V. Darleen Opfer

@VDarleenOpfer on Twitter

Vice President and Director, RAND Education and Labor; Distinguished Chair in Education Policy

Washington Office

Education

Ph.D. in education policy studies, University of Virginia; M.Ed. in behavior disorders, University of Virginia; B.A. in education, Stetson University

One Page Bio

Media Resources

This researcher is available for interviews.

To arrange an interview, contact the RAND Office of Media Relations at (310) 451-6913, or email media@rand.org.

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Overview

V. Darleen Opfer is vice president and director of RAND Education and Labor and holds the Distinguished Chair in Education Policy at the RAND Corporation. She served as director of RAND Education from 2011 to 2018; from 2005 to 2011, she was director of research and senior lecturer in research methods and school improvement at the University of Cambridge's (England) Faculty of Education. Opfer has conducted policy research studies for a number of local, state, and national governments on issues that affect teachers and schools, including recruitment and retention, professional development, and impact of policies on teacher practice. In 2014, she was selected as a Thomas J. Alexander Fellow by the OECD where she used TALIS 2013 data to explore conditions that support teacher professional development. Her research also includes national studies of teacher professional development for England and Turkey, a study of teacher professional development and its relationship to school outcomes in six U.S. states, and a study of recruitment and retention of teachers and school leaders for the Scottish Government.

Opfer served as an advisor to the National Council for Education Research and Training, India. She also served as a consultant for the U.S. Agency for International Development, working on the Increased Access to Quality Education and Training Initiative in South Africa. Opfer is the author of numerous books, reports, and journal articles and has presented to practitioners, researchers, and policymakers worldwide. Opfer holds a Ph.D. in education policy studies from the University of Virginia and B.A. in education from Stetson University.

Research Focus

Recent Projects

TALIS Video Study of Teaching
Teacher Experience with Common Core Standards Implementation

Selected Publications

Opfer, V. Darleen, and David Pedder, "The Lost Promise of Teacher Professional Development in England," European Journal of Teacher Education, 34(1), 2011

Opfer, V. Darleen, and David Pedder, "Benefits, Status and Effectiveness of Continuous Professional Development for Teachers in England," The Curriculum Journal, 21(4), 2010

Opfer, V. Darleen, Gary T. Henry, and Andrew J. Mashburn, "The District Effect: Systemic Responses to High Stakes Accountability," Journal of American Education, 114(2), 2008

V. Darleen Opfer, Julia H. Kaufman and Lindsay E. Thompson, Implentation of K-12 State Standards for Mathematics and English Language Arts and Literacy: Findings from the American Teacher Panel, RAND (RR-1529), 2016

V. Darleen Opfer, Conditions and Practices Associated with Teacher Professional Development and Its Impact on Instruction in TALIS 2013, OECD, 2014

Commentary

How to Reopen Schools: Q&A with RAND Experts
The debate over opening U.S. schools is growing more heated by the day. In this Q&A, RAND researchers discuss the different approaches for reopening, how online learning went in the spring, ways to help disadvantaged students, and more.
Jul 23, 2020 The RAND Blog
Schools Pivot Online in Wake of COVID-19: Q&A with RAND Experts
Nearly all school-age children in the United States are no longer in the classroom as districts shut down to reduce the spread of the new coronavirus. RAND education researchers discuss how this situation might exacerbate educational inequities, how districts and teachers are innovating and what they need, and what parents can do.
Apr 2, 2020 The RAND Blog
Learning Is a Lifelong Process: Q&A with V. Darleen Opfer
As vice president and director of RAND Education and Labor, V. Darleen Opfer oversees a research portfolio that ranges from early childhood education to retirement planning. In this interview, she discusses what she learned from being a teacher, the need for evidence-based practices, and the importance of lifelong learning in today's labor market.
Dec 23, 2019
Giving State Educators What They Need to Stand Apart—and Together
States have an opportunity to provide better instructional materials to teachers hungry for more resources aligned with state standards. By focusing on what they agree students should learn, states could work together to build curricula and shore up other key supports.
Apr 4, 2017 U.S. News & World Report
Making American Education Great Will Require More Than Charter Schools
The nomination of Betsy DeVos for U.S. Secretary of Education has shone a spotlight on charter schools. While charters could become an important part of a great education system, this burst of attention poses a risk that other issues will be ignored.
Dec 13, 2016 Dallas Morning News
Grading Teachers
Research is starting to demonstrate that teaching, like all professions, is something that can be learned, continuously improved upon, and subject to the conditions under which it occurs, writes V. Darleen Opfer.
Jan 16, 2013 IFC's Handshake
Nine Lessons on How to Teach 21st Century Skills and Knowledge
Despite widespread agreement among parents, educators, employers and policymakers worldwide that students need skills like critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork and creativity, these skills are stubbornly difficult to teach and learn, write Anna R. Saavedra and V. Darleen Opfer.
Oct 19, 2012 Education Week
Consider the Evidence
The Chicago Teachers Union strike erupted over classic issues: an extended day, a new evaluation system and hiring and firing. Yet, somewhat classically, neither the union nor Chicago Public Schools has put forth research evidence to support their stance, writes Darleen Opfer.
Sep 11, 2012 Chicago Tribune
Lessons from the Science of Learning for 21st-Century Schools
To succeed in the 21st century, students need to be able to communicate, collaborate, and problem-solve with people beyond national boundaries. Director of RAND Education Darleen Opfer describes how teachers can teach 21st-century skills, using nine lessons from the science of learning.
Sep 7, 2012

Publications

Report
Exploring Coherence in English Language Arts Instructional Systems in the Common Core Era
Coherence among instructional components is key to changing teachers' practices in standards-based reforms. This report uses survey data to explore the coherence of school-level instructional systems in Louisiana, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
Nov 4, 2020
Draft
Let's Improve Tanner High School: An Education Policy Game
Describes an education policy game that would reveal the perspectives of different stakeholder groups on current education issues and offers some thoughts on game development and improvement.
Aug 6, 2020
Journal Article
Day by Day: Investigating Variation in Elementary Mathematics Instruction That Supports the Common Core
This article investigates the extent to which students were being engaged in complex practices exemplified by Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and the Standards for Mathematical Practice on a daily basis, according to teachers' reports.
May 15, 2020
Research Brief
What Teachers Know and Do in the Common Core Era: Findings from the 2015–2017 American Teacher Panel
This brief describes work derived from five reports in RAND Education, which summarize some changes in what teachers know about Common Core standards and what they do in the classroom, based on RAND American Teacher Panel surveys.
Oct 2, 2018
Report
Changes in What Teachers Know and Do in the Common Core Era: American Teacher Panel Findings from 2015 to 2017
RAND Corporation researchers use data from surveys of the American Teacher Panel in 2015, 2016, and 2017 to provide evidence of change in teachers' use of instructional materials and knowledge of state standards and standards-aligned practices.
Sep 27, 2018
Report
Aligned Curricula and Implementation of Common Core State Mathematics Standards: Findings from the American Teacher Panel
This report presents findings from a 2016 American Teacher Panel survey, which gathered information about teachers' instructional materials for mathematics, their understanding of their mathematics standards, and their standards-aligned practices.
Aug 9, 2018
Report
Connecting What Teachers Know About State English Language Arts Standards for Reading and What They Do in Their Classrooms: Findings from the American Teacher Panel
In 2016, RAND researchers reported on teachers' understanding and implementation of their state standards for English language arts. This report provides an update based on a spring 2016 survey of the RAND American Teacher Panel.
Feb 21, 2018
Report
Implementation of K–12 State Standards for Mathematics and English Language Arts and Literacy: Findings from the American Teacher Panel
This report examines teachers' implementation of K--12 state standards for mathematics and English language arts and literacy. Results are intended to identify areas where teachers may benefit from guidance about how to address their state standards.
Apr 4, 2017
Report
What Supports Do Teachers Need to Help Students Meet Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy? Findings from the American Teacher and American School Leader Panels
This report shares U.S. educators' perspectives on their readiness and needs for support to help students meet Common Core and other state standards, drawing on findings from a nationally representative survey of K-12 teachers and school leaders.
Dec 19, 2016
Report
What Supports Do Teachers Need to Help Students Meet Common Core State Standards for Mathematics? Findings from the American Teacher and American School Leader Panels
Presents summary data from web-based surveys of U.S. teachers on how prepared they feel to address new mathematics standards in their instruction.
Oct 27, 2016
Report
What Are Teachers' and School Leaders' Major Concerns About New K–12 State Tests? Findings from the American Teacher and American School Leader Panels
This report shares U.S. principals' and teachers' concerns about implementation of state assessment tests aligned to the new standards, drawing on survey data from RAND's American Teacher Panel (ATP) and American School Leader Panel (ASLP).
Oct 18, 2016
Report
Creating a Coherent System to Support Instruction Aligned with State Standards: Promising Practices of the Louisiana Department of Education
RAND researchers provide evidence that teachers in Louisiana implement state standards in ways that are significantly different from teachers in other states and examine department of education strategies that might be contributing to these results.
Oct 13, 2016
Journal Article
Learning 21st-Century Skills Requires 21st-Century Teaching
The authors summarize nine lessons from the science of learning telling how students learn 21st-century skills and how pedagogy can address their needs.
Oct 1, 2012
Periodical
RAND Review: Vol. 36, No. 2, Fall 2012
The cover story focuses on nine key issues in the 2012 U.S. presidential election: income inequality, health care costs, immigration reform, energy options, education, al Qaeda, Iraq, democratization in the Middle East, and China.
Sep 21, 2012
Journal Article
Consider the Evidence
One of the best ways to increase student learning is to simultaneously increase the time spent on learning and the quality of instruction.
Sep 11, 2012
Journal Article
Teaching and Learning 21st Century Skills: Lessons from the Learning Sciences
This paper focuses on explaining how 21st century skills should be taught, given what we know about how students learn.
Apr 1, 2012
Journal Article
Professional Learning Orientations: Patterns of Dissonance and Alignment Between Teachers' Values and Practices
Through its positive influence on teachers' classroom practices and their students' learning, effective professional learning of teachers is an important condition for school improvement. The concept of dissonance between values and practice is a strong theme in the findings and for policy development.
2012
Journal Article
Are We Realising the Full Potential of Teachers' Professional Learning in Schools in England? Policy Issues and Recommendations from a National Study
The purpose of this article is to bring together findings developed from the Schools and Continuing Professional Development in England – State of the Nation Study.
Nov 1, 2011
Journal Article
Defining and Identifying Hard-To-Staff Schools: The Role of School Demographics and Conditions
The study relies on a survey of Ohio schools to ascertain information on vacancies for 2004-2005. The survey also collected information on principal perceptions of the impact of various school conditions and difficulty in hiring.
Oct 1, 2011
Journal Article
Conceptualizing Teacher Professional Learning
The article concludes that to understand teacher learning scholars must adopt methodological practices that focus on explanatory causality and the reciprocal influences of all three subsystems.
Sep 1, 2011
Journal Article
The influence of school orientation to learning on teachers' professional learning change
Results from a structural equation modeling process of 1,126 teacher survey responses in England show that schools have an orientation to learning that includes beliefs about learning, systems and supports for learning, and collective capacity for learning.
Jun 1, 2011
Journal Article
The lost promise of teacher professional development in England
The analysis indicates that while the professional development of teachers in England is generally ineffectual and lacks school level systems and supports, the professional development and supports for professional learning by teachers in high performing schools display many of the characteristics associated with effective professional learning.
Feb 1, 2011
Journal Article
The Role of Teachers' Orientation to Learning in Professional Development and Change: A National Study of Teachers in England
Results from a structural equation modeling process of 1126 teacher survey responses show that teachers bring an internal, external and collaborative orientation to their professional learning.
Feb 1, 2011
Journal Article
Access to Continuous Professional Development by Teachers in England
The paper also explores the barriers to access to high quality CPD that exist for teachers at both the individual and school levels. Data for the analyses presented were collected as part of the nationally representative, "Schools and Continuing Professional Development in England--State of the Nation" research study which was funded by the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA).
Dec 1, 2010
Journal Article
Planning and Organisation of Teachers' Continuous Professional Development in Schools in England
Dec 1, 2010
Journal Article
Benefits, Status and Effectiveness of Continuous Professional Development for Teachers in England
This paper sets out to understand how teachers and school leaders in England perceive the benefits and effectiveness of CPD activity.
May 1, 2010
Journal Article
Globalization and the International Context for Literacy Policy Reform in England
The authors address globalization and political control of education, with a focus on understanding the larger contextual conditions associated with globalization and regulation.
2010
Journal Article
Commentary: Getting "Critically Real" About the State of Education Politics and Policy Process Research
This chapter discusses educational politics and policy process research and illustrates the ways research can utilize a transdisciplinary approach to address educational concerns of equity, efficiency, student learning, and educational outcomes.
2009
Journal Article
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.: Systemic Responses to High Stakes Accountability Policies in Six Southern States
Our focus for this article is on school district level responses to HSA reforms that could produce positive changes in teaching and learning. We set out to determine whether a district effect was present in the implementation of HSA systems in six southern states and whether that effect was accompanied by the types of activities previously identified in the research literature as being associated with changes in teaching and learning and student achievement.
Feb 1, 2008

Multimedia

55:22
The Impact of COVID-19 on the U.S. Education System
Mar 31, 2020
28:27
Conference Call on 11th Anniversary of 'No Child Left Behind' Act and Initiatives Undertaken by States
Jan 4, 2013
57:21
Lessons from the Science of Learning for 21st-Century Schools
Sep 5, 2012
39:33
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act: Maintaining Accountability and Nurturing Innovation Through a Reauthorized ESEA
May 22, 2012