David N. Plank

David N. Plank began work as Executive Director of PACE on January 1, 2007. 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 US, 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 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.

He may be reached at dnplank@berkeley.edu
(510) 642-4953