Member Since 2012


Dr. Patrick J. Wolf is Professor and 21st Century Chair in School Choice in the Department of Education Reform at the University of Arkansas College of Education and Health Professions. He also is principal investigator of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program impact evaluation through a contract with the U.S. Department of Education (subcontract with Westat), and is leading a national research team conducting an independent longitudinal multi-method evaluation of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program. Dr. Wolf has authored, co-authored, or co-edited two books and more than two dozen articles and book chapters on school choice, special education, public management, and campaign finance. Wolf has designed, managed, and published the results from education studies that employ a wide variety of research methods including experimental, quasi-experimental, meta-analytical, and qualitative investigation techniques. A 1987 graduate of the University of St. Thomas (St. Paul, MN), he received his Ph.D. in Political Science from Harvard in 1995.

Published Articles & Media

Exterior of Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN

Hoosiers Score Benefits from Private School Choice

New observational study finds students who got vouchers in Indiana were more likely than similar traditional public-school students to enroll in college.

Harvard Law Professor’s Attack on Homeschooling Is a Flawed Failure. And Terribly Timed, Too.

About that law review article that prompted the Harvard Magazine article that created the uproar.
More Louisiana Students Using Vouchers to Attend Private Schools (Figure 1)

What Happened in the Bayou?

Examining the Effects of the Louisiana Scholarship Program
The Friedmans, with friend, heading to Milton’s 90th birthday party.

On Goalpost Moving

The right way to evaluate private school choice programs
Figure 1: The Effect of Open-Enrollment Mandates on Expected Participation

Some Regulations Deter Private Schools from Participating in Voucher Programs

Rules preventing participating schools from having specific admissions policies and requirements that schools take state standardized tests both reduce the likelihood that private schools say they will participate in voucher programs.

Private School Choice Helps Students Avoid Prison and Unplanned Pregnancies

New evidence from America’s longest-running voucher program

Article On School Choice Ignores Key Evidence

Existing body of research on the impact of school vouchers is both deep and broad.

No, One Limited Study Does Not Prove School Vouchers Don’t Work

Students in the sample weren’t even participating in school-voucher programs

Educational Freedom Isn’t a Threat to Democracy

We do not find any evidence that private school voucher students are either less or more likely to vote in presidential elections than students educated in public schools.

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