SDP Blog

Interviews can be nerve-wracking, even for confident candidates. I often tell candidates that the interviewers are truly hoping you succeed. As a hiring manager on my own teams, I can attest to this. I’m rooting for each candidate because an open position...

Every once in a while, a project comes along that is deceptively simple in its premise but profound in its ambition. For Yuzhu Xia, Cohort 16 Fellow of the Strategic Data Project (SDP) and Evaluation and Data Manager at Boston Public Schools' (BPS)...

Your LinkedIn profile is sometimes the first thing we see before your resume. While most education data practitioners might not be interested in being a LinkedIn influencer, you never know who might look you up. If you connect with a hiring manager or an...

Candidates often ask us what we look for when reviewing applications. While the answer is pretty nuanced, one often overlooked aspect is the consistency across your application materials. When your materials are all aligned, they work together to present...

How could a program designed to promote digital equity end up creating new barriers to learning? That was not the question Andrew Hendricks and his colleagues expected to answer when they began studying Fresno Unified School District's one-to-one student...

For the most part, when you work in education, it’s because you want to make an impact. Many folks in the education field have a personal story that drives them toward these roles, whether a formative experience learning from a teacher; a history of...

Over the last 8 months, we reviewed nearly 200 applications from jobseekers looking for ways to use their data skills in education. Of those, we took a closer look at 30 top candidates. We also spoke with more than 100 education organizations hoping to...

A hand-decorated note might not be the first thing that comes to mind when people think about the impact of data. But in San Diego County, one school counselor’s creative attendance “nudge letters” reveal something crucial about why SDP alumnus Shannon...

Every spring, over ten thousand students graduate from high schools across the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) in North Carolina, and walk into a wide range of futures. Some head straight to four-year universities, while others enroll at the...

For many, college is a pathway to better employment opportunities and a more secure life. For community college students, who are often low-income, first-generation, or students of color, this hope feels even more urgent. “At Dallas College, like so many...