Jennifer T. Leschitz

Contact Information

Senior Policy Analyst

Off Site Office

Education

Ph.D. in psychology (developmental), University of Florida

Overview

Jennifer Tamargo Leschitz is a senior policy analyst with RAND. Tamargo has a solid background in planning and managing research projects, training field staff, and qualitative data collection and analysis.

Her current projects include a review of evidence on social emotional learning, development of an operational guide for voluntary summer programs, and management of an exploratory qualitative study on the feasibility of social distancing practices in K-12 schools. In prior years she contributed to examinations of quality rating and improvement systems for early learning programs and quality and effectiveness of voluntary summer programs. Her research interests broadly include the influence of cognitive and social factors on children's learning and the implications of these relationships for education and intervention programs targeting at-risk populations.

Tamargo formally trained in social science methodology and program evaluation and earned her Ph.D. in psychology (developmental focus) from the University of Florida.

Research Focus

Recent Projects

Evaluation of Partnerships for Social and Emotional Learning Initiative (PSELI)
Review of Evidence on Social Emotional Learning
National Summer Learning Demonstration
School Leader Evidence Review
Delaware Stars for Early Success Evaluation

Selected Publications

M. Jeffrey Farrar, Hyeonjin Lee, Young-Hee Cho, Jennifer Tamargo and HyeKyeung Seunge, "Language and False Belief in Korean-Speaking and English-Speaking Children," Cognitive Development, 28, 2013

Heather Schwartz, Lynn A. Karoly, Vi-Nhuan Le, Jennifer Tamargo and Claude Messan Setodji, Evaluation of Delaware Stars for Early Success: Year 1 Report (2014), RAND Corporation (RR-606-DOEL), 2014

Epstein, Rebecca Herman, Susan M. Gates, Aziza Arifkhanova, Andriy Bega, Emilio Chavez-Herrerias, Eugene Han, Mark Harris, Jennifer Leschitz and Stephani Wrabel, School Leadership Interventions Under the Every Student Succeeds Act: Evidence Review: Updated and Expanded, RAND Corporation (RR-1550-2), 2017

Publications

Report
School Leadership Interventions Under the Every Student Succeeds Act: Evidence Review: Updated and Expanded
This updated report presents a synthesis of the evidence base on school leadership interventions and describes the opportunities for supporting such interventions under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
Dec 14, 2017
Research Brief
Research Brief
How the Every Student Succeeds Act Can Support Social and Emotional Learning
This brief examines the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and evaluations of social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions to understand how states can use ESSA to support SEL and what SEL interventions meet ESSA evidence requirements.
Dec 5, 2017
Report
Social and Emotional Learning Interventions Under the Every Student Succeeds Act: Evidence Review
This report reviews recent evidence on U.S.-based social and emotional learning interventions for K--12 students to better inform the use of these interventions under the Every Student Succeeds Act.
Dec 5, 2017
Report
Evaluation of Delaware Stars for Early Success: Year 1 Report (2014)
As a first step in a larger study of Delaware Stars, a voluntary quality rating and improvement system for early learning and care programs, RAND research reviewed prior literature, examined existing data, and interviewed key stakeholders.
Jun 9, 2014