Heather J. Hough

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

Heather J. Hough is a senior research and policy fellow and former executive director of Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) at Stanford University. As executive director, she led major statewide initiatives connecting research, policy, and practice. Hough is also an independent consultant and nationally recognized expert in education policy and governance. She works with state and local leaders to strengthen education systems with a focus on strategic planning, policy coherence, system improvement, and collaborative decision making. Her consulting practice helps organizations translate evidence into action by aligning goals, policies, and resources to improve student outcomes and rebuild public trust in education. She is an active volunteer and board member at the local and state levels, where she advances meaningful policy changes that improve people’s lives and strengthen public services delivery. Hough received her PhD in education policy from Stanford University.

updated 2025

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?: Understanding the Complexity Behind Rising Rates of Chronic Absenteeism
: Chronic Absenteeism Post-Pandemic: Let’s Not Make This Our “New Normal”
: California Test Scores Show the Devastating Impact of the Pandemic on Student Learning
: Implementing a Restorative Restart by Planning for the Four Ts: Time, Talent, Training, and Technology/Materials
: COVID-19 and the Educational Equity Crisis: Evidence on Learning Loss From the CORE Data Collaborative
Heather J. Hough in the Media
Marin School Enrollment Declines for 6th Year
 | Marin Independent Journal
Bay Area School Enrollment Plummets for the Sixth Year in a Row
 | The Mercury News
Governor Newsom Proposes ‘Literacy Road Map', Remains Hands-Off How Districts Teach Reading
 | EdSource
After COVID-19 School Chaos, California Lawmakers Debate Role of Superintendent
 | Los Angeles Times
Proposed Constitutional Amendment Would Make State Superintendent of Public Instruction an Appointed Position
 | EdSource
Publications by Heather J. Hough
Core Implementation Report 11-2016
Local Control in Action
Learning from the CORE Districts' Focus on Measurement, Capacity Building, and Shared Accountability
California and the US are undergoing a cultural shift in school accountability policies towards locally-determined measures of school performance. Lessons can be learned from the CORE districts, which developed an innovative accountability system,…
Making use of waivers under ESSA
Making Use of Waivers Under ESSA
ESSA allows states to design accountability systems and measures to meet new college and career readiness goals. With the lack of adequate measures, states will need to develop new measures and structures. The CORE Districts in CA, with its…
memo
Identity Crisis
Multiple Measures and the Identification of Schools Under ESSA
This report examines the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and how schools can be identified for support and improvement using a multiple measures framework. The authors find that different academic indicators measure different aspects of school…
memo
Making Students Visible
Comparing Different Student Subgroup Sizes for Accountability
This policy brief analyzes the implications of using various subgroup sizes for school-level reporting under the ESSA. Data from the CORE Districts shows that a subgroup size of 20+ offers clear advantages in representing historically underserved…