Examining Best Practices in Regulatory Interventions, Addressing Air Pollution Around the World, Batten Students' Experience on Capitol Hill Sheds, Light on Realities of Policymaking, Who Actually Gets Things Done in Congress?

Sarah Turner is a University Professor of economics, education and public policy at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and the Souder Family Endowed Professor. Much of her research focuses on post-secondary education, where she explores the intersection of education and economics policies.

Jim Wyckoff is a professor emeritus of education and public policy at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and the Memorial Professor of Education and Policy. Wyckoff focuses on issues of teacher labor markets, teacher preparation, recruitment, assessment and retention. His current research examines how teacher assessment and evaluation systems influence the quality of teaching, especially in traditionally low performing classrooms. 

Lucy Bassett is a professor of practice in public policy at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia.  Bassett is an expert in children, caregivers, and communities in humanitarian and development contexts. Over her 15 year career, Bassett has worked with governments in low- and middle-income countries to expand access to quality education, nutrition and social protection services, particularly for poor and marginalized children and families.

Learn more about Batten partnership with The Curry School to develop the Center on Education Policy and Workforce Competitiveness. This issue also considers Professor Christopher Ruhm’s health policy research and the politics of evidence-based medicine, according to Professor Eric Patashnik.

The Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy welcomed four new professors to its distinguished faculty for the 2019-20 academic year. The Batten School considers not only academic rigor, but also real-world experience, political impact, teaching, and mentoring when recruiting faculty members.

In this issue: Dean Stam writes about how Batten students, faculty and staff are building a society where democracy can thrive, a new partnership between the Batten School and the UVA Center for Politics focuses on citizen engagement, how Batten students and alumni discover the transformational power of state government, and a Batten alum reflects on what led her to a career in the humanitarian sector.

In this issue, discover Batten’s four Behavioral Labs, three-day humanitarian crisis simulations to teach students to be “thoughtful optimists,” and how two Master of Public Policy students spent their summers interning with Richmond Public Schools.