John Kristof

Senior Research Analyst
john@edchoice.org

John M. Kristof serves as a Senior Research Analyst with the Research and Thought Leadership team at EdChoice. His research interests lie in understanding the intricate relationships between school choice and various stakeholders, including students, families, the broader education ecosystem, and education reform advocacy. Within his role, John authors and supports original research and writing, studies school choice programs, designs and analyzes surveys, oversees the organization’s data collection efforts, and provides assistance to EdChoice team members and partners with their research and data needs.

In his capacity, John has shared EdChoice’s expertise by presenting research in diverse settings, engaging with audiences ranging from state legislators to education researchers and analysts to education reform advocates. His written work is regularly featured on the EdChoice blog and various other education and opinion outlets. John’s affiliations include membership in organizations such as the Association for Education Finance and Policy, the Association for Public Policy and Management, and the Midwest Association for Public Opinion Research.

Prior to his current role, John served as the Lawrence M. Borst Fellow at the Indiana General Assembly. In this capacity, he provided crucial research support on a wide array of issues, including education finance, special education, teacher compensation, child poverty, and other pertinent education and fiscal matters. A homeschool graduate, John holds a Master of Public Affairs degree in Policy Analysis from Indiana University. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Humanities from Indiana Wesleyan University, where he distinguished himself as a John Wesley Honors Scholar.

Download John’s CV

Favorite Quote

“Be a philosopher; but amidst all your philosophy, be still a man.”
— David Hume

Favorite Teacher/ Class

Dr. Riggs, theology

High School Mascot

My cat

Favorite Pastimes

Tennis, soccer, synthpop, chess, and exploring new cities

Inspiration for Joining the Educational Choice Movement

Since I was young, I’ve seen countless families make major sacrifices to provide their children with educations that meet their needs. I've seen even more families seek out those sacrifices and still are unable to pursue other options, and their children are forced to settle. We owe it to our democracy and to the next generation of leaders to give loving families more agency in their kids’ education.