Kate Kennedy

Kate Kennedy
Kate Kennedy
Assistant Professor, School of Education,
University of Cincinnati

Kate Kennedy is an assistant professor in the School of Education at the University of Cincinnati. She is also an associate policy researcher at the RAND Corporation. She was previously a doctoral researcher with the Rossier School of Education and worked on education policy initiatives as a research associate in the Center on Education Policy, Equity, and Governance (CPEG) at the University of Southern California. She served as director of professional learning at Battelle for Kids. She was also a teacher for five years in Worthington City Schools in Ohio. She earned her MA in educational leadership from Teachers College at Columbia University and a PhD in urban education policy from the University of Southern California.

updated 2025

Publications by Kate Kennedy
How School Districts Craft Coherence Towards Continuous Improvement
This study uses qualitative case study methods to explore how educators establish system-wide continuous improvement capabilities and coherence for implementation, taking into consideration the local contexts. Educators use two bridging approaches…
Leadership, Partnership, and Community
This study of seven California school districts during the COVID-19 pandemic shows how districts responded in real-time to the crisis and structural racism. Districts showed resourcefulness, collaboration, and commitment to serving students and…
Conditions Shaping Educators’ Use of Social-Emotional Learning Indicators
This article explores the use of nonacademic indicators such as social and emotional well-being in educational improvement. The authors suggest that while there is little guidance on using these indicators, understanding the conditions that shape…
The Case of Ayer Elementary
A case study of Ayer Elementary School in Fresno, California, reveals leadership practices that foster continuous improvement in education. The report identifies three lessons for supporting improvement in other schools: access to district resources…