Miya Warner, PhD, researches the education pathways that support youth in realizing their career and life goals. She studies programs and initiatives designed to increase postsecondary readiness, access, and success for youth from historically underserved and minoritized communities. Warner has expertise in mixed-methods evaluation design, causal inference, qualitative data collection and analysis, and is skilled at supporting school districts, state departments of education, and practitioners to implement evidence-based practices for improving student outcomes.

Warner integrates quantitative and qualitative data to provide clients with actionable, formative feedback and distills complex evaluation findings into user-friendly products for diverse audiences. In her research on college and career pathways, Warner leads several projects that leverage survey data, interview and focus group data, document review, and analysis of student record data to provide funders comprehensive feedback on the progress and impact of education initiatives. She co-leads SRI’s evaluation of the Barr Foundation’s Engage New England, a multiyear undertaking to create innovative school models designed to meet the needs of students who are off track to graduate. SRI is providing formative feedback for continuous improvement and ultimately will assess whether these innovative strategies are helping students graduate with the competencies needed for a changing workforce.

Warner served as the co-principal investigator of the evaluation of the California Linked Learning District Initiative, a multiyear study of a major systemic effort in nine districts to transform high schools through industry-themed programs of study that integrate rigorous academic instruction with a demanding technical curriculum and work-based learning. She also co-led a related study, the Evaluation of Oakland Health Pathways Project in the Oakland Unified School District.

In 2017 and 2018, Warner served as deputy director for the Regional Educational Laboratory Appalachia (REL AP) and led the REL AP West Virginia Workforce Readiness partnership, which supports the leadership of the West Virginia Department of Education in their efforts to improve the state’s career and technical education program and better prepare high school graduates for college and careers.

Warner earned her PhD and MA in sociology and education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Warner also holds a BA in history and French from Amherst College.

Key projects

1. Evaluation of the Barr Foundation’s Engage New England Initiative
2. Evaluation of the California Linked Learning District Initiative
3. Evaluation of Oakland Health Pathways Project
4. Regional Educational Lab (REL) Appalachia