James Appleton, Ph.D. Email & Phone Number

Atlanta, Ga, Us

- Provided technical guidance on research and evaluation function within large systems including focusing the work, collaborating across functions, and efficiencies with data to information to intervention- Co-led accountability system development for school district including metric development and systems-level considerations in using results for continuous improvement-Met bi-monthly with the superintendents and principals of almost 20 school districts in leading best evidence-based practices in providing special education services and implementing RTI- Led social-emotional intervention efforts both within an urban, level-four, E/BD school setting and a suburban school system- Developed one of the first peer-reviewed measures of student engagement with school (that continues to be one of the most downloaded articles: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-school-psychology/most-downloaded-articles)- Led executive cabinet data-based strategic planning sessions for school districts. Used an end-to-end HTML dashboard, I coded with freeware, of interactive, dynamic visualizations from results of inferential statistical models for 21,000 to 28,000 students.- Created overrepresentation and disciplinary incidence probability statistics, trends, and strategic guidance for several school districts ranging in size from ~ 100,000 to 300,000 students to guide strategic equity work

Lead the conceptualizations around, and implementations of, system-wide policies for the functions of operational and academic accountability and of educational research-Develop, evolve, and communicate valid metrics, with the CEO/Superintendent, on the effectiveness of our 139 schools and the leadership of our system-Align measurement with continuous school improvement efforts in collaboration with the Associate Superintendent for School Improvement and Operations-Lead the R&D work of generating the policy metrics including the Results-Based Evaluation System (RBES) Weighted School Assessment and Key Performance Indicators-Ensure close coherence between policy metrics and the organization’s Vision, Mission, Strategic Direction, and Strategic Initiatives & Priorities (including board communications)Interdisciplinary problem-solver providing strategic support for the superintendent across divisions of the organization-Serve as a thought partner for the Chief Equity Officer and support his newly-created office and expanding initiatives by leveraging my office’s staff and resourcesRepresent the CEO/Superintendent in partnerships-District representative for the Learn4Life Leadership Council and the Large Countywide and Suburban District Consortium Lead the development and management of the Research and Evaluation budget-Guide a team of interdisciplinary doctoral level researchers toward a Why and OKRs-Lead the district’s formal program evaluation function to understand the causal influence and return on investment of programs across the districtProvide leadership for the review and management of external research projects per Board Policy, including coherence among, and oversight for, grants-Provide leadership for developing the capacity of the central office and schools for accessing, analyzing, and using data and information to achieve strategic goals including routine meetings with division heads and the superintendent to ensure coherence.

- Led the strategic direction of the Office of Research and Evaluation- Led 2015 effort to data mine and communicate the chances of graduation and post-secondary enrollment for every student, grades 3-12, including differences in chances across schools and the main drivers of those chances across students (modeling 170,000 students across 9 years and rendering predictions actionable for leaders across the district)- Led the evaluation of the effectiveness of educational programs and practices- Consulted with other district departments on rigorous evaluations and data meaning and use- Maintained/advanced the district’s RBES including a machine-learning approach to accountability- Led 2013 district-wide conceptualization and implementation of an early-warning system (EWS), based on the Check & Connect school completion model, to include system-wide, portal-based access to dynamic visualizations and cross-divisional resources as well as training on teaming around the data to support school completion for each student- Evaluated effectiveness of educational programs and practices- Consulted with other district departments on rigorous evaluations and data meaning and use- Maintained and advanced the district’s RBES

Winona, Mn

- Lead ETL to data warehouse from a variety of SIS and assessment data sources across the districts receiving services from this cooperative of support services. - Statistically model relationships across progress monitoring and outcome data to inform RTI efforts. - - Design and model data to inform program evaluation questions. - Provide technical assistance across districts and meet monthly with all principals and superintendents. - - Publish in peer-reviewed periodicals and lead grant-writing efforts.

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Mathematics / Statistics

Calculus I, II, III (multivariate); Differential Equations, Discrete Mathematics, Higher Level Mathematical Theory, Linear Algebra