OUR VISION

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WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING EVIDENCE ON EDUCATION RESEARCH AND POLICY FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL STUDENTS IN MISSOURI.

Equal opportunity for quality education in Missouri. Missouri’s K-12 education system is a diverse collection of school districts, charter LEAs, and independent schools. Whether it is student enrollment ranging from 19 to 24,937 or per pupil expenditures of $7,341 to $27,481, we recognize the breadth of the education landscape in the state. While some issues affect all schools, different regions of the state can have their own unique needs. We remain cognizant of this diversity as we delve deeper into the state’s education system.

Our schools, educators, and policy makers need access to information to inform the decision-making process. As a society, we must work together to ensure all children have access to high-quality educational opportunities.

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PUBLICATIONS

  • Policy Briefs explore current topics in education, such as an in-depth analyses of recent legislation, short descriptions of proposed programs, or highlights of our own research.

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  • Education profiles explore the characteristics and performance of schools across Missouri. We compare profiles within the state, as well as with border states and the broader USA.

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  • Education reports are larger studies, often evaluating programs or the impact of policies and discussing implications. They typically include in-depth descriptions of the data, analyses, and results.

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  • Parent PRiMERs are one or two-page overviews of subjects we believe to be important to Missouri’s educational community, especially our parents and families.

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  • Growth Reports are published yearly and highlight high-growth school districts using the Missouri Growth Measure as an alternative measure of academic success in schools.

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OUR TEAM

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Executive Director

School of Education

Collin Hitt, Ph.D.

Saint Louis University

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Courtney Vahle, Ed.D.

Director of Operations

School of Education

Saint Louis University

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Deanna Childress, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

School of Education

Saint Louis University

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Kathryn Coleman

Director of Research Practice Partnerships

School of Education

Saint Louis University

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Amy J. Shelton, Ph.D.

Adjunct Faculty and Research Fellow

School of Education

Saint Louis University

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Abigail Medler

Research and Communications Associate

School of Education

Saint Louis University

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Kayla Williams

Undergraduate Communications Assistant

School of Education

Saint Louis University

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Samannita Halder

Undergraduate Communications Assistant

School of Education

Saint Louis University

Lucas Koch

Student Worker, Research, Data, & Website Assistant

Saint Louis University

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School of Education

Candice Johnson

Program Director of Research & Development

School of Education

Saint Louis University

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Rohith Chowdary Uppalapati

Graduate Research Assistant

School of Education

Saint Louis University

AFFILIATED RESEARCHERS

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J. Cameron Anglum, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Educational Leadership Program

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Lehigh University

Andrew C. Butler, Ph.D.

Chair and Associate Professor of Education

Associate Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences

Washington University in St. Louis

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Jason Jabbari, Ph.D.

Research Assistant Professor

Social Policy Institute

Washington University in St. Louis

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Takako Nomi, Ph.D.

AssociateProfessor

School of Education

Saint Louis University

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Pallavi Chhabra, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Researcher

Saint Louis Translational Fellowship in Education

Washington University in St. Louis

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Martin Lueken, Ph.D.

Director of Fiscal Research & Education Center

EdChoice

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Gary W. Ritter, Ph.D.

Dean and Professor

School of Education

Saint Louis University

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Megumi Hine, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Researcher

Saint Louis Translational Fellowship in Education

Washington University in St. Louis

Jennifer Buehler, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

School of Education

Saint Louis University

Joseph R. Nichols, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

School of Education

Saint Louis University

Molly I. Beck, MPSA, Ph.D.

Director of Research and Evaluation

St. Louis Public Schools

Margaret Powers, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Researcher

Saint Louis Translational Fellowship in Education

Washington University in St. Louis

Ellen Barnidge

Interim Vice President of Research

Saint Louis University

Mike Podgursky

Founding Director

Sinquefield Center for Applied Economics, SLU

Chancellor's Professor of Economics

University of Missouri Columbia

Mel Molloy

Research Associate

School of Education

Saint Louis University