CJ Park works on a variety of national, state, and local research and evaluation projects to determine how education policies and programs can improve the academic and life outcomes of children and young adults. Recent projects have addressed teacher professional development and learning, high school reform, career technical education, and college and career readiness. Park has expertise in managing large-scale mixed-methods evaluation projects using qualitative and quantitative methods. Park’s experience has included leading case study work, overseeing survey development and analysis, and managing complex data collection efforts.

Park directs the study of the Oakland Health Career Pathways Project, a collaboration between the Oakland Unified School District and health care industry partners to expand and improve career pathways for students. She also manages a project providing research support and evaluation services for Alameda Health System’s HealthPATH Initiative. HealthPATH aims to build a system for preparing community youth and young adults for sustainable health care careers. Park also is project manager for a multiyear study of California’s Linked Learning District Initiative, an effort in nine districts to transform high schools through industry-themed programs that integrate rigorous academic instruction with a demanding technical curriculum and work-based learning.

Park has worked on numerous studies of the implementation and impact of writing professional development. Currently, she is project director for an evaluation of the scale-up of the National Writing Project’s College, Career, and Community Writers Program. Through a district-level cluster-randomized controlled trial, the evaluation team will examine the effect on teachers and students of professional development on argument writing.

Past projects have included an evaluation of the Florida Master Teachers Initiative, the Texas High School Project, and a study to identify strategies to prepare at-risk youth for postsecondary success.

Park holds a master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown University and an undergraduate degree in economics and sociology from Rutgers College.