Simone Fried (she/her)
Assistant Professor
EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND POLICY
Specialty/Research Focus
school district policy implementation, governance, and administration; research-practice partnerships
Education and Training:
- Ed.D., Harvard Graduate School of Education, Education Policy, Leadership, and Instructional Practice (2022)
- Ed.M., Harvard Graduate School of Education, Education (2018)
- B.A., Swarthmore College, Educational Studies and Literature (2010)
Recent Publications:
Journal Articles:
- Fried, S. A. (2020). State takeover: Managing emotions, policy implementation, and the support/sanction duality in the Holyoke Public Schools receivership. Harvard Educational Review, 90(1), 75–101. https://doi.org/10.17763/1943-5045-90.1.75
- Bridwell-Mitchell, E.N. and Fried, S.A. (2018). Learning one’s place: How status matters for social capital in teacher communities. Education Policy, 34(7), 955-991.
Book Chapters:
- Fried, S.A., Mette, I.M. (2026). Navigating the US Social and Political Landscape to Promote Equity-Oriented Change as an Educational Leader. In: Goodwin, A.L., Hargreaves, A., Showunmi, V., Stone-Johnson, C., Weiner, J. (eds) Third International Handbook of Educational Change. Springer International Handbooks of Education.
Book Reviews:
- Fried, S. A. & Yurkofsky, M. M. (2022). [Review of the book Beyond Standards: The Fragmentation of Education Governance and the Promise of Curriculum Reform, by M. Polikoff.] Teachers College Record.
- Fried, S. A. (2018). [Review of the book Teaching controversial issues: The case for critical thinking and moral commitment in the classroom, by N. Noddings and L. Brooks.] Harvard Educational Review, 88(2), 245-250.
Recent Presentations:
Invited Lectures:
- Fried, S.A., *Hna, N., *Fung, J., & *Stoner, N. Who gets to choose? Preliminary findings from the Buffalo School Choice Project. Presented at the annual Igniting Equity in Education conference of the Western NY Education Equity Task Force. Buffalo, NY. October 18, 2025.;
Conferences:
- Fried, S. A. Who benefits from school choice in Buffalo? Paper presented at the annual conference of the University Council for Educational Administration. San Juan, PR. November 22, 2025.;
- Fried, S. A., *Dawer, D. I., and Woulfin, S. Toolkits for centralization: The logics of state takeover of school districts. Roundtable at the annual conference of the American Educational Research Association. Los Angeles, CA. April 9, 2026.;
- Fried, S. A. and Stone-Johnson, C. Demographic change and inequality in suburban schools: Toward a theory of responsible leadership for newcomer students. Paper accepted at the annual conference of the University Council for Educational Administration. Los Angeles, CA. November 23, 2024.;
- Fried, S. A. Takeovers and the role of state agencies in district reform: An analysis of authorizing legislation. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Educational Research Association, Denver, CO. April 24, 2025.;
Recent Grants:
Fellowship - Post-Doctoral:
- UB GSE Grant Fellowship: Who benefits from school choice in Buffalo?; Colleges / Universities; UB GSE; Awarded; (01/01/2025-08/31/2025)
Recent Activities:
Professional Service:
- Awards Co-Chair for AERA SIG #73: Organizational Theory
Apr 2024-Jan 2026