Amanda Parsad

Amanda Parsad provides methodological support and quality assurance across AIR’s portfolio of federal education evaluation studies. With over 24 years of experience in research and evaluation, she leads, designs, and conducts experimental, quasi-experimental, and descriptive studies that inform education policy. Parsad’s research focuses on evaluating education programs and policies designed to help students prepare for, transition into, succeed in, and afford college.  

For the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute for Education Sciences' (IES) National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, she has designed studies to assess the effectiveness of programs aimed at preparing students for college, increasing access and success for students historically underrepresented in postsecondary education, and improving college affordability. 

Parsad studied potential improvements to two prominent federal college access programs, Upward Bound and GEAR UP. She led the design and analysis of two randomized controlled trials within these programs to examine how program changes could increase college enrollment and persistence for students from low-income households. She also serves as the co-principal investigator on a set of rigorous studies examining how changes to federal student aid policy affect student enrollment and persistence in college, and on a feasibility assessment aimed at identifying strategies to address barriers faced by some students in accessing and participating in dual enrollment courses. 

Parsad also has substantial experience evaluating K-12 education programs. For IES, she currently serves as the director of analysis for a descriptive policy study of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program, the nation’s only publicly funded private school voucher program. Previously, she served as a senior advisor on a descriptive study aimed at increasing school-based mental health services and creating safe and supportive learning environments. Her past work also includes evaluations of K-12 STEM summer programs, higher education STEM initiatives for graduate students, postdocs, and early career faculty, as well as adult education programs. Before joining AIR, Parsad was a principal scientist and principal solutions architect for the education sector at Abt Global.