Jill Pierce
Senior Research Associate
Pronouns: She/Her
Degrees
- Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning: New York University
- M.A. in Teaching of English: Columbia University
- B.A. in Comparative Literature: Brown University
About Jill Pierce
Dr. Jill C. Pierce is currently co-directing a study of cost structures and quality in summer youth employment programming. She recently co-directed a feasibility study of a potential national certification for early childhood educators. This mixed-methods study integrated perspectives gathered through a national survey and over 100 interviews with stakeholders in the field of early childhood education. Pierce is also leading evaluation work on efforts to diversify and develop the educator workforce, and she is collecting and analyzing data for three out-of-school-time projects.
Pierce has extensive experience in education—including as an environmental educator, high school teacher, college counselor, teaching coach, and adjunct faculty member. She has been conducting qualitative research for nearly a decade and has taught qualitative methods coursework to doctoral students. Pierce has brought deep content and methodological knowledge to her work at RFA, including studies of three federally-funded projects related to curriculum, instruction, and assessment as well as a report on shortages and inequities in the Philadelphia teacher workforce.
Much of Pierce’s research focuses on understanding how people define and work toward educational equity, as well as how they might work toward the just redistribution of resources and power.
