Dr. Patrick J. Wolf is a Distinguished Professor of Education Policy and 21st Century Endowed Chair in School Choice in the Department of Education Reform at the University of Arkansas College of Education and Health Professions. He previously taught at Columbia and Georgetown University. Wolf has worked as a pizza deliverer, a state government administrator, an advocate for people with hearing impairments, and a janitor’s assistant, though not necessarily in that order. As principal investigator of the School Choice Demonstration Project he has led major studies of school choice initiatives including longitudinal evaluations of school voucher programs in Washington, DC; Milwaukee, WI; and the state of Louisiana. Research projects led or co-led by Dr. Wolf have been awarded 34 research grants and contracts totaling nearly $22 million. He has authored, co-authored, edited, or co-edited five books and over 175 journal articles, book chapters, and policy reports on school choice, civic values, special education, public management, and campaign finance. Most of his school choice research is available at http://scdp.uark.edu/.
Patrick Wolf
EdWorkingPapers
Whose Turn Now? The Enactment & Expansion of Private School Choice Programs across the US
Private school choice policies have been enacted and expanded across the United States since the 1990s. By January 2021, 30 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico hosted 67 distinct private school choice policies. Why have some states adopted and expanded this education reform… more →
Moving On Up? A Virtual School, Student Mobility, and Achievement
Virtual charter schools provide full-time, tuition-free K-12 education through internet-based instruction. Although virtual schools offer a personalized learning experience, most research suggests these schools are negatively associated with achievement. Few studies account for differential… more →
Do Voucher Students Attain Higher Levels of Education? Extended Evidence from the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program
The Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP), the first modern private school choice program in the United States, has grown from 341 students attending 7 private schools in 1990 to 27,857 students attending 126 private schools in 2019. The MPCP has been subject to extensive study focused… more →