# Charting a Data-Driven Vision for Student Success in Tennessee April 10, 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). ![Lexi Parker](/sites/g/files/omnuum4446/files/2025-04/LP%20_%20TN%20SCORE.png) **Q+A with Lexi Parker & Courtney Bell at SCORE, a Cohort 15 SDP Fellowship Partner Agency** [Lexi Parker](https://sdp.cepr.harvard.edu/people/alexis-parker) is a Cohort 15 (2023-2025) SDP Fellow and the Director of Data at the [State Collaborative on Reforming Education](https://tnscore.org/) (SCORE), a non-profit advocacy and research organization that supports a unified and coordinated approach to public education in Tennessee from kindergarten through career. SCORE uses student-centered policies, innovative implementation networks, and cutting-edge analytics to achieve their goals. We recently caught up with Lexi and her supervisor, Courtney Bell, SCORE’s Vice President of Research and Innovation, to learn more about their exciting and impactful work. **Lexi, can you tell us more about your role at Tennessee SCORE?** Lexi**:** I lead data analysis efforts at SCORE, providing key insights on how Tennessee is supporting student success across K-12, higher education, and workforce. In my role, I manage our data team and help shape SCORE’s broader data strategy and research agenda. **What excites you most about your job?** Lexi: One of the most rewarding aspects of my job is providing data support to local partners who may lack the internal capacity or knowledge to get started. I am passionate about equipping communities, particularly those who have been underserved or under-resourced, with data resources and knowledge to effectively advocate for and implement transformative, data-driven initiatives. A key part of my work involves translating complex data into meaningful insights for communities. My capstone project does just that, using resources like [TN2030](https://www.tn2030.org/). I take great pleasure in helping our diverse audience understand the “so what” and feel confident in their use of data. **Tell us more about your capstone project.** Lexi: My SDP capstone project, [TN2030](https://www.tn2030.org/), is an interactive data tool and a shared, data-driven vision for student success over the next 5 years that can support more Tennessee students stay on track to earn impact degrees (credentials that lead to high-demand, high-wage jobs) that enable economic independence. Setting ambitious—yet attainable—goals across the educational experience, TN2030 highlights the transformative change that is possible when just one additional student per classroom is on track for success each year. **What impact do you hope to see as a result of the capstone project when it is completed?** Lexi: The goals outlined in TN2030 are intended to spur our state toward an ultimate objective of more Tennessee students earning degrees or credentials that enable economic independence. We hope, too, that this effort improves data use and accessibility at the state and local level to enable greater understanding of student success. When goals are set, we can build shared accountability that leads to mutual action. Courtney: The hope with this project is to chart a clear path for our state to meaningfully improve outcomes for students. We have a history of improvement when we unite around a shared goal, so we hope that by casting a vision and then helping local communities see how they can contribute to achieving that vision, we will make strong progress for kids. We are also hoping to humanize the data by centering on a one student per classroom approach—if just one more kid was proficient in each classroom each year, what impact would that have? [Turns out, it would have a huge impact!](https://www.tn2030.org/) **What has been the most meaningful experience from your participation in the SDP Fellowship so far?** Lexi: The SDP Fall Workshop in 2024 was a standout event! It was fantastic to come together as a cohort entering our second year of the fellowship to learn and tackle common challenges. Some memorable moments from the workshop include a presentation on communicating data and the fun social times playing Pac Man with my cohort mates at an arcade bar. I always come away from workshops energized and full of ideas to implement new processes and tools with my own team. **How has the SDP Fellowship strengthened the analytic capacity of your agency?** Courtney: Lexi was an existing employee at our organization and was enrolled as a Nominated Fellow, so we have benefited from her brilliance for years. However, going through SDP Fellowship has connected her to this amazing network (and an insanely genius SDP advisor) that has helped her think about data in new and different ways. She has turnkeyed much of her learnings into training opportunities for the rest of our team, so our investment in her learning has really yielded dividends. See also:- [ Cohort 15 Spotlight ](/tags/cohort-15-spotlight) Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)