Kerry Friedman

Senior Researcher, SRI Education

Kerry Friedman partners with educators and system leaders to build capacity for using data and evidence to improve teaching and learning. She is a What Works Clearinghouse (WWC)-certified researcher with expertise in communicating rigorous research in ways that are accessible and actionable for educators and families.

Friedman serves as a leader on the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Appalachia, which works in partnership with education stakeholders to conduct rigorous research; deliver responsive training, coaching, and technical support; and promote practitioner-focused information-sharing so that evidence can inform practice and benefit students in the Appalachian region.

As part of REL Appalachia, Friedman leads the Strengthening Mathematics In and Beyond the School partnership in West Virginia, which focuses on engaging educators, community members, and families in promoting mathematical mindsets and deepening understanding of foundational math concepts. This partnership builds on Friedman’s work with educators in Kentucky and West Virginia to develop and implement Community Math Nights that bridged support for math learning from schools to families and other caring adults. She also leads policy-relevant research to promote equity-focused decision-making at the national level as director of the Uses of Federal Education Funds Study. This study examines how federal investments in education are spent, in combination with other funds, at the state and local levels to answer important questions about who the funds are reaching and how they are being used.

Previously, Friedman provided technical assistance in early education at the national level. As part of the Center for IDEA Early Childhood Data Systems (DaSy), she supported states in developing effective data visualization skills and building a culture of data use in early childhood programs. For DaSy and other projects, she has developed numerous toolkits, guides, and infographics for educators, leaders, and families on topics related to mathematics, social-emotional learning and behavior, family engagement, and data use. This work includes the interactive tool Preventing Suspensions and Expulsions in Early Childhood Settings: A Program Leader’s Guide to Supporting All Children’s Success, which thousands of users have accessed and several states have adopted as a statewide resource.

Before joining SRI, Friedman taught math in Washington, DC, as a Teach For America corps member. In addition to her work in the classroom, she redesigned a mathematics curriculum for her charter network and co-led an after-school program on civic engagement and global competency. Friedman holds an MPP from The George Washington University and a BA in economics, with a minor in psychology, from Pomona College.