Blog

If you have ever watched a strong hire struggle in their first year, you have probably asked the same questions I have. Was this the wrong person? Did we misjudge their skills? Did they lack initiative? Over time, I have come to see a different pattern...

This summer, The Hechinger Report ran a headline: “Tutoring was supposed to save American kids after the pandemic. The results? ‘Sobering.’” It grabbed attention but communicated the wrong message. Tutoring itself did not fail. What failed was how...

A former partner recently called me in full panic. They had posted a data analyst role expecting a few dozen applicants. Instead, they got 392. On paper, it looked like a gift. But when they gave semi-finalist candidates a basic analytic task, the results...

The transition to ninth grade is a pivotal moment that has the ability to set the tone for a student’s entire high school experience. National research consistently shows that if a student struggles during freshman year, it can be a make-or-break factor...

Family engagement is fundamental to student success, often linked to higher academic achievement, better attendance, and stronger social-emotional skills. However, traditional approaches to family engagement, like counting attendance at PTA meetings or...

What drew you to the SDP Fellowship? What did you do prior to the SDP Fellowship? How did you get started in the education data/policy field? At some point in undergrad, I realized I wanted to work in K-12 education. My first job out of undergrad was...

As Director of Data Visualization & Analytics at Central Piedmont Community College, Nataya focuses on transforming data into clear insights that inform equitable action. She leads executive-level analytics and evaluation projects, strengthens data...

Megan grew up in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, and moved to Washington in 2014 after completing her Master’s and PhD in Public Affairs at the University of Missouri. After managing research projects for the Division of Child Support for over five years, Megan...

Jennifer Koester is an experienced data professional currently serving as the Director of Enterprise Data at the Delaware Department of Technology and Information since March 2020. As an SDP Fellow in Cohort 10 with the Delaware Department of Technology...

Nasaa works as Executive Director of Human Resources Operations where he manages benefits, compensation, position allotments and HR technology. He is especially passionate about tools and process improvements that free school staff up to focus on the work...