Elaine W. Leigh is an Associate Policy Researcher at the RAND Corporation. Her research broadly examines policies and practices that address inequities in postsecondary access, completion, and workforce transitions for historically excluded students. Recent areas of inquiry include workforce partnerships with community colleges, career preparation and work-based learning experiences, cross-sector education collaborations addressing postsecondary access and attainment, and the implementation and impacts of “free college” policies and their potential role for improving equity. Her work has been published in Educational Researcher, Research in Higher Education, Equity & Excellence in Education, AERA Open, Education Policy Analysis Archives, and the Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, among other outlets. She received her Ph.D. in Higher Education and M.S.Ed. in Urban Education from University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education and holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Washington.
Elaine’s work in education is heavily influenced by her commitments and experiences advancing educational equity in K-12 and postsecondary settings and through her identities as an Asian American biracial woman. Prior to joining RAND, Elaine was a Postdoctoral Fellow with Strada Education Network’s Research & Insights Team, where she contributed to multiple projects related to improving student pathways between postsecondary education and employment. She also has 13 years of experience developing programming for youth from underserved and minoritized backgrounds, including as a former middle school science teacher, college access nonprofit manager, and board member for human services and education nonprofits in Philadelphia.
Originally from the Seattle area, Elaine currently resides in Philadelphia with her two young children and husband.
Publications
* Denotes authorship is equal and names listed in alphabetical order
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Perna, L.W., Wright-Kim, J., & Leigh, E.W. (2021). Will college promise programs improve or reduce equity? Understanding the contextual conditions that influence program implementation. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 29(26). Available here.
Leigh, E.W., & González Canché, M.S. (2021). The College Promise in communities: Do place-based scholarships affect residential mobility patterns? Research in Higher Education, 62(3), 259-308. Available here.
*Leigh, E.W., Pak, K., & Phuong, J. (2021). Defining ourselves: Exploring our leader and activist identities as Asian American women doctoral students. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 14(2), 174-188. Available here.
Perna, L.W., Wright-Kim, J., & Leigh, E.W. (2020). Are college promise programs an effective use of resources? Understanding implications of program design and resource investments for equity and efficiency. AERA Open, 6(4), 1-15. Available here.
Leigh, E.W., Irele, A.A., Bowers, K.A. (2020). Mitigating summer learning loss in Philadelphia during COVID-19: Humble attempts from the field (invited article). Perspectives on Urban Education, 18(1). Available here.
Perna, L.W. & Leigh, E.W. (2018). Understanding the promise: A typology of state and local promise programs. Educational Researcher, 47(3), 155-180. Available here.
Perna, L.W., Leigh, E.W., & Carroll, S. (2018). “Free college:” A new and improved state approach to increasing educational attainment? American Behavioral Scientist, 61(14), 1740-1756. Available here.
Leigh, E.W. (2017). An exploration of ‘hyper-local’ community-university engagement in the development of smart cities. Equity & Excellence in Education, 50(4), 421-433. Available here. -
Pak, K., Leigh, E.W., & Phuong, J. (2021). Reclaiming identity for critical leadership development. In K. Pak & S.M. Ravitch (Eds.), Critical leadership praxis for educational and social change (pp. 49-62). New York: NY: Teachers College Press.
Delaney, J.A. & Leigh, E.W. (2020). A promising trend? An event history analysis of factors associated with establishing single-institution College Promise programs. In L.W. Perna & E.J. Smith (Eds.), Improving research-based knowledge of college promise programs, (pp. 269-304). Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association.
Ruiz, R., Leigh, E.W., Napier, A, & González Canché, M.S. (2020). Community college promise programs and local impact: Aggregate effects of college attainment in three Promise communities. In L.W. Perna & E. Smith (Eds.), Improving research-based knowledge of college promise programs, (pp. 241-268). Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association. -
Leigh, E.W., Jankowski, N., & Leavitt, M. (2023). Trends in employer partnerships with community colleges: Insights from Strada’s National Grant Challenge. Strada Education Foundation. Available here.
Leavitt, M., & Leigh, E.W. (2023). Employer and community college partnerships: Models and practices for supporting students and strengthening the workforce. Strada Education Foundation. Available here.
Torpey-Saboe, N., Leigh, E.W., & Clayton, D. (2022). The power of work-based learning. Strada Education Network. Available here.
Leigh, E.W. (2021). Understanding undergraduates’ career preparation experiences. Strada Education Network. Available here.
*Leavitt, M., & Leigh, E.W. (2021). Listening to recent high school grads – “Be mindful of what we’ve gone through.” Strada Education Network. Available here.
Swain-Cade McCoullum, V.E., Leigh, E.W., Irele, A.A., & Bowers, K.A. (2020). University of Pennsylvania’s Rising Scholar Success Academy (PennRSSA): 2020 Program Report. Philadelphia, PA: Office of the Vice Provost for Student Engagement, University of Pennsylvania. Available here.
Perna, L.W., Wright-Kim, J., & Leigh, E.W. (2020). Recognizing the implications of promise program design for equity and efficiency. Washington, DC: College Promise Campaign. Available here.
Ding, L., Leigh, E.W., & Harker, P. (2018). Potential effects of automation on regional employment in the Third Federal Reserve District. Philadelphia, PA: Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Available here.
Finney, J., Leigh, E.W., Castillo, W., Ruiz, R., Smith, E.J., & Kent. D.C. (2017). Driven to perform: Tennessee higher education policies & outcomes. Philadelphia, PA: Institute for Research on Higher Education. Available here. -
Perna, L.W., & *Leigh, E.W.* (2016, October; periodically updated). Database of college promise programs. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania, Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy.
Presentations
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Leigh, E.W. (2022, March 27–29). Understanding postsecondary attainment strategies in cross-sector education collaborations: A comparative case study [Accepted poster presentation]. Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management, Austin, TX, United States (delayed from November 2021).
Leigh, E.W. (2021, April 17–21). Creating local cultures of attainment: Challenges and opportunities for cross-sector education collaboration [Paper presentation]. American Educational Research Association, held virtually.
Leigh, E.W. (2020, November 10). Towards a conceptual model of postsecondary attainment strategies in cross-sector education collaborations. In P. Patel (Chair), The potential of cross-sector education collaborations for promoting postsecondary attainment [Symposium presenter & organizer]. Association for the Study of Higher Education’s Council on Public Policy in Higher Education pre-conference, held virtually.
Perna, L.W., Wright-Kim, J., & Leigh, E.W. (2020, March 19–21). Framing benefits and costs of college promise programs: Insights from four individual “free tuition” community college programs [Paper presentation]. Association for Education Finance and Policy, held virtually.
Perna, L.W., Wright-Kim, J., & Leigh, E.W. (2019, November 13–16). Contexts, design, and potential outcomes of single-community college promise programs: A cross-case analysis. In R. Hiestand (Chair), Different promises: Emerging evidence on the origin, variability, and effects of free-college programs [Symposium]. Association for the Study of Higher Education, Portland, OR, United States.
Leigh, E.W., Pak, K., & Phuong, J. (2018, November 14–17). Complicating leadership and activism: How Asian American female doctoral students learn to lead in activist contexts [Paper presentation]. Association for the Study of Higher Education, Tampa, FL, United States.
Leigh, E.W. (2018, April 13–17). Colleges as “engines of upward mobility”: Institutional & state-level factors predicting college mobility rates [Roundtable paper presentation]. American Educational Research Association, New York, NY, United States.
Delaney, J. & Leigh, E.W. (2018, April 5–8). An event history analysis of the introduction of single institution “promise” student financial aid programs [Paper presentation]. Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, IL, United States.
Perna, L.W., Leigh, E.W., & Carroll, S. (2017, November 8–11). “Free college:” A new and improved state approach to increasing educational attainment? [Paper presentation]. Association for the Study of Higher Education, Houston, TX, United States.
Leigh, E.W., & González-Canché, M. (2017, November 8–11). The College Promise in communities: Do place-based scholarships affect residential mobility patterns? [Paper presentation]. Association for the Study of Higher Education, Houston, TX, United States.
Delaney, J. & Leigh, E.W. (2017, November 8–10). An event history analysis of the introduction of single institution “promise” student financial aid programs [Paper presentation]. Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, Chicago, IL, United States.
Ruiz, R., Leigh, E.W., & Napier, A. (2017, October 22–23). Community college promise programs: A multi-state examination of program impacts using a difference-in-differences approach [Paper presentation]. AERA College Promise Research Conference, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
Delaney, J. & Leigh, E.W. (2017, October 22–23). An event history analysis of the introduction of single institution “promise” student financial aid programs [Paper presentation]. AERA College Promise Research Conference, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
Perna, L.W. & Leigh, E.W. (2016, November 9–12). Understanding the promise: A typology of state and local promise Programs [Paper presentation]. Association for the Study of Higher Education, Columbus, OH, United States.
Finney, J., Castillo, W., Kent, D., Leigh, E.W., Ruiz, R., & Smith, E. (2016, November 9–12). The drive to college attainment: State-level policy influences on Tennessee higher education performance [Paper presentation]. Association for the Study of Higher Education’s Council on Public Policy in Higher Education pre-conference, Columbus, OH, United States.
Leigh, E.W. & Kaiser, C.R. (2008, May). Cultural self-construals affect task motivation in the face of prejudice [Poster presentation]. University of Washington Department of Psychology Undergraduate Honors Research Festival, Seattle, WA.
Leigh, E.W. & Kaiser, C.R. (2008, May 16). Bicultural identity and seeing bias [Paper presentation]. University of Washington Undergraduate Research Symposium, Seattle, WA, United States.
Leigh, E.W., Rieck, H., & Kaiser, C.R. (2008, May 16). The relationship between group identity and prejudice: An objective experience account [Poster presentation]. University of Washington Undergraduate Research Symposium, Seattle, WA, United States.
Leigh, E.W., Rieck, H., & Kaiser, C.R. (2008, February 7-9). The relationship between group identity and prejudice: An objective experience account [Poster presentation]. Society for Personality and Social Psychology Group Processes and Intergroup Relations pre-conference, Albuquerque, NM, United States. -
Leavitt, M., Leigh, E.W., Torpey-Saboe, N., & Salm, J. (2021, September 10). Listening to recent high school grads – “Be mindful of what we’ve gone through.” [Paper presentation & facilitator]. American Association of State Colleges & Universities Millennium Leadership Initiative, held virtually.
Leigh, E.W. (2019, May). Understanding the “free college” movement [Panel presentation]. In T. Jones (Chair), College promise programs and lower-income students: Design, implementation, and impact. Symposium held by Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA.
Leigh, E.W. (2018, September). Understanding the “free college” movement [Panel presentation]. Berks Alliance Community Forum, sponsored by Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Reading, PA.
Perna, L.W. & Leigh, E.W. (2016, October 24-26). Growth, scope, and impact of college promise programs [Conference session]. PromiseNet, Washington, DC, United States.
Perna, L.W., Leigh, E.W., & Ruiz, R. (2016, June 2-3). Growth, scope, and impact of college promise programs [Conference session]. Education Testing Service and Civic Nation’s Designing Sustainable Funding for College Promise Initiatives Convening, Princeton, NJ, United States.
Leigh, E.W. & Royster, S. (2014, April 24-25). Meeting needs and establishing partnerships: Re-building and re-branding long-term access programs [Conference session]. National Partnership in Educational Access Conference, Minneapolis, MN, United States. -
June 2021. Intergenerational mobility and education [Panelist]. New York City Department of Education’s Office of Superintendent Michael Prayor (Brooklyn South), held virtually.
November 2018. Woke scholarship and self-care: Strategies for graduate student community and Endurance [Panelist]. Graduate Student Committee of the Association for the Study of Higher Education, Tampa, FL.
April 2017. Donors and named scholars reception [Invited speech]. University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, Philadelphia, PA.
November 2016. Postsecondary data and its limits. Penn GSE Higher Education Division Doctoral Group Meeting, Philadelphia, PA.
May 2016. University-community partnerships: Food for thought [Panel presentation]. Penn AHEAD and Netter Center for Community Partnerships Faculty Seminar series, Philadelphia, PA.
October 2015. So, you want to be a doctor? Applying to doctoral programs [Panelist]. University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, Philadelphia, PA.
June 2014. Greater Philadelphia Teach For America Alumni Induction [Invited keynote]. Teach For America, Philadelphia, PA.
April 2014. Introduction to nonprofit boards [Panelist]. Board Prep Program-Young Involved Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA.
November 2013. Critical conversations: Increasing gap program sensitivity [Panelist]. Multicultural Resource Center of the Philadelphia Independent Schools, Wynnewood, PA.
May 2013. Introduction to nonprofit boards [Panelist]. Board Prep Program-Young Involved Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA.
February 2013. Continuing your impact in nonprofit careers [Panelist]. Teach For America, Philadelphia, PA.
Leigh, E.W., & Jankowski, N. (2022, May 26). Putting academics first: Research directions to support learning outcomes at community colleges. LinkedIn.
Leigh, E.W., & Jankowski, N. (2022, March 29). Three research paths ahead for community-building colleges. LinkedIn.
Perna, L.W., Leigh, E.W., & Wright-Kim, J. (2021, April 5). Free college programs can enable more students to go to college, but it all depends on how the program is designed. The Conversation.
Perna, L.W., Leigh, E.W., & Smith, E.J. (2017, December 12). Can college ‘promise’ programs deliver? The Conversation.
Perna, L.W. & Leigh, E.W. (2017, February 13). College promise programs: Designing programs to achieve the promise. Higher Ed Today – American Council on Education Blog.
Edgerton, A.K, Jay, L., Leigh, E.W., Pak, K. (2017, January 16). Radically flawed: The truth about vouchers. Huffington Post.
Leigh, E.W. (2016, July 27). College affordability in the news: What are the feds’ priorities? Penn Wharton Public Policy Initiative Blog.
