Jacob Kirksey, Ph.D.
Email: Jacob.Kirksey@ttu.edu
Phone: (806) 834-8473
Office: Education 312
Jacob Kirksey is an assistant professor in the College of Education at Texas Tech University. His research focuses broadly on the intersection of education and public policy to enhance educational and economic outcomes for historically underserved populations. His work has delved into factors influencing student well-being in preK-12 public schools, college and career readiness, and the dynamics of educator labor markets. Through his teaching and research, Dr. Kirksey is dedicated to fostering data-driven decision-making in local, state, and federal policy to support holistic solutions that minimize unintended consequences and maximize benefits for all stakeholders.
Dr. Kirksey has received over $3 million in external funding as Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator to support his research. He has published extensively on topics related to student absenteeism, students with disabilities, the ripple effects of immigration enforcement, teacher preparation and effectiveness, and workforce trajectories. His research has been highlighted in several popular media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, Politico, Education Week, The Hechinger Report, Dallas Morning News, Austin-American Statesman, and the Houston Chronicle. You can learn more about Dr. Kirksey and his work by visiting his website www.jjacobkirksey.com.
Education
- PhD (2020), Education, University of California- Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA
- MA (2016), Education, University of California- Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA
- BA (2015), Economics and Education, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO
Areas of Expertise
- K-12 Education Policy
- Economics of Education
- Causal Inference
- Program Evaluation
Selected Publications
Kirksey, J. J., & Sattin-Bajaj, C. (In Press). Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids the pillar of a community: Student achievement, absenteeism, and mobility following a large worksite enforcement operation in north Texas. American Behavioral Scientist. <Online first: https://doi.org/10.1177/00027642231215992>
Kirksey, J. J., Mansell, K. E., & Lansford, T. M. (In Press). Literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving skills of adults with disabilities in STEM fields. Policy Futures in Education.<Online first: https://doi.org/10.1177/14782103231177107>
Kirksey, J. J., & Elefante, J. (2024). Familiar faces in high school: How having the same peers from year-to-year links to student absenteeism. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk (JESPAR), 29(1), 23-42.
Kirksey, J. J. (2023). From court to classroom: Deportation proceedings and reading and math achievement for elementary students from 1998 to 2016. American Journal of Education, 129(3), 325-354.
Freeman, J. A., & Kirksey, J. J. (2023). Linking IEP status to parental involvement for high school students of first-generation and native-born families. Exceptional Children, 89(2), 197-215.
Kirksey, J. J. (2022). Preparedness and experiences of novice teachers in the sociopolitical context of heightened immigration enforcement: Evidence from a survey of California teachers. Journal of Teacher Education, 73(1), 37-51.
Kirksey, J. J., & Lloydhauser, M. (2022). Dual certification in special and elementary education and associated benefits for students with disabilities and their teachers. AERA Open, 8(1), 1-11.
Kirksey, J. J., & Sattin-Bajaj, C. (2021). Immigration arrests and educational impacts: Linking ICE arrests to declines in achievement, attendance, and school climate and safety in California. AERA Open, 7(1), 1-17.
Kirksey, J. J., & Gottfried, M. A. (2021). Is there a Catholic school effect on kindergarteners' absenteeism? Journal for Research on Educational Effectiveness, 14(3), 570-597.
Kirksey, J. J., & Gottfried, M. A. (2021). The effect of serving ‘Breakfast After-the-Bell' meals on school absenteeism: Comparing results from regression discontinuity designs. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 43(2), 305-328.
Kirksey, J. J., Sattin-Bajaj, C., Gottfried, M. A., Freeman, J. A., & Ozuna, C. S. (2020). Deportations near the schoolyard: Examining immigration enforcement and racial/ethnic gaps in educational outcomes. AERA Open, 6(1), 1-18.
Kirksey, J. J. (2019). Academic harms of missing high school and the accuracy of current policy thresholds: Analysis of preregistered administrative data from a California school district. AERA Open, 5(3), 1-13.
Selected External Funding
Greenhalgh-Spencer, H. (Principal Investigator), Shin, S. (Co-Principal Investigator), Cheon, J. (Co-Principal Investigator), Mansell, K. E. (Co-Principal Investigator), Gottlieb, J. J. (Co-Principal Investigator), Wiseman, A. W. (Co-Principal Investigator), Childers, G. (Co-Principal Investigator), Kirksey, J. J. (Co-Principal Investigator), Hite, R. (Co-Principal Investigator), & Stevens, T. (Co-Principal Investigator). “MIZ Design and Implementation Certification,” Sponsored by the Texas Education Agency, State, $1,728,000. (September 2023 – August 2026).
Kirksey, J. J. (Principal Investigator), Gottlieb, J. J. (Co-Principal Investigator), Higgins, R. (Co-Principal Investigator), Johnson, L. (Co-Principal Investigator), Spott, J. (Co-Principal Investigator), "Investigating Pre-College Predictors and Post-Secondary Effects of Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences in Texas," Sponsored by National Science Foundation, Federal, $499,999. (June 2022 – May 2025).
Kirksey, J. J. (Principal Investigator), Wiseman, A. (Co-Principal Investigator), Gottlieb, J. J. (Co-Principal Investigator), "Bold Action for a Prosperous Future: Evaluation of Texas House Bill 5 and Academic and Career Trajectories of Texas Public High School Graduates," Sponsored by Philanthropy Advocates, Foundation, $99,579. (January 2022 - August 2022).
Wiseman, A. W. (Principal Investigator), Gottlieb, J. J. (Co-Principal Investigator), & Kirksey, J. J. (Co-Principal Investigator), “REAL Partnership with Ector County ISD,” Contracted by Ector County Independent School District, $270,000. (August 2021 – July 2024).
Gottlieb, J. J. (Principal Investigator), McNaughtan, J. (Co-Principal Investigator), & Kirksey, J. J. (Co-Principal Investigator), "Community College Finance Research Project," Subaward from Texas A&M University (Principal Investigator: Lori Taylor), $42,260.00. Prime award sponsored by The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, State, $480,000. (May 2022 - October 2022).
College of Education
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