About Us
The study is being conducted by Jennifer Jellison Holme (co-PI) and Huriya Jabbar (Co-PI) of The University of Texas at Austin.
Jennifer J. Holme, PhD
Jennifer Jellison Holme is an Associate Professor of Educational Policy and Planning in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy. Dr. Holmes research focuses on the politics and implementation of educational policy, with a particular focus on the relationship among school reform, equity, and diversity in schools. Her research interests include: school desegregation (currently focusing on inter-district programs); teacher turnover; high stakes testing (exit level testing); and school choice policy.
She received her Ph.D. in Education Policy (Urban Schooling) from UCLA, her Ed.M in Administration, Planning and Social Policy from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, and her B.A. in Sociology from UCLA.
Huriya Jabbar, PhD
Huriya Jabbar is an Associate Professor in the Educational Policy and Planning program in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy. Her research examines the social and political dimensions of market-based reforms and privatization in education. She is currently studying school choice policy and school leaders’ behavioral responses to competition; choice and decision-making in higher education; and teacher job choices, recruitment, and retention.
Huriya received a B.A. in Economics from the University of California at Santa Cruz, an M.A. in Economics from the New School for Social Research, and a Ph.D. in Education Policy, Organization, Measurement, & Evaluation from the University of California, Berkeley.
Other members of the research team include
Katelin Trautmann
Katelin Trautmann is a doctoral student in the Education Policy and Planning program. Katelin’s research interests examine the intersection of race and religion and its impact on policy efforts for racial equity particularly in predominately white suburban and rural areas. Previously, Katelin worked as an elementary teacher and instructional coach for ten years.
Janet Solis Rodriguez
Janet Solis Rodriguez is a doctoral student in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy at The University of Texas at Austin. Her research explores ways to create a sustainable pipeline of educators of color, especially in STEM areas. Her current research focuses on the professional life cycle of school leaders and teachers of color, including their preparation, retention, and mobility patterns. Before her doctoral studies, Solis was a math teacher, teacher mentor, district curriculum writer, and served as an analyst and liaison for the Texas Education Agency.
Chandel Burgess
Chandel Burgess is a doctoral student in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research interests center around the experiences of Black girls, teens, and women in STEM spaces. Her current research investigates what mentorship looks like for Black women mathematics majors. Before beginning her doctoral studies in STEM Education, Chandel worked as an AP Calculus teacher for 2 years and completed a Master of Science in Mathematical Science.
Ashli Duncan
Ashli Duncan is a doctoral student at the University of Texas at Austin in the Educational Policy and Planning program. As a public school teacher for five years, she was an active member of United Educators of San Francisco. She worked as a Union Building Representative in her final year as a classroom teacher. Her advocacy work for students and teachers motivates her research interest in teacher retention and its effects on adults, students, and the school environment.
After graduating from Scripps College with a Bachelor of Arts dual degree in Dance and Media Studies, she taught English as a Second Language to adults and children in Japan and South Korea. Upon returning to the U.S., she earned her Master of Arts in Teaching Reading from The University of San Francisco as a part of the San Francisco Teacher Residency program.