Heather J. Hough

heather_hough
Heather J. Hough
Senior Policy and Research Fellow,
Policy Analysis for California Education, Stanford University

Heather Hough is a senior policy and research fellow and the former executive director of PACE.

Contributing topics
Access, quality & alignment in early childhood education
College access & postsecondary success
Continuous school improvement & support
Education finance
Educational governance & policy
Educator workforce & effectiveness
Supporting students’ social-emotional, mental & physical health
Understanding, measuring & improving student outcomes
Contributing initiatives
Continuous Improvement and Support Systems in California
CORE-PACE Research Partnership
COVID-19 Recovery
Getting Down To Facts II
LCFF Research Collaborative
Organizing Schools to Serve Students with Disabilities
PACE/USC Rossier Voter Poll
Commentary by Heather J. Hough
: Why Aren’t Students Showing Up for School?
: Chronic Absenteeism Post-Pandemic
: California Test Scores Show the Devastating Impact of the Pandemic on Student Learning
: Implementing a Restorative Restart by Planning for the Four Ts
: COVID-19 and the Educational Equity Crisis
Heather J. Hough in the Media
: Bay Area School Enrollment Plunges as Families Flee High-Cost Region
: These High Schoolers Learned About the Value of Money. Should Every California Student?
: California Voters May Decide if Financial Literacy Should Be Required in School. Should They?
: The Learning Curve: When School Feels Optional
: Chronic Absenteeism Is the Real Problem
Publications by Heather J. Hough
Unpacking California’s Chronic Absence Crisis Through 2022–23: Seven Key Facts
Unpacking California’s Chronic Absence Crisis Through 2022–23
Seven Key Facts
Students are considered chronically absent when they miss 10 percent or more of school for any reason. Left unaddressed, chronic absence can translate into students having difficulty learning to read by Grade 3, reaching grade-level standards in…
California Test Scores Show Little Improvement After Pandemic
California Test Scores Show Little Improvement After Pandemic
In October 2023, the California Department of Education released test scores for all students in Grades 3–8 and 11 for the 2022–23 school year. These results represent an opportunity to analyze whether and to what extent student learning has…
What Does It Take to Accelerate the Learning of Every Child?
What Does It Take to Accelerate the Learning of Every Child?
Early Insights from a CCEE School-Improvement Pilot
Student achievement in California has not rebounded after the precipitous declines of the COVID-19 pandemic, with English language arts (ELA) and math scores remaining well below prepandemic levels. Student attendance has declined dramatically, and…
Assessing Voters’ and Parents’ Perspectives on Current Threats to Public Education
Assessing Voters’ and Parents’ Perspectives on Current Threats to Public Education
The 2022 PACE/USC Rossier Poll
The 2021–22 academic year was profoundly challenging for California schools. Eight critical issues emerged as serious threats to student learning, the operation of schools, and even  the very institution of public education: (1) gun violence, (…