Bio

Lauren Covelli is an Associate Policy Researcher at RAND. Her current projects cover a broad range of topics including community schools, mathematics education, microschools, and high-quality instructional materials. 

Lauren completed her PhD in K-12 Education Policy with a minor in Quantitative Methods at Vanderbilt University, where she conducted research in partnership with the Research Alliance for New York City Schools (RANYCS) and the Tennessee Education Research Alliance (TERA). Lauren was a recipient of an AERA-NSF Dissertation grant for her work evaluating ACT testing policy in Tennessee.

Lauren started her career in the education sector as a high school math teacher in Oakland Unified School District and working with an education non-profit in San Francisco Unified School District. Prior to her doctoral studies, Lauren worked in charter school leadership as a Data and Performance Management Analyst in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Lauren started at RAND in 2022 as a Summer Associate and transitioned to a full-time role as an Associate Policy Researcher in 2023.

Lauren holds a Bachelor's in Social Welfare and Education from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master's in Education Policy and Management from Harvard University. She currently lives with her family in East Nashville, Tennessee.