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Elizabeth Huffaker 

Assistant Professor

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Elizabeth Huffaker

Email

ehuffaker@ufl.edu

About

Dr. Elizabeth Huffaker is an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Florida’s College of Education. She holds a Ph.D. in Education Policy and Economics of Education as well as an M.A. in Economics from Stanford University, and an M.A. in Education Policy from Teachers College at Columbia University. Dr. Huffaker uses quantitative methods to study primarily causal questions of K-12 policy and practice. Her primary research explores the efficacy of math interventions and the influence of math policies on students’ educational opportunities, engagement, and achievement. She frequently engages in collaborative work with school and district research partners. She is a recipient of an Institute of Education Sciences Predoctoral Training Fellowship as well as a Stanford Graduate Fellowship in Science and Engineering. Her work has been published in outlets including the American Educational Research Journal and Educational Researcher and has been featured in media outlets such as The New York Times, The Economist, and Education Week. Prior to her research career, Elizabeth was a high school math teacher in Houston, TX.

Affiliations

  • School of Human Development and Organizational Studies in Education

Research Interests

Academic Pathways, Causal Inference, Economics of Education, Education Policy Analysis, Math Education Policy, Research Practice Partnerships

Education

  • Ph.D. Economics of Education & Education Policy, Certificate in Quantitative Research in Education, Stanford University, 2024
  • M.A. Economics, Stanford University, 2022
  • M.A. Education Policy - Specialization in Data Analysis and Research Methods, Teachers College, Columbia University, 2019
  • Mathematical Economic Analysis & Philosophy, Rice University, 2013

Professional Appointments

  • University of Florida, College of Education, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy, 2025-
  • Stanford University, Graduate School of Education, Faculty Affiliate, Systems Change for Advancing Learning and Equity (SCALE), 2025-
  • Stanford University, Graduate School of Education, Postdoctoral Fellow, National Student Support Accelerator, 2024-2025

Activities and Honors

  • EdResearch for Action Writers Fellowship, Annenberg Institute at Brown University, 2025
  • Community Impact Award, Co-Recipient with the Stanford-Sequoia K-12 Collaborative, Stanford University, 2025
  • Research-Practice Partnership Award, Co-Recipient with the Stanford-Sequoia K-12 Collaborative, California Educational Research Association, 2023
  • Emerging Education Policy Scholar (EEPS), 2023 Cohort, Thomas B. Fordham Institute & American Enterprise Institute, 2023
  • Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Fellow, Stanford Graduate Fellowship in Science and Engineering, Stanford University, 2021-2024
  • Education Policy Academy Scholar, American Enterprise Institute[Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic], 2020
  • Institute of Education Sciences Predoctoral Training Fellowship, Stanford Interdisciplinary Doctoral Training Program in Quantitative, Education Policy Analysis, Stanford University, 2019-2021
  • TC Scholarship, Teachers College, Columbia University, 2017-2018

Selected Publications

Articles
  • Huffaker, E., Novicoff, S., & Dee, T. S. (2025). Ahead of the Game? Course-taking patterns under a math pathways reform. Educational Researcher. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X241309642
  • Cohodes, S. R., Ho, H., Huffaker, E., & Robles, S. C. (2024). Residential vs. online? Experimental evidence on diversifying the STEM pipeline. AEA Papers and Proceedings, 114, 507-11. https://doi.org/10.1257/pandp.20241016
  • Dee, T. S., Huffaker, E., Phillips, C., & Sagara, E. (2023). The revealed preferences for school reopening: evidence from public-school disenrollment. American Educational Research Journal, 60(5), 916–940. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312221140029
Presentations
  • Association for Education Finance and Policy Annual Conference, Washington, D.C. - Huffaker, E., Robinson, C., & Loeb, S. “The Impact of Tutor-Student Demographic Matching on Students' Outcomes” 2025
  • Association for Education Finance and Policy Annual Conference, Baltimore, MD- Huffaker, E. “Bridge or Barrier: A Regression Discontinuity Comparison of Math Remediation.” 2024
  • American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL Dee, T. S. & Huffaker, E.* “Accelerating Opportunity: Evidence from the Algebra Initiative.” 2023
  • Association for Education Finance and Policy Annual Conference, Denver, CO - Huffaker, E.* “Integrated Math in US High Schools: Evidence on Course-Taking Effects in California.” 2023
  • 7th IZA Workshop on the Economics of Education, Virtual Dee, T. S. & Huffaker, E.* “Building Equitable Math Pathways: Evidence from the Algebra Initiative.” 2022
  • The Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness Conference, Washington, D. C. 2022 Dee, T. S. & Huffaker, E.* “Building Equitable Math Pathways: Evidence from the Algebra Initiative.” 2022
  • Association for Education Finance and Policy Annual Conference, Denver, CO - Dee, T. S. & Huffaker, E.* “Building Equitable Math Pathways: Evidence from the Algebra Initiative.” 2022
  • Association for Education Finance and Policy Annual Conference, Virtual - Huffaker, E. & Moyer, A.* “Preliminary Evidence on the Role of Gender and Family Structure in Changes to the Teacher Labor Force During COVID-19. 2-21
  • 2023 Circle Night Lecture, Stanford University Dee, T. S*. & Huffaker, E.* “Understanding the Pandemic Exodus from Public Schools” 2023
  • 2023 Bill and Melinda Gates K-12 Math Learning Forum, Washington D.C., Dee, T. S. & Huffaker, E. “Insights from the Algebra I Initiative Study”
Other Publications
  • Dee, T. S., Huffaker, E., Phillips, C., & Sagara, E. (2023). The revealed preferences for school reopening: evidence from public-school disenrollment. American Educational Research Journal, 60(5), 916–940. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312221140029
  • Dee, T. S. & Huffaker, E. (2024). Accelerating opportunity: Evidence from the Algebra I Initiative. (EdWorkingPaper: 24-986). Retrieved from Annenberg Institute at Brown University: https://doi.org/10.26300/v492-1p91
  • Huffaker, E. (2025). “Evidence-Based Practices for Algebra I Access, Placement, and Success.” EdResearch For Action.