Jennifer T. Leschitz

Jennifer T. Leschitz
Senior Policy Analyst
Off Site Office

Education

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

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.

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