Abigail Francis

Hello, I am Abigail Francis, a doctoral student in Educational Policy Studies at Wheelock College of Education & Human Development at Boston University. I am also a research assistant at the Wheelock Educational Policy Center (WEPC). 

I study K–12 education policy in the U.S., with a focus on how systems shape access to educational opportunities and influence student enrollment patterns. Grounded in the economics of education and informed by sociological perspectives, my research uses rigorous quantitative methods to examine how policies and institutional structures affect who attends which schools—and with what consequences for students, schools, and districts. 

 

Prior to my Ph.D., I received a B.A. from Davidson College in Educational Studies and an M.Ed. in Human Development Studies from Vanderbilt University. I was a team lead and research assistant at the College Crisis Initiative and a research assistant for John M. Braxton. I also served as a servant leader at Freedom School Partners.