Morgan Polikoff

Morgan Polikoff is a Professor of Education at the USC Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California. He holds a PhD in Education Policy from the University of Pennsylvania (2010) and a Bachelor's in Mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2006). His research examines K-12 education policy, curriculum alignment, assessment systems, and the impact of COVID-19 on educational equity using quantitative and mixed methods.

Research interests focus on:

• Standards-based reform implementation
• Curriculum and textbook alignment with state standards
• Survey-based analysis of education policy preferences
• Technology-enhanced mathematics instruction
• Educational disparities during crises

His recent publications (2020-present) emphasize COVID-19 impacts, equity in resource distribution, policy communication, and curriculum evaluation. Article keywords frequently include educational equity, policy analysis, quantitative methods, and pandemic response.

Awards and honors include:

• AERA Early Career Award (2017)
• AERA Outstanding Public Communication Award (2020)
• USC Mentoring Awards (2018, 2019)
• Multiple journal outstanding reviewer recognitions

Grant leadership includes:

• $4.5M from Gates Foundation for R&D infrastructure (2024-2027)
• $3.98M NIH grant on neighborhood effects during COVID-19
• Multiple NSF RAPID grants for pandemic impact studies
• Over $20M total secured funding

Editorial roles include Co-Editor of Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis and editorial board positions for Educational Researcher and AERA Open.