Martin Lueken is director of EdChoice’s Fiscal Research and Education Center (FREC). He joined EdChoice in 2015. His work and research cover areas including education choice, school funding, and teacher pensions. Marty’s expertise and advice help policy makers, researchers, and stakeholders understand the fiscal impact of current school choice programs and potential fiscal effects of programs introduced in state legislatures. He has provided expert testimony and advice about fiscal issues for numerous states that have introduced education choice legislation. His work has been mentioned in various media and education-specific outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Education Next, Education Week, and The 74. Marty taught English in Japanese public elementary and junior high schools for five years. He earned a Ph.D. in education policy from the University of Arkansas, a master’s degree in economics from the University of Missouri, and a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Eastern Illinois University. Marty is an affiliated researcher at the Policy Research in Missouri Education (PRiME) Center at Saint Louis University. He is a native of St. Louis and currently lives in Indianapolis with his lovely wife and daughter.
Favorite Quote
The society that puts equality before freedom will end up with neither. The society that puts freedom before equality will end up with a great measure of both.
– Milton Friedman
Favorite Teacher/Class
James Raterman, High School English
High School Mascot
Billikens
Favorite Pastimes
Photography and learning Japanese
Inspiration for Joining the Educational Choice Movement
Milton Friedman’s ideas about the role that government should play in K-12 education