Collin Wardius

Collin is a fourth-year PhD student in the Economics Department at University of California, San Diego. His research sits at the intersection of education economics, urban economics, and public finance, with a common theme of how state policy can improve education outcomes in the face of shifting demographics. One project examines “hold harmless” funding policies, which guarantee school districts constant funding when enrollment declines. The key insight is that optimal policy depends on how difficult it is for districts to adjust expenditures; in states with relatively inflexible teacher contracting, for instance, a more generous hold harmless policy can be justified. Collin is a graduate of the mathematical economics program at Temple University, a former research associate at the Philadelphia Fed, and an avid cyclist.