Mimi Engel

Mimi Engel is an Associate Professor at the University of Colorado Boulder School of Education, specializing in Research and Evaluation Methodology (REM). Her work focuses on how educational policies and programs affect children’s developmental outcomes and learning opportunities, particularly in urban school districts. She leads the REM program and engages in both quantitative and qualitative research to evaluate education policies, teacher labor markets, and early childhood education initiatives.

• Education: PhD in Human Development and Social Policy (Northwestern University, 2008), AM in Social Work (University of Chicago, 1998), BA in History (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1993).

Her research spans two key areas: 1) P-12 education, examining teacher policies, labor markets, and retention strategies in urban districts like Chicago and Denver, funded by the William T Grant Foundation, IES, and CU Boulder; and 2) early childhood education, analyzing P-3 alignment and mathematics teaching through a Heising Simons Foundation-funded study. Recent articles highlight her focus on curriculum alignment, teacher hiring practices, and equity in educational access.

Dr. Engel teaches doctoral courses in statistics, quantitative analysis, and program evaluation. She collaborates with Denver Public Schools via the Teacher Workforce Collaborative (TWC), addressing systemic achievement gaps through evidence-based teacher workforce strategies.