Aaron Garth Smith
Director of Education Reform, Reason Foundation
Aaron Garth Smith is the director of education reform at Reason Foundation, a nonprofit think tank advancing free minds and free markets.
Smith works extensively on education finance policy and his writing has appeared in numerous publications including Education Week, The Hill, Orange County Register, and Los Angeles Daily News.
Prior to joining Reason, Smith was senior director of analytics at YES Prep Public Charter Schools, a nationally-renowned charter management organization.
Aaron graduated from the University of Maine with a bachelor's degree in business administration and earned a Master of Business Administration from Mays Business School at Texas A&M University. He is based in Houston, Texas.
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Infographic: 3 Rules to Help School Finance Systems Impacted By Coronavirus
COVID-19 is prompting a harsh new fiscal reality for states and school districts. Here's what state and school district officials can do to adapt.
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Education Newsletter: COVID-19’s Fallout For School Finance, Benefits of Open Enrollment, and More
Plus: How schools can best adapt during the coronavirus pandemic, and examining school finance in Arizona, South Carolina, and Indiana.
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COVID-19’s Economic Fallout Wreaks Havoc on Education Budgets
Policymakers and schools need to start preparing now for a new fiscal reality.
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Testimony: Missouri Can Expand Opportunities for Families to Pursue Educational Options Across District Boundaries
A growing body of evidence shows that open enrollment provides substantial benefits to both kids and school districts.
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Open Enrollment Provides Substantial Benefits to Students and Families
Examining the research on the benefits and challenges of inter-district school choice, a policy that doesn't receive enough attention, so that policymakers can begin working to improve their states' laws and practices.
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Testimony: How to Reform South Carolina’s School Finance System
South Carolina can make school finance reforms that streamline funding, improve transparency and flexibility, and equalize local dollars.
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California’s Schools Are Failing Black Students
Statewide, large achievement gaps between black and white students persist in all subjects.
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Infographic: How Indiana’s School Finance System Works
Indiana should reduce reliance on local revenues and move funding to a state formula so charter schools and districts are funded on an equal footing.
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Infographic: How South Carolina’s School Finance System Works
A better alternative would be to give local leaders autonomy over how education dollars are spent.