The Ohio State University
John Glenn College of Public Affairs
1810 College Road, 110 Page Hall
Columbus, OH 43210
lavertu.1@osu.edu

2020 –                  Professor, John Glenn College of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University

2020 –                  Professor (courtesy), Department of Political Science, The Ohio State University

2015 – 2020         Associate Professor, John Glenn College of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University

2011 – 2015         Assistant Professor, John Glenn School of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University

2010 – 2011         Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Colorado - Boulder

2023 –                  Senior Research Fellow, Thomas B. Fordham Institute

2016 –                  Faculty Affiliate, Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy, OSU

2012 – 2019         Faculty Affiliate, Ohio Education Research Center, The Ohio State University

2013 – 2018         Faculty Affiliate, Institute for Democratic Engagement and Accountability, OSU

2015 – 2017         Faculty Affiliate, Center for Higher Education Enterprise, The Ohio State University

2020 – 2023         Director of Doctoral Studies, John Glenn College of Public Affairs, OSU

2016 – 2018         Director of Undergraduate Studies, John Glenn College of Public Affairs, OSU

2021 –                Member, Ohio Department of Education (ODE) Value-added Advisory Committee

2017 –  2023      Chair, Ohio Charter School Program (CSP) Federal Grant Advisory Committee, ODE

2019 –                  Editorial Board, Education Finance & Policy

2014 –                  Editorial Board, Journal of Public Administration Research & Theory

2019 –                  Editorial Board, Policy Studies Journal

2017 –                  Editorial Board, Public Performance & Management Review

2016 – 2019         Co-Editor, Perspectives on Public Management & Governance

2010, Ph.D., Political Science, University of Wisconsin – Madison

2005, M.A., Political Science, University of Wisconsin – Madison

2002, M.A., Education, Stanford University

2000, B.A., Political Science, The Ohio State University
Summa Cum Laude with Honors in the Liberal Arts

“For-profit Milk in Nonprofit Cartons? The Case of Nonprofit Charter Schools Subcontracting with For-profit Education Management Organizations” (w/ Long Tran), Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 1-30, 2024

“Test-Based Accountability and Educational Equity: Breaking through Local District Politics?” (w/ John J. Gregg), Economics of Education Review, 97: 102485, 2023

“Rent-Seeking through Collective Bargaining: Teachers Unions and Education Production” (w/ Jason Cook and Corbin Miller), Economics of Education Review, 85: 102193, 2021 (pre-pub version)

• Covered in The 74 Million

“The Democratic Deficit in U.S. Education Governance” (w/ Vladimir Kogan and Zachary Peskowitz), American Political Science Review, 15(3): 1082-1089, 2021 (pre-pub version)

• Covered in Education Week and The 74 Million

“How Does Minority Political Representation Affect School District Administration and Student Outcomes?” (w/ Vladimir Kogan and Zachary Peskowitz), American Journal of Political Science, 65(3): 699-716, 2021 (pre-pub version)

• Covered in Education Week

“School District Operational Spending and Student Outcomes: Evidence from Tax Elections in Seven States” (w/ Carolyn Abott, Vladimir Kogan, and Zachary Peskowitz), Journal of Public Economics, 183: 104142, 2020 (pre-pub version)

• Covered in Education Week and Chalkbeat

“Government Privatization and Political Participation: The Case of Charter Schools” (w/ Jason Cook, Vladimir Kogan, and Zachary Peskowitz), Journal of Politics, 82(1): 300-314, 2020 (pre-pub version)

• Covered in Education Week

“Beyond Spending Levels: Revenue Uncertainty and the Performance of Local Governments” (w/ Travis St. Clair), Journal of Urban Economics, 106: 59-80, 2018.

“School Improvement Grants in Ohio: Effects on Student Achievement and School Administration” (w/ Deven Carlson), Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 40(3): 287-315, 2018. [Lead article]

• Covered in Education Week

“Election Timing, Electorate Composition, and Policy Outcomes: Evidence from School Districts” (w/ Vladimir Kogan and Zachary Peskowitz), American Journal of Political Science, 62(3): 637-651, 2018.

“Direct Democracy and Administrative Disruption” (w/ Vladimir Kogan and Zachary Peskowitz), Journal of Public Administration Research & Theory, 27(3): 381-399, 2017. [Lead article]

“We All Need Help: Big Data and the Mismeasure of Public Administration” Public Administration Review 76(6): 864-872, 2016.

“Charter School Closure and Student Achievement: Evidence from Ohio” (w/ Deven Carlson), Journal of Urban Economics, 95: 31-48, 2016.

“Do School Report Cards Produce Accountability through the Ballot Box?” (w/ Vladimir Kogan and Zachary Peskowitz), Journal of Policy Analysis & Management, 35(3): 639-661, 2016.

“The Impact of Inclusive STEM High Schools on Student Achievement” (w/ Jennifer Gnagey), AERA Open 2(2): 1-21, 2016.

“Performance Federalism and Local Democracy: Theory and Evidence from School Tax Referenda”

(w/ Vladimir Kogan and Zachary Peskowitz), American Journal of Political Science 60(2): 418-435, 2016.

• Included in September 2017 AJPS Virtual Issue of highly-cited articles from 2015 and 2016

“For Fear of Popular Politics? Public Attention and the Delegation of Authority to the U.S. Executive Branch,” Regulation & Governance 9(2): 160-177, 2015.

“Regulatory Delay and Rulemaking Deadlines” (w/ Susan Webb Yackee), Journal of Public Administration Research & Theory 24(1): 209-234, 2014.

“Government Reform, Political Ideology, and Administrative Burden: The Case of Performance Management in the Bush Administration” (w/ David Lewis and Donald Moynihan), Public Administration Review 73(6): 845-857, 2013.

“Selection Methods, Partisanship, and the Administration of Elections” (w/ Barry Burden, David Canon, Kenneth Mayer, and Donald Moynihan), American Politics Research 41(6): 903-936, 2013. [Lead Article]

“Agency Political Ideology and Reform Implementation: Performance Management in the Bush Administration” (w/ Donald Moynihan), Journal of Public Administration Research & Theory 23(3): 521-549, 2013.

“The Empirical Implications of Theoretical Models: A Description of the Method and an Application to the Study of Performance Management Implementation” (w/ Donald Moynihan), Journal of Public Administration Research & Theory 23(2): 333-360, 2013.

“Issue-Specific Political Uncertainty and Policy Insulation in U.S. Federal Agencies,” Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization 29(1): 145-177, 2013.

“Does Involvement in Performance Management Routines Encourage Performance Information Use? Evaluating GPRA and PART” (w/ Donald Moynihan), Public Administration Review 72(4): 592-602, 2012.

• Joseph Wholey Distinguished Scholarship Award, American Society for Public Administration

“Examining Charter Student Achievement Effects Across Seven States” (w/ Ron Zimmer, Brian Gill, Kevin Booker, and John Witte), Economics of Education Review 31(2): 213-224, 2012.

 “Scientific Expertise and the Balance of Political Interests:  MEDCAC and Medicare Coverage Decisions” (w/ Daniel E. Walters and David L. Weimer), Journal of Public Administration Research & Theory 22(1): 55-81, 2012.

• Radin Award for best article in JPART in 2012

“Cognitive Biases in Governing:  Technology Preferences in Election Administration” (w/ Donald Moynihan), Public Administration Review 72(1): 68-77, 2012.

“Federal Advisory Committees, Policy Expertise, and the Approval of Drugs and Medical Devices at the FDA” (w/ David Weimer), Journal of Public Administration Research & Theory 21(2): 211-237, 2011. [Lead article]

 “Integrating Delegation into the Policy Theory Literature" (w/ David Weimer) Policy Studies Journal 37(1): 93-102, 2009.

Ohio Charter Schools After the Pandemic: Are their Students Still Learning More than they would in District Schools? A report prepared for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, June 2024

Did the emergence of Ohio charter schools help or harm students who remained in district schools? A report prepared for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, March 2024

• Covered by Gongwer Ohio

An Assessment of Empirical Claims in Columbus City School District, et al. v. State of Ohio, et al. (Franklin County Court of Common Please Case No. 22 CV 000067), A Report to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, February 2024

Ohio Charter Schools During the Pandemic: Enrollments, Operations, and Performance (2020-2022), A Report Prepared for the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce, December 2023

The Ohio EdChoice Program’s impact on school district enrollments, finances, and academics (w/ J.J. Gregg), A report prepared for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, December 2022

• Covered by The 74 Million, The Columbus Dispatch, The Enquirer (Cincinnati), Dayton Daily News

For-Profit Charter Schools: An Evaluation of their Spending and Outcomes (w/ Long Tran), A report prepared for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, September 2022

• Covered by Forbes, The 74 Million

How the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected Student Learning in Ohio: Analysis of Spring 2021 Ohio State Tests (w/ Vladimir Kogan), A report prepared for the Ohio Department of Education, August 2021.

• Covered by numerous news outlets and blogs, focus of AEI blog and podcast

The COVID-19 Pandemic and Student Achievement on Ohio’s Third-Grade English Language Arts Assessment (w/ Vladimir Kogan), A report prepared for the Ohio Department of Education, January 2021.

• Covered by numerous news outlets, including The Economist, The Columbus Dispatch, The 74 Million

The Impact of Ohio Charter Schools on Student Outcomes, 2016–19, A report prepared for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, October 2020.

• Covered by The Columbus Dispatch, The Plain Dealer, The Wall Street Journal

Interdistrict Open Enrollment in Ohio: Participation and Student Outcomes (w/ Deven Carlson), A report prepared for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, 2017.

• Covered by NPR, The Columbus Dispatch, Education Next, Chalkbeat, The 74 Million

Ohio School Turnaround Interventions: Impacts on Achievement, Attainment, and Administration (w/Deven Carlson), A Report to the Ohio Department of Education, 2016.

• Covered by Chalkbeat

The Impact of 2012 Priority Designations on Student Achievement (w/Deven Carlson), A Report to the Ohio Department of Education, 2016.

Measuring Educational Delivery in Schools: A Literature Review and Preliminary Analysis, A Report to the Ohio Auditor of State, 2016.

School Closures and Student Achievement: An Analysis of Ohio’s Urban District and Charter Schools (w/ Deven Carlson), A report prepared for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, 2015.

• Covered by The Economist, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Columbus Dispatch, Education Week, U.S. News and World Report, CityBeat, Education Dive, and Vox, as well as numerous blogs and radio programs.

The Impact of Ohio STEM High Schools on Student Achievement (w/ Jennifer Gnagey), A report prepared for the Ohio Education Research Center, 2015.

Guidance for Phase III of the Ohio Auditor of State’s Investigation into Ohio Public School Attendance Data (w/ Anand Desai), A report to the Ohio Auditor of State, 2012.

Guidance for Phase II of the Ohio Auditor of State’s Investigation into Ohio Public School Attendance Data (w/ Anand Desai), A report to the Ohio Auditor of State, 2012.

Charter Schools in Eight States: Effects on Achievement, Attainment, Integration, and Competition ( w/ Ron Zimmer, Brian Gill, Kevin Booker, Tim R. Sass, John Witte) Washington, DC: RAND Corporation, 2009

2008 Wisconsin Election Data Collection Grant Program Evaluation Report (w/ Barry C. Burden, David T. Canon, Kenneth R. Mayer, and Donald P. Moynihan), A report to the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, 2009.

“What to make of Ohio school report cards’ “progress” rating” The Fordham Institute’s Ohio Gadfly Blog, September 10, 2024.

“Addressing pandemic learning loss (and then some) without breaking the bank” The Fordham Institute’s Ohio Gadfly Blog, August 27, 2024.

“Which Ohio districts are most burdened by oppressive union contracts?” The Fordham Institute’s Ohio Gadfly Blog, February 21, 2024.

“Policymakers must remember that micromanaging schools is typically a suboptimal strategy” The Fordham Institute’s Ohio Gadfly Blog, January 4, 2024.

“Reforming collective bargaining could put Ohio public schools—and the teaching profession—on top” The Fordham Institute’s Ohio Gadfly Blog, October 9, 2023.

“The Great Recession offers insight about the impact the impending fiscal cliff will have on Ohio school districts” The Fordham Institute’s Ohio Gadfly Blog, September 11, 2023.

“CREDO got it wrong: Ohio’s charter sector is strong and getting better” The Fordham Institute’s Education Gadfly Weekly, June 15, 2023.

“Rent-Seeking through Collective Bargaining: Teachers Unions and Education Production” (w/ Jason Cook and Corbin Miller), Cato Research Briefs in Economic Policy #305, October 5, 2022.

“Ohio data show the pandemic's heavy toll on student achievement and the importance of in-person learning” (w/ Vladimir Kogan), Fordham Institute Flypaper Blog, September 16, 2021.

“Ohio’s 2021 spring tests show that achievement suffered during the pandemic and highlight the importance of in-person learning” (w/ Vladimir Kogan), Fordham Institute – Ohio Gadfly Bi-Weekly Blog, September 7, 2021.

“Who Governs Our Public Schools?” (w/ Vladimir Kogan and Zachary Peskowitz), Brookings Institution – Brown Center Chalkboard Blog, February 17, 2021.

“Covid and Student Achievement: Early Evidence from Ohio’s Fall Tests” (w/ Vladimir Kogan), Education Next Blog, February 10, 2021.

“Ohio’s fall tests reveal how the pandemic has affected student learning” (w/ Vladimir Kogan), Fordham Institute – Ohio Gadfly Daily Blog, February 7, 2021.

 “Time to bring the value back into Ohio’s ‘value added’ school grades” (w/ Vlad Kogan), Fordham Institute – Ohio Gadfly Daily Blog, August 5, 2019.

“High School Options and Post-secondary Student Success: The Catholic School Advantage” (w/ David Fleming and William Crawford), Journal of Catholic Education 21(2), 2018.

“Do low-turnout elections make the electorate more conservative? Not that much.” (w/ Vladimir Kogan and Zachary Peskowitz), Washington Post’s Monkey Cage, February 20, 2018.

“How should Ohio seek to improve its lowest achieving public schools?” Fordham Institute – Ohio Gadfly Daily Blog, June 2, 2017.

“No Child Left Behind’s school performance metrics may be punishing disadvantaged school districts and students” (w/ Vladimir Kogan and Zachary Peskowitz) London School of Economics USAPP – American Politics and Policy Blog, June 25, 2015.

“The Unintended Impact of Reports Cards on Levy Success” (w/ Vladimir Kogan and Zachary Peskowitz) Ohio School Boards Association Journal, June, 2015.

“Performance Measurement: A Balanced Solution to Inequities in Election Administration?” Election Law Journal 13(4): 550-554, 2014.

“Do Performance Reforms Change How Federal Managers Manage?” (w/ Donald Moynihan), The Brookings Institution’s Issues in Governance Studies 52:1-9, 2012.

 “The Effects of Performance Management Reforms: Evidence from the United States Federal Government” (w/ Donald Moynihan), Chinese Journal of Public Management 9(2): 98-105, 2012.

“Charter Schools: Do They Cream Skim, Increasing Student Segregation?“ ( w/ Ron Zimmer, Brian Gill, Kevin Booker, Tim R. Sass, John Witte), in Mark Berends, Marisa Cannata, and Ellen B. Goldring (eds.) School Choice and School Improvement.  Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press, 2011.

“The Impact of Milwaukee Charter Schools on Student Achievement” (w/ John Witte), The Brookings Institution’s Issues in Governance Studies, Number 23, 2009.

“American Bureaucracy: Contemporary Environment," in Richard Harris and Daniel J. Tichenor (eds.), A History of the U.S. Political System: Ideas, Interests, and Institutions. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO Press, 2009.

 “The Academic Hiring Process: A Survey of Department Chairs” (w/ Daniel Fuerstman), PS: Political Science and Politics 38(4): 731-736, 2005.

The Ohio State University 

Capstone: Education Policy (MA/MPA)

Education Governance & Policy (UG)    

Introduction to Public Affairs (UG – online and in-person)

Policy Formulation and Implementation (MA/MPA)

Professional Seminars – 1st, 2nd, 3rd years (PhD)

Public Affairs Capstone (UG)

Public Affairs Decision-Making (UG)

Public Policy (PhD)

Public Service and Civic Engagement (UG)

Research Design (PhD)

University of Colorado – Boulder

Introduction to Public Policy Analysis (UG)                     

Politics of Ideas (UG)    

Politics of the US Bureaucracy (PhD)

Excellence in Refereeing Award, Journal of Policy Analysis & Management, 2019 (inaugural)

Outstanding Reviewer Award, Journal of Public Administration Research & Theory, 2019 (inaugural)

Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, John Glenn College of Public Affairs, OSU, 2015

Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, John Glenn School of Public Affairs, OSU, 2014

Beryl Radin Award for Best Article in the Journal of Public Administration Research & Theory, 2013

Joseph Wholey Distinguished Scholarship, American Society for Public Administration, 2013

Administration & Society, AERA Open, American Educational Research Journal, American Journal of Political Science, American Political Science Review, American Politics Research, Canadian Journal of Political Science, Economics of Education Review, Education Finance and Policy, Educational Evaluation & Policy Analysis, Educational Researcher, International Public Management Journal, Journal of Business Ethics, Journal of Labor Studies, Journal of Policy Analysis & Management, Journal of Politics, Journal of Public Administration Research & Theory, Journal of Public Economics, Journal of Public Policy, Journal of School Choice, Journal of Urban Affairs, Journal of Urban Economics, Labor Studies Journal, Legislative Studies Quarterly, NSF Proposals, Perspectives on Public Management & Governance, Policy Studies Journal, Political Research Quarterly, Political Studies, Public Administration, Public Administration Review, Public Budgeting & Finance, Public Performance & Management Review, Publius: The Journal of Federalism, Regulation & Governance, Review of Public Personnel Administration, Sage Open, World Politics