Seth Walker

Research Interests

• Achievement
• Economics and Education
• Educational Policy
• Elementary Education
• Equity in Education
• Higher Education
• Secondary Education
• Teachers and Teaching

Current Research and Scholarly Interests

My research focuses on how educational policies and financial incentives shape educational access, student success, and early-career outcomes. Broadly, I study how policy design impacts a range of student outcomes across both K-12 and postsecondary systems.

A central area of my research examines financial aid policy. Specifically, I study how the structure, stability, and composition of financial aid packages affect student academic progress, major choice, and transitions into the labor market. This work explores how policies intended to support college access can also shape educational choices and longer-run outcomes in ways that are not always immediately visible through traditional measures such as graduation rates alone.

My work also examines broader education policy questions related to teacher labor markets, advanced learning opportunities, and educational interventions aimed at improving student outcomes. This includes research on student loan forgiveness and teacher retention, access to gifted and talented education, statewide literacy initiatives, and learning recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methodologically, my research relies on applied econometrics and quasi-experimental methods to generate policy-relevant evidence that can inform educational practice and decision-making. I am particularly interested in research that bridges rigorous empirical analysis with practical policy questions and contributes to evidence-based approaches to improving educational systems.