Cassandra F. Rubinstein is a Research and Policy Consultant at the Learning Policy Institute, where she contributes to research on school and system redesign. She uses qualitative and mixed-methods approaches to study community schools as a path to school transformation and the conditions needed to sustain them across policy contexts.

Rubinstein's broader research examines how school structures shape students' opportunities. It covers school and neighborhood segregation, principals' preparation to lead diverse schools, curricular interventions, and multilingual students' experiences and sense of belonging in public schools.

Before joining LPI, Rubinstein spent more than six years working in and alongside schools and community organizations in California. As a district grant program coordinator, she managed $2.8 million in state grants that connected students and families with community-based services and led advisory committees that brought together district staff, service providers, and community members. She also managed youth and family services, developing programs to reduce chronic absenteeism, improve restorative discipline practices, and support students returning to school after suspension or court placement. This experience continues to inform her commitment to research that is useful to community members, policymakers, and practitioners alike.

Rubinstein is a PhD candidate in Teacher Education and Learning Sciences at North Carolina State University. She holds an MS in Therapeutic Recreation from Indiana University and a BS in Psychology from California State University - San Marcos.