Overview
Matthew Clifford oversees a portfolio of research, policy, and professional development projects focused on educational leadership workforce development and sets strategy for business development.
Clifford leads rigorous studies that examine how leaders create schools focused on student equity and achievement. The research studies employ quasi-experimental methods to answer questions about what works in school leadership and exploratory methods to examine principal pipeline systems design, including preparation, professional development, and evaluation. Clifford is currently co–principal investigator on the Wallace Foundation’s Equity-Centered Principal Pipeline research study. Previously, Clifford has completed multiple large-scale principal professional development and preparation studies for the U.S. Department of Education, the George W. Bush Institute, and the National Center for Education and the Economy.
Clifford also designs leadership professional learning programs and consults with states, districts and charter management organizations on policies/practices aimed at attracting and retaining talented school administrators. He has led or coled multiple policy and program design task forces on school leadership retention, preparation, and performance evaluation. He has worked with eight regional comprehensive centers and two regional educational laboratories to advance principal workforce policy in 15 states over the past 8 years, and he continues to work with the National Association of Elementary School Principals and other professional associations to advance administrative policies, programs and practices. He currently leads professional development and coaching projects such as the Supervisors of Principals’ Academyand the Bridge Project,the latter of which aims to accelerate aspiring principals’ careers through elimination of systemic barriers to equitable and effective recruitment, hiring, and support.
Prior to joining WestEd, Clifford served as principal researcher at American Institutes for Research. He has been studying and working with school principals for the past 20 years and is a lifelong educator, having worked as a school teacher and administrator.
Education
- PhD in educational leadership and policy analysis, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- MS in educational leadership, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- MS in adult and vocational education, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- BA in English, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Select Publications
Clifford, M. (2024). Performance indicators for principal preparation programs: A blueprint for longitudinal feedback systems. Illinois State Board of Education.
Clifford, M. & Dotson, B. (2024). Rural Principals’ Dual Role in Supporting Pipeline Programs. Principal Magazine, 104(2), 23-25.
Liou, Y., Clifford, M., Awaludin, A., Guan, X., Molle, D., & Halverson, R. (2024). Collaborating to support equity-centered leadership: A two year social network analysis of eight districts. Wisconsin Center for Education Research.
Clifford, M., Makkonen, R., & Butterfield, K. (2023). The 5 Essential Practices: New Mexico Principal Evaluation System. New Mexico Public Education Department.
Clifford, M., & McConnachie, J. (2022). Evolution of the principalship: Leaders tell us how the profession is changing through a most difficult year. National Association of Elementary School Principals.
Clifford, M., & McConnachie, J. (2022). Leaders in the tumult: Schooling innovations and new perspectives from a year interrupted. National Association of Elementary School Principals.
