Celeste Alexander

Dr. Alexander serves as the Director of the Texas Education Research Center (ERC). The ERC is a research and evaluation center that provides access to high quality, longitudinal data from the Texas PK-12, Texas higher education, Texas workforce, and other data for the state of Texas. The data now spans over 30 years and continues to grow annually. The ERCs mission is to maintain a longitudinal data system for the State of Texas; and to provide social scientists and other researcher’s access to the ERC database to study and analyze significant questions to improve educational policy, educational outcomes, and labor outcomes

As Director and a Research Scientist, Dr. Alexander manages and expands Texas’ most comprehensive State Longitudinal Data System. In addition, she has become an expert in the growing field of longitudinal data systems, fueling academic research with her knowledge of quantitative designs, data management, security, and analytic experience while actively participating in the research process. Dr. Alexander currently manages many complex projects involving multiple stakeholders and oversees the rapid growth of the UT Austin ERC.

Dr. Alexander mentors graduate students utilizing the ERC data. With an emphasis on data management, understanding the many types of data formats, data changes over time, understanding variable definitions, merging files, and statistical analysis. She has over 40 years of combined experience in child development, psychology, education, research, and evaluation. Her work in education focuses on policy and practice, educational outcomes, and labor outcomes. She serves on the ERC Advisory Board at the State level which monitors data use and FERPA compliance.