Curriculum Vitae

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Education

A.B., University of California, Berkeley (English), 1975.

M.A., California State University, Sacramento (Education), 1984.

Ph.D., University of Chicago (Education), 1992.

California Clear Teaching Credentials (all active until February, 2025): Multiple Subject (elementary), Social Science‑History (secondary), Mathematics (secondary)

Professional Experience

Non-resident Senior Fellow, Brown Center on Education Policy, Governance Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, 2014–2017.

Senior Fellow, Brown Center on Education Policy, Governance Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, 1999–2014. Director of the Brown Center on Education Policy from 1999–2008.

Associate Professor of Public Policy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 1997–1999. Assistant Professor of Public Policy, 1992–1997.

Teacher, sixth grade, Pershing School, Orangevale, CA, 1980–1988.

Teacher, learning development class (special education), Grades 2–6, Fair Oaks School, Fair Oaks, CA, 1979–1980.

High School Instructor, Asian and European Studies, Summer Academy for International Studies, Sacramento County Office of Education, 1989–1993. Served as Director, 1990.

Professional Associations

American Educational Research Association (1988– )

American Political Science Association (1992–2010)

American Sociological Association (1989–2010 )

National Society for the Study of Education (1988–2008)

Current Projects

Occasional blogging at The Brown Center Chalkboard. Last contribution: “Why Common Core Failed,” March 18, 2021.

Professional Activities

Co-editor (with David Rutkowski), IEA Policy Brief Series, 2015–2017.

Chair, Publications and Editorial Committee, International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (administers TIMSS and PIRLS), 2014–2015, member 2012–2016.

Content Expert, Elementary Math Review Team, What Works Clearinghouse, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, 2013–2018.

Member, Koret Task Force on K-12 Education, Hoover Institution, 2008–2014.

United States Representative to the General Assembly, International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, 2004–2012.

Editorial Board, Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 2003–2009.

External Advisory Board, American Journal of Education, 1997–2009.

United States Steering Committee, Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), 2008.

Advisory Board, Teacher Education and Development Study in Mathematics (TEDS-M), 2008.

Advisory Board, The National Resource Center on Charter School Finance and Governance (University of Southern California), 2007–2010.

Advisory Board, School Choice Demonstration Project, University of Arkansas, 2006–2011.

Advisory Board, National Mathematics Curricula Study, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., 2007–2009.

Member, National Mathematics Advisory Panel, 2006–2008.

Reviewer, American Journal of Education, Teachers College Record, Educational Policy, Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, Sociology of Education. Brookings Institution Press, American Educational Research Association (AERA) annual conference, Divisions A and L, 1993–2018.

Member, Title I Mathematics Steering Committee, U.S. Department of Education, 2004.

Invited Address, U.S. Secretary of Education's Summit on Mathematics, "Trends in Math Achievement: The Importance of Basic Skills," Washington, D.C., February, 2003.

Faculty Affiliate, A. Alfred Taubman Center for State and Local Government, Malcom Wiener Center for Social Policy, Program on Education Policy and Governance at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 1992–2002.

Chair, MPP Admissions Committee of the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 1995–1999. Vice-chair, 1994–95.

Section Chair, Education Policy, Policymaking, and Politics, Division L, Year 2000 AERA Annual Meeting Program.

Advisory Board, Boston Collegiate Charter School, Boston, MA, 1998–2011.

Advisory Board, Equity 2000 Project, The College Board, New York, NY, 1997–99

Reviewer, Proposed Voluntary National Test in Mathematics, National Assessment Governing Board, U.S.Department of Education, 1998.

Member of Harvard University team of consultants for the U. S. Department of Education April–May, 1993.

Professional Awards

National Academy of Education Spencer Post-Doctoral Fellow, 1995–1997. Awarded to promising young scholars in the field of education.

Susan Colver Rosenberger Prize for constructive and original research at the dissertation level, Department of Education, University of Chicago, 1994. Awarded to most outstanding dissertation accepted in the department from 1991–1994.

Helen B. Walberg Prize for Scholarly Distinction, Department of Education, University of Chicago, 1991. Awarded annually to the department's most promising graduate student.

Fellowship, University of Chicago, 1988–1992.

Selected as Mentor Teacher, San Juan Unified School District (selection committee of teachers and administrators) for 1984, 1985–1986, and 1987–1988 terms.

Most Influential Teacher, named by students receiving the San Juan Unified School District's Scholars Award (graduating seniors who are National Merit Scholars or who possess the highest GPAs select the teacher most influential in their school careers), 1988, 1989, 1990.

Outstanding Teaching Award, American Association of University Women, Sacramento Branch, 1986.

Pre-service Award as California's most promising young educator in the social sciences, California Council for the Social Studies, 1979.

Books

Loveless, T. (2021). Between the State and the Schoolhouse: Understanding the Failure of Common Core.(Cambridge: Harvard Education Press).

Mullis, I.V.S.; Martin, M.O.; and Loveless, T. (2016). 20 Years of TIMSS: International Trends in Mathematics and Science Achievement, Curriculum, and Instruction (Boston: International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement).

Loveless, T. (2012). The 2000-2010 Brown Center Reports on American Education: The Complete Set of Volumes I and II. (Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press.)

Loveless, T. (Ed., 2007). Lessons Learned: What International Assessments Tell Us About Math Achievement. (Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press).

Loveless T. and Hess, F. (Eds., 2007) The 2006/2007 Brookings Papers on Education Policy (Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press).

Betts, J. and Loveless, T. (Eds., 2005). Getting Choice Right: Ensuring Equity and Efficiency in Education Policy. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press.

Hallinan, M., Gamoran, A., Kubitscheck, W., and Loveless, T. (Eds., 2003). Stability and Change in American Education: Structure, Process, and Outcomes. ClintonCorners, NY: Eliot Werner Publications.

Loveless, T. and Chubb, J. (Eds., 2002). Bridging the Achievement Gap. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press.

Loveless, T. (Ed., 2001). The Great Curriculum Debate: How Should We Teach Readingand Math? Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press.

Loveless, T. (Ed., 2000). Conflicting Missions?: Teachers Unions and Educational Reform. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press.

Loveless, T. (1999). The Tracking Wars: State Reform Meets School Policy. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press.

Articles and Papers

Loveless, T. (2013). “The Algebra Imperative: Assessing Algebra in a National and International Context,” Brookings Institution, Washington, DC.

Loveless, T. (2012). “The Common Core Initiative: What Are the Chances of Success?” Educational Leadership, December 2012/January 2013, pp. 60-63.

Kelly, A.P. and Loveless, T. (2012). “Comparing New School Effects in Charter and Traditional Public Schools.” American Journal of Education, 118, 4 (August), 427-453.

Loveless, T. (2010). “Education and the American Family in 2030,” available at http://www.hoover.org/taskforces/taskforces/education/AE2030.

Loveless, T. (2009). “Tracking and Detracking: High Achievers in Massachusetts Middle Schools.” Thomas B. Fordham Institute.

Loveless, T., Kelly, A., and Henriques, A. (2005) "What Happens When Regular Public Schools Convert to Charter Schools?" Presented at the Entrepreneurship in Education Conference, University of California, Los Angeles, June 9, 2005.

Loveless, T. and Coughlan, J. (2004). “The Arithmetic Gap,” Educational Leadership, 61, 5 (February) pp. 55-59.

Loveless, T. (2004). "Computation Skills, Calculators, and Achievement Gaps: An Analysis of NAEP Items." Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, April 12-16, 2004, San Diego, CA.

Loveless, T. (2003). “Trends In Math Achievement: The Importance of Basic Skills,” Brookings Review, pp. 40-43.

Loveless, T. and DiPerna, P. (2001). "The Academic Achievement of Blue Ribbon Schools," Education Matters. (Summer), pp. 30-34.

Loveless, T. and Ravitch, D. (2000). "Broken Promises: What the Government Can Do to Improve American Education," Brookings Review, (Spring), pp. 18-21.

Loveless, T. (1999). “The Parent Trap,” The Wilson Quarterly, 23, 4 (Autumn), pp. 36-43.

Loveless, T. (1999). “Principles for Future Policy: The Tracking and Ability Grouping Debate,” Educational Horizons, 77, 3 (Spring), pp. 148-150.

Loveless, T. (1999). “Will Tracking Reform Promote Social Equity?”, Educational Leadership, 56, 7 (April), pp. 28-32.

Loveless, T. (1998). "Uneasy Allies: The Evolving Relationship of School and State,” Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 20, 1 (Spring), pp. 1-8.

Loveless T. and Jasin, C. (1998). "Starting from Scratch: Organizational and Political Obstacles Facing Charter Schools," Educational Administration Quarterly, 34, 1 (February), pp. 9-30 . Available in the John F. Kennedy School of Government Faculty Working Paper Series, R96-09.

Loveless, T. (1997). "The Structure of Public Confidence in Education," American Journal of Education, 105, 2 (February), pp. 127-159. Available in the John F. Kennedy School of Government Faculty Working Paper Series, R95-27.

Loveless, T. (1996). "Why Aren't Computers Used More in Schools?" Educational Policy, 10, 4 (December), pp. 448-467. Available in the John F. Kennedy School of Government Faculty Working Paper Series, R96-03.

Loveless, T. (1993). "Organizational Coupling and the Implementation of Tracking Reform," Administrator's Notebook, 35, 8, pp. 1-6.

Monographs

Loveless T. (2017). The 2017 Brown Center Report on American Education. With sections on the latest international test scores, foreign exchange students, and school suspensions.

Loveless T. (2016). The 2016 Brown Center Report on American Education. With sections on reading and math in the Common Core Era, tracking and advanced placement (AP), and principals as instructional leaders.

Loveless T. (2015). The 2015 Brown Center Report on American Education. With sections on the gender gap in reading, effects of the Common Core, and student engagement.

Loveless T. (2014). The 2014 Brown Center Report on American Education. With sections on the PISA-Shanghai Controversy, Homework, and the Common Core.

Loveless, T. (2013). The 2013 Brown Center Report on American Education. With sections on the latest international tests, tracking and ability grouping, and advanced math in 8^th grade.

Loveless, T. (2012). The 2012 Brown Center Report on American Education. With sections on predicting the effect of the Common Core State Standards, achievement gaps on the two NAEP tests, and misinterpreting international test scores.

Loveless, T. (2011). Recommendations for Improving the NAEP Math Assessment, Paper for the Koret Task Force, Hoover Institution.

Loveless, T. (2010). The 2010 Brown Center Report on American Education. With sections on International Tests, Who’s Winning the Real Race to the Top, and NAEP and the Common Core Standards.

Loveless, T. (2009). The 2009 Brown Center Report on American Education. With sections on NAEP trends, the persistence of school test scores, and conversion charter schools.

Loveless, T. (2008). The 2008 Brown Center Report on American Education. With special sections on international assessments, the misplaced math student, and urban schools. The Brookings Institution.

Loveless, T. (2008). High Achieving Students in the Era of NCLB. Thomas B. Fordham Institute. Part 1. Part 2 is by Steve Farkas and Anne Duffett.

Loveless, T. (2007). The 2007 Brown Center Report on American Education. With special sections on the nation’s achievement, the mysteries of private school enrollment, and the impact of time on learning. The Brookings Institution.

Loveless, T. (2006). The 2006 Brown Center Report on American Education. With special sections on the nation’s achievement, the happiness factor in learning, and honesty in state test scores. The Brookings Institution.

Loveless, T. (2004). The Brown Center Report on American Education: How Well Are American Students Learning? With studies of NAEP math items, middle school math teachers, and the revamped Blue Ribbon Schools awards. The Brookings Institution.

Loveless, T. (2003). The Brown Center Report on American Education: How Well Are American Students Learning? With special sections on homework, charter schools, and rural school achievement. The Brookings Institution.

Loveless, T. (2002). The Brown Center Report on American Education: How Well Are American Students Learning? With special sections on arithmetic, high school culture, and charter schools. The Brookings Institution.

Loveless, T. (2001). The Brown CenterReport on American Education: How Well Are American Students Learning? With special sections on high school culture and urban school achievement. The Brookings Institution.

Loveless, T. (2000). The Brown Center Report on American Education: How Well Are American Students Learning? Focus on Math Achievement. The Brookings Institution.

Loveless, T. (1998). “The Tracking and Ability Grouping Debate,” Fordham Report, 2, 8 (August), pp. 1-27.

Chapters in Edited Volumes

Loveless, T. (2018). "Why Standards Produce Weak Reform," in Bush-Obama School Reform: Lessons Learned (Hess, F.M. and McShane, M.Q., eds.) Harvard Education Press.

Loveless, T. (2016). “Tracking in Middle School,” in Education for Upward Mobility (Petrilli, M.J. ed.) New York: Rowman & Littlefield.

Loveless, T. (2014). “Strengthening the Curriculum,” in What Lies Ahead for America’s Children and Their Schools (Finn, C.E. and Sousa, R., eds.) Hoover Institution Press

Loveless, T. and Field, K. (2009). “Perspectives on Charter Schools,” in The Handbook of Research on School Choice (Berends, M., Springer, M., Ballou, D. and Walberg, H. eds.). LawrenceErlbaum Associates.

Loveless, T. (2007). “The Peculiar Politics of No Child Left Behind,” in Standards-Based Reform and the Poverty Gap: Lessons for “No Child Left Behind” (Gamoran, A., ed.). Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press.

Hess, F. M. and Loveless, T. (2005). “How School Choice Affects Student Achievement,” in Getting Choice Right: Ensuring Equity and Efficiency in Education Policy, J. Betts and T. Loveless (eds.). Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press.

Loveless, T. (2005). “Test-Based Accountability: The Promise and the Perils.” in Brookings Papers on Education Policy, D. Ravitch (ed.). Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press.

Loveless, T. (2005). "How Program Officers at Education Philanthropies View Education," With The Best of Intentions: How Philanthropy is Reshaping K-12 Education, F. Hess (ed.). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Gamoran, A. and Loveless, T. (2003). “Robert Dreeben’s Contributions to the Sociology of Education.” in Stability and Change in American Education: Structure, Processes and Outcomes, M. T. Hallinan, A. Gamoran, W. Kubitschek, and T. Loveless (eds.). ClintonCorners, NY: Eliot Werner Publications.

Loveless, T. (2003). “The Regulation of Teachers and Teaching,” in Stability and Change in American Education: Structure, Processes and Outcomes, M. T. Hallinan, A. Gamoran, W. Kubitschek, and T. Loveless (eds.). ClintonCorners, NY: Eliot Werner Publications.

Loveless, T. (2003). “Charter School Accountability and Achievement,” in Leave No Child Behind: The Politics and Practice of School Accountability, P. Peterson and M. West, (eds.). Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press.

Loveless, T. (2001). “A Tale of Two Math Reforms: The Politics of the New Math and the NCTM Standards,” in The Great Curriculum Debate: How Should We Teach Readingand Math? T. Loveless, (ed.). Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press, pp. 184-209.

Loveless, T. (1998). "The Use and Misuse of Research in Educational Reform" in Brookings Papers on Education Policy, 1998 (D. Ravitch, ed.), pp. 279-318. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press.

Loveless, T. (1995). "Parents, Professionals, and the Politics of Tracking Policy," in Advances in Educational Policy, volume 1 (K. Wong, ed.), pp. 187-212. New York: JAI Press Inc. Available in the John F. Kennedy School of Government Faculty Working Paper Series, R95-16.

Loveless, T. (1994). "The Influence of Subject Areas on Middle School Tracking Policies," in Research in Sociology of Education and Socialization (A. Pallas, ed.), pp. 147-175. New York: JAI Press Inc. Available in the John F. Kennedy School of Government Faculty Working Paper Series, R94-19.

Wong, K. K. and Loveless, T. (1991). "The Politics of Textbook Policy in The United States: Proposing a Framework," in Textbooks in American Education: Politics, Policy, and Pedagogy (P. Altbach, ed.), SUNY Press: pp. 27-41.