Welcome to David N. Plank—PACE's New Executive Director
David N. Plank began work as Executive Director of PACE on January 1. David comes to PACE from Michigan State University, where he founded and directed the Education Policy Center. He had previously been on the faculty at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Texas at Dallas, teaching courses and conducting research in the areas of educational finance and policy. He received his PhD from the University of Chicago in 1983.
In addition to his work in the U.S., David has extensive international experience. He has served as a consultant to international organizations including the World Bank, the UNDP, the OECD, USAID, and the Ford Foundation, and also to governments in Africa and Latin America. In recent years, however, David has focused his attention on state education policy in Michigan.
Like PACE, the Education Policy Center at Michigan State University was established to find ways to bring university research to bear on educational policy issues at the state level. The Education Policy Center conducted original research; synthesized existing research; and published a variety of reports and policy briefs on topics including accountability policy, school finance, and school choice. In addition, David provided regular briefings for legislators and other policy audiences in Lansing and around the state, and worked with the media to inform and improve their coverage of educational issues.
David looks forward to continuing this work at PACE and to learning more about the unique educational and policy challenges facing California. He aims to enhance the range and impact of PACE’s policy research both by expanding the network or policy researchers who contribute work to PACE and by strengthening PACE’s relationships with policy audiences in Sacramento and throughout California. “PACE is already the premier organization in the country for research on state education policy,” says Plank. “I am looking forward to working with my colleagues to move it to the next level of excellence and impact.”