Chester E. Finn Jr.

Chester Evans "Checker" Finn Jr. (born August 3, 1944) is a former professor of education, an educational policy analyst, and a former United States Assistant Secretary of Education. He is currently the president emeritus of the nonprofit Thomas B. Fordham Foundation in Washington, D.C. He is also Volker Senior Fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution where he chairs the Working Group on Good American Citizenship. He was also a member of the Maryland Kirwan Commission on Education during its authorization period from 2016 to 2019.

Finn was Professor of Education and Public Policy at Vanderbilt University (1981–2002). He served as Assistant Secretary for Research and Improvement at the U.S. Department of Education (1985–88). Prior positions included Staff Assistant to U.S. President Richard Nixon; special assistant to Massachusetts Governor Francis Sargent (1972–73); counsel to U.S. Ambassador to India Daniel Patrick Moynihan (1973–74); Research Associate at the Brookings Institution (1974–77); and legislative director for U.S. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan (1977–81).

Published works include

 * Finn, Jr., Chester E., Assessing the Nation's Report Card: Challenges and Choices for NAEP (2022); Harvard Education Press
 * Finn, Jr., Chester E.; Scanlan, Andrew E.; Learning in the Fast Lane: The Past, Present and Future of Advanced Placement (2019); Princeton University Press
 * How to Educate an American: The Conservative Vision for Tomorrow's Schools; Michael J. Petrilli and Chester E. Finn Jr., eds. (2020). West Conshohocken, PA: Templeton Press. ISBN 978-1-59947-569-1.


 * We Must Take Charge!: Our Schools and Our Future (1991)
 * The Educated Child: A Parents Guide From Preschool Through Eighth Grade (1999; with William Bennett and John T. E. Cribb Jr.)
 * Charter Schools in Action: Renewing Public Education (2001; with Bruno V. Manno and Gregg Vanourek)
 * Leaving No Child Behind?: Options for Kids in Failing Schools (2004) (with Frederick M. Hess)
 * Troublemaker: A Personal History of School Reform Since Sputnik (2008)