VEST Education and Research Speaker Series: Matthew Kraft

Matthew Kraft is a Professor of Education and Economics at Brown University and a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. His research focuses on two primary areas: improving the effectiveness of K-12 educators and schools, and examining how education systems can adapt to and mitigate climate change. He has published over 50 articles on topics including teacher labor markets, professional development, evaluation, and working conditions; new approaches to interpreting effect sizes; and efforts to scale school-based tutoring and mentoring programs. His research has received funding from a range of federal agencies and private foundations and has been cited over 15,000 times. Matt is the recipient of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Outstanding Public Communication Award, the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness Early Career Award, the William T. Grant Scholar Award, the Brown University Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, the AERA Palmer O. Johnson Memorial Award, and the National Academy of Education/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship. He served as a senior economist with the White House Council of Economic Advisers in 2024/2025 and is an elected member on his local school board. Previously, he taught middle and high school humanities in Oakland and Berkeley (CA) public schools.