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Watson Scott Swail

Watson Scott Swail

President and Chief Executive Officer of The Educational Policy Institute

DR. WATSON SCOTT SWAIL brings a quarter century of life in education to his speaking appearances. From his earliest teaching experiences in Winnipeg, Canada, to his leadership at the Washington, DC-based Educational Policy Institute, Swail offers perspectives on educational issues tailored to his audiences. His keynotes and workshops are interesting, lively, and engaging.

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Bio

Full Bio

DR. WATSON SCOTT SWAIL brings a quarter century of life in education to his speaking appearances. From his earliest teaching experiences in Winnipeg, Canada, to his leadership at the Washington, DC-based Educational Policy Institute, Swail offers perspectives on educational issues tailored to his audiences. His keynotes and workshops are interesting, lively, and engaging.

Widely respected in the area of college opportunity research, Dr. Swail has published extensively in national journals and publications. Recent publications include Finding Superman: Debating the Future of Public Education in America (Teachers College Press); Retaining Minority Students in Higher Education (Jossey-Bass); Latino Students and the Educational Pipeline, The Affordability of Higher Education, and Higher Education and the New Demographics. He has been published in Phi Delta Kappan, Change, and The Chronicle of Higher Education. Other areas of expertise and commentary include educational reform, STEM education, college preparation, student persistence and success, and financial aid.

In 2002, Dr. Swail established the Educational Policy Institute, a research-based think tank on education in Washington, DC. Today, EPI conducts studies for the US Department of Education, school districts, colleges, and other entities. EPI provides professional development through workshops and conferences. Via EPI, Dr. Swail publishes the weekly Swail Letter on Higher Education.

Prior to establishing EPI, Swail served as the Founding Director of The Pell Institute and Vice President of the Council for Opportunity in Education in Washington, DC. He previously served as senior policy analyst with SRI International and associate director for policy analysis with The College Board. While with the Board, Dr. Swail co-directed the Trends in College Pricing and Trends in Student Aid reports. He is a former middle school technology teacher in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Hampton, Virginia.

Dr. Swail received his doctorate in educational policy from The George Washington University in Washington, DC, his master’s in education from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, and a bachelor’s of education from the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba. He resides in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

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Topics

Topics

Fixing Our Schools: Reforming Our Reform Agenda
The Higher Education Arms Race: How Much is Enough?
Understanding the ROI of Education

Videos

Videos

National Advisory Council on Postsecondary Education Access - Watson Scott Swail
Dr. Watson Scott Swail Interview

Books

Retaining Minority Students in Higher Education
Retaining Minority Students in Higher Education
FINDING SUPERMAN
FINDING SUPERMAN

News

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