About
Kirabo Jackson is a Professor of Economics and the Abraham Harris Professor of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University's Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences. He specializes in labor economics, with a focus on education and social policy. His research examines teacher labor markets, school funding impacts, and educational equity. Jackson serves as lead editor of the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy and is a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). His work has been supported by prestigious organizations such as the National Science Foundation and the Spencer Foundation.
Education: Jackson earned his B.A. in Ethics, Politics, and Economics from Yale University (1998) and his Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University (2007). He held an assistant professorship at Cornell University (2007–2010) before joining Northwestern, where he gained tenure in 2012 and was promoted to full professor in 2017.
Research Interests: Jackson’s work addresses critical issues such as the long-term effects of school funding, teacher effectiveness, single-sex education, and the role of socio-emotional learning. He analyzes how school autonomy, parental preferences, and policy interventions shape student outcomes.
Scientific Recognition: He has been recognized as a top scholar influencing educational policy since 2016 (Education Week) and holds the endowed Abraham Harris Professorship. His findings have been featured in major media outlets.
Grants and Advising: Jackson’s research has been funded by the NSF, Spencer Foundation, Carnegie Corporation, and others. Though no specific advisees are listed, his academic roles suggest substantial mentorship in graduate programs.
Labs/Teams: He collaborates with NBER and serves on committees such as the American Economic Association’s Minority Groups Status Committee, contributing to broader academic and policy networks.
