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The 2020 RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings

By Rick Hess — January 08, 2020 3 min read
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CORRECTED
Today, we unveil the 2020 RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings, ranking the university-based scholars in the U.S. who did the most last year to shape educational practice and policy. Simply being included in this list of 200 scholars is an accomplishment, given the 20,000 or more who might qualify. The list includes the top finishers from last year, augmented by “at-large” nominees chosen by the 29-member selection committee (see for a list of committee members, an explanation of the selection process, and all the salacious methodological details).

Without further ado, here are the 2020 rankings (scroll through the chart to see all names and scores). Please note that all university affiliations reflect a scholar’s institution as of December 2019.

The 2020 RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings


RankingNameAffiliationGoogle ScholarBook PointsHighest AmazonSyllabus PointsNewspaper MentionsEducation PressWeb MentionsCongressional RecordTwitterTotalTwitter Handle
1 Carol Dweck Stanford 50 4 20 10 27 27 25 0 0 163
2 Linda Darling-Hammond Stanford 50 20 16 9 16 20 25 0 6.5 162.5 LDH_ed
3 Howard Gardner Harvard 50 20 16.4 10 10 7 25 0 5.6 144 DrHowardGardner
4 Jo Boaler Stanford 45 20 19.6 10 4 12 25 0 7.3 142.9 joboaler
5 Raj Chetty Harvard 49 0.5 0 2.3 30 28 25 5 0 139.8
6 Diane Ravitch NYU 48 20 14.9 10 5 10 23.9 0 7.8 139.6 DianeRavitch
7 Pedro Noguera UCLA 43 10 9.8 2.6 30 12 22 0 6.4 135.8 PedroANoguera
8 Gloria Ladson-Billings U. Wisconsin-Madison 50 19 15.4 10 4 18 12.9 0 5.1 134.4 gjladson
9 Sara Goldrick-Rab Temple 30 3 12.6 0.3 30 24 25 0 7.8 132.7 saragoldrickrab
10 Angela Duckworth U. Penn 50 2 19.9 3.1 21 5 25 0 6.4 132.4 angeladuckw
11 Richard Rothstein UC Berkeley 40 13 19.9 3.9 24 1 25 0 0 126.8
12 Carol A. Tomlinson U. Virginia 50 20 18.2 10 0 14 4.8 0 3.4 120.4 cat3y
13 Eric (Rick) A. Hanushek Stanford 50 13.5 0 5.2 10 14 25 0 1 118.7 EricHanushek
14 Daniel Willingham U. Virginia 50 11 17.3 8.6 7 8 8.8 0 6.9 117.6 DTWillingham
15 Gary Orfield UCLA 50 20 0 1.7 17 0 17.2 0 4.2 110 orfieldtweet
16 Sam Wineburg Stanford 48 6 17.6 10 9 5 7.8 0 5.9 109.3 samwineburg
17 Andy Hargreaves Boston College 50 18.5 9.3 4.4 0 4 16 0 6.2 108.3 HargreavesBC
18 (tie) Robert E. Slavin Johns Hopkins 50 20 10 10 3 1 8.4 0 4.3 106.7 RobertSlavin
18 (tie) David L. Kirp UC Berkeley 34 19.5 14.1 1.9 19 2 12.5 0 3.7 106.7 DavidKirp
20 Yong Zhao U. Kansas 50 20 12.3 1.8 0 5 8.4 0 5.8 103.4 YongZhaoEd
21 Claude Steele Stanford 50 2 18.7 9.2 9 2 11.7 0 0.1 102.8 cmasonsteele
22 Shaun R. Harper USC 50 8 7.5 4 5 12 10.9 0 5.2 102.7 DrShaunHarper
23 Larry Cuban Stanford 50 20 12.5 4.7 0 6 4.7 0 4 102 CubanLarry
24 Marc Lamont Hill Temple 16 9 10.7 0.5 30 1 25 0 9 101.2 marclamonthill
25 Rich Milner Vanderbilt 48 8 15.8 1.4 3 14 4.2 0 5.7 100.1 MilnerHRich
26 Josh Angrist MIT 50 1 17.9 1.6 1 0 23.8 0 4.6 99.9 metrics52
27 Nel Noddings Stanford 50 20 7.4 10 1 0 8.8 0 0 97.2
28 William (Bill) G. Tierney USC 50 20 0 0.9 13 2 9.3 0 1.8 96.9 TierneyBill
29 David C. Berliner Arizona State 50 11.5 9.3 4.3 2 6 12.1 0 0.9 96.2 DavidCBerliner
30 Bruce D. Baker Rutgers 36 6 0 0.4 26 4 16.5 0 6.9 95.8 SchlFinance101
31 Rob Reich Stanford 24 6 16.9 0.4 23 1 18.3 0 6 95.7 robreich
32 Terry M. Moe Stanford 50 15 9.3 8.8 3 2 7.2 0 0 95.3
33 Paul E. Peterson Harvard 50 20 0 6.2 4 2 12.1 0 0.5 94.8 Paul_E_Peterson
34 Robert Kelchen Seton Hall 14 2 0 0 30 30 11.9 0 6.2 94.1 rkelchen
35 Robert (Bob) C. Pianta U. Virginia 50 9.5 4.1 6.5 3 0 20.6 0 0.1 93.9 bobpianta
36 Richard (Dick) Elmore Harvard 50 17.5 12.4 2.9 0 8 2.8 0 0.1 93.7 RichardElmore3
37 Henry (Hank) Levin Columbia (TC) 50 20 10.1 2.6 1 0 4.3 5 0 93
38 Catherine Snow Harvard 50 20 0 9.4 5 0 8.5 0 0 92.9
39 Richard (Dick) J. Murnane Harvard 50 6.5 15 3.3 0 2 9.8 5 0 91.6
40 Caroline M. Hoxby Stanford 50 0 0 2.7 16 9 12.8 0 0 90.5
41 Greg J. Duncan UC Irvine 50 7 6 3.3 5 0 16.5 0 0 87.8
42 Sarah E. Turner U. Virginia 36 1.5 0 0.2 9 13 25 0 1.1 85.8 turnersarahe
43 Jeannie Oakes UCLA 50 10.5 9.1 8.6 0 2 4.6 0 0.8 85.6 Jeannie_Oakes
44 Gene V. Glass Arizona State 50 14.5 1.5 4.4 0 2 10.5 0 2.2 85.1 GeneVGlass
45 Bruce Fuller UC Berkeley 50 14.5 0 1 9 2 7.9 0 0 84.4
46 Jack P. Shonkoff Harvard 43 1.5 0 6.6 7 1 24.2 0 0 83.3
47 Sean F. Reardon Stanford 50 0.5 0 0.3 15 8 7.8 0 0.6 82.1 seanfreardon
48 (tie) Patrick J. Wolf U. Arkansas 38 1.5 0 0.6 9 2 25 0 5.6 81.7 P_Diddy_Wolf
48 (tie) Nell K. Duke U. Michigan 35 12 14.5 2.1 2 2 7.9 0 6.2 81.7 nellkduke
50 W. Steven Barnett Rutgers 50 6 0 1.7 9 2 12.6 0 0.1 81.4 wstevenbarnett
51 Marybeth Gasman Rutgers 40 20 0 0.8 3 3 7 0 7.2 81 marybethgasman
52 William (Bill) F. Tate Washington U. 28 3.5 0 0.4 30 6 7.8 0 4.7 80.4 WFTate4
53 Tyrone Howard UCLA 33 7.5 11.3 1.7 11 2 8.4 0 5.4 80.3 TyroneCHoward
54 Mike Rose UCLA 28 13 12.5 10 0 0 16.6 0 0 80.1
55 Tressie McMillan Cottom VCU 8 7 19.4 0 14 16 7 0 8.3 79.8 tressiemcphd
56 Richard M. Ingersoll U. Penn 50 2 0 0.7 12 8 6.8 0 0 79.5
57 Marcelo Suarez-Orozco UCLA 44 14 4.5 1 2 0 10.6 0 3.3 79.4 uclagseis_dean
58 Martin Carnoy Stanford 50 20 0 2.7 0 0 6.6 0 0 79.3
59 Michael Kirst Stanford 50 13 0 1.5 6 4 2.5 0 2.1 79.1 Michael_Kirst
60 John Rogers UCLA 18 0 0 0.5 28 6 25 0 0 77.5
61 Richard Arum UC Irvine 31 11.5 8 4.1 5 8 9.2 0 0 76.9
62 Jonathan Plucker Johns Hopkins 50 6.5 0 2 5 2 4.6 0 6.1 76.2 JonathanPlucker
63 Jonathan Zimmerman U. Penn 12 13 0 1.8 30 9 9.5 0 0 75.3
64 Daniel Koretz Harvard 41 8 10.8 2.6 8 3 1.7 0 0.1 75.2 DanKoretz
65 Christopher Lubienski Indiana 43 3.5 6.2 0.3 2 0 13.7 0 6 74.7 CLub_edu
66 Joseph Murphy Vanderbilt 50 20 0 0.8 0 0 3.5 0 0 74.3
67 Patricia Gandara UCLA 50 5.5 0 1.4 10 0 6.9 0 0.1 73.9 pcgandara
68 Larry V. Hedges Northwestern 50 1.5 6.2 1.7 0 8 6.1 0 0 73.5
69 (tie) Helen (Sunny) F. Ladd Duke 50 11.5 0 2.8 2 0 7.1 0 0.1 73.4 sunnyladd
69 (tie) James L. Moore III Ohio State 35 2.5 0 0.1 5 0 25 0 5.8 73.4 DrJLMooreIII
69 (tie) Susan M. Dynarski U. Michigan 33 0 0 2 9 7 10.8 5 6.6 73.4 dynarski
72 Joshua Aronson NYU 39 4 16.4 5.9 0 0 3.7 0 4.1 73.1 Nurtureofintell
73 (tie) Jal Mehta Harvard 22 4.5 18.2 1.2 8 8 5.7 0 5.1 72.8 jal_mehta
73 (tie) Christopher Emdin Columbia (TC) 18 7 19.5 0.1 4 8 8.8 0 7.4 72.8 chrisemdin
73 (tie) Jay P. Greene U. Arkansas 44 4.5 0 0.3 1 10 7.5 0 5.5 72.8 jaypgreene
76 (tie) Dan Goldhaber U. Washington 50 0.5 0 0.4 2 8 7.1 0 4.7 72.7 CEDR_US
76 (tie) Jesse Rothstein UC Berkeley 31 0 0 2.7 9 0 25 5 0 72.7
78 (tie) Stephen W. Raudenbush U. Chicago 50 4 0.6 10 0 0 8 0 0 72.5
78 (tie) Marilyn Cochran-Smith Boston College 50 9.5 0 3.3 0 0 9.6 0 0 72.5
80 (tie) H. Samy Alim UCLA 32 6.5 12.7 1 2 4 8.4 0 5.6 72.1 HSamyAlim
80 (tie) Gary T. Henry U. Delaware 40 7.5 15.8 4.4 0 2 2.2 0 0.1 72.1 gthenry4
82 Jacob L. Vigdor U. Washington 45 2 0 2.9 8 1 7.7 0 5.4 72 JakeVigdor
83 Thomas S. Dee Stanford 47 0 0 1.4 9 4 6.4 0 4 71.7 Thomas_S_Dee
84 Estela Mara Bensimon USC 33 8.5 13.2 0.4 4 2 4.8 0 5.5 71.4 ebensimon
85 (tie) Charles T. Clotfelter Duke 50 8.5 0 1.4 3 4 3.8 0 0.1 70.9 CTClotfelter
85 (tie) Jeffrey R. Henig Columbia (TC) 41 14.5 0 0.8 0 8 3.2 0 3.4 70.9 J_Henig
87 Erica Frankenberg Penn State 33 3 0 0.4 16 6 6.7 0 5.6 70.7 e_frankenberg
88 Hirokazu Yoshikawa NYU 50 5.5 0 5.1 1 0 6 0 2.9 70.6 HiroYoshikawaNY
89 James P. Comer Yale 39 20 0 1.8 6 0 3.7 0 0.1 70.5 drjamescomer
90 Ken Zeichner U. Washington 50 9 0 2.9 2 0 2.7 0 3.8 70.3 zeichnerkm
91 David Figlio Northwestern 48 0 0 0.7 2 10 9.4 0 0 70.2
92 James P. Spillane Northwestern 50 8.5 0 2.4 0 0 5.3 0 4 70.1 jamespspillane
93 Donna Ford Ohio State 50 8.5 0.9 2 0 2 2.6 0 4 70 donnayford
94 Thomas Kane Harvard 50 2.5 0 1.3 2 6 8 0 0 69.8
95 Megan Franke UCLA 40 2.5 15.9 0.5 0 0 3.5 0 5.4 67.8 meganlfranke
96 Laura W. Perna U. Penn 50 5 0 0.6 0 2 5.1 0 5 67.7 lauraperna1
97 Deborah Loewenberg Ball U. Michigan 50 1 0 0.4 6 0 4.9 0 5.3 67.6 deborah_ball
98 (tie) Adam Gamoran U. Wisconsin-Madison 50 3 0 0.7 0 2 5.3 0 5.7 66.7 agamoran
98 (tie) Lynn Fuchs Vanderbilt 50 1.5 8.2 3.3 1 0 2.6 0 0 66.7
100 Martin (Marty) West Harvard 37 2 0 1.6 3 0 17.8 0 5.2 66.5 ProfMartyWest
101 Kevin G. Welner CU Boulder 30 8.5 0 2.3 6 0 19.5 0 0 66.3
102 Louis Gomez UCLA 43 1.5 16.8 0.3 0 0 3.3 0 0 64.9
103 William Penuel CU Boulder 50 2.5 4 0.5 0 0 1.9 0 5.5 64.4 bpenuel
104 (tie) Barbara Schneider Michigan State 48 9.5 0 0.2 0 0 6.5 0 0 64.2
104 (tie) Angela Valenzuela UT Austin 22 4.5 9.7 10 0 4 9.2 0 4.8 64.2 vlnzl
104 (tie) Jeanne Brooks-Gunn Columbia (TC) 50 6 0 3.7 0 0 4.5 0 0 64.2
107 Sylvia Hurtado UCLA 50 3.5 0 1.2 1 0 7.6 0 0 63.3
108 Nonie K. Lesaux Harvard 42 10 0 0.8 0 6 2 0 2.4 63.2 NonieLesaux
109 Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot Harvard 21 17 12.8 2.3 5 0 4.4 0 0 62.5
110 David S. Yeager UT Austin 33 0.5 8.9 0.2 0 6 13.4 0 0 62
111 (tie) Susanna Loeb Brown 50 1.5 0 1 1 2 5.7 0 0.7 61.9 SusannaLoeb
111 (tie) Amy Stuart Wells Columbia (TC) 42 8.5 0 0.5 1 4 5.8 0 0 61.9
113 (tie) Aaron M. Pallas Columbia (TC) 37 1.5 8 0 4 0 5.7 0 5.3 61.5 AMPallas
113 (tie) Jason A. Grissom Vanderbilt 32 1 0 0.3 7 10 6.3 0 4.9 61.5 JasonAGrissom
115 Bridget Terry Long Harvard 39 0 0 0.6 5 2 9.7 0 5.1 61.4 bterrylong
116 Douglas N. Harris Tulane 35 2 0 0.3 5 3 10.5 0 5.1 60.9 douglasharris99
117 Carola Suarez-Orozco UCLA 45 3.5 4.5 1 0 0 6.5 0 0 60.5
118 Thomas Bailey Columbia (TC) 18 8 6.7 0.3 0 2 25 0 0.1 60.1 BaileyCCRC
119 Ellen Goldring Vanderbilt 50 5.5 0 0.2 0 2 2.1 0 0 59.8
120 Okhee Lee NYU 50 2.5 0 0.7 0 2 4.3 0 0.2 59.7 LeeOl16
121 Kris D. Gutierrez UC Berkeley 49 1 0 0.7 1 0 2 0 5.8 59.5 krisgu
122 (tie) Ernest Morrell Notre Dame 35 12.5 0 1.6 1 0 3.8 0 5.3 59.2 ernestmorrell
122 (tie) Donald E. Heller U. San Francisco 33 4.5 0 1.6 5 4 5.3 0 5.7 59.2 Donald_E_Heller
124 Stephanie M. Jones Harvard 37 2 0 3 1 10 5.9 0 0 59
125 (tie) Ronald Ferguson Harvard 28 3.5 13.1 4.6 6 0 3.4 0 0 58.6
125 (tie) Margaret (Maggie) Grogan Chapman 33 5 8.5 0.7 1 0 4 0 6.4 58.6 edlead
125 (tie) William Schmidt Michigan State 45 7.5 0 0.2 1 2 2.7 0 0.2 58.6 bschmidt_msu
125 (tie) Camilla P. Benbow Vanderbilt 50 1 0 0.2 0 0 7.4 0 0 58.6
129 David F. Labaree Stanford 33 15.5 0 1.1 0 1 4.2 0 3.6 58.5 DLabaree
130 Rucker Johnson UC Berkeley 19 2 6.3 0.4 11 4 10.6 0 5 58.2 ProfRucker
131 Howard C. Stevenson U. Penn 36 4 0 0.4 4 0 8.9 0 4.8 58.1 DrHoward_RECAST
132 Eva Baker UCLA 47 6.5 0 0 1 0 3.2 0 0 57.8
133 Carolyn Heinrich Vanderbilt 42 2 0 0.7 2 2 3.8 0 5.1 57.7 CJ_Heinrich
134 Brian A. Jacob U. Michigan 45 0 0 2.1 2 0 8.4 0 0.1 57.6 BrianJacobProf
135 Roberto G. Gonzales Harvard 24 4 9.5 2.4 2 0 9.4 0 5.9 57.2 RGGonzales1
136 Roland G. Fryer Jr. Harvard 41 0 0 1 8 0 6.7 0 0 56.6
137 Alfredo Artiles Arizona State 50 4 0 0.1 0 0 1.9 0 0.1 56.2 artilesaj
138 David K. Cohen U. Michigan 43 7 0 1 0 2 2.1 0 0 55.1
139 Sandra E. Black Columbia (Economics) 35 0 0 0.6 0 1 7 5 6.1 54.7 Econ_Sandy
140 Anthony Jack Harvard 6 2 19 0.1 7 5 9.1 0 5.8 53.9 tony_jack
141 Josipa Roksa U. Virginia 31 1.5 6.7 4.1 0 6 4.2 0 0 53.5
142 Charles M. Payne Rutgers 18 8 11.5 10 2 2 1.9 0 0 53.4
143 Janelle Scott UC Berkeley 25 1 4.2 0.4 3 0 14.2 0 5.5 53.3 janelletscott
144 (tie) Mica Pollock UC San Diego 14 7 15.3 3.9 2 4 2 0 4.7 52.9 micapollock
144 (tie) Ivory Toldson Howard 21 4 10.2 0.2 2 3 7.7 0 4.8 52.9 toldson
146 Julian Vasquez Heilig U. Kentucky 21 0 0 0.7 6 5 12.5 0 6.3 51.5 ProfessorJVH
147 Cecilia Elena Rouse Princeton 35 0.5 0 0.5 6 1 7.9 0 0 50.9
148 Morgan Polikoff USC 23 0 0 0.2 7 7 7.3 0 6.3 50.8 mpolikoff
149 Carol D. Lee Northwestern 40 2.5 0 1.2 0 0 7 0 0 50.6
150 (tie) Margaret Beale Spencer U. Chicago 45 0.5 0 0.5 0 0 4.1 0 0 50.1
150 (tie) Pam Grossman U. Penn 34 1 0 0.6 1 2 8.5 0 2.9 50.1 PamPennGSE
152 Peter Arcidiacono Duke 31 0 0 4.4 4 2 7 0 0 48.4
153 Benjamin L. Castleman U. Virginia 21 3.5 1.9 0.1 4 3 8.5 0 6.2 48.2 BenCastleman
154 Heather C. Hill Harvard 41 0.5 0 0.5 1 0 5 0 0 48.1
155 Michael A. Rebell Columbia (TC) 24 8.5 0 0.4 5 2 7.8 0 0 47.7
156 Django Paris U. Washington 16 3.5 13.3 1 0 4 3.2 0 6.6 47.6 django_paris
157 David J. Deming Harvard 20 0 0 0.4 10 2 9.5 0 5.1 47 ProfDavidDeming
158 James Wyckoff U. Virginia 39 0 0 0.8 1 2 3 0 0 45.8
159 Jack Schneider U. Massachusetts Lowell 11 6 0 0.2 10 7 4.4 0 6 44.6 Edu_Historian
160 Judith Scott-Clayton Columbia (TC) 25 0 0 0.4 5 2 6 0 5.9 44.3 jscottclayton
161 Joshua S. Goodman Brandeis 18 0 0 0.1 8 6 5.3 0 6.7 44 JoshuaSGoodman
162 Michael Podgursky U. Missouri 38 2.5 0 0.5 1 0 1.2 0 0.1 43.2 podgurskym
163 Prudence Carter UC Berkeley 20 4.5 1.1 3 1 0 7.1 0 6.3 43 prudencelcarter
164 Andrew Ho Harvard 31 0 0 0 1 0 4.9 0 5.9 42.9 AndrewDeanHo
165 Katharine O. Strunk Michigan State 19 0 0 0 7 6 4.4 0 6.1 42.6 KatharineStrunk
166 Tim Sass Georgia State 39 0 0 0.2 2 0 1.1 0 0 42.3
167 (tie) Diane Schanzenbach Northwestern 31 0 0 0.5 0 2 3.1 0 5.5 42 dwschanz
167 (tie) Elaine Allensworth U. Chicago 34 1 0 0.6 2 0 2.6 0 1.8 42 E_Allensworth
169 Mark Berends Notre Dame 34 2.5 0 0.3 0 0 2.6 0 2.4 41.8 berendma
170 Jonah Rockoff Columbia (Business) 32 0 0 1.1 2 2 4.5 0 0 41.6
171 Ron Zimmer U. Kentucky 36 1 0 0.2 0 2 2.2 0 0 41.4
172 (tie) Kirabo Jackson Northwestern 23 0 0 0.4 1 6 4.1 0 6.5 41 KiraboJackson
172 (tie) Josh Cowen Michigan State 22 0 0 0 4 4 5.5 0 5.5 41 joshcowenMSU
174 Eric Bettinger Stanford 28 0 0 1.6 4 0 7.2 0 0 40.8
175 Marcus A. Winters Boston U. 29 2 0 0.1 0 0 4.6 0 4.9 40.6 MarcusAWinters
176 Stacey Lee U. Wisconsin-Madison 24 5.5 0 0.4 0 0 10.5 0 0 40.4
177 Jerlando Jackson U. Wisconsin-Madison 25 2 0 0.1 5 1 1.8 0 4.8 39.7 DrJFLJackson
178 Matt Kraft Brown 24 0 0 0.2 2 4 3 0 5.6 38.8 MatthewAKraft
179 Cory Koedel U. Missouri 23 0.5 0 0.2 1 2 2.9 0 5.7 35.3 CoryKoedel
180 Lori Patton Davis Ohio State 26 0.5 0 0 0 0 1.6 0 5.4 33.5 LoriPattonDavis
181 Sarah Reckhow Michigan State 11 2.5 0 0.5 2 6 5.5 0 5.4 33 SReckhow
182 Vanessa Siddle Walker Emory 14 7 0 1 2 2 6.8 0 0 32.9
183 Maisha Winn UC Davis 12 6 8.5 0.7 0 0 5.4 0 0 32.6
184 Michael Lovenheim Cornell 24 1 0 0.2 0 2 4.3 0 0 31.5
185 Daphna Bassok U. Virginia 16 1 0 0.2 0 2 6.5 0 5.1 30.8 daphnabassok
186 Doug Webber Temple 14 0 0 0 3 6 1.3 0 6.3 30.6 dougwebberecon
187 Stella Flores NYU 19 0.5 0 0.2 0 1 1.8 0 5.7 28.2 ProfessorFlores
188 Vivian L. Gadsden U. Penn 22 1.5 0 0.2 0 0 3.5 0 0 27.2
189 John P. Papay Brown 22 0.5 0 0.1 2 0 2.2 0 0 26.8
190 Anna Egalite North Carolina State 16 0 0 0 3 0 2 0 5.5 26.5 annaegalite
191 Patrick McGuinn Drew 18 3 0 0.6 1 2 0.8 0 0 25.4
192 Jennifer Jennings Princeton 20 0 0 0.3 3 0 1.8 0 0 25.1
193 Michael Feuer George Washington 14 5 0 0 0 0 5.8 0 0.1 24.9 mjfeuer
194 Sarah Cohodes Columbia (TC) 13 0 0 0.1 0 2 3.3 0 5.3 23.6 SarahCohodes
195 Nora Gordon Georgetown 13 0 0 0.6 0 2 2.4 0 5.3 23.3 NoraEGordon
196 Jordan Matsudaira Columbia (TC) 11 0 0 0.3 0 0 1.4 5 5.3 23 jdmatsudaira
197 Eric Taylor Harvard 13 0 0 0.3 0 0 8.6 0 0.1 22.1 eric_s_taylor
198 Lesley Turner Vanderbilt 14 0 0 0.4 0 3 3.3 0 0 20.6
199 David Steiner Johns Hopkins 6 0 0 0.1 4 5 2.3 0 0 17.4
200 Ruth N. Lopez Turley Rice 9 0 0 0 0 0 0.8 0 3.4 13.2 RuthLTurley

The top scorers are all familiar names. Topping the rankings was Stanford University’s Carol Dweck, the doyenne of “growth mindset.” Also making the top five, in order, were Stanford’s Linda Darling-Hammond, Harvard University’s Howard Gardner, Stanford’s Jo Boaler, and Harvard’s Raj Chetty. Rounding out the top 10 were NYU’s Diane Ravitch, UCLA’s Pedro Noguera, University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Gloria Ladson-Billings, Temple’s Sara Goldrick-Rab, and U. Penn’s Angela Duckworth.

Washington University education dean William F. Tate made the biggest single leap from last year, climbing 110 spots to 52nd place. His rise was boosted by media speculation that he was in line to be hired as the next chancellor at the University of Tennessee or president of the University of South Carolina. Others making the biggest jumps from last year included the University of Virginia’s Sarah Turner, UC-Berkeley’s Jesse Rothstein, Penn State’s Erica Frankenberg, and UC-Berkeley’s David Kirp.

Stanford placed three scholars in the top five and five in the top 20. Harvard, the University of Virginia, UCLA, and UC-Berkeley also placed multiple scholars in the top 20. In terms of overall representation, Harvard led the way with 23 ranked scholars; Stanford was second, with 17; and UCLA was third, with 14. All told, 58 universities had at least one scholar make the cut.

When it comes to the best-selling books penned by the top 200 scholars, Dweck’s Mindset: The New Psychology of Success continues to top the charts—14 years after its initial publication. Other books that fared especially well were Angela Duckworth’s Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance (2016), Richard Rothstein’s The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America (2018), Jo Boaler’s Mindset Mathematics: Visualizing and Investigating Big Ideas (2015), and Christopher Emdin’s For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood (2016). Remarkably, these are the exact same five books that held the top five spots last year. Year in and year out, this list of titles invariably offers a snapshot into the popular mood.

Now, if readers want to argue the construction, reliability, or validity of any or all of these metrics, feel free. This whole endeavor is an imprecise, highly imperfect exercise. Of course, the same can be said about college rankings, NFL quarterback ratings, or international scorecards of human rights. Yet, for all their imperfections, such efforts convey real information and help spark useful discussion. I hope the same is true here.

I welcome thoughts and questions and am happy to entertain any and all suggestions. So, take a look and have at it.

Tomorrow, we’ll break down the top 10 faculty in each discipline and highlight the top five junior faculty.

See more on the 2020 RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings here.

Correction: The original version of this post incorrectly listed Jeffrey Henig’s Education Press score. The chart has been updated accordingly.

The opinions expressed in Rick Hess Straight Up are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.