The #2020APPAM Fall Research Conference will take place online, but it will also have some fantastic sponsors from across the policy research spectrum. Today we're shining a spotlight on EdChoice.
What is the mission of your organization?
EdChoice is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with principles rooted in the belief that empowering all families with educational options is the pathway to a successful life and a stronger society. We’re based in Indianapolis but the scope of our work can be national, regional, or having a concentrated focus on a single state educational environment. For a long time EdChoice’s core research activities have involved exploring questions around K–12 and school choice issues by way of survey research, fiscal analyses, and other empirical data collection and reporting. We communicate research – our research as well as others’ research – to inform and educate policymakers and influencers at the state and local levels around the country.
What are your strongest areas of work?
Survey research, qualitative research, and fiscal analyses covering K-12 education.
In the past year what has been the most influential work from your researchers?
(1) At the beginning of this year EdChoice and Morning Consult launched a new monthly tracking poll focused on K-12 education and schooling topics. In mid-March we began including a handful of questions to learn how the Coronavirus Pandemic may be affecting public opinion on education questions. We update our tracking poll website the first week of each month.
(2) We have also increased our public engagement activities through our podcasts and blogging, which can be found at this link: https://www.edchoice.org/engage/
What is your employee breakdown in terms of highest degree achieved?
We have six employees in our research program: 2 x Doctorare, 3 x Masters, 1 x Bachelors.
How many early career professionals do you employ?
Currently we have six staff members (25% of all staff) in their first five years after college/graduate school.
What is important for people to know about EdChoice?
Our new Public Opinion Tracker website and the resources page where visitors can access reports, crosstabs, and questionnaires that are updated on a monthly basis. We have a working paper series that welcomes submissions pertaining to choice, markets, or bureaucracy in K-12 education. Staff and fellows are available as guest speakers for virtual talks/presentations for classes. Staff and fellows are available as career development resource for students and graduates/alumni. On request we have survey datasets are available for faculty or students