DPP’s Cristal Cisneros Completes Two-Year Harvard Center for Education Policy Research Fellowship

Denver Preschool Program’s Cristal Cisneros, Ed.D., Vice President of Evaluation and Learning, was among the 46 fellows who recently completed Harvard’s Center for Education Policy Research’s Strategic Data Project (SDP), which is supported by the Gates Foundation. Cohort 16 took place from the Fall 2024 until the Summer 2026, bringing together fellows from across the nation who were recognized for their leadership, analytic, and adaptive skills.

As part of the conclusion of SDP’s two-year fellowship, Harvard’s Center for Education Policy Research asked participants to share insights from their experience in a recent blog post, “Community, Communication, and Bridge-Building: Seeing Off Cohort 16.”

Cisneros shares these thoughts in the blog post:

“Qualitative research taught me that people are more than numbers. That data has emotion, history, contradiction, humor, and inspiration….[and] data is never neutral. The way we collect it, interpret it, and weaponize it has often been used to uphold systems of inequity and white supremacy reducing our communities to deficits, statistics, and failures instead of recognizing our brilliance, resilience, and humanity. That is why my work matters to me. I want to challenge the narrative of what counts as ‘rigor.’ I want schools to understand that meaningful change cannot happen without listening deeply to students, families, and communities. Numbers alone cannot tell the full story of mi communidad. Real transformation requires context, relationships, history, and trust.”

Congratulations to Cisneros and the entire Cohort 16 on this incredible accomplishment!

In Case You Missed It

In August of 2025, Cisneros shared her thoughts about the program mid-way through her experience. Read more in our blog post,“Reflecting on Year 1 of Harvard Fellowship: DPP’s Cristal Cisneros Shares Learnings.”