Ritter, Gary W. :: College of Education and Health Professions

Gary W. Ritter, Ph.D.
Endowed Chair in Education Policy
Education Reform

207 Graduate Education Building
Phone: 479-575-4971
FAX: 479-575-2492
garyr@uark.edu

Degrees:

Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, Education Policy and Leadership, 2000
M.A., University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School, Public Policy and Management, 1996
M.A., University of Manchester, Social Policy, 1993
B.A., John Carroll University, Finance, 1990

Teaching Areas:

Education Policy
Program Evaluation
Public Policy
Research Methods in Education

Research Interests:

Program Evaluation
School Finance
At-risk youth

Professional Biography:

Ritter began his professional career working for two years as the research coordinator of a study examining the West Philadelphia Tutoring Project at the University of Pennsylvania. He then joined the University of Arkansas faculty in Educational Leadership and Foundations as an assistant professor. After only two years, he became the Director of the University-Wide Public Policy Program. The following year, he became Inaugural faculty in the Clinton School of Public service and the Director of the Office for Education Policy. In 2004, he was deemed associate professor in the Education Leadership and Foundations College and granted tenure.

Personal Information:

Dr. Ritter lives in Fayetteville with his three children.

Publications/Presentations:

Publications:

Ritter, Gary W. & Lucas, Christopher J. ( forthcoming 2006) . Devil in the Details: Making Sensible Modifications to “No Child Left Behind”. Education Finance & Policy.

Ritter, Gary W. & Lucas, Christopher, J. 2005. Choosing the Lesser of Two Inequities. Education Week. 24, 37, 31.

Mulvenon, Sean W., Stegman, Charles E., & Ritter, Gary W. 2005. Text Anxiety: A Multifaceted Study on the Perceptions of Teachers, Principals, Counselors, Students, and Parents. International Journal of Testing, 5, 1, 37-61.

Ritter, Gary W, Newgent, Rebecca A., & Higgins, Kristin K. 2004. The University Volunteer Tutoring Experience. Journal of Research in Education, 14, 1, 67-72 .

McDonald, Janet D., Hughes, Mary F., & Ritter, Gary W. 2004. School Finance Litigation and Adequacy Studies. University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law Review, 27, 1, 69-105 .

Summers, Julie, Barnett, Joshua H., Ritter, Gary W., & Greer, Jenni. 2004. “ Arkansas School Finance 2004: Under the Eyes of Two Special Masters.” Report Published by the School Finance Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association in the Annual Monograph from the Proceedings of the State of the States and Provinces Symposium. (Note: This is not refereed). http://www.ku.edu/~bdbaker/fipefsos/default.htm

Ritter, Gary W. & Lucas, Christopher, J. 2003. Puzzled States. Education Next, 3, 4, 55-61.

Ritter, Gary W., Zief, Susan, G., & Lauver, Sherri C. 2003. The Use of Evidence in Out of School Time Initiatives: Implications for Research and Practice. Penn GSE Perspectives on Urban Education , 2, 1. Available: http://www.urbanedjournal.org/commentaries/comment0003.html

Ritter, Gary W. & Lauver, Sherri C. 2003. School Finance Reform in New Jersey: A Piecemeal Response to A Systemic Problem. Journal of Education Finance. 28, 4, 575-598.

Barnett, Joshua H., Ritter, Gary W., & Lucas, Christopher J. 2002. Educational Reform in Arkansas: Making Sense of the Debate over School Consolidation. Arkansas Educational Research & Policy Studies Journal. 2, 2, 1-21.

Ritter, Gary W. & Lucas, Christopher, J. 2002. The ‘Common School’ Fallacy: Two Suspect Arguments in the Debate over Choice. Education Week. 22, 8, 44.

Ritter, Gary W., Rush, Alison, & Rush, Joel. 2002. How Might School Choice Affect Racial Integration in Schools? New Evidence from the ECLS-K. Georgetown Public Policy Review. 7, 2, 125-136.

Hill, O. Fitzgerald, Ritter, Gary W., Murry, Jr., John W., & Hufford, Candice. 2002. Coaching: Colleges’ (Un)Level Playing Field. Black Issues in Higher Education. 19, 4, 111.

Ritter, Gary W. & Miller, William H. 2001. Arkansans’ Views on Key Educational Policy Issues. Arkansas Educational Research & Policy Studies Journal , 1, 1, 18-41.

Lauver, Sherri C., Ritter, Gary W., Maynard, Rebecca A., & Alberino, Cristi. 2001. Extended Learning Opportunities for Philadelphia Students: Local Actions, National Implications? The Fels Center of Government Journal of City and State Public Affairs, 2, 1, 18-31.

Ritter, Gary W. & Boruch, Robert F. 1999. The Political and Institutional Origins of a Randomized Controlled Trial on Elementary School Class-size: Tennessee’s Project STAR. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 21, 2, 111-125.

Recent Peer Reviewed Presentations:

Ritter, G. W., Vogel, C., & Suitt, L. April 2005. “Exploring the Relationship Between Television Viewing and Attentiveness at School Using ECLS-K Database.” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Montreal, Canada, April 11-15, 2005.

Barnett, J. H. & Ritter, G. W. April 2005. “Punitive Damages: Evaluating the Policies Governing the Use of Corporal Punishment Familial, Social, and School Influences on Child and Adolescent Development.” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Montreal, Canada, April 11-15, 2005.

Ritter, G. W. & Barnett, J. H. March 2005. “What Does Money Buy? An Evaluation of the Results of New Jersey’s Abbott IV Decision.” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Education Finance Association, Louisville, KY, March 17-19, 2005.

Hudson, V. & Ritter, G. W. March 2005. “What is the Impact of Accountability Programs on Student Achievement?” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Education Finance Association, Louisville, KY, March 17-19, 2005.

Ritter, G. W., Lucas, C. J., Turner, R. C., Minkel, K., & Williams, T. L. October 2004. “Keeping Score: What Do We Know About the Impact of Statewide School Accountability Programs on Student Achievement?” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, Washington, DC, October 30, 2004.

Barnett, J.H. & Ritter, G. W. October 2004. “Exploring the Characteristics of High-Flyers in the Primary Grades.” Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, Washington, DC, October 30, 2004.

Turner, R. C. & Ritter, G.W. April 2004. “Does the Impact of Preschool Childcare on Cognition and Behavior Persist throughout the Elementary Years?” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, CA, April 12-16, 2004.

Scher, L., Zief, S. G., Ritter, G. W., Cottingham, P., & Lauver, S. C. February 2004. “Test Bed Reviews:
Issues, Options and Decisions in Generating Reviews.” Paper presented at the fourth Campbell Collaboration Colloquium, Washington, DC. February 19, 2004.

Recent Invited Presentations:

Ritter, Gary W. June 2003. “Findings from the Summer 2003 Second Annual Benchmark Report on Schools in Northwest Arkansas.” Invited presentation to the Northwest Arkansas Council, Rogers, AR, June 13, 2003.

Ritter, Gary W. May 2003. “Systematic Reviews Systematic Reviews of Interventions for Children Struggling in School: Volunteer Tutoring.” Invited presentation at the New Findings from the Campbell Collaboration (C-2) Test Bed Project, St. Michael’s, MD, May 29, 2003.

Ritter, Gary W. & Turner, Ronna C. May 2003. “The Impact of Day Care on School Readiness: Using New Data to Examine the Controversy” Paper presented at Research In Progress (RIP) Seminar Series, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, May 2, 2003.

Recent Project Reports, Media Coverage, and Media Publications:

Ritter, Gary W. August 6, 2003. Interviewed by KUAF (National Public Radio Affiliate in Fayetteville, AR) News Show, “Ozarks at Large,” for a story on school consolidation in Arkansas.

Ritter, Gary W. February 7, 2003. Commentary: Freedom and Leisure. KUAF (National Public Radio Affiliate in Fayetteville, AR) News Show, “Ozarks at Large.”

Ritter, Gary W. 2002. “A Tale of Two Education Systems: Lessons for Arkansas.” Arkansas Democrat Gazette. December 31, 2002.

Ritter, Gary W. December 27, 2002. Commentary: A Lost Opportunity to Repeal the Food Tax. KUAF (National Public Radio Affiliate in Fayetteville, AR) News Show, “Ozarks at Large.”

Ritter, Gary W. December 6, 2002. Commentary: Reacting to the School Finance Lawsuit in Arkansas. KUAF (National Public Radio Affiliate in Fayetteville, AR) News Show, “Ozarks at Large.”

Ritter, Gary W. November 8, 2002. Commentary: The Disconnect Between Arkansans’ Desired Educational Reforms and their Willingness to Pay. KUAF (National Public Radio Affiliate in Fayetteville , AR ) News Show, “Ozarks at Large.”

Ritter, Gary W. September 1, 2002. Commentary: The Myth of the Common School. KUAF (National Public Radio Affiliate in Fayetteville, AR) News Show, “Ozarks at Large.”

Grants:

Grant Funded Research Projects and Management Experience:
University Of Arkansas *, College of Education & Health Professions*	Fayetteville, AR
Principal Investigator, Office for Education Policy at the University of Arkansas	2003 - 2006
Co-Investigator, Partnership between the University of Arkansas and the Koret Task Force	2004 – 2005
Co-PI, Study of K-16 Education for Hispanic Students in Northwest Arkansas	2004 - 2005
Principal Investigator, Northwest Arkansas Annual Education Benchmarks	2001 - 2004
Principal Investigator, Implementing Accountability in Public Education	2001 - 2003
University Of Pennsylvania *, Graduate School of Education*	Philadelphia, PA
Research Coordinator, Evaluation of the West Philadelphia Tutoring Project	1998 - 2000

College of Education and Health Professions