Ron Zimmer

Ron Zimmer is Professor and Director of the Martin School of Public Policy and Administration at the University of Kentucky, specializing in education policy and school reform.

Holds a PhD in Public Policy from the University of Kentucky, with prior positions at Vanderbilt University and RAND Corporation.

Research examines charter schools, voucher programs, school finance, and accountability systems. Current projects evaluate pandemic impacts on charter schools and workforce-aligned scholarship programs.

• University Research Professor (2023)
• AERA Outstanding Policy Report Award (2017)
• Fordham Institute Best Paper Prize (2015)

Leads major grant projects funded by Walton Foundation and Tennessee SCORE. Supervises doctoral dissertations on education policy and serves on editorial boards for leading policy journals.