Strategic Data Project Convening 2026

Cara supports education agencies to build and use evidence to improve student outcomes. She has conducted education research and evidence reviews on a variety of topics, including tutoring and historical writing interventions, policies related to instructional quality, and teacher preparation. Most recently, she completed a randomized controlled trial of instructional coherence in the context of early literacy tutoring (https://edworkingpapers.com/ai25-1332). She joined the Center for Outcomes Based Contracting in June 2025, where she works on both internal continuous improvement initiatives and field-facing efforts to support districts and state use existing evidence in decision-making. Cara is also an associate editor at the Education Finance and Policy journal, focusing on policy briefs, and teaches Economic Inquiry in Education at American University‬. Earlier in her career, she taught preschool and kindergarten in New York City and conducted research and evaluation in Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland. She earned her Ph.D. in Education Policy from the University of Maryland and a master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Cara is a proud Cohort 5 alum and previously served on the Strategic Data Project alumni council.