Jenna Rush

Senior Education Researcher, SRI Education

Jenna Rush studies college and career readiness, education leadership and teacher development, and student well-being. Her work emphasizes mixed-methods research, formative evaluation, and technical assistance to strengthen education systems and improve outcomes for all students.

As a seasoned project director at SRI, Rush has led numerous multisite evaluations of district- and state-level initiatives. Her projects include a study of career development opportunities in Los Angeles Unified School District and a randomized controlled trial of school-based instructional coaching in both rural and urban settings. She also leads survey analysis and reporting for the evaluation of the Barr Foundation’s Engage New England initiative, which supports the development of innovative school models to reengage students who are off track to graduate and prepare them for college and careers. Previously, Rush served as co-principal investigator of a case study focused on the impacts of professional learning opportunities for leaders at all levels of the New York City Department of Education. In addition, she led work on a multistate initiative supporting students affected by the opioid crisis, helping schools and community-based organizations build capacity to identify and implement evidence-based supports.

Rush is known for building and managing systems that ensure the delivery of high-quality, timely, and responsive services. She takes a collaborative approach to working with education leaders and stakeholders, translating findings into actionable strategies that support systems change. She also brings broad methodological experience to her projects, having led survey development and analysis, conducted in-depth interviews and site visits, and advised partners on using data to inform continuous improvement.

Before joining SRI, Rush was a data analyst at the Tennessee Department of Education and Communities In Schools (CIS) of Tennessee. She holds an MPP in education policy from Vanderbilt University. University.