Jessica Watson

Biography

Jessica Watson (née Knevals) joined the Accountability and Data Analysis Office as a Principal Consultant at the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) in 2012. Through her work at CDE, Jessica is responsible for managing policy and data analysis projects associated with SB09-163: the Colorado Education Accountability Act, including production and release of the district and school performance frameworks issued to all districts and schools in Colorado and the request to reconsider appeals process regarding district and school accreditation. Additionally, Jessica manages the alternative education campus (AEC) accountability process for schools that primarily serve high-risk youth, including HB15-1350, the Alternative Accountability Work Group, collaborating with stakeholders on accountability for high-risk and special needs students and submitted recommendations to the Education Committees of the State House and Senate, State Board of Education, and Commissioner of the Department of Education. Prior to her work with CDE, Jessica was a Program Officer from 2008-2012 in the Data Analysis and Applied Research Department at New Visions for Public Schools (NVPS) in New York City where she participated in the launch of a comprehensive school data management platform along with interim assessment tools, managed and created the data specialist network, and created a college readiness metric used to evaluate students’ progress based upon benchmarks for meeting graduation and college and career readiness goals, including creating metrics and measures for transfer schools (New York City’s alternative schools). Jessica was a Senior Research Associate from 2004-2008 with the Academy for Educational Development (AED, acquired by FHI360 in 2011) conducting quantitative and qualitative data analysis and program evaluation of a middle school reform program, a career preparation program for high school students, and a gender equality study for the National Science Foundation. Jessica also has prior work experience with the Citizens Committee for Children of New York City (CCC) and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). Jessica received her M.P.A. in Public and Nonprofit Management and Policy from the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University and a dual B.A. in Policy Studies and Sociology from the Maxwell School of Public Affairs and the College of Arts and Sciences at Syracuse University.  Jessica lives in Denver, Colorado and enjoys hiking, skiing, and traveling with her husband.