Rebecca Perry

Overview

Rebecca Perry has over 30 years of experience in education research, evaluation, and technical assistance for initiatives aimed at improving mathematics leadership, teaching, and learning. Perry is a mixed-methods researcher who uses rapid-cycle data collection and reporting to capture lessons about implementation, teacher professional development, measurement, improvement, and sustainability for a variety of audiences. Perry has implemented randomized controlled trials (RCTs)/quasi-experimental designs (QEDs) and field-tests; assessed implementation of policy and instructional ideas; and identified student, teacher, and organizational learning.

Perry is currently leading a developmental evaluation of a 4-year multi-agency California initiative designed to provide a sustainable, impactful professional learning infrastructure for mathematics, science, and computer science educators statewide. Another project involves partnering with districts nationwide to examine the implementation and impact of high-quality mathematics curriculum in grades 6–8.

Prior collaboration with colleagues from the Mills College Lesson Study Group resulted in a study of mathematics teacher professional development that showed a successful impact on student achievement, one of only two professional learning programs out of 643 reviewed by the IES What Works Clearinghouse found to show impact (Lewis & Perry, 2017).

Education

• PhD in education administration and policy analysis, Stanford University
• BS in cognitive science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Select Publications

Perry, R., DePiper, J. N., Tsinnajinne, B., Jackson, B. E., & Thornley, L. (2024). Numeracy education for adult learners: A scan of the field and principles for course and materials design. Adult Learning, 1–10.

Perry, R., Salciccioli, M., & Le Fevre, L. (2021). The value and promise of California’s statewide communities of practice in math and science education. WestEd.

Perry, R., Reade, F., & Marple, S. (2020). Building leadership capacity to improve math teaching and learning: Lessons from the Math in Common initiative. WestEd.

Lewis, C. C., & Perry, R. R. (2017). Lesson study to scale-up research-based knowledge: A randomized, controlled trial of fractions learning. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 48(3), 262–300.

Perry, R. R., & Lewis, C. C. (2017). How can students learn fractions (de)composition? Teaching Children Mathematics, 24(1), 30.