Matthew A. Kraft

Matthew A. Kraft is an Associate Professor of Education and Economics at Brown University and a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. He recently served as a Visiting Researcher at CESifo (May 22-27, 2023), focusing on education policy analysis within urban K-12 contexts.

His academic credentials include a BA in International Relations and MA in International Comparative Education from Stanford University, and a doctorate in Quantitative Policy Analysis in Education from Harvard University. Prior to his academic career, he gained firsthand K-12 experience teaching humanities in Oakland and Berkeley public schools.

Professor Kraft's research centers on causal inference methods to improve educator effectiveness and organizational systems in urban schools. He investigates teacher hiring, professional development, evaluation frameworks, and working conditions, with recent work shaping post-pandemic tutoring initiatives. His interdisciplinary approach bridges economics of education and policy implementation.

His research program has generated over 40 peer-reviewed publications across leading education, economics, and policy journals, supported by $5M+ in competitive grants. With 9,000+ citations, his work demonstrates substantial scholarly influence and practical relevance for education reform.

Notable recognitions include:

• AERA Outstanding Public Communication Award
• Society for Educational Effectiveness Early Career Award
• William T. Grant Early Career Scholar Award
• Brown University Dean’s Teaching Excellence Award
• Palmer O. Johnson Memorial Award (top AERA journal article)
• National Academy of Education/Spencer Fellowship

Professor Kraft actively engages policymakers through op-eds in The New York Times and The Washington Post, and maintains consistent presence in national education discourse as a top-ranked Edu-Scholar influencer.