LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Dr. Justin Luttrell, Director of STEM and Blended Learning for Pulaski County Special School District, joined The Strategic Data Project (SDP), an initiative of the Center for Education Policy Research (CEPR) at Harvard University.
Only the second Arkansan to be selected for the fellowship, Dr. Luttrell will spend the next two years evaluating evidence to improve educational practices and policies.
“Being selected as a Cohort 16 Strategic Data Project Fellow is a great honor,” said Dr. Luttrell. “I hope to represent Arkansas and the Pulaski County Special School District well in the pursuit to provide quality educational opportunities for our community of stakeholders.”
To help guide his work, he will receive both in-person and virtual training along with support from the SDP network of faculty and alumni, and access to new data tools and resources to enhance outcomes for students in PCSSD and beyond. The fellowship will offer training in data analysis, strategic decision-making, and leadership development. As his mentor, Dr. Sonya Whitfield, deputy superintendent for PCSSD, says this fellowship is more than just professional development; it's a chance to leverage data to address pressing challenges faced by school districts.
“I am excited to serve as Dr. Luttrell's mentor to guide and support his fellowship journey,” said Dr. Whitfield. “Through Dr. Luttrell's participation in the SDP Fellowship, we position ourselves at the forefront of educational innovation, ensuring our strategies are data-informed and aligned with the best practices in education.”
This cohort includes partnerships with organizations like the National Head Start Association, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, Hackensack Public Schools (NJ), the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and Fresno Unified School District. Together, these fellows and their senior leadership are united by a shared mission: leveraging data to drive transformative improvements that directly impact student success and reshape the future of education.
“With each new cohort, we are excited to support our fellows as they drive transformative change within their organizations, empowering them to make informed choices that will have a direct and lasting impact on student outcomes,” said SDP Senior Director Miriam Greenberg.
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About the Strategic Data Project
Harvard's Strategic Data Project (SDP) works with education agencies to find and train data leaders to uncover trends, measure solutions, and effectively communicate evidence to stakeholders. SDP’s network of system leaders, fellows, and faculty come together to share how to best use data to make a difference in the lives of students. SDP Fellows are driving data-informed change in over 215 school systems and organizations. Learn more at sdp.harvard.edu.
About the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University
The Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University, based at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, seeks to transform education through quality research and evidence. CEPR and its partners believe all students will learn and thrive when education leaders make decisions using facts and findings, rather than untested assumptions. Learn more at cepr.harvard.edu.