Principal Education Researcher and Technical Assistance Provider, 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, and in developing practical, practitioner-oriented tools to support the use of evidence-based practices.
At SRI, Friedman directs the Institute of Education Sciences-funded LEARN Network, which aims to adapt and scale evidence-based programs that have the potential to accelerate students’ learning. She led the design of the Network’s flagship product, the LEARN to Scale Toolkit, which supports researchers and developers in engaging in partnership with educators to create, test, and scale evidence-based educational programs.
Friedman also directs a U.S. Department of Justice grant to improve outcomes for opioid-affected youth by engaging local communities in West Virginia to strategically plan and support schools in using evidence-based practices to engage the growing number of kinship caregivers and grandfamilies caring for students.
Additionally, Friedman served as a partnership and task lead on the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Appalachia, which worked in partnership 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 led projects to strengthen math teaching and learning and support the integration of social-emotional and employability skills in academic instruction.
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 math, 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. In addition to her work in the classroom, she redesigned a math 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.
Key projects
- LEARN Network
- Engaging and Supporting Kinship Care and Grandfamilies to Improve Outcomes for Opioid-Affected Youth
- Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Appalachia