Matthew Springer

Managing Partner

Matthew G. Springer is a co-founder and Managing Partner at Basis Policy Research, with over two decades of experience running large-scale research, evaluation, and technical assistance projects in the education sector. Matt has been at the forefront of educational innovations and policy developments to improve the educator workforce and student educational opportunities. His work developing and leading university-based research-practice-policy partnerships in North Carolina and Tennessee has been instrumental in driving positive change in p-16 education.

Matt regularly provides consultation to public leaders, government agencies, and international organizations, including entities such as the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Government Accountability Office, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Matt’s work is widely recognized, with regular publications in education and policy journals, and featured in news outlets such as ABC World News Tonight, Lou Dobbs Tonight, National Public Radio, The New York Times, Time Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal.

Before rejoining Basis in 2024, Matt held the prestigious Robena and Walter E. Hussman Jr. Distinguished Professorship at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (2018-2024) and served as a public policy and education professor at Vanderbilt University from 2006 to 2018. Matt’s journey into education policy began at Denison University, where he pursued majors in psychology and education. Early in his career, Matt served as a high school administrator and teacher in upstate New York, teaching psychology, sociology, and environmental ethics, and he led an environmentally focused service-learning program. He completed his Ph.D. in Education Finance and Policy from Vanderbilt University in 2006. In addition to his role at Basis, Matt serves on the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness Board of Directors and on the editorial boards of the American Educational Research Journal and Education Researcher.