Sarah Reckhow
Associate Professor of Political Science, Michigan State University
Chapter Leader: Michigan SSN
Areas of Expertise:
Connect with Sarah
About Sarah
Reckhow’s research examines education policy and social welfare policy, particularly in urban areas. Her work on urban schools has focused on policy reforms in New York City, Los Angeles, and Oakland. She is an expert on the rising influence of major foundations, such as the Gates Foundation, on education policy and politics. She has also analyzed philanthropic support for metropolitan social safety nets in Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta, and Denver. This research was published in a report from the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program. Reckhow is affiliated with the Global Urban Studies Program at Michigan State, the Education Policy Center at Michigan State, and the MacArthur Foundation’s Building Resilient Regions research network.
Contributions
Can Philanthropists Engineer Effective School Reforms?
Key Findings Brief,
No Jargon Podcast
In the News
Sarah Reckhow's research on Walton family, key funder of the charter-school movement discussed by , "The Rise of Black Homeschooling," The New Yorker, June 14, 2021.
"Why are Teachers Protesting in ‘Blue’ Cities?," Sarah Reckhow (with ), The Washington Post, March 8, 2019.
Sarah Reckhow's research on public schools and charter schools discussed by , "The Battle for New Orleans Public Schools," Next City, January 24, 2019.
"Detroit and Flint Keep Relying on Private Money to Solve Public Problems. Why?," Sarah Reckhow (with ), The Washington Post, November 27, 2018.
Sarah Reckhow quoted by Matt Barnum, "Why ‘Personalized Learning’ Advocates like Mark Zuckerberg Keep Citing a 1984 Study — and Why It Might Not Say Much about Schools Today" Chalkbeat, January 29, 2018.
Sarah Reckhow's research on bringing lawsuits against school boards discussed by , "A Heavy Blow to One of America's Most Controversial School Boards," The Atlantic, November 17, 2017.
Sarah Reckhow quoted on school choice by Noam Scheiber, "Betsy DeVos, Trump’s Education Pick, Plays Hardball with Her Wealth" New York Times, January 9, 2017.
Sarah Reckhow's research on money in school board races discussed by , "Big Donors Fund Some School Board Elections," Futurity, September 8, 2016.
Sarah Reckhow's research on school budgets and reform discussed by "National Education Reformers Target Local School Boards," Michigan State University Today, September 7, 2016.
Sarah Reckhow quoted on education philanthrophy by Lauren FitzPatrick, "Arne Duncan’s New Job: Creating Jobs, Stopping Violence" Chicago Sun Times, March 17, 2016.
Sarah Reckhow quoted on education policy reforms by Nicole Geary and Andy Henion, "MSU Education Scholars Named Top Influencers" MSU Today, January 6, 2016.
Sarah Reckhow quoted on the Boardroom Progressives by Sherman Dorn and Amanda U. Potterton, "Arne Duncan’s Legacy: Growing Influence of a Network of Private Actors on Public Education" The Conversation, October 8, 2015.
Guest to discuss charter school opponents failing to make effective arguments on Michigan Radio, Sarah Reckhow, February 10, 2015.
Sarah Reckhow quoted on the effectiveness of the language used by pro-charter school advocates in advancing their cause by Rebecca Klein, "Study Finds Pro-Charter School Arguments are More Convincing" Huffington Post, January 27, 2015.
Sarah Reckhow quoted on shaping public opinion about charter schools by Kyle Feldscher, "Michigan State Study: Charter School Opponents Make Less Effective Arguments than Supporters" MLive, January 22, 2015.
Guest to discuss the role of outside money in K-12 education on American Radio Works, Sarah Reckhow, January 5, 2015.
Publications
"Brief of Amici Curiae Michigan Education Law and Policy Professors in Opposition to Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss, Gary B. v. Snyder, 2:16-cv-13292," (with ), United States District Court Eastern District of Michigan Southern Division, January 13, 2017.
Supports law case demanding that State of Michigan ensure that Detroit students receive evidence-based literacy instruction at the elementary and secondary level.
"Building a Stronger Regional Safety Net: Philanthropy’s Role," (with ), The Brookings Institution, Metropolitan Opportunity Series, 2011.
Shows how philanthropy affects the scope of social safety net services in four metropolitan areas—Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, and Detroit.
"Policy Cues and Ideology in Attitudes toward Charter Schools" (with ). Policy Studies Journal 46, no. 2 (2015).
Investigates whether and how public attitudes reflect interest group polarization or politician consensus surrounding the charter school debate. Argues that charter school opinions diverge along ideological lines among high-information respondents and assesses whether the role of private companies and nonunion teachers changes support for charter schools.
"Follow the Money: How Foundation Dollars Change Public School Politics" (Oxford University Press, 2013).
Shows where and how foundation investment in education is occurring and analyzes of the political effects of these investments in the two largest urban districts in the United States: New York City and Los Angeles.
"Disseminating and Legitimating a New Approach: The Role of Foundations" in Between Public and Private: Politics, Governance, and the New Portfolio Models for Urban School Reform, edited by Katrina E. Bulkley, Jeffrey R. Henig, and Henry M. Levin (Harvard Education Press, 2011), 277-304.
Shows the expansion of education reform nonprofits supported by major national foundations, and demonstrates how this national network of nonprofits links organizations engaged in market-oriented reform across different cities.
"How to Reform a Reform Coalition: Outreach, Agenda Expansion, and Brokerage in Urban School Reform" (with ). Policy Studies Journal 37, no. 4 (2009): 717-743.
Maps the education reform coalition in Oakland and examines the political impact of foundation-funded small schools reform.
"The Distinct Patterns of Organized and Elected Representation of Racial and Ethnic Groups" Urban Affairs Review 45, no. 2 (2009): 188-217.
Uses an original data set of organizations in 30 U.S. cities to evaluate the extent of racial and ethnic organizational representation, as well as the effect of organized representation on elected representation of racial and ethnic groups.