Michael T. Hartney

Michael T. Hartney is the Bruni Family Fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution, an associate professor of political science at Boston College, and a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. He is also a research affiliate at Harvard University's Program on Education Policy and Governance (PEPG) and was a W. Glenn Campbell and Rita Ricardo-Campbell Hoover National Fellow in 2020-21.

Hartney's educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in political science from the University of Notre Dame
• Bachelor's degree from Vanderbilt University

Hartney's scholarly expertise focuses on American politics and public policy with particular emphasis on state and local government, interest groups, and education policy. His research examines how government policies shape political organizations, particularly teachers' unions, and how these organizations influence education policymaking. He investigates the relationship between political institutions and educational outcomes, with recent work analyzing pandemic-era school closures and their differential impacts across political jurisdictions.

Hartney's research output shows a clear trend toward examining the intersection of politics and education outcomes, particularly how political polarization affects educational decision-making and student achievement. His recent work demonstrates how school closure policies during the pandemic varied by political jurisdiction and how these differences translated into measurable learning loss disparities.

Hartney has received notable recognition for his scholarly contributions:

• American Political Science Association's prize for the best book on education politics and policy (2024)

Before his academic career, Hartney worked as a policy analyst for the National Governors Association (NGA), providing technical analysis to state policymakers on education reform issues. His current research examines the political dynamics of school board elections, teacher union influence, and the relationship between political polarization and educational outcomes. Hartney frequently collaborates with Paul E. Peterson of Harvard University on studies of education policy and politics, producing research that bridges academic rigor with policy relevance.

Hartney is actively involved with several research teams, including the Working Group on Civics and American Citizenship at the Hoover Institution. His work bridges academic research and policy practice, with regular contributions to both scholarly journals and popular outlets like City Journal, Education Next, and the Wall Street Journal.