In addition to Ford’s premier BA, MPP, MPA, and PhD programs, our school is home to fifteen research centers doing critical work on pressing issues facing Michigan, the U.S., and the world. 

In today’s research center spotlight, we’re looking at the Education Policy Initiative (EPI). One of the distinguished faculty members leading EPI, Professor Sue Dynarski, recently teamed up with fellow researchers from Harvard and the University of Virginia to draw attention to the COVID-19 pandemic’s exacerbation of inequities in education. Low-income students’ access to technology and college application resources (counselors, teachers, etc.) have been disrupted, widening the gap in college attendance between low-income students and peers from higher-income households. 

In particular, Dynarski and her colleagues argue for federal intervention to provide the funding and resources needed for schools and students to emerge from the pandemic poised to rebound and thrive.

This is just an example of the incredible work being done at the Ford School. We’re so proud of the faculty and students working to devise innovative solutions to our biggest challenges.

For more on EPI’s research, initiatives, and events, check out the center’s website, and stay tuned for more research center highlights!