Meet Lauren
Sartain
Expertise and Hands-On Experience
Lauren is a Professor of K-12 Education Policy at UNC-Chapel Hill, where she works with school districts across the state to address their most challenging problems.
Lauren is also the parent of two DPS students, and has served as the past President of E.K. Powe Elementary School’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA). As PTA president she worked to directly address the gaps left by under-funding and under-management of her school, and partnered with leaders across the district to advocate for students.
As an academic researcher, Lauren takes a critical approach to policy development and implementation. Her work on education labor markets (teacher retention), educator effectiveness, school choice, and school culture has been used by districts around the country to improve their operations. She will work with the district to use data in meaningful ways so that we can make real change in our school communities’ experience.
Experience & Education
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
School of Education – Education Policy, Organizations, and Leadership
Associate Professor 2025-present
Assistant Professor 2019-2025
Professor of Education, teaching Inquiry and Data Applications, Statistical Methods, Program Evaluation in Education, and the Economics of Education. School of Education Teaching Award Finalist, 2022 and 2023.
Recent research has focused on teacher evaluation, school assignment, redistricting, school mental health supports, and improving school performance.
University of Chicago
PhD, Public Policy, Harris School, 2015
MPP, Harris School, 2008
Consortium on School Research
Affiliated Researcher 2019-Present
Senior Researcher 2015-2019
Researcher 2008-2011, 2012-215
Researcher with the Consortium on School Research, focused on educator labor markets, impacts of suspension, and the impacts of school choice in Chicago Public Schools.
Completed PhD in Public Policy, with focus on the economics of education and political economy. Dissertation, Essays on Urban Schooling.
Chapin Hall Center for Children
Associated Researcher 2010-2012
University of Texas at Austin
BA, Government, History 20004