Angela Estacion is a Senior Research Associate at WestEd. With nearly two decades of research and evaluation experience, she designs and directs research studies and evaluation projects in partnership with institutions of higher education, local and state education agencies, and local and national nonprofits.
She is currently the principal investigator of a grant funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences to examine sub-baccalaureate career and technical education (CTE) programs, using Florida’s statewide longitudinal data system, labor market data, and case studies. She recently served as co-principal investigator on a National Science Foundation research study of STEM work-based learning and postsecondary outcomes. Her work uses primarily multiyear, mixed methods research and evaluation designs, integrating rigorous quantitative and qualitative research methods. She strives to reach diverse audiences by disseminating actionable research results to policymakers, practitioners, and community leaders.
Estacion’s main areas of research and evaluation include:
- access to and readiness for postsecondary training and education (e.g., acceleration programs such as Advanced Placement and dual enrollment; college and career readiness initiatives; high-quality high school CTE programs);
- supporting successful pathways to graduation, especially among historically underserved groups (e.g., community college guided pathways, 2-year to 4-year transfer supports, 4-year university pathways);
- broadening participation in postsecondary settings, especially for historically underserved groups and in STEM programs (e.g., scholarships for low-income students, cohort or mentoring experiences among underrepresented students, undergraduate research experiences); and
- workforce development (e.g., work-based learning, CTE programs and policies, proximal labor market demand, aligning programs to employer needs).