Tammy Kolbe

Tammy Kolbe is an expert in education finance and economic evaluation. Dr. Kolbe brings deep expertise in analyzing the cost structures and funding mechanisms that underpin effective policy implementation, with a particular emphasis on K-16 education funding systems and special education funding policies. Her expertise is grounded in her work with state-of-the-field education finance methods; cost modeling, including cost-effectiveness and -benefit analyses; applied quantitative analysis; and survey research.

Throughout her career, Dr. Kolbe has been instrumental in shaping education finance policy at both the federal and state and levels. Her work has provided critical insights into the complexities of how education is financed, especially in the context of special education. As the principal investigator for the National Study of Special Education Spending (NSSES), she pioneered new approaches for estimating program costs and assessing the adequacy of funding for special education. Her work has also directly influenced state education finance policy and practice, helping to refine funding models to better serve children with and without disabilities. Recently, she has expanded her work in education finance to lead efforts that explore how K-12 school funding principles can inform new approaches to state funding for community colleges, including a study of community college costs in California (funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation). 

Dr. Kolbe has led numerous studies that evaluate the cost and cost-effectiveness of education, social, and workforce policies. She currently co-leads The Wallace Foundation’s Out of School Time (OST) Cost study, which is modeling the costs of operating high-quality OST programs and developing a cost calculator that can be used by policymakers and practitioners in the field. She was a member of the Cost Analysis Standards Project (CASP), which developed national standards for conducing cost, cost-effectiveness, and cost-benefit analysis for education and social programs.

Dr. Kolbe's leadership extends to additional roles at AIR. She co-directs AIR’s Center for Economic Evaluation and co-leads AIR’s education finance portfolio, guiding large-scale evaluations and analyses of education policy, program costs, and cost-effectiveness. 

In addition to her work at AIR, Dr. Kolbe is active in education research and policy. She currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Vermont State Board of Education and holds prominent editorial roles as an Associate Editor for Education Finance and Policy and is a member of the editorial board for the Journal of Education Finance. Her influence in the field is also reflected in her role as a Fellow at the National Education Policy Center and her leadership as a prior chair of the American Educational Research Association’s (AERA) finance, economics, and policy group. In 2018, she was honored with AERA’s Outstanding Policy Report Award for her work on special education funding and cost reform.