David Grissmer

David Grissmer is a senior management scientist at RAND. He holds a Ph.D. in physics from Purdue University. His education research includes teacher supply and demand, teacher compensation and attrition patterns, analysis of national test scores to determine the causes of changing trends, analyzing state test scores to determine causes of state differences, and effects of class size reductions. He is currently working with the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the White House to assess the federal research and development portfolio on children and methods of improving research on children. His current work also includes developing estimates of the number and location of children at educational risk in the U.S. and analyzing achievement patterns in central city, suburban, and rural schools. He has done extensive analysis of the long term trends in NAEP scores, the state NAEP scores, and the family characteristics associated with NAEP scores. He recently completed a book about the analysis of NAEP scores and what these scores tell us about the changing quality of families, communities, and schools, and what educational and social policies work to improve achievement. He was guest editor for the summer issues of the journal, “Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis” (EEPA), on class size. He has addressed U.S. senators and representatives at caucus retreats, members of the White House staff, top Cabinet officials, governors as well as legislators and policymakers from most states on the issues of effective use of resources in education.