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
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
Newsom’s Big Bet on Fixing California’s Poorest Schools and Narrowing Achievement Gaps
 | EdSource
Should California Give $300M to High-Need Schools?
 | The California Quest
Reactions to the Governor’s K–12 Education Budget Proposals for California
 | EdSource
Publications by Heather J. Hough
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…
PB Hough July 2020
Lead with Equity
What California’s Leaders Must Do Next to Advance Student Learning During COVID-19
On July 17th, 2020, Governor Newsom announced that all K–12 schools in California counties with rising COVID-19 infections would be required to teach remotely.
Trends in Student Social-Emotional Learning: Evidence From the First Large-Scale Panel Student Survey
Trends in Student Social-Emotional Learning
Evidence From the First Large-Scale Panel Student Survey
Self-report surveys are used to track students’ social-emotional development. This large-scale panel survey reveals that self-efficacy, social awareness, and self-management decrease after Grade 6, except for growth mindset. Female students report…
Measures of SEL and School Climate in California
Measures of SEL and School Climate in California
California's CORE districts have been collecting data since 2014 on social and emotional learning (SEL) and school climate and culture to improve K-12 schools' holistic approach to student development. Advocates argue that a focus on SEL and school…