The American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C., released its annual list of 200 national education scholars who are contributing most substantially to discussions on schools and schooling policy and practices.

Twenty scholars from Stanford, including 15 from Stanford Graduate School of Education, are among those recognized. Linda Darling-Hammond, professor emerita of education, tops the list.

Other ranked faculty are: Larry Cuban, Eric Hanushek, Michael Kirst, Martin Carnoy, Nel Noddings, Sam Wineburg, Caroline M. Hoxby, Susanna Loeb, Terry M. Moe, Sean F. Reardon, David F. Labaree, Thomas S. Dee, Margaret Raymond, Bruce McCandliss, Rob Reich, Prudence L. Carter, Edward Haertel, Mitchell Stevens and Eric Bettinger.

Stanford - with 20 faculty members included - and Harvard - with 21 - have the most scholars on the list. Columbia comes in third with 14.

AEI education policy director Rick Hess, who produces the list based on nominations and metrics regarding academic body of work and public impact, said that by recognizing and valuing scholars who engage in public discourse the list, called "The 2016 RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings," acts as one small way to encourage academics to "step into the fray and revisit academic norms." 

“As I see it, the extraordinary policy scholar excels in five areas: disciplinary scholarship, policy analysis and popular writing, convening and shepherding collaborations, providing incisive media commentary, and speaking in the public square. I'm not sure I've got everything exactly right, but I think such efforts convey real information and help to spark useful discussion,” he said.

To see the complete list of 2016 RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings as well as further information on its methodology, visit this post on the blog, Rick Hess Straight Up, which is published on the Education Week website.