Sarah Reckhow

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Sarah Reckhow is an associate professor of political science at Michigan State University. Her research focuses on urban politics and policy and the role of nonprofits and philanthropy in the political process. Reckhow’s award-winning book, Follow the Money: How Foundation Dollars Change Public School Politics (Oxford University Press, 2012), examines the role of major foundations, such as the Gates Foundation, in urban school reform.

At Radcliffe, Reckhow is writing a book about new forms of urban governance in the United States. The book will focus on the intersection of two trends: the weakening of local governments in some parts of the country due to public-sector austerity and the rising importance of resources for public policy initiatives from private-sector philanthropy. The book will track the consequences of these changes, including the impacts for civic engagement opportunities among city residents.

Reckhow received her PhD in political science from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2009. She was awarded a research grant, with Megan Tompkins-Stange, from the William T. Grant Foundation to study the use of research evidence in the development of teacher quality policy debates. Additionally, she received a grant, with Jeffrey Henig and Rebecca Jacobsen, from the Spencer Foundation to study outside money in local school board elections.