# Q&A with Andrew Morozov, Cohort 9 SDP Fellow Alumnus August 15, 2024 - [ Blog ](/news-categories/blog) *This Q&A is part of an SDP Blog series profiling members of the 2023 – 2025 SDP Alumni Advisory Board. All posts from this series may be found* [*here*](/news/alumni-advisory-board)*.* ![Andrew](/sites/g/files/omnuum4446/files/sdp/files/am.png) [Andrew Morozov](/people/andrew-morozov) is a Cohort 9 (2017-2019) alumnus of the Strategic Data Project (SDP) Fellowship. Andrew was nominated into the Fellowship by the [New York State Education Department](https://www.nysed.gov/) (NYSED), where he has worked since 2014. As a fellow at NYSED, Andrew implemented a methodology to measure the progress of the lowest-performing schools in New York, integrating various indicators and setting annual goals to track demonstrable improvement. Currently, as Supervisor of Education Programs in NYSED’s Office of Accountability, Andrew helps lead the Policy, Analytics, and Research team in the Albany office, focusing on implementing policy and developing actionable insights and resources related to New York State’s school and district accountability system. Andrew holds a Ph.D. in Learning Sciences & Human Development from the University of Washington and is an alumnus of the National Science Foundation’s Community for Advancing Discovery Research in Education (CADRE) Fellowship. **Tell us about your current job!** My role at NYSED centers around using data to build capacity for continuous improvement systems and practices in schools and districts across the State. Specifically, I co-lead a talented team in implementing the state's accountability system for schools and districts as per U.S. Department of Education guidance and New York's ESSA State Plan, developing policies, and analyzing educational programs. A typical day involves a blend of data work, crafting communications, and coordinating across program offices to provide comprehensive support for local education agencies. NYSED strives to be a true partner for the state's educators, listening to understand their needs and priorities and developing frameworks and instruments to support them in their challenging work. The concepts of building capacity and providing differentiated support and resources to the schools and districts we serve are key parts in our organization’s purpose statement, and we ‘walk the talk.’ The most fulfilling aspect of my role is collaborating with colleagues (including SDP Fellow alumni) and knowing that our work benefits a complex education system designed to improve learning outcomes for millions of students across the state. **What skills did you gain from your time as an SDP Fellow that you find helpful in your current role?** The SDP Fellowship allowed me to develop and improve leadership and data strategy skills—approaching data work with a more holistic lens, considering different approaches to tackling analyses, weighing the implications of analytic and policy decisions, and using different means to deliver impactful messages that drive continuous improvement in the state’s schools and districts. **What is the most memorable or impactful moment or experience from your time as an SDP Fellow?** The SDP Fellowship in-person workshops were always inspiring, thanks to the opportunities for learning, as well as collaboration with my cohort-mates. Such opportunities enable SDP Fellows and Alumni to build a tight-knit and supportive community driven by shared values and goals. **What else should we know about your career journey?** The academic training that has proven most relevant to my current role includes extensive research experience during graduate studies. My past professional and academic experiences and relationships taught me valuable lessons that continue to inform and enable my professional journey. I consider professional achievements a function of personal qualities and values co-constructed through the efforts of one's family, friends, teachers, and colleagues, and I value their respective contributions to my accomplishments. The SDP Fellowship has been vital to my career journey, including involvement with the SDP alumni network and service on the SDP Alumni Advisory Board. **What changes do you anticipate in your field in the next year?** In the near future, states will continue to re-institute their accountability systems under the Every Students Succeeds Act (ESSA) that have been impacted by gaps in data due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Beyond accountability and over a longer horizon, I look forward to seeing how the U.S. and international education systems evolve in response to economic, demographic, public health, and technological trends. I am especially interested in how innovation in computing and artificial intelligence will affect society via both the education system and the workplace. **What is something you enjoy in your free time?** Outside of work, I strive for an active lifestyle balancing time with family, sports, the outdoors, and travel. **What are you currently binge-watching? Or reading?** Recently, I have been listening to audiobooks and podcasts on topics in economics and finance, history, archaeology, and science fiction. See also:- [ Alumni Advisory Board ](/news/alumni-advisory-board) Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)