Data Fellowship

The SDP Data Fellowship is a two-year program that develops PK12 and Higher Education data leaders to strengthen the capacity of the field to use data for improvement.

We find and train fellows to advance strategic initiatives, uncover valuable insights, and build a strong data culture in partner organizations.

Become an SDP Fellow Partner with SDP

Program Components

Workshops

Over the course of multiple workshops and online learning modules, SDP Fellows train in advanced research methods, leadership, education policy, and effective communication. SDP Fellows bring lessons learned back to their organizations to build capacity and inform their work.

Support

Fellows and their supervisors gain a network of professional colleagues who support one another in making evidence-based change in education. Program alumni and faculty mentor new fellows throughout the experience. Fellows are placed in collaborative working groups to tackle similar challenges and produce insights together and connect regularly with their cohort mates, SDP alumni, and others across SDP’s education researcher and practitioner network.

Lasting Impact

SDP Fellows take on priority data projects defined by their organization and honed in partnership with SDP to dramatically improve student outcomes. Fellows collaborate with world-class experts and experienced SDP alumni to move the needle for students.

Rigorous and Relevant Curriculum

Fellows and their supervisors participate in multiple, hands-on workshops and online learning modules and events to assess their organization's data use, develop analytic plans, and share key insights about evidence-driven change. Key workshops include:

Foundations of Data Strategy
Strategic Analytic Planning
Data Work is People Work
Embedding and Sustaining Change

Fellows also partake in remote learning between workshops and over the summer after their first year in the Fellowship to develop technical skills and deepen their understanding of key education policy topics.

Download the fellowship flyer Download the partnership flyer

What You'll Learn

Education Analytics and Data Governance

Elevate your statistical programming, advanced research techniques, and data management skills.

Policy Leadership and Management

Engage with education leaders and learn leadership best practices for leading evidence-driven change.

Visualization and Communication

Develop the ability to tell a visual story with your data and support non-technical stakeholders.

Who You'll Meet

Inspiring Leaders

Learn from fearless, mission-focused education advocates across the sector.

Expert Advisors

Receive expert advice from renowned faculty members and industry experts on your capstone projects.

Alumni Mentors

Alumni provide guidance to each new fellow on methods, leadership, communication and more.

A Network of Changemakers

The term ‘support’ can mean many things, but for SDP it runs the gamut from providing resources and feedback to autonomy and advocacy. They’re really putting the right things in place to realize their vision of increasing the analytic capacity of education agencies to affect real change.

- SDP Fellow, 2019-2021

Opportunities for Lasting Impact

Bringing a Research Lens to a Civil Rights Issue

While a goal to reduce racial disparity was consistent across one district's schools, the initiative looked different in every school. Learn how one SDP Fellow used data to uncover hallmarks of a successful school focused on reducing referrals and suspensions among African American males.