Douglas N. Harris

Douglas N. Harris is professor and chair of the Department of Economics and the Schlieder Foundation Chair in Public Education at Tulane University. He is also the founding Director of the Education Research Alliance for New Orleans, founding Director of the National Center for Research on Education Access and Choice (REACH), and a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. 

A key goal of his work is using rigorous research and analysis to inform the thinking of policymakers. He is author of the recent book, “Charter School City: What the End of Traditional Public Schools Means for American Education” (University of Chicago Press, 2020). His first book, "Value-Added Measures in Education" (Harvard Education Press, 2011) was nominated for the national Grawemeyer prize in education. 

Doug has also contributed directly to policy conversations. He worked on President Obama's transition team on how the federal government should measure school performance and advised the White House on college performance measures and community colleges. He also testified in the U.S. Senate about the TRIO college access programs and has advised governors of seven states. On a more local level, he is also a former school board member.

His work is widely cited not only by other researchers, but local and national media. Reflecting his interest in policy and practice, CNN, MSNBC, NPR, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, National Journal, and others have cited his work. 

As chair of the Department of Economics at Tulane, Doug is also working to push the economics profession forward on issues of racial and ethnic diversity and inclusion, openness to interdisciplinary collaboration, and developing the next generation of applied economists studying public policy. 

Prior to coming to Tulane, Doug was an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin at Madison and assistant professor at Florida State University. He is a husband and father of two wonderful daughters.