JAMES J. KEMPLE, ED.D.

Dr. James J. Kemple is the Executive Director of the Research Alliance for New York City Schools and Research Professor at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University. As Executive Director, Dr. Kemple provides guidance and oversight for all Research Alliance work and serves as the Principal Investigator on a wide range of Research Alliance studies. He collaborates with the NYC Department of Education, private foundations, and other stakeholders to identify research priorities and develop new lines of inquiry.

Prior to joining the Research Alliance, Dr. Kemple spent more than 18 years at MDRC. He served as the Director of MDRC’s K-12 Education Policy Area and specialized in the design and management of rigorous evaluations, including randomized controlled trials of educational and other social policy reforms. Dr. Kemple began his career as a high school math teacher. He also managed the Higher Achievement Program, which serves disadvantaged youth in Washington D.C. Dr. Kemple holds Ed.D. and Ed.M. degrees from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, with a concentration in Administration, Planning, and Social Policy for Community and Urban Education, as well as a B.A. in Mathematics from the College of the Holy Cross.