Jessica Barajas is a Research and Policy Associate at the Learning Policy Institute. 

Prior to joining LPI, Barajas worked as an early childhood educator at the Stanford Bing Nursery School and at The Primary School in East Palo Alto. Both schools are dedicated to meeting the social, emotional, cognitive, physical, and academic needs of the child, using a play-based mixed aged environment and an integrated health and education model, respectively. Before becoming an educator, Barajas was a research assistant at Stanford’s Understanding Language Initiative focused on meeting the needs of English Language Learners. She also served as the Manager of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation’s Leaders on Fast Track (LOFT) Program, which is dedicated to identifying, inspiring, and preparing emerging Latino students for leadership roles in different industries.

Barajas holds an M.A. in Policy, Leadership, and Organizational Studies from the Stanford Graduate School of Education, and a B.A. in Political Science and Education with a minor in Latin American Studies from Swarthmore College. Barajas also holds a California teacher certification in Child Development.