Sara (Wraight) Wolforth

Policy Principal
American Institutes for Research

Sara (Wraight) Wolforth, is a policy principal at AIR. Most recently, Wolforth served as the co-director of the State Support Network, a 4-year contract from the U.S. Department of Education to support states and districts in advancing school improvement efforts. Previously, Wolforth oversaw the Midwest Comprehensive Center, a federally funded center charged with building the capacity of state education agencies in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Wolforth contributed to publications including a book chapter on funding strategies for making schools more safe, equitable, and engaging, a practical guide for developing principal evaluation systems, and several REL Midwest studies. Wolforth’s extensive facilitation experience includes supporting state-level task forces on competency-based education, educator effectiveness, literacy, regional support systems, civic education, and accountability. In her research, policy, and technical assistance work, Wolforth benefits from her experience as an educator, having taught in Chicago at the upper elementary and high school levels. Prior to entering the field of education, Wolforth was a practicing attorney. She earned a master’s degree in elementary teaching from Northwestern University and a juris doctor degree from Washington University in St. Louis.