Tobie Irvine

Tobie is from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a son of a pastor and a professor, and someone who since high school was questioning what equity in education actually looked like. After college, he worked directly with students, teachers, and administrators for almost five years, which gave him a better understanding and appreciation for the challenges that schools faced. He also loved how good data could bring clarity to seemingly intractable problems.  

He went back to grad school afterwards to hone his skills at the intersection of data analytics and public policy, after which he was grateful to land the SDP Fellowship and a placement with the New York State Education Department (NYSED). In this role, he was able to develop a more equitable accountability system for students with severe cognitive disabilities, which continues to be utilized today. He's still with NYSED today and helping schools and districts across the state figure out how to leverage data for the benefit of their students.