Frederick M. Hess

Hess studied political science at Brandeis University, graduating summa cum laude. Upon graduating, he enrolled at Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he earned his M.Ed. in teaching and curriculum. He began his education career as a high school social studies teacher in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. After gaining first-hand experience in the classroom, he returned to Harvard for an M.A. and Ph.D. in government.[1] His dissertation examined education reform in 57 school districts and the "spinning wheels" of rapid short-term improvement in urban schools. It eventually became the first of his many books, published in 1998 by the Brookings Institution Press.[2]

Hess joined the faculty at the University of Virginia in 1997, teaching as an assistant professor of education and politics.[3] In 2002, he published a paper, entitled "Tear Down This Wall," arguing for a "radical overhaul of teacher certification" in order to create competition for teaching positions and to help troubled districts fill their staffing gaps with qualified teachers.[4] In an interview with Harvard Ed Magazine, Hess remarked that fallout from his paper was one of the reasons for his eventual departure from the University of Virginia.[1] Despite the contention, as former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education Chester Finn explained, the paper enhanced his reputation as an "education renegade" and helped position Hess at the forefront of the education reform movement.[1]

In 2002, Hess became the founding director and resident scholar of the education policy studies program at the American Enterprise Institute.

While at AEI, Hess has hosted public events with policymakers to discuss their visions for reforming American education. He has hosted conferences and research events on topics including the future of education philanthropy, civics and citizenship education, Common Core state standards, and ed policy lessons from the Bush-Obama years of education reform. He's also hosted events with keynote speakers across the ideological and political spectrum including Success Academies Charter School Founder Eva Moskowitz; Secretaries of Education Arne Duncan, Betsy DeVos, Rod Paige, and Diane Ravitch; and American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten.[3]

Hess has authored 12 books and edited over two dozen more, each exploring various elements of K-12 and higher education. His most-cited works are Spinning Wheels: The Politics of Urban School Reform, Learning to Lead: What Gets Taught in Principal-Preparation Programs, and School Boards at the Dawn of the 21st Century: Conditions and Challenges of District Governance.

In addition to long-term research projects and publications, Hess has authored pieces for scholarly and popular outlets such as Teachers College Record, Harvard Education Review, Phi Delta Kappan, Educational Leadership, U.S. News & World Report, National Affairs, the Washington Post, the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and National Review.[3] Hess is also the author of the Education Week blog "Rick Hess Straight Up" and a regular contributor to Forbes and The Hill. Hess serves as the executive editor of Education Next, a quarterly journal devoted to issues of education reform.[5]

Hess also teaches or has taught at the University of Virginia, the University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown University, Rice University, and Harvard University.

Distilling knowledge from over twenty-five years working in and around school reform, Hess has become a leading voice on issues including the Common Core, No Child Left Behind, the role of for-profits in education, education philanthropy, and the impact of education research. Under Hess, AEI Education has grown into a predominant center of conservative thought for K-12 and higher education policy. An article by the Harvard Graduate School of Education publication Ed Magazine referred to Hess as “one of America’s most influential and respected” education policy experts for his ability to "craft controversial arguments, challenge conventional thought, and make his strong opinions known."[1]

Hess lives in Arlington, Virginia with his wife and their two sons.

• Appearances on C-SPAN