Desiree Carver-Thomas

Desiree Carver-Thomas is a senior researcher and policy analyst at the Learning Policy Institute, where she co-leads the Educator Quality team and leads the Racial Equity Leadership Network team. Her work focuses on how educator quality, teacher diversity, and leadership development promote equitable opportunities for teaching and learning. She is the author of Diversifying the Teaching Profession: How to Recruit and Retain Teachers of Color. As a graduate student fellow with the Center for Cities and Schools at the University of California, Berkeley, she supported the City of Richmond and the West Contra Costa Unified School District in implementing full-service community schools initiatives. Carver-Thomas earned a BA in comparative ethnic studies from Columbia University, an MS in teaching from Fordham University, and an MPP from the University of California, Berkeley. She previously taught in New York City Public Schools, where she worked in bilingual education and special education.

updated 2025