Andrew Brannegan

Overview

Andrew Brannegan is an education researcher who works with state education agencies, school districts, and research partners in continuous improvement and formative evaluation projects. As Research Manager on the Improvement Science team, his work focuses on data analytics and visualization to inform programmatic improvements.

Brannegan has contributed to a wide range of projects focused on teacher preparation, measurement, and educational access. Since 2020, Brannegan has led the work to uplift and understand data emerging from the formative evaluation of California’s Teacher Residency Grant Program. This work has led to improved supports for residency programs and changes to the state’s request for applications to prioritize program sustainability.  Additionally, Brannegan has contributed to the Math Practical Measures project by building a repository of practical measures, providing support for measure users, and developing and testing a practical measure of teacher professional development.

Before joining WestEd, Brannegan served as research director at Hamilton Families, a homelessness service provider for families in San Francisco, and as a senior data analyst at Aspire Public Schools. He was also a special education teacher at two elementary schools in Oakland Unified School District. Each of these roles involved using data and research to help improve outcomes for children in high-need schools.

Education

• PhD in public administration & policy, American University
• MPP, American University
• BA in political science, Wake Forest University

Select Publications

Hirschboeck, K., White, M. E., Brannegan, A., & Hannan, M. (2023). Barriers to the scalability and sustainability of the Teacher Residency Grant Program. WestEd.  

Hirschboeck, K., White, M. E., Hannan, M., Brannegan, A., & Reade, F. (2023). Building strong residency partnerships: Challenges and opportunities in the CA Teacher Residency Grant. WestEd.  

Hirschboeck, K., White, M. E., Brannegan, A., & Reade, F. (2022). Teacher residency programs in California: Financial sustainability challenges and opportunities. WestEd.  

Gershenson, S., Jacknowitz, A., & Brannegan, A. (2017). Are student absences worth the worry in U.S. primary schools? Education Finance and Policy, 12(2), 137–165.

Jacknowitz, A., Morrissey, T., & Brannegan, A. (2015). Food insecurity across the first five years: Triggers of onset and exit. Children and Youth Services Review, 53, 24–33.

Snelling, A., Jacknowitz, A., Maroto, M., Kalamchi, S., & Brannegan, A. (2012). Understanding Feeding America elementary school–basedfood pantries. Feeding America.

Recent Media Appearances

• San Diego County schools badly need these hard-to-staff teachers. Can residency programs help? (Paywalled), San Diego Union-Tribune, March 10, 2024