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
: California’s Dashboard Data Will Guide Improvement
Heather J. Hough in the Media
PACE Executive Director Heather Hough on Cultivating a Sense of Belonging to Spark Students’ Enthusiasm for Learning in EdSource Podcast
 | EdSource
Boosting Student Success After COVID Is a Team Effort
 | EdSource
Reenergizing Learning: PACE Executive Director Heather Hough Discusses Strategies for Getting Beyond Stagnant Test Scores with EdSource Panel
 | EdSource
PACE Executive Director Heather Hough Speaks on Education Policy, Teacher Shortage, and Other Challenges in Capitol Weekly Conference
 | Capitol Weekly
Have Bay Area Students Recovered from Pandemic Learning Losses? Here’s What State Test Scores Show
 | The Mercury News
Publications by Heather J. Hough
PB_Domingue_Mar21
Changing Patterns of Growth in Oral Reading Fluency During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant negative effect on the oral reading fluency (ORF) of US students in grades 2-3 in over 100 school districts, with students falling 30% behind expectations. While there was some recovery in the fall, it was…
EdResearch for Recovery Brief
Evidence-Based Practices for Assessing Students’ Social and Emotional Well-Being
This brief is one in a series aimed at providing K–12 education decision makers and advocates with an evidence base to ground discussions about
Publication Cover
Securing and Protecting Education Funding in California
A Summary Brief
California schools' funding had improved, but still fell short of what is necessary to meet the state's goals. Now, schools face three major challenges: declines in student achievement and social-emotional well-being due to COVID-19, increased costs…
PB Cottingham July 2020
Supporting Learning in the COVID-19 Context
Research to Guide Distance and Blended Instruction
This suite of publications provides 10 recommendations based on the PACE report to help educators and district leaders provide high-quality instruction through distance and blended learning models in the 2020-21 school year. Despite the challenges…