Michal Kurlaender

Michal Kurlaender is a Professor of Education at the University of California, Davis. Her research focuses on education policy, program evaluation, and equity in educational access and outcomes, particularly addressing racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities across the education life course.

• Education: Ed.D. (2005) and Ed.M. (1997) from Harvard University Graduate School of Education; B.A. (1995) from UC Santa Cruz.

Her work examines postsecondary pathways, community college effectiveness, K-12 school desegregation, and the economics of education. Recent studies explore transitions from high school to college, labor market outcomes, and policy interventions like California’s Early Assessment Program.

Her research has been supported by grants from the Institute of Education Sciences, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Spencer Foundation, and UC Davis. Key findings highlight the limitations of low tuition in ensuring degree completion and the importance of aligning K-12 and postsecondary systems.

Scientific Awards and Honors

• Elected into the National Academy of Education (2020)
• UC Davis Chancellor’s Leadership Professor (2022)
• Chancellor’s Fellow, UC Davis (2013-2018)
• National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship (2009-2010)
• Education Week RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings (2015-2017)

Kurlaender co-directs the Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE), leads the Wheelhouse: Center for Community College Leadership and Research, and serves on advisory boards for national education centers. Her grants and policy briefs emphasize data-driven solutions to educational inequality.