Education Research & Development, LLC
Research, tools, facilitation, and system design for education improvement
Education Research & Development, LLC
Research, tools, facilitation, and system design for education improvement
Gina Ikemoto, PhD, Senior Education Policy Consultant
I am deeply committed to ensuring each student—regardless of background—is prepared for college, careers, and life. To achieve that goal, I believe we must leverage research and evidence to support practitioners who are working tirelessly to identify and scale innovative practices. My work focuses on translating research into practitioner-friendly tools and designing professional learning experiences that help educators understand and effectively implement evidence-based ideas in their practice. I gather resources and artifacts to facilitate knowledge sharing and to minimize need to reinvent the wheel. I also support organizations in creating data systems and organizational learning structures that enable continuous improvement and ongoing learning.
I currently support education system improvement in New Mexico by leading multiple cross-stakeholder task forces focused on strengthening teacher, school leader, and superintendent preparation and licensure systems. This work is grounded in two comprehensive landscape analyses that reviewed research evidence, synthesized national best practices, and documented current policies and practices across the state, with findings used to inform actionable policy recommendations and implementation strategies. In addition, I recently led the design of a statewide mentoring and induction program for first-year principals in Illinois. I also serve as a senior advisor to Global School Leaders, supporting a global network of organizations advancing school leadership development across the Global South.
Previously, I served as a senior advisor to the George W. Bush Institute, where I supported design of the School Leadership Initiative and authored guidebooks for district leaders on strengthening principal talent systems. I also developed a districtwide school leadership framework and performance evaluation system for Chicago Public Schools that was based on research and informed by input from all assistant principals and principals.
Other recent clients have included foundations, national associations, universities, districts, schools and state departments of education. I was previously the Executive Director for Research and Policy Development at New Leaders, where I oversaw all research and evaluation projects, contributed to state and federal policy guidance, and helped design training programs for aspiring principals and teacher leaders. I was also an Education Policy Researcher at the RAND Corporation, and an elementary teacher in Washington, DC. I have a doctorate in Education Policy from the University of Maryland-College Park.