Much of my work is done with and for state agencies, school districts, and policymakers. Below are policy briefs, reports, and commentary written for non-academic audiences.
• Dougherty, S.M. (2025). Policy Recommendations to Meet High Demand for Career and Technical Education in Massachusetts. Policy brief, Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston, Harvard Kennedy School.
• Dougherty, S., Fleming, M., Goodman, J., & Yoon, Y.H. (2025). Early Returns: Reversing Enrollment Declines in Massachusetts Community Colleges through MassReconnect. Wheelock Educational Policy Center.
• Dougherty, S., Goldring, T., & Kreisman, D. (2025). Career and Technical Education for Students with Identified Disabilities. Georgia Policy Labs.
• Dougherty, S.M., Goldring, T., Heller, B., Theobald, R., & Yoon, Y. (2025). Career and Technical Education Teacher Attrition During COVID-19: Insights from Four States. Georgia Policy Labs.
• Ansel, D., Carruthers, C., Dewil, E., Dougherty, S., Goldring, T., & Kreisman, D. (2025). Oh CTE Teacher, Where Art Thou? Administrator Perspectives on and Strategies for CTE Staffing Challenges. Georgia State University.
• Dougherty, S.M., Nelson, M., Smith, M.M., Corcoran, S., & Chin, S. (2024). Why EPSOs Matter: Preliminary Analysis of EPSO Completion and Student Outcomes in MNPS High Schools. Nashville PEER.
• Kemple, J., Unterman, R., & Dougherty, S.M. (2023). New York City as a Laboratory for Learning about Career and Technical Education. Research Alliance for New York City Schools.
• Carruthers, C., Dougherty, S., Kreisman, D., & Theobald, R. (2021). A Multi-State Study of Equity in Career and Technical Education. CTE Policy Exchange, Georgia Policy Labs.
• Hodge, E., Dougherty, S., & Burris, C. (2020). Tracking and the Future of Career and Technical Education. National Education Policy Center.
• Dougherty, S.M. (2016). Career and Technical Education in High School: Does It Improve Student Outcomes?. Thomas B. Fordham Institute.
• Jacoby, T. & Dougherty, S.M. (2016). The New CTE: New York City as Laboratory for the Nation. Manhattan Institute.
• With Jonathan Plucker, Alicia Anderson, and Matthew Makel (June 2026). Broad support, barely funded: The paradox of advanced education in America. Fordham Institute.
• Dougherty, S. (May 2026). What do we know about the value of CTE credentials?. Fordham Institute.
• Kistler, H.C., Dougherty, S.M., & Claiborne, C. (October 2025). What makes some CTE programs great while others fall short?. The 74 (also published in the Indiana Capital Chronicle).
• Dougherty, S.M. (March 2025). Catholic Schools Can’t Compete: Tuition-free charter schools dominate school choice. Education Next.
• Kistler, H.C. & Dougherty, S.M. (April 2024). Career and technical education is a hidden weak spot in many high schools’ teacher workforces. Brookings Institution.
• Dougherty, S.M. (February 2023). Putting Evidence on CTE to Work. Phi Delta Kappan.