Michael Little

Dr. Michael Little is an Assistant Professor at North Carolina State University, specializing in Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis. His research focuses on early childhood education policy, principal leadership, and Pre-K-to-3rd-grade alignment. Funded by the Institute for Education Sciences (IES) and the Belk Foundation, Dr. Little has published over 35 peer-reviewed articles in top-tier journals like Educational Researcher and Developmental Psychology, with more than 600 citations. He serves on the editorial boards of Early Childhood Research Quarterly and AERA Open.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. in Education Leadership, Policy, and School Improvement, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2018)
  • B.A. in Public Policy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2013)

Dr. Little’s expertise spans education policy analysis, early childhood leadership, and mixed-methods research. His recent grants include projects on principal learning models for early grades leadership, sustaining Pre-K gains into elementary school, and enhancing Pre-K–3rd-grade policy alignment in North Carolina. He has received honors such as the Royster Society of Fellows Doctoral Fellowship and Phi Beta Kappa recognition. Dr. Little teaches courses in systemic educational change and early childhood policy leadership.

• Scientific Awards:
  • Editorial Board Member, Early Childhood Research Quarterly (ongoing)
  • Editorial Board Member, AERA Open (ongoing)
  • David L. Clark National Graduate Student Research Seminar (2018)
  • Royster Society of Fellows Doctoral Fellowship (2015)
  • Phi Beta Kappa (2013)