Current Position

Affiliations

Education

Journal Articles

• Kautz, Tim and Wladimir Zanoni. (2024). "Measurement and Development of Noncognitive Skills in Adolescence: Evidence from Chicago Public Schools and the OneGoal Program." Journal of Human Capital, 18(2): 272-303.
• Feng, Shuaizhang, Yu Gan, Yujie Han, and Tim Kautz. (2024). "Shorter Can Be Better: Balancing Length and Predictive Power when Measuring Noncognitive Skills to Predict Academic Outcomes." Economics Letters, 236: 111598.
• Lira, Benjamin, Joseph M. O'Brien, Pablo A. Peña, Brian M. Galla, Sidney D'Mello, David S. Yeager, Amy Defnet, Tim Kautz, Kate Munkacsy, and Angela L. Duckworth. (2022). "Large Studies Reveal How Reference Bias Limits Policy Applications of Self-Report Measures.'' Scientific Reports, 12: 19189.
• Feng, Shuaizhang, Yujie Han, James J. Heckman, and Tim Kautz. (2022). "Comparing the Reliability and Predictive Power of Child, Teacher, and Guardian Reports of Noncognitive Skills." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119(6): e2113992119.
• Schochet, Peter Z., Nicole E. Pashley, Luke W. Miratrix, and Tim Kautz. (2022). "Design-Based Ratio Estimators and Central Limit Theorems for Clustered, Blocked RCTs." Journal of the American Statistical Association, 117(540): 2135-2146.
• Milkman, Katherine L., Dena Gromet, Hung Ho, Joseph S. Kay,..., Tim Kautz,..., and Angela L. Duckworth. (2021). "Megastudies Improve the Impact of Applied Behavioural Science." Nature, 600: 478-483.
• Duckworth, Angela L., Tim Kautz, Amy Defnet, Emma Satlof-Bedrick, Sean Talamas, Benjamin Lira Luttges, and Laurence Steinberg. (2021). "Students Attending School Remotely Suffer Socially, Emotionally, and Academically." Educational Researcher, 50(7): 479-482.
• Hock, Heinrich, Dara Lee Luca, Tim Kautz, and David Stapleton. (2021). "Improving the Outcomes of Youth with Medical Limitations: Evidence from the National Job Corps Study." Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, 32(3): 636-656.
• Deke, John, Thomas Wei, and Tim Kautz. (2021). "Asymdystopia: The Threat of Small Biases in Evaluations of Education Interventions that Need to be Powered to Detect Small Impacts." Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 14(1): 207-240.
• Chen, Yuanyuan, Shuaizhang Feng, James J. Heckman, and Tim Kautz. (2020). "Sensitivity of Self-Reported Non-Cognitive Skills to Survey Administration Conditions." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(2): 931-935.
• Heckman, James J. and Tim Kautz. (2012). "Hard Evidence on Soft Skills." Labour Economics, 19(4): 451-464.
• Kautz, Tim, Eran Bendavid, Jay Bhattacharya, and Grant Miller. (2010). "AIDS and Declining Support for Dependent Elderly People in Africa: Retrospective Analysis Using Demographic and Health Surveys." British Medical Journal, 340: c2841.

Book Chapters

• Heckman, James J., Tomas Jagelka, and Tim Kautz. (2021). "Some Contributions of Economics to the Study of Personality." In Handbook of Personality, Vol. 4, edited by O.P. John and R.W. Robins. New York, NY: Guilford Press. pp. 853-892.
• Heckman, James J. and Tim Kautz. (2014). "Achievement Tests and the Role of Character in American Life," In The Myth of Achievement Tests: The GED and the Role of Character in American Life, edited by J.J. Heckman, J.E. Humphries, and T. Kautz. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. pp. 3-56.
• Heckman, James J., John Eric Humphries, and Tim Kautz. (2014). "Who Are The GEDs," In The Myth of Achievement Tests: The GED and the Role of Character in American Life, edited by J.J. Heckman, J.E. Humphries, and T. Kautz. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. pp. 139-170.
• Heckman, James J., John Eric Humphries, and Tim Kautz. (2014). "The Economic and Social Benefits of GED Certification," In The Myth of Achievement Tests: The GED and the Role of Character in American Life, edited by J.J. Heckman, J.E. Humphries, and T. Kautz. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. pp. 171-267.
• Heckman, James J. and Tim Kautz. (2014). "Fostering and Measuring Skills: Interventions that Improve Character and Cognition," In The Myth of Achievement Tests: The GED and the Role of Character in American Life, edited by J.J. Heckman, J.E. Humphries, and T. Kautz. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. pp. 293-317.
• Heckman, James J., John Eric Humphries, and Tim Kautz. (2014). "What Should be Done?," In The Myth of Achievement Tests: The GED and the Role of Character in American Life, edited by J.J. Heckman, J.E. Humphries, and T. Kautz. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. pp. 431-436.
• Almlund, Mathilde, Angela Lee Duckworth, James J. Heckman, and Tim Kautz. (2011). "Personality Psychology and Economics," In Handbook of the Economics of Education, Vol. 4, edited by E. Hanushek, S. Machin, and L. Woessman. Amsterdam: Elsevier. pp. 1-181.

Selected Policy Reports and Briefs

• Kauff, Jacqueline, Jennifer Herard, Tim Kautz, Julia Lyskawa, Gina Lewis, Leah Pranschke, and Martine Reynolds. (2024). "Integrating Employment and Mental Health Services: Implementation of the Individual Placement and Support Model for Adults with Justice Involvement." OPRE Report 2024-155. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• Kautz, Tim, Charles Tilley, and David Stapleton. (2024). "Exploring How People's Characteristics, Contexts, and Life Events Predict Early Adult Participation in Supplemental Security Income." OPRE Report 2024-076. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• Moore, Quinn, April Wu, Tim Kautz, Christina Kent, Sheena McConnell, Nicardo McInnis, Ankita Patnaik, and Owen Schochet. (2024). "Can a Participant-Centered Approach to Setting and Pursuing Goals Help Adults with Low Incomes Become Economically Stable? Impacts of Four Employment Coaching Programs 21 Months after Enrollment." OPRE Report 2024-061. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• Kautz, Tim, Christina Kent, and Dan Thal. (2024). "Using Bayesian Methods to Conduct Subgroup Analysis in Evaluations of Employment Programs." OPRE Report 2024-027. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• Kautz, Tim and Julius Anastasio. (2024). "The Predictive Power of Measures of Self-Regulation Skills Among Adults with Low Incomes." OPRE Report 2024-008. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• Moore, Quinn, Tim Kautz, Sheena McConnell, Owen Schochet, and April Wu. (2023). "Can a Participant-Centered Approach to Setting and Pursuing Goals Help Adults with Low Incomes Become Economically Stable?" OPRE Report 2023-139. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• Kautz, Tim, Kathleen Feeney, Hanley Chiang, Sarah Lauffer, Maria Bartlett, and Charles Tilley. (2021). "Using a Survey of Social and Emotional Learning and School Climate to Inform Decisionmaking." Washington, DC: Regional Educational Laboratory Mid-Atlantic, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
• Kautz, Tim, and Quinn Moore. (2020). "Selecting and Testing Measures of Self-Regulation Skills Among Low-Income Populations." OPRE Report 2020-138. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• Goldring, Ellen, Melissa A. Clark, Mollie Rubin, Laura K. Rogers, Jason A. Grissom, Brian Gill, Tim Kautz, Moira McCullough, Michael Neel, and Alyson Burnett. (2020). "Changing the Principal Supervisor Role to Better Support Principals: Evidence from the Principal Supervisor Initiative." Princeton, NJ: Mathematica.
• Kautz, Tim, Charles Tilley, Christine Ross, and Natalie Larkin. (2020). "Development of a School Survey and Index as a School Performance Measure in Maryland: A REL-MSDE Research Partnership." Washington, DC: Regional Educational Laboratory Mid-Atlantic, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
• Herrmann, Mariesa, Melissa Clark, Susanne James-Burdumy, Christina Tuttle, Tim Kautz, Virginia Knechtel, Dallas Dotter, Claire Smither Wulsin, and John Deke. (2019). "The Effects of a Principal Professional Development Program Focused on Instructional Leadership." NCEE Report 2020-0002. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
• Heckman, James J., Tim Kautz, and Charles Tilley. (2019). "Advancing the Measurement of Non-Cognitive Skills: Evidence from Chicago Public Schools." Princeton, NJ: Mathematica.
• Moore, Quinn, Sheena McConnell, Alan Werner, Tim Kautz, Kristen Joyce, Kelley Borradaile, and Bethany Bolland. (2019). "Evaluation of Employment Coaching for TANF and Related Populations: Evaluation Design Report." OPRE Report 2019-65. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• Kautz, Tim, and Quinn Moore. (2018). "Measuring Self-Regulation Skills in Evaluations of Employment Programs for Low-Income Populations: Challenges and Recommendations." OPRE Report 2018-83. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• Kautz, Tim, and Russel Cole. (2017). "Selecting Benchmark and Sensitivity Analyses." Evaluation Technical Assistance Brief. Rockville, MD: Office of Adolescent Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• Deke, John, Thomas Wei, and Tim Kautz. (2017). "Asymdystopia: The Threat of Small Biases in Evaluations of Education Interventions that Need to be Powered to Detect Small Impacts." NCEE Report 2018-4002. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
• Kautz, Tim, Peter Z. Schochet, and Charles Tilley. (2017). "Comparing Impact Findings from Design-based and Model-based Methods: An Empirical Investigation." NCEE Report 2017-4026. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
• Kautz, Tim, James J. Heckman, Ron Diris, Bas ter Weel, and Lex Borghans. (2014). "Fostering and Measuring Skills: Improving Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Skills to Promote Lifetime Success." Paris, France: Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development.
• Macurdy, Thomas, Jonathan Gibbs, Tim Kautz, Thomas Deleire, and Margaret O'Brian-Strain. (2009). "Geographic Variation in Drug Prices and Spending in the Part D Program." Baltimore: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Edited Volumes

• Heckman, James J., John Eric Humphries, and Tim Kautz. (2014). The Myth of Achievement Tests: The GED and the Role of Character in American Life. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Works in Progress

• Lira, Benjamin, Maria Bartlett, Tim Kautz, and Angela L. Duckworth. "Remote Schooling Depresses Course Grades for the Most Vulnerable Students." Under review.

Funding, Fellowships, and Awards

• Spencer Foundation Grant (Co-PI), "Advancing the Measurement of Non-Cognitive skills" ($490k)
• ECMC Foundation, "Evaluation of Chicago's OneGoal Program" ($100k)
• Milgrom Foundation Successful Pathways Initiative, "Evaluation of Chicago's OneGoal Program" ($50k)
• Esther and T.W. Schultz Endowment Fellowship, University of Chicago
• Social Sciences Fellowship, University of Chicago
• National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship
• Young Investigator Award, Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (2009)
• Anna Laura Meyers Award for an Outstanding Economics Honors Thesis, Stanford University

Presentations

• 2023: Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management Conference
• 2022: Research and Evaluation Conference on Self-Sufficiency
• 2020: Association for Public Policy Analysis Management Conference, Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness Conference
• 2019: National Center for Education Statistics STATS-DC Data Conference, Institute on Behavior and Inequality at Bonn University
• 2018: Symposium of the Turkish Private Schools Association, Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management Conference
• 2017: Society of Labor Economics Annual Meeting, University of Chicago (Measuring and Assessing Skills Conference), Jinan University, Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management Conference
• 2016: University of Oxford (RISE Annual Conference)
• 2015: University of Virginia (Batten School), Columbia University (Teachers College), Stanford University (Colloquium on Social Mobility in the Americas), University of Chicago (Measuring and Assessing Skills Conference), SUNY Binghamton, Latin-American Congress on the Assessment of Competencies and Citizenship Skills and Abilities
• 2014: Effects of Socioeconomic Status on Identity and Personality Conference, University of Chicago (Family Economics Workshop), American Economic Association Annual Meeting, World Bank
• 2013: Personality and Identity Formation in Childhood and Adolescence, University of Zurich
• 2008-2012: American Economic Association Annual Meeting, University of Chicago (The Spencer Conference), Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, Stanford University (Research in Progress Seminar)

Interviews, Opinion Pieces, and Blogs

• Intervening Early: Do Data on SEL and School Climate Help Identify Students at Risk of Poor Academic Outcomes?, RELevant Blog, Sep. 2021
• Developing School Climate Surveys for Statewide Accountability in Maryland, RELevant Blog, Jan. 2019
• There's More to Life than Test Scores: Measuring Social and Emotional Skills to Support Student Success, OET Medium Blog, Mar. 2018
• 'I Am Someone Who Tends to Be Lazy': The Importance of Soft Skills, and How Not to Measure Them in Schools, EdLab Blog, Jul. 2016
• New GED Test Fails to Measure Skills that Matter Most, Seattle Times (Op-Ed), Jan. 2014
• Testing Companies See Cash Cow in Revamped GED, Politico (Interview), Dec. 2013
• The New GED, Education Writers Association (Webinar), Dec. 2013
• Second-Chance Diploma: Examining the GED, American Radio Works (Interview), Sep. 2013

Professional Service

Referee: American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, Education Finance and Policy, Forum for Health Economics and Policy, Journal of Applied Econometrics, Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Journal of Health Economics, Journal of Human Capital, Journal of Labor Economics, Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, Journal of Political Economy, Labour Economics, Learning and Individual Differences, Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, SAGE Open, Science

Member: Council of Distinguished Scientists, National Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development

Previous Positions

Skills