Rachel Garrett

Managing Researcher

Rachel Garrett provides strategic leadership across a body of research and evaluation projects focused on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) teaching and learning as AIR's STEM portfolio lead. She supports execution across studies and partnerships, sets priorities, and advances applied research and dissemination efforts that inform education policy and practice. Dr. Garrett also leads the artificial intelligence (AI) in education strategy for AIR, identifying and executing a strategic approach for responding to AI education field needs. 

During her career, Dr. Garrett has led numerous research and evaluation studies related to instructional improvement, educator learning, educational technologies, and the use of data and evidence to inform education policy and practice. Currently, she leads the AI in Education Network, coordinating learning and field engagement across a set of six research projects to generate evidence of AI’s impacts on teaching and learning.

Her work is designed to reach broad audiences, including education practitioners and policymakers, through reports, briefs, and tools. She regularly presents at national conferences and her work is published in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Garrett holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy from the University of Chicago, where she was an IES pre-doctoral fellow.

Related Work
Teachers talking in the hallway
2026-02-06

Spotlight on Teacher Professional Learning

06 Feb 2026
When teachers learn, students learn. For decades, AIR has conducted studies of teacher professional learning and helped practitioners use evidence to develop, implement, test, and scale professional learning programs.
female employee looking thoughtfully at computer
2025-01-01

Developing Principles to Guide Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use in Education Research

Having a common set of principles for ethical, high-quality use of AI in education research is essential to establish transparency and trust and to help ensure that research leads to benefits and to minimize the risk of harms. AIR has launched the AI Education Research Principles Design Lab to identify ...
Woman looking serious at computer
2024-09-11

Principles to Guide Artificial Intelligence in Education Research: Three Considerations

11 Sep 2024
While AI has great potential to improve efficiency in both education research and education practices, there is reason to be cautious. Researchers at AIR are working toward developing a set of evolving principles for how to address key issues related to AI in education research, and we are inviting others ...
Teachers planning together in classroom
2024-01-01

Researching How to Support Emergent Bilingual Students in Texas Middle Schools

The Middle School Collaborative Language Acquisition Strategies (MS CLASS) program helps Grade 6–8 teachers learn simple, effective ways to enhance their general instruction while also supporting emergent bilingual students.
Father and son looking at iPad together
2024-01-01

Meaningful Interactions Using Technology Outside of School (MITOS): A Research‑Based Approach to Early Science Learning

MITOS is designed to help second grade students—especially Spanish-speaking students —learn science vocabulary and concepts both in and out of school. The project uses a fun, interactive app that teachers, students, and families can use together.
Teachers discussing lesson plans in a classroom
2023-09-01

How a Federal Grant Program Is Training and Supporting Educators of English Learners

The National Professional Development program aimed to address the nationwide shortage of educators qualified to support English Learners. NPD grants support professional development projects to improve both the qualifications and classroom instruction of educators working with ELs.
Teacher high fiving student
2022-11-15

Supporting All Teachers in Becoming “Language Teachers”: Evaluating the CLASS Project

AIR is conducting a multi-year evaluation of the Collaborative Language Acquisition Strategies (CLASS) program that includes an implementation (formative) study and an impact study to support continuous improvement and assess program outcomes.
Teacher with young math students
2022-09-01

Adapting Evidence-Based Programs to Improve Math Outcomes

Schools needed practical, evidence‑based tools that can help students catch up after the COVID-19 pandemic—without adding too much burden on teachers. AIR worked with schools to adapt and study a combined math program designed to strengthen students’ understanding of fractions and provide targeted support for students. ...
Smiling teacher in front of classroom
2022-07-01

Examining the Efficacy of Simulated Professional Development in Mathematics

This project examines a professional learning model called Simulated Instruction in Mathematics Professional Development (SIM PD). AIR developed SIM PD to support math teachers in strengthening their questioning strategies and discussion facilitation.
MiPLAN
2021-01-01

Studying the Impact of Teacher Choice in Professional Learning

Typical approaches to professional learning are often driven by district or campus priorities, rather than by the individual needs of teachers. Adult learning and motivation theories emphasize the importance of allowing teachers autonomy over their own learning. Moreover, teachers may have the best understanding of what kind of learning would ...
Teacher and student at desktop computer
2021-01-01

Teach Tech Kentucky: Evaluating the Impact of Computer Science-Focused Teacher Micro-Credentials

AIR is partnering with the Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative and BloomBoard Inc. to evaluate a micro-credential teacher professional learning program that focuses on building student skills in computer science and computational thinking through the Teach Tech Kentucky program.
girl with backpack smiling
2019-09-01

What Works for Supporting English Learner Students? A Meta-analysis

The increased production of rigorous EL intervention research, combined with the uneven effectiveness of EL interventions, warrant a comprehensive, systematic review and meta-analysis to consolidate data across the field and better understand what works and under what conditions. Our study addresses this need. ...
2019-06-11

Student and School Characteristics Associated with Academic Outcomes for English Learner Students in Grades 3 Through 8 in Cleveland Metropolitan School District

11 Jun 2019
The Cleveland Metropolitan School District has witnessed increases in the number of English learner students in grades K–12 over recent years. This study investigated the relationships of student and school characteristics with English learner student performance on statewide mathematics and English language arts assessments, and on English language proficiency levels. ...
Teacher at the front of a classroom
2019-05-22

How Responsive Is a Teacher’s Classroom Practice to Intervention? A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Field Studies

22 May 2019
While teacher effectiveness has been a particular focus of federal education policy, and districts allocate significant resources toward professional development for teachers, these efforts are guided by an unexplored assumption that classroom practice can be improved through intervention. This study examines the question of responsiveness by conducting a meta-analysis of ...
Girl working at laptop
2019-03-01

ASSISTments: Evaluating an Online Formative Math Assessment Program for Students

AIR implemented a multi-site, clustered randomized trail to assess the impact of the ASSISTments program across culturally and geographically diverse settings.
2018-03-20

Teacher Professional Learning Through Teacher Network Programs

20 Mar 2018
Despite large investments and efforts, schools and districts have long struggled to provide ongoing, effective, and sustained support for teachers’ professional development. This study examined the experiences of teachers in six schools participating in one of three teacher network programs during the 2016–17 school year. ...
Elementary students working with math flash cards
2017-11-01

Simulated Instruction in Mathematics Professional Development Study (SIM PD Study)

The SIM PD Study offered opportunities for middle school teachers to learn about facilitating student discourse to promote engagement and understanding of math concepts and, with the support of a coach, practice implementing those approaches in the classroom.
2016-09-28

Focusing on Mathematical Knowledge: The Impact of Content-Intensive Teacher Professional Development

28 Sep 2016
In an era of increasingly rigorous state standards, teachers at all grade levels face heightened expectations to deepen their students’ understanding of mathematical concepts. This report examines the impact of content-intensive professional development on teachers’ math content knowledge, their instructional practice, and their students’ achievement. ...
Rachel Garrett
2014-07-01

The Uncertain Promise of Classroom Observations

01 Jul 2014
How well do classroom observation scores help us understand how much a teacher has added to his or her students’ achievement? As Rachel Garrett describes in this blog post, new research raises questions about the wisdom of basing high-stakes, summative teacher evaluations chiefly on classroom observations. ...
Rachel Garrett
Expertise
Education
English Learners
Mathematics Education
Teacher Preparation and Performance

Ph.D., Public Policy
University of Chicago

B.A., Economics
Barnard College, Columbia University

+1.312.288.7600

AIR in the News

Phi Delta Kappan

Explaining the Puzzling Results in Professional Learning Research

Education Week

The Classroom Traits and Practices Linked to English Learners’ Success