Jaclyn Jagdish Tejwani

Overview

Jaclyn Jagdish Tejwani is a program evaluator with more than 20 years of experience. Her specific expertise is in studying teacher residencies and preparation programs; rural and community schools; and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts in STEM disciplines in K–12 and higher education. The through line for all her work is a focus on diversity and inclusion to support systems and outcomes for all learners that are more equitable. Her work embeds culturally responsive evaluation practices, including bringing diverse evaluation teams into the work and authentically partnering with the communities she serves. 

As a first-generation college student in the United States, Tejwani worked hard to put herself through school, beginning at community college and advancing through graduate school. Her upbringing as the daughter of an immigrant, along with her experiences in the educational system, where she often lacked the levels of mentorship and guidance needed to support the journey, equipped her with a deep contextual understanding of the challenges many of today’s students face in the existing educational systems. 

Through her work, Tejwani engages thoughtfully with partners to evaluate programs, study implementation and outcomes, and provide data-related technical assistance and evidenced-based recommendations to improve program effectiveness. Tejwani is especially passionate about increasing the number of high-quality and diverse educators who share the background of the students they teach, supporting educational practices that affirm students’ cultural identities, improving students’ experiences at all levels of the educational system through mentorship, and including program participants as part of the evaluation process. 

Education

• MA in applied research/evaluation, Claremont Graduate University 
• MA in applied behavioral research/psychology, California State University, Fullerton 
• BA in psychology, California State University, Long Beach 

Select Publications

Valente, R., Tejwani, J., & Pedroza, V. (2023). Establishing partnerships in the Central Valley to expand the teacher residency model. Issues in Teacher Education, Volume 32(1), 8-23.

Ambroso, E., Tejwani, J., Allen, J., Pho, T., Draguicevic, A., Wimberley, S., Tate, B., & Miller, J. (2023). Evaluation of the NSF INCLUDES Alliance: Inclusive Graduate Education Network (IGEN), Year 5. WestEd. 

Valente, R., Tejwani, J., Pedroza, V., & Cartznes, S. (2022). Increasing rural teacher preparedness through a teacher residency. The Rural Educator, 43(4), 58–61.