An Economist appointed at the taxpayer supported US Dept of Education

US Department of Education Press Release

Across the Department, staff are already using sophisticated data analyses and experimentation to inform policy and improve operations. As Chief Economist, Jordan will work with experts in the Office of the Chief Data Officer, the Institute for Education Sciences, Budget Service, and Federal Student Aid to:

  1. Provide the best-possible analysis and advice to guide real-time policymaking;
  2. Conduct rigorous research to further key elements of the Department’s learning agenda;
  3. Build a culture of experimentation, including partnerships with leading social science researchers to pilot-test new ways to serve students and borrowers; and
  4. Serve as a liaison to the research community so that leading researchers’ insights and evidence inform our agenda and we can work together to build the evidence and research base on how best to strengthen education.

Jordan is the perfect person to define and carry out the role of Chief Economist. An economist from Teachers College at Columbia University, his research has focused on the nexus between education and the labor market and how government policy can promote socioeconomic mobility. He has worked with higher education systems and state governments to develop data infrastructure and research partnerships to support data-driven decision making—a focus of this Administration. And he’s experienced in bringing rigorous data analysis and evidence to crafting policy at the highest levels of government. As Chief Economist of President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers, he contributed to the development of policies to promote higher education access and accountability, and led the interagency team developing data for Department’s College Scorecard initiative.

Why does the Education Department need an Economist?