Michelle Hodara
(she, her, hers)
Director, Applied Research & Equitable Evaluation
We know the value of postsecondary education and training for individual and societal well-being, yet there are worrisome trends in gaps in college enrollment and completion for historically underserved students. Motivated by these facts, Michelle aims to provide high-quality, accessible, and actionable research and evaluation that can contribute to a more equitable education system and society. She conducts research and evaluation that educators, policymakers, and partners can use to improve systems, practices, and policies and positively impact students and their families and communities.
After college, Michelle taught special education in Zuni, New Mexico, and developmental reading and writing at the University of New Mexico-Gallup, a two-year college. In these roles, Michelle worked with dedicated, excellent educators; learned from and taught amazing students; and observed systemic barriers. She was drawn back to economics, her first passion, to better understand these barriers and use applied research to investigate how to address them. At Education Northwest, Michelle has the opportunity to conduct applied research that contributes to a more equitable society.
Education
- Ph.D., Economics and Education, Teachers College, Columbia University
- B.A., Economics and Political Science, Columbia University
I volunteer with...
Oregon Career Information System Board
If I could live anywhere in the world, it would be...
My hometown of Makawao, Maui
The strangest thing in my refrigerator is...
6 types of hot sauce
Blog Posts
Report Spotlights Promising Practices for Supporting Oregon's Transfer Students
Transferring from a community college to a university can be challenging. Without adequate support, community college students may struggle to transfer and earn a bachelor’s degree.
Collaborating to Solve Basic Needs Insecurity on College Campuses
ECMC Foundation’s Basic Needs Initiative is helping colleges and nonprofit partners connect students to food, housing, and more.
Why Postsecondary Education Matters
Going to college makes a significant difference in students' future earnings. Read about how CTE could help energize more Oregon students to pursue a postsecondary path.
Looking at the Latest Community College Innovations and Reforms
For many Americans, high tuition costs are a primary barrier to attending college and earning a postsecondary credential.
Expanding College Access: Promising Strategies to Boost Students’ Financial Aid Completion
Financial aid helps expand college access but not all eligible students apply. This post explores the barriers students face in applying for aid and provides FAFSA-completion strategies for educators.
Case Briefs & Publications
Community Partnerships for Reengagement Initiative
Education Northwest partners with Washington state’s Open Doors program to help the youth furthest from justice to reengage with learning and pursue their goals.
Louisiana State University’s Introduction to Computational Thinking: Implementation Fidelity Report
Louisiana State University’s Introduction to Computational Thinking course builds skills in problem solving, programming, and mathematics.
Oregon Promise: Student Outcomes and Program Impacts
What were the reach and impacts of Oregon Promise—the second statewide promise program in the nation—on students’ postsecondary success?
Supporting the Transition to College: Accelerated Learning Access, Outcomes, and Credit Transfer in Oregon
How does participation in accelerated learning help Oregon high school students? We analyzed K–12 records to find out.
Career and Technical Education in Oregon: Exploring Who Participates in High School and the Outcomes They Achieve
Which Oregon students participate in career and technical education programs—and what are the outcomes? We analyzed over ten years of data to find out.
Building Resiliency in Rural Communities for the Future of Work
Achieving the Dream’s Building Resiliency in Rural Communities initiative supports a cohort of seven rural colleges in helping students build digital skills.
ECMC Foundation Basic Needs Initiative Evaluation Reports
Two reports on the ECMC Foundation’s Basic Needs Initiative, which supported basic needs services at over 70 colleges and universities.
Supporting Rural Students in Oregon in High School and Beyond
How can we support rural students’ decision making about life after high school? The Ford Family Foundation partnered with us to collect and analyze the data.
Examining the Role of Faculty and Instructional Practices in Students’ Gateway Math Success
Student success in introductory community college math courses, also called gateway math, influences transfer and degree completion.
Oregon Promise’s Reach and Impact: The First Two Years
Oregon Promise is a financial aid program for community college students. We used data to study which students the program reaches and how they are impacted.
Partnering to Support Students Holistically
Colleges and universities are partnering with community-based organizations to support students holistically—including their basic needs. We looked at what makes these partnerships successful.
Wenatchee Valley College Equity and Inclusion Strategic Plan
Wenatchee Valley College in Washington state partnered with Education Northwest on a new strategic plan focused on equity and diversity.
Supporting Tribal College Student Success with Data
Education Northwest partnered with Stone Child College to help them better understand the educational and career outcomes its students, many of whom are members of the Chippewa Cree Tribe, experienced after they left the school.
Helping College Students Thrive With Basic Needs Services and Resources
Many college students struggle to afford the full cost of college attendance, which includes tuition and fees as well as food, housing, transportation, access to the internet, and other living expenses.
Putting Data in Educators’ Hands to Enhance Equity
To address Oregon’s equity goals, Education Northwest developed a pair of data dashboards, one for accelerated learning and the other for CTE.
Future Connect Evaluation
At Portland Community College (PCC), first-generation and low-income students can receive support to overcome those barriers through Future Connect, a scholarship and advising program.
Events
Sustaining Basic Needs Services at Postsecondary Institutions
This presentation featured findings from the ECMC Foundation Basic Needs Initiative evaluation report. This report provides lessons for implementing comprehensive, student-centered basic needs services.
Alaska Native Students as English Learners: Exploring New Research
Learn about two new studies that address the research gap on Indigenous English learners.
