# Tackling Chronic Absenteeism in Rural Education With Data January 08, 2025 - [ Blog ](/news-categories/blog) *This Q&A is part of an SDP Blog series profiling members of the SDP Fellowship Cohort 15. All posts from this series may be found* [here](https://prod-sdp.drupalsites.harvard.edu/tags/cohort-15-spotlight)*.* ![Rebecca Tucker](/sites/g/files/omnuum4446/files/2025-02/rt_partners_for_rural_impact.png) **Q&A with Rebecca Tucker & Sherry Horner at Partners for Rural Impact, a Cohort 15 SDP Fellowship Partner Agency.** [Rebecca E. Tucker, Ph.D.](https://sdp.cepr.harvard.edu/people/rebecca-tucker), is a Cohort 15 (2023-2025) SDP Fellow and the Director of Data and Evaluation at [Partners for Rural Impact](https://partnersrural.org/), a non-profit in Berea, Kentucky that seeks to increase access to high-quality programs and supports to improve outcomes for children and youth in rural America; strengthen civic infrastructure in rural places so that residents and local organizations have the systems and structures to come together to move outcomes; and drive resources and investment to rural communities by convening rural stakeholders to shape a shared narrative and advocating for policy changes at the state and federal levels. We recently caught up with Rebecca and her supervisor Sherry Horner, Partner for Rural Impact’s Organizational Results and Data Officer, to learn more about their exciting and impactful work. **Rebecca, can you tell us about your role at Partners for Rural Impact?** Rebecca: As the Director of Data and Evaluation, I lead a team that's transitioning from a historically limited scope of supporting grant compliance and ad hoc data tasks to developing data strategies that align with our organization's goals. Our focus is now on improving program impact and driving data-informed decision-making across all grants. My responsibilities include overseeing data governance practices, prioritizing data integrity, providing staff training and support to build data literacy, and fostering cross-departmental alignment on evaluation processes and key performance metrics. This shift in focus helps us strengthen accountability and enhance our impact reporting. **What excites you the most about your job?** Rebecca: What excites me most is the opportunity to transform the way our organization utilizes data, transitioning from a limited scope to a more strategic, data-driven approach. It's rewarding to think about how our efforts now could directly improve program impact and support more informed decision-making across the organization. I'm motivated by the potential for our work to make a tangible difference and contribute to our organization's mission, "All Rural Students Succeed." **Tell us more about your capstone project.** Rebecca: My capstone project centers around creating tools and resources to assist teams in reviewing and understanding chronic absenteeism data. While the immediate goal is to increase utilization and access to this data, I'm also aiming to work strategically to ensure that the foundational work we're doing can be scaled and applied to a much broader scope across our organization's service area. **What impact do you hope to see as a result of the capstone project when it is completed?** Rebecca: By delving into areas like data architecture, data schemas, data governance, and data visualization, we're not only improving our efforts with chronic absenteeism but also building a strong foundation for future projects. I hope that this strategic approach will pay off down the road, enabling us to tackle a wide range of data-related challenges more effectively and efficiently. Sherry: Rebecca's capstone project is a cornerstone of our efforts to strengthen the organization's role in supporting rural education. By addressing our long-term data and evaluation needs, she is equipping us with critical tools to make informed decisions, particularly in tackling chronic absenteeism. As her work evolves, we are eager to leverage the insights gained to refine our strategies and amplify our impact. Rebecca's commitment to this project has been extraordinary, and we are confident that her contributions will play a pivotal role in advancing our mission of promoting educational equity and success for every rural student. **What has been the most meaningful experience from your participation in the SDP Fellowship so far?** Rebecca: The most impactful aspect of my first year as an SDP Fellow has been the connections I've made within the SDP network. The opportunity to engage with a diverse group of leaders, who have generously shared their experiences and wisdom, has provided me with valuable guidance, support, and personal growth. I'm grateful to be part of such a knowledgeable and supportive community, and I'm excited to continue learning from and contributing to this network. Sherry: As a supervisor of an SDP Fellow, one of the most rewarding experiences has been attending SDP Orientation and the SDP Annual Convening, which provide dedicated time to reflect on our organization’s needs and plan our next steps. These gatherings offer invaluable opportunities for thoughtful discussions and the chance to learn from the experiences of organizations across the country. See also:- [ Cohort 15 Spotlight ](/tags/cohort-15-spotlight) Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)