Association for Education
Finance & Policy

For complete listing, click here.

Description
The Education Department and Annenberg Institute at Brown University invite applications for two tenure-track positions (one open rank and one at the assistant professor level) in U.S. education policy, with 50-50 appointments in each unit. We define “policy” broadly and are eager to hire scholars from a variety of disciplines who use a range of empirical approaches to complement our multi-disciplinary faculty. Applicants should be able to articulate the relevance of their work to educational policy and/or practice.

We are interested in scholars whose work focuses centrally on education, including PK-12 and higher education settings. Our broad definition of policy includes approaches that center: politics and governance (how policy decisions are made and implemented, attending to the roles of governance, political systems, law, organizations and the views of complex stakeholders and actors); policy impacts and experiences (the consequences of policy, including how students, educators, families, and communities experience policies in their everyday lives); and critical policy analysis (the landscape, theories, assumptions, and limitations of policy goals and discourse). While we are interested in applicants in education policy broadly, we particularly welcome applications from scholars whose work focuses on (1) politics, governance, and/or law; (2) teacher and instructional policy; (3) education systems and organizations, (4) race and education, and/or (5) higher education.

The Education Department and the Annenberg Institute share a commitment to research that helps to understand and improve education, especially by exploring the causes and consequences of educational inequality and strategies to lessen it. We are both multi-disciplinary units that value diverse ways of asking and answering important educational questions. We value community, teaching and mentorship, and community-engaged scholarship. We are looking for scholars to contribute to the growth and vitality of our research and teaching.  We are especially interested in qualified candidates who, through their teaching, service, and research, contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community and to our units’ mission to understand and improve education.

Application Instructions
Applicants should submit a cover letter, CV, two writing samples, a research statement that speaks to a multi-disciplinary audience, a teaching statement, and the names of three references. Cover letter and/or statements should indicate how the applicant's work would contribute to the research and/or teaching missions of our diverse and inclusive university community. Reference letters will be requested for candidates identified as finalists for the assistant professor position. Applications submitted by October 1, 2026 will receive full consideration. Questions regarding the application process can be directed to Leah Meyer (leah_e_meyer@brown.edu). 

Candidates should apply here: https://apply.interfolio.com/190851

Deadline: September 15, 2026

The Marsal Family School of Education at the University of Michigan seeks a colleague

for a tenure-track appointment in the graduate programs in Higher Education in the

Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education. We seek applications from

policy scholars who are committed to advancing equity, justice and excellence in higher

education through research situated in one or more of the following areas: state or federal

policy; postsecondary access and/or enrollment in postsecondary education; and/or

postsecondary outcomes.

Regardless of specialization area, we seek a scholar who can build on their expertise to

play a major role in the creation and use of scholarship in higher education, who has

strong methodological training in quantitative and/or mixed methods, who can teach

courses in areas of need, and who seeks to influence institutional, national, and/or

international policies that will improve higher education policies.

We seek a collaborative colleague who will contribute to achieving the Center’s promise

and goals, which are consistent with the Vision, Mission, and Values of the Marsal

Family School of Education. Such colleagues will uphold high standards for research,

teaching, and service to the profession. Toward this end, we seek an individual with a

passion for contributing to the betterment of society through education, who will work

with CSHPE colleagues to position the Center's academic programs and research

portfolio to effectively meet contemporary challenges in higher education.

Deadline for submission:  August 31, 2026

Candidates interested in the position should apply here:
https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/4308112/Community-Initiatives/Director-of-Evaluation-and-Research

About Us
Attendance Works is a national, non-profit initiative, fiscally sponsored by Community Initiatives in Oakland, CA. Operating virtually, Attendance Works (www.attendanceworks.org) is the nation’s go-to resource for attendance policy and practice. Attendance Works advances success in school and beyond for all students by reducing chronic absence prek-12.  Funded by a combination of grants and fees, we employ a diverse team of staff located throughout the United States.
 
Our website (www.attendanceworks.org) is our primary vehicle for communication with the broader public. While many offerings and products are available without charge, including the website, webinars, methods for data collection, toolkits. research and attendance messaging, a variety of fee-based services are also available to schools, districts and/or states. These include individualized consultation, technical assistance, coaching and peer learning networks. 

Position Summary
 
The Director of Evaluation and Research collaborates closely with Attendance Works’ CEO, Vice-Presidents, Directors and Associate Directors to lead the organization’s approach to measuring impact across programs and initiatives as well as using data and research to engage in continuous improvement.
 
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
  

1. Organizational Impact
   1. Analyze national, state, and district-level attendance data to identify trends, disparities, and opportunities for impact.
   2. Develop credible frameworks to assess attribution, contribution, and influence where direct causality may be difficult to isolate.
   3. Lead development of an Impact evaluation plan for the organization aligned with Attendance Works’ strategic plan and our goal of reducing chronic absence by 50%. The plan should reflect Attendance Works commitment to serving as a field catalyst.
   4. Establish standards for evidence claims used in external communications, fundraising, board materials, and thought leadership.
   5. Ensure impact statements are rigorous, defensible, and clearly communicate limitations.
2. Program Evaluation and Continuous Improvement
   1. Work with program staff to ensure that research findings are incorporated into TA activities and inspire action
   2.  Design and oversee formative and outcome evaluations of Attendance Works programs, tools, and technical assistance initiatives aligned with Attendance Works’ Strategic Plan.
   3. Based on analysis of findings, recommend improvements to programmatic strategy and practice aligned with broader organizational goals. Regularly reviews findings with the advisory board, leadership team and all hands.
   4. Build an inclusive research culture that centers the voices and experiences of students and families most impacted by chronic absence.
   5. Provide expert feedback to organization leadership regarding continuous improvement including support with process evaluations for new and existing initiatives to assess implementation quality, reach, fidelity, participant engagement, and operational effectiveness. Integrate quantitative and qualitative evidence.

3. Creation of Dashboards and Tools
   1. Partner with internal teams, partners, and external vendors to design, build, and improve dashboards with data visualizations, reporting tools, data systems, and collection instruments.
   2. Translate business/program needs and grant objectives related to evaluation and research into technical requirements for vendors.
   3. Manage external vendor relationships specific to dashboard and data tool creation including developing scopes of work, timelines, budgets, quality standards and ensuring timely completion of deliverables on budget
   4. Ensure data quality, usability, governance, and reporting consistency.
   5. Manage implementation of new measurement systems or platform enhancements.
   6. Assist with updating and improving data tools including the DATT (District Attendance Tracking Tool) DATT and SATT (School Attendance Tracking Tool)
4. Lead Strategy to Influence and Disseminate Research
   1. Develop and lead the organization’s multi-year research and learning agenda aligned to strategic priorities in partnership with CEO and VPs. This includes identifying and developing strategies to address research gaps as well as cultivating external research partnerships.
   2. Ensures  the convening and facilitation of  research exchanges — including the Chronic Absence and Attendance Research Exchange (CAARE) and the Attendance Research Consortium (ARC) — that bring together researchers, practitioners, and cross-sector partners to share knowledge, surface insights, address research gaps, and accelerate learning across the field.
   3.  Reviews research findings to ensure methodological rigor, evidence standards, as well as practical relevance to ensure what we share is credible, defensible and useful.
   4. Codifies and disseminates findings to translate research into actionable guidance. Partner with the communications team to amplify research findings through digital channels and public engagement.
   5. Partners with State and District impact teams to build capacity of states and districts to adopt evidence based practice
   6. Maintains organized digital research infrastructure to ensure knowledge is accessible, current, and shared across the field."
   7.  Represents Attendance Works at conferences and convenings as a credible voice on attendance-related research.
   8. Synthesizes and translates existing research into accessible, publications, briefs, reports, and tools that are accessible to practitioners, prospective funders, partners, and the public.

5. Management Responsibilities:
   1. Manage research consultants, fellows, and potential future staff including hiring, new staff orientation and onboarding, individualized professional development planning, regular performance feedback, and annual evaluation processes."
   2. Support grant proposals and funder reports by providing rigorous evidence of impact and research summaries.