Jennifer T. Leschitz

Senior Policy Analyst

Off Site Office

Education

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

One Page Bio

Overview

Jennifer Tamargo Leschitz is a senior policy analyst at the RAND Corporation. She has a solid background in early childhood development, qualitative data collection and analysis, planning and managing research projects, and training field staff. Her current work includes an evaluation of the Partnerships for Social and Emotional Learning Initiative (PSELI) and development of tools for K-12 schools and districts to improve school safety. In prior years she contributed to evaluations of quality rating and improvement systems for early learning programs 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. Leschitz formally trained in social science methodology and program evaluation. She earned her Ph.D. in psychology with a developmental focus from the University of Florida.

Research Focus

Recent Projects

Evaluation of Partnerships for Social and Emotional Learning Initiative (PSELI)
K-12 Social Media Threat Response
What Schools and Districts Need from Afterschool STEM Program Providers
Quality Start Los Angeles Developmental Evaluation
National Summer Learning Demonstration

Selected Publications

Leschitz, Jennifer T., Susannah Faxon-Mills, Andrea Prado Tuma, Katie Tosh, Catherine H. Augustine, and Heather L. Schwartz, Skills for Success: Developing Social and Emotional Competencies in Out-of-School-Time Programs, RAND Corporation (RR-A379-11), 2023

Leschitz, Jennifer T., Catherine H. Augustine, and Heather L. Schwartz, Engaging Teachers, Staff, and Parents in Social and Emotional Learning in Palm Beach County: One of Six Case Studies of Schools and Out-of-School-Time Program Partners (Volume 2, Part 5), RAND Corporation (RR-A379-8), 2022

Moore, Pauline, Jennifer T. Leschitz, Brian A. Jackson, Catherine H. Augustine, Andrea Phillips, and Elizabeth D. Steiner, Supporting Threat Reporting to Strengthen School Safety: Findings from the Literature and Interviews with Stakeholders Across the K–12 School Community, RAND Corporation (RR-A1077-3), 2022

Faherty, Laura J., Benjamin K. Master, Elizabeth D. Steiner, Julia H. Kaufman, Zachary Predmore, Laura Stelitano, Jennifer T. Leschitz, Brian Phillips, Heather L. Schwartz, and Rebecca L. Wolfe, COVID-19 Testing in K–12 Schools: Insights from Early Adopters, RAND Corporation (RR-A1103-1), 2021

Schwartz, Heather L., Laura S. Hamilton, Susannah Faxon-Mills, Celia J. Gomez, Alice Huguet, Lisa H. Jaycox, Jennifer T. Leschitz, Andrea Prado Tuma, Katie Tosh, Anamarie A. Whitaker, and Stephani L. Wrabel, Early Lessons from Schools and Out-of-School Time Programs Implementing Social and Emotional Learning, RAND Corporation (RR-A379-1), 2020

Schwartz, Heather L., Faruque Ahmed, Jennifer T. Leschitz, Amra Uzicanin, and Lori Uscher-Pines, Opportunities and Challenges in Using Online Learning to Maintain Continuity of Instruction in K–12 Schools in Emergencies, RAND Corporation (WR-A235-1), 2020

Schwartz, Heather L., Jennifer Sloan McCombs, Catherine H. Augustine, and Jennifer T. Leschitz, Getting to Work on Summer Learning: Recommended Practices for Success, 2nd Ed., RAND Corporation (RR-366-1-WF), 2018

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

Publications

Report
Expanding Afterschool Opportunities: Connecting STEM Afterschool Providers and Schools
The authors investigated school and district leaders’ science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) afterschool provision in late 2022 to examine how and why they partner with external organizations to provide STEM afterschool programs.
Nov 8, 2023
Report
Skills for Success: Developing Social and Emotional Competencies in Out-of-School-Time Programs
This report offers guidance for out-of-school-time programs that wish to incorporate social and emotional learning activities into their programming. The lessons are derived from the RAND Corporation's study of more than 100 afterschool programs.
Feb 27, 2023
Report
Engaging Teachers, Staff, and Parents in Social and Emotional Learning in Palm Beach County: One of Six Case Studies of Schools and Out-of-School-Time Program Partners (Volume 2, Part 5)
This case study explores how Palm Beach County's Diamond View Elementary School and its out-of-school-time program increased adult awareness of social and emotional learning practices to promote positive interactions with children throughout the day.
Sep 15, 2022
Report
Supporting Threat Reporting to Strengthen School Safety: Findings from the Literature and Interviews with Stakeholders Across the K–12 School Community
This report describes threat reporting models available to U.S. kindergarten through 12th-grade schools and how school leaders can support individuals' decisions to report threats effectively.
Aug 25, 2022
Report
Getting to Work on Summer Learning: Recommended Practices for Success, 2nd Ed. — Executive Summary
The authors distill lessons about implementing and improving summer learning programs gleaned from a six-year study in the five urban districts participating in the National Summer Learning Project.
Mar 25, 2021
Report
COVID-19 Testing in K–12 Schools: Insights from Early Adopters
This report describes approaches that early adopters of COVID-19 testing in U.S. K–12 schools were using as of December 2020, highlighting key facilitators that made testing feasible, acceptable, and effective.
Mar 9, 2021
Report
Early Lessons from Schools and Out-of-School Time Programs Implementing Social and Emotional Learning
In this report, RAND researchers describe the Partnerships for Social and Emotional Learning Initiative, as well as findings and early lessons from the first two years of implementation in the six participating communities.
Oct 20, 2020
Report
Early Lessons from Schools and Out-of-School Time Programs Implementing Social and Emotional Learning: Executive Summary
In this summary, RAND researchers describe the Partnerships for Social and Emotional Learning Initiative, as well as findings and early lessons from the first two years of implementation in the six participating communities.
Oct 20, 2020
Journal Article
Feasibility of Social Distancing Practices in US Schools to Reduce Influenza Transmission During a Pandemic
We assessed the feasibility of implementing other social distancing practices in K-12 schools as a first step in seeking an alternative to preemptive school closures.
May 22, 2020
Draft
Opportunities and Challenges in Using Online Learning to Maintain Continuity of Instruction in K–12 Schools in Emergencies
Explores the use of online instruction in K-12 schools during prolonged school closures and preparedness when it occurs with little warning.
Apr 16, 2020
Report
Getting to Work on Summer Learning: Recommended Practices for Success, 2nd Ed.
The RAND Corporation's six-year study of the National Summer Learning Project culminates in this final report about district implementation of summer learning programs and presents the best available guidance about how to establish and sustain them.
Nov 4, 2018
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
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

What Climate-Related Conflict Could Mean for U.S. Central Command

National Identity and the Origins of the War in Ukraine

Book Review: 'Forgotten Warriors: The Long History of Women in Combat' by Sarah Percy

Creating the Uncrewed-Centric Navy of the Mid–21st Century

The Safety and Security of the U.S. Maritime Environment

The Policy Currents Podcast

Developing Strategies for Summer Learning

Improving Psychological Wellbeing and Work Outcomes in the UK

Planning for the Rising Costs of Dementia

Helping Coastal Communities Plan for Climate Change

Jennifer T. Leschitz

Education

Overview

Research Focus

Recent Projects

Selected Publications

Publications

Expanding Afterschool Opportunities: Connecting STEM Afterschool Providers and Schools

Skills for Success: Developing Social and Emotional Competencies in Out-of-School-Time Programs

Engaging Teachers, Staff, and Parents in Social and Emotional Learning in Palm Beach County: One of Six Case Studies of Schools and Out-of-School-Time Program Partners (Volume 2, Part 5)

Supporting Threat Reporting to Strengthen School Safety: Findings from the Literature and Interviews with Stakeholders Across the K–12 School Community

Getting to Work on Summer Learning: Recommended Practices for Success, 2nd Ed. — Executive Summary

COVID-19 Testing in K–12 Schools: Insights from Early Adopters

Early Lessons from Schools and Out-of-School Time Programs Implementing Social and Emotional Learning

Early Lessons from Schools and Out-of-School Time Programs Implementing Social and Emotional Learning: Executive Summary

Feasibility of Social Distancing Practices in US Schools to Reduce Influenza Transmission During a Pandemic

Opportunities and Challenges in Using Online Learning to Maintain Continuity of Instruction in K–12 Schools in Emergencies

Getting to Work on Summer Learning: Recommended Practices for Success, 2nd Ed.

School Leadership Interventions Under the Every Student Succeeds Act: Evidence Review: Updated and Expanded

How the Every Student Succeeds Act Can Support Social and Emotional Learning

Social and Emotional Learning Interventions Under the Every Student Succeeds Act: Evidence Review

Evaluation of Delaware Stars for Early Success: Year 1 Report (2014)

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