Education Policy Researcher (PK–12 Finance)

American Institutes for Research is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization focused on behavioral and social science research. The Education Policy Researcher will support and lead applied research on state and local education funding systems, addressing policy-relevant questions related to education finance.

Responsibilities:

• Develop research designs to evaluate federal, state, and local PK–12 education funding policies and estimate the cost of an adequate and equitable education
• Build innovations and understanding in how strategic funding can meet the needs of students receiving special education, English learners, and students participating in career and technical education
• Support policymakers in analyzing funding in ways that lead to improvement in low performing schools and districts
• Manage or lead projects and tasks, assuming greater responsibility for project management over time
• Analyze extant financial and administrative data collected by education institutions (e.g., PK–12 school districts, state education agencies, community colleges) using state-of-the-field education finance research and statistical methods
• Collect data from primary sources that describe the types and amounts of resources education organizations have in place, their needs, and extent to which they employ evidence-based resource allocation strategies
• Prepare written materials (e.g., technical reports, policy briefs) that describe study findings in ways that accessible and impactful to policymakers and other decision makers
• Present findings to clients, professional associations, and the public
• Participate in, and where appropriate lead, efforts to prepare research proposals that generate external funding for education finance-related research
• Supervise and provide mentorship and support to junior staff by sharing approaches to solving concrete problems and providing feedback on their work

Requirements:

• A Ph.D./Ed.D., or master's degree with 4-7 years of demonstrated experience, in education policy, economics, or related social science field with expertise in the economics of education, education finance, and/or educational policy setting and/or conducting education research
• Knowledge or experience analyzing primary and administrative data (and particularly fiscal data) and applying state-of-the-field education finance research concepts and empirical methods
• Demonstrated experience collecting and analyzing a wide variety of primary and secondary educational data including fiscal data detailing school and district expenditures
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, in writing and verbally, with non-technical audiences
• Expertise in advanced social and behavioral science statistical methods including the use of regression models and rigorous program evaluation design including longitudinal data analysis
• Expertise in using AI models to analyze education finance data to inform policy and resource decision making at the state and district levels
• Proficiency in a commonly used statistical application (e.g., Stata, R) and open to learning new statistical tools as required by different projects
• Advanced expertise in using MS Office applications including Excel, PowerPoint, and Word
• Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis
• Specialized knowledge and expertise in funding models for students with disabilities, English learners, and students participating in career and technical education