski and Kathy Michelmore helped solve a problem that University of Michigan administrators struggled to fix for years — the gap between low- and high-income student enrollment. Over 40% of low-income students apply to non-selective universities, compared to 10% of their high-income counterparts. Now in its fifth year. the HAIL Scholarship has doubled the number of applications, admissions, and enrollment rates for low-income students at the University of Michigan, proving the envelopes to be successful.

Research from Megan Tompkins-Stange highlights the factors and philanthropic power behind how ideas move to policy and into public discourse.

In partnership with the Michigan Department of Education, Education Policy Initiative researchers will study the program's impact to inform state policy.

Faculty expert

Brian Jacob

Walter H. Annenberg Professor of Education Policy; Professor of Public Policy, Economics, and Education; Co-director, Youth Policy Lab

Previously teaching middle school in Harlem and serving as a policy analyst in the NYC mayor’s office, Jacob’s interests lie in labor economics, program evaluation, and the economics of education. His current research focuses on urban school reform, with a particular emphasis on standards and accountability initiatives. He is consistently ranked among the top U.S. education policy influencers and is the Ford School's public policy analysis methods concentration faculty lead.

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Next generation

Training in causal inference

In its first five years, the Causal Inference in Education Policy Research (CIEPR) program supported 22 interdisciplinary students, training them in a range of applied research methods. The CIEPR program prepares its doctoral students to evaluate the causal impacts of education programs and policies by teaching them how to design, implement, and analyze policy experiments as well as empirical data. Alumni of CIEPR have gone on to build and engage in powerful research partnerships with education systems across the country, including Los Angeles Unified School District and the Boston Public Schools.

Read about recent PhD graduates

Faculty expert

Christina Weiland

Associate Professor of Education

With a passion for public policy about children’s development and the effects of early childhood interventions, Christina Weiland’s projects revolve around the active ingredients that drive children’s success. Her work is characterized by strong, long-standing research collaborations with practitioners. Weiland is currently leading a five-year study of preschool to third-grade students in the Boston Public Schools, among other projects. She has received multiple prestigious awards, such as the 2018 Association for Education Finance and Policy Early Career Award.

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A powerful resource

Michigan Education Data Center

Helping to answer important questions such as if waiting a year to start kindergarten leads to better outcomes, the Michigan Education Data Center (MEDC) houses 5 million education records from across the state of Michigan. More than 70 research projects use the data, focusing on early childhood education, school choice and mobility, literacy, P-20 pathways, and college success.

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Yellow and blue pencils diagonally bisect a colored background

The Youth Policy Lab (YPL) partnered with NAF, an educational non-profit that uses career exploration to prepare high school students for postsecondary education and/or the workforce. YPL analyzed the characteristics and outcomes of their participants in Detroit, finding that NAF students outperform their peers in high school outcomes and college enrollment.

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The Free Application for Student Aid form is intimidating, consisting of 108 questions to answer. But, thanks to Susan Dynarski's research and advocacy, starting in 2023, the FAFSA will only require applicants to fill out 33 questions, simplifying the application process in an attempt to encourage more low-income students to apply for college and financial aid.

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Drawing on personal experience of the impact of a college degree, Youth Policy Lab Data and Policy Fellow Avazeh Attari became instrumental in developing the Futures for Frontliners program. The program is modeled after the G.I. Bill and provides essential workers with free college tuition, thanking them for serving their community during the pandemic.

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Faculty expert

Kevin Stange

Associate Professor of Public Policy

Before joining the Ford School, Stange was a Robert Wood Johnson Scholar in Health Policy Research at U-M. His research lies broadly in empirical labor and public economics, with a focus on education and health care. Stange has studied everything from the ties between college enrollment and persistence to the effects of different pricing structures on major choice and student credit load. His research has been featured in multiple popular media outlets like Time and Wall Street Journal.

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At The Skillman Foundation, Ansari is part of a team that is grappling with how to improve the out-of-school youth programming in the city of Detroit.

“I’m so appreciative of the Ford School’s emphasis on the summer internship because it was so invaluable. The internship was the domino that set off the rest of my career. There’s no way I would have started MCAN or be where I am today without that experience.”

"My experience at Ford taught me to never accept any argument at face value and to always dig a bit deeper. The solutions are not easy — but they are there if we think critically and persevere."

Christina Weiland: How The Covid-19 Pandemic Has Impacted Young Students’ Learning

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Events

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Sep 16 2024

12:00-12:50 pm

McCormick-Sachs-Ed-Policy-Speaker-Series

Feb 8 2024

12:00-12:50 pm

Education policy

The Fall 2022 State & Hill spotlights education policy

EPI study offers deeper dive into demand for educational choices, implications for schools during pandemic

Career and technical education (CTE) offers pathways for students with disabilities

Evidence to mitigate the pandemic’s effect on early childhood education

News

Spotlight on poverty and opportunity: Katherine Michelmore

Beating the odds: Students at Detroit public schools are less depressed, anxious

Cohodes receives funding to dig deeper into charter school impact

HAIL scholarship

The crucial role of resources in shaping federal education policy

New study to examine transitional kindergaren

Brian Jacob

Training in causal inference

Christina Weiland

Michigan Education Data Center

Education partnerships evaluate career transitions

Simplified FAFSA form becomes a reality

Free college tuition program for frontline workers

Kevin Stange

Ammara Ansari (MPP ‘19) serves Detroit youth through evaluation

Brandy Johnson (MPP ‘09) makes college accessible in Michigan

Sarah Perrine (MPP/MIRS ‘06) removes barriers to early education access in Bulgaria

Events

The Need for Comprehensive School Safety Policy

Researchers, Practitioners, and Funders: Perspectives on Strengthening Education Policy in Partnership Across Different Roles

Higher skills: How can higher education meet the ever-evolving needs of the labor market?

Related research centers

Education Policy Initiative

Youth Policy Lab