Research & Data Analytics
Role in DISC
Hayley Spencer is a research associate at WestEd and a member of the DISC team. She leads data collection and analysis for a variety of mixed-methods research and evaluation projects across the agency. Her areas of expertise are college and career readiness, and success and career and technical education.
State experience
Hayley served as Director of Research and Analytics for the Division of Florida Colleges. She created reports and interactive dashboards using data collected through Florida state reporting databases and institutional surveys related to early college programs, college affordability, and completion. Prior to that, she was a research assistant at the Center for Postsecondary Success at Florida State University and an ECMC Foundation CTE Fellow.
Experience with Integrated Data Systems
Hayley’s current projects include co-leading an evaluation for Pinellas County Schools focused on high school college and career centers, and an evaluation of a National Science Foundation-funded grant awarded to University of South Florida, University of Central Florida, and Florida International University. Her responsibilities included overseeing the day-to-day evaluation activities and an annual student survey; leading quantitative analyses of institutional data from each university; and co-authoring evaluation reports.
Planning and User-Centered Design
Hayley plays a critical role in managing and analyzing statewide data from the Florida College System and Florida Workforce Development Information System on an Institute for Education Science study of CTE and labor market alignment. Spencer recently completed the IES Methods Training in Economic Evaluation with the Center for Benefit-Cost Studies of Education at the University of Pennsylvania. Following this training, Spencer conducted a cost analysis of a scholarship program at the City Colleges of Chicago.
