Kari Colley

Senior Researcher

Dr. Kari Colley is a Senior Researcher with deep expertise in teacher preparation, recruitment, effectiveness, and retention. With more than 15 years of experience in K–12 education, she brings a practitioner-informed perspective shaped by her work as a classroom teacher in public, private, and charter settings, as well as her leadership roles as a residency program director, curriculum specialist, and researcher.

Her recent projects include evaluating the implementation and impact of a teacher residency and apprenticeship program in South Carolina; assessing the validity and reliability of classroom observation frameworks for a national charter school network; analyzing educator selection and evaluation tools to inform career advancement pathways in North Carolina; and studying the effects of college advising interventions on students’ application and completion rates.

Dr. Colley has successfully led and supported multiple large-scale research initiatives, including an Education Innovation and Research grant, a Regional Educational Laboratory study, and a U.S. Department of Education Teacher Quality Partnership grant. She holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Denver, and both a master’s and bachelor’s degree from the University of San Diego.