Education Policy Researcher – PK–12 Finance

Role Overview

• 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.

Benefits

• AIR’s Total Rewards Program is designed to reward our staff competitively and motivate them to achieve our critical mission.