Eric Hanushek
Encyclopedia
Eric Alan Hanushek is a Paul and Jean Hanna Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution
of Stanford University
. He is also an expert on educational policy. His main area of interest is the economics of education, focusing on controversial areas of education policy including the class size reduction, high stakes accountability, and the importance of teacher quality. Hanushek received his PhD
in economics
from MIT and is a Distinguished Graduate of the United States Air Force Academy
.
on K-12 Education, a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research
and chairman of the Executive Committee for the Texas Schools Project at the University of Texas at Dallas
. He is a Research Professor at the Ifo Institute for Economic Research (University of Munich) and Area coordinator for the Economics of Education under the CESifo Research Network. He has been appointed to a variety of federal and state advisory boards including being a Presidential appointment to the Board of Directors of the National Board for Education Sciences, which he chaired in 2009-2010. In 2011, he became a commissioner on the Equity and Excellence Commission of the U.S. Department of Education. At the state level, he was a member of the Governor’s Advisory Committee on Education Excellence in California and the Governor’s Commission for a College Ready Texas.
He has been an expert witness in a number of court cases involving school finance, including the landmark cases of Serrano v. Priest
in California and Abbott v. Burke in New Jersey. His amicus brief entered significantly into the 2009 U.S. Supreme Court decision of Horne v. Flores
, a case that contrasted outcomes of government programs with spending and other inputs.
He is a member of the National Academy of Education and a fellow of the International Academy of Education, of the Society of Labor Economists, and of the American Educational Research Association
. He was awarded the Fordham Prize
for Distinguished Scholarship in 2004. He served in the federal government as Deputy Director of the Congressional Budget Office
, Senior Staff Economist at the Council of Economic Advisers
, and Senior Economist at the Cost of Living Council. Previous academic appointments include the University of Rochester
, Yale University
, and the U.S. Air Force Academy. Hanushek was among a group of American economists who supported John McCain during the last presidential elections.
His 2009 book with Alfred Lindseth, Schoolhouses, Courthouses, and Statehouses: Solving the Funding-Achievement Puzzle in America's Public Schools, analyzes the shortcomings of U.S. school funding and policies and proposes a new system of performance-based funding to improve school outcomes. His other books on education include Courting Failure, Handbook of the Economics of Education, The Economics of Schooling and School Quality, Improving America’s Schools, Making Schools Work, Educational Performance of the Poor, and Education and Race. A listing of his other books and of his 200 plus professional articles is found on his website.
Hoover Institution
The Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace is a public policy think tank and library founded in 1919 by then future U.S. president, Herbert Hoover, an early alumnus of Stanford....
of Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. He is also an expert on educational policy. His main area of interest is the economics of education, focusing on controversial areas of education policy including the class size reduction, high stakes accountability, and the importance of teacher quality. Hanushek received his PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
from MIT and is a Distinguished Graduate of the United States Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
.
Activities
Hanushek is a member of the Koret Task ForceKoret Task Force
The Koret Task Force on K–12 Education is a group of senior education scholars brought together by the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, who work collectively as well as individually on American public education reform issues. The task force was created in 1999 as part of the Hoover...
on K-12 Education, a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research
National Bureau of Economic Research
The National Bureau of Economic Research is an American private nonprofit research organization "committed to undertaking and disseminating unbiased economic research among public policymakers, business professionals, and the academic community." The NBER is well known for providing start and end...
and chairman of the Executive Committee for the Texas Schools Project at the University of Texas at Dallas
University of Texas at Dallas
The University of Texas at Dallas, also referred to as UT Dallas or UTD, is a public research university in the University of Texas System. The main campus is in the heart of the Richardson, Texas, Telecom Corridor, north of downtown Dallas...
. He is a Research Professor at the Ifo Institute for Economic Research (University of Munich) and Area coordinator for the Economics of Education under the CESifo Research Network. He has been appointed to a variety of federal and state advisory boards including being a Presidential appointment to the Board of Directors of the National Board for Education Sciences, which he chaired in 2009-2010. In 2011, he became a commissioner on the Equity and Excellence Commission of the U.S. Department of Education. At the state level, he was a member of the Governor’s Advisory Committee on Education Excellence in California and the Governor’s Commission for a College Ready Texas.
He has been an expert witness in a number of court cases involving school finance, including the landmark cases of Serrano v. Priest
Serrano v. Priest
Serrano v. Priest refers to three cases decided by the California Supreme Court: Serrano v. Priest, 5 Cal.3d 584 ; Serrano v. Priest, 18 Cal.3d 728 ; and Serrano v. Priest, 20 Cal.3d 25 .- Serrano I :Initiated in 1968 in the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Serrano v...
in California and Abbott v. Burke in New Jersey. His amicus brief entered significantly into the 2009 U.S. Supreme Court decision of Horne v. Flores
Horne v. Flores
Horne v. Flores, 129 S.Ct. 2579 , is a case in which the United States Supreme Court remanded the case to determine whether Arizona’s general education funding budget supports Equal Educational Opportunities Act -compliant English Language Learner programming.-Background:The case was brought by...
, a case that contrasted outcomes of government programs with spending and other inputs.
He is a member of the National Academy of Education and a fellow of the International Academy of Education, of the Society of Labor Economists, and of the American Educational Research Association
American Educational Research Association
The American Educational Research Association, or AERA, was founded in 1916 as a professional organization representing educational researchers in the United States and around the world....
. He was awarded the Fordham Prize
Thomas B. Fordham Institute
The Thomas B. Fordham Institute is a based in Washington, D.C. and Dayton, Ohio. Its stated mission is "to close America's vexing achievement gaps by raising standards, strengthening accountability, and expanding education options for parents and families."...
for Distinguished Scholarship in 2004. He served in the federal government as Deputy Director of the Congressional Budget Office
Congressional Budget Office
The Congressional Budget Office is a federal agency within the legislative branch of the United States government that provides economic data to Congress....
, Senior Staff Economist at the Council of Economic Advisers
Council of Economic Advisers
The Council of Economic Advisers is an agency within the Executive Office of the President that advises the President of the United States on economic policy...
, and Senior Economist at the Cost of Living Council. Previous academic appointments include the University of Rochester
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
, Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, and the U.S. Air Force Academy. Hanushek was among a group of American economists who supported John McCain during the last presidential elections.
Research
He is best known for his analysis of the determinants of student achievement. This analysis has documented the inconsistent relationship between school resources and student outcomes. The overall findings have proved to be very controversial and have led to a variety of scholarly exchanges over time. The research related to the ineffectiveness of class size reduction has been particularly controversial and has entered into a variety of policy debates. At the same time, his research has documented the overwhelming importance of teacher quality, although teacher quality is not closely related to the salaries, education, or experience of teachers. He was the first researcher to measure teacher effectiveness by the learning gains of the teacher's students. This work is the foundation of the now-common approach to assessing teacher quality by the "value-added" of the teacher. The research on the effectiveness of educational resources has been central to many debates about school finance and has been a component of court cases about state funding of schools. In other work he has shown that cognitive skills are very closely related to economic outcomes, not only for individuals but also for nations. Variations in growth rates across countries can be largely explained by consideration of the role of cognitive skills. This analysis provides a justification for state and federal accountability systems that promote higher skills through improved school quality. By linking the analysis of teacher value-added with research on the economic impact of differences in achievement both for individual earnings and for economic growth, he has also estimated the economic value of high quality teachers, showing that the impact of differences in teacher quality is very large.His 2009 book with Alfred Lindseth, Schoolhouses, Courthouses, and Statehouses: Solving the Funding-Achievement Puzzle in America's Public Schools, analyzes the shortcomings of U.S. school funding and policies and proposes a new system of performance-based funding to improve school outcomes. His other books on education include Courting Failure, Handbook of the Economics of Education, The Economics of Schooling and School Quality, Improving America’s Schools, Making Schools Work, Educational Performance of the Poor, and Education and Race. A listing of his other books and of his 200 plus professional articles is found on his website.
External links
- Interview with Eric Hanushek on the elements and implications of high quality education
- Podcast featuring Hanushek Hanushek discusses educationEducationEducation in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
and economic developmentEconomic developmentEconomic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
on EconTalkEconTalkEconTalk is a weekly podcast hosted by professor Russell Roberts at George Mason University. Roberts interviews guests—often professional economists—on topics in economics....
.