She writes about current education topics -- particularly K-12 education and California education issues-drawing on current research as well as her own experience as an education policy researcher and analyst.

Before joining New America, Ms. Esch worked for several years as a researcher at the Center for Education Policy at SRI International (formerly known as the Stanford Research Institute), where she conducted extensive original research on K-12 education policy and co-authored a series of reports on the status of the teaching profession in California. She was also previously a senior policy and data analyst at The Education Trust-West, the California-based branch of The Education Trust, a national policy and advocacy organization that strives to improve educational opportunities for all students. She also served as a consultant to the California State Board of Education, a policymaking body that develops education standards and sets policies regarding assessment and accountability. She also worked as a writer and editor for WestEd, a nonprofit education research, development, and service organization, helping the agency communicate its research findings to policymakers and educators nationwide. A lifelong California resident, Ms. Esch holds a B.A. in anthropology and an M.A. in education from Stanford University.

Education Professionals, Education Industry, Education