Dr. Silver is a methodologist specializing in research on equity and access to higher education, with an emphasis on practical measurement and statistics. He has held senior positions at research organizations and philanthropies, including roles as Vice President of Education at IMPAQ International, Founding Director of RTI’s Center for Evaluation and the Study of Educational Equity, and Senior Program Officer at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He has designed and led research studies and evaluations of federal, state, and foundation-funded programs for more than 25 years. During five years with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, he oversaw evaluations of the foundation's largest domestic investments.
Vice President, Education
Principal Investigator for the IES Evaluation of the National Comprehensive Center Program
Principal Investigator for an NSF-funded Randomized Controlled Trial of Math Identity
Founding Director Center for Evaluation and the Study of Educational Equity
Directed a team of 19 Ph.D. and Master’s level researchers with deep expertise across a wide range of statistical and qualitative methods.
Served on several Corporate-Level committees, including RTI’s Foundations Team and Diversification Team. The latter was tasked with diversifying revenue streams and the reach of RTE’s influence in non-federal sectors. New clients under my tenure (for whom I served as PI) include: Hewlett Foundation, California Governor's Office, FL Department of Education, University of California Office of the President, The Aspen Institute, The Broad Center, Microsoft Corporation, Princeton University, Living Cities, City Year, Inc., the City of Seattle, and Fort Wayne Community School District.
Led or advised on a wide variety of research and evaluation projects, including:
- The California University Eligibility Study commissioned by the California Governor's Office (PI)
- Summative Evaluation of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation's Deeper Learning Strategy (PI)
- The Evaluation Engine Software Development (Architect)
- The Evaluation Framework for Princeton University's Diversity Initiatives (Project Director)
- Developmental Evaluation of the Steven's Initiative Virtual Exchange Program, for Aspen Institute (PI)
Senior Program Officer, Research and Evaluation, College Ready Program
Oversaw the Foundation's largest domestic evaluations, including the Intensive Partnerships for Effective Teaching, New York City Small Schools, and Early College High Schools
Developed the K-12 evaluation guidelines
Headed the Evaluation Engine software design project, enabling states, school districts, and education researchers to perform rapid quasi-experimental impact analyses by querying state longitudinal data systems
Managed an evaluation portfolio that included the following projects:
- RAND/AIR Evaluation of the Intensive Partnerships for Effective Teaching
- National College Ready Survey
- MDRC Small Schools Study
- RAND American Teacher Panel
- AIR Early College High School Evaluation
- Mathematica Data Projects Evaluation
- Mathematica Charter Management Organizations Impact Evaluation
- College Ready Evaluation Guidelines
Senior Researcher
Led research on equity and access to higher education, school effectiveness, school-value-added methods, and the impact of educational interventions
Co-Directed a $5M study of over 500 after school programs across California
Program Director
Director of Statistical Computing
Education Researcher
Researcher
Editorial board member, Educational Assessment, 2010 to present
AERA Research Advisory Committee 2015-2017
SREE Section Chair, Evaluation of Programs and Policy, 2015-2016
Poon, Garces, Wong, Segoshi, Silver, and Harrington (2019). Confronting Misinformation through Social Science Research: SFFA v. Harvard. Asian American Law Journal at UC Berkeley Law.
Silver, Hensley, Huang, Siegel, and Bradby (2017). University Eligibility Study for the Public High School Class of 2015. California Governor's Office of Research and Planning.
Irving, K. E., Pape, S. J., Owens, D. T., Abrahamson, A. L., Silver, D., & Sanalan, V. A. (2016). Classroom connectivity and Algebra 1 achievement: A three-year longitudinal study. Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching. 4(2) 131-151.
Pape, S. J., Irving, K. E., Owens, D. T., Boscardin, C. K., Sanalan, V. A., Abrahamson, A. L., … Silver, D. (2012). Classroom connectivity in Algebra I classrooms: Results of a randomized control trial. Effective Education, 4(2), 169–189.
Huang, D., Silver, D., Cheung, M., Duong, N., Gualpa, A., Hodson, C., Vazquez, V. (2011). Independent Statewide Evaluation of After School Programs ASES and 21st CCLC Year 2 Annual Report. (CRESST Report 789). Los Angeles, CA: University of California, National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing.
Silver, D., Dietel, R. J., & Saunders, M. (2011). Stemming the dropout tide. American School Board Journal, 198(8), 26. National School Boards Association, Alexandria, VA.
Silver, D., Hansen, M., Herman, J., Silk, Y., & Greenleaf, C. L. (2011). IES integrated learning assessment final report. Prepared for the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing, Los Angeles, CA.
Silk, Y., Silver, D., Amerian, S., Nishimura, C., & Boscardin, C. (2011). IES teacher assignment final report. (CRESST Report 786). Los Angeles, CA: University of California, National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST).
Silk, Y., Silver, D., Amerian, S., Nishimura, C., & Boscardin, C. (2009). Using Classroom Artifacts to Measure the Efficacy of Professional Development. (CRESST Report 761). Los Angeles, CA: University of California.
Saunders, M., Silver, D., & Zarate, E. (2008, December). The impact of high schools on student achievement in the Los Angeles Unified School District: A value-added approach. Prepared for the Latino Scorecard Education Action Team.
Silver, D., Saunders, M., & Zarate, E. (2008, June). What factors predict high school graduation in the Los Angeles Unified School District? Prepared for the California Dropout Research Project, Santa Barbara, CA.
Oakes, J., Mendoza, J., & Silver, D. (2007). California Opportunity Indicators: Informing and monitoring California’s progress toward equitable college access. In Orfield, Gandara (Eds.), Expanding Opportunity in Higher Education: Leveraging Promise.
Oakes, J., Rogers, J., Silver, D., Valladares, S., Terriquez, V., McDonough, P., et al. (2006). Removing the roadblocks: Fair college opportunities for all California students. Prepared by UC/ACCORD and UCLA/IDEA.
Schwab-Stone, M., Chen, C. S., Greenberger, E., Silver, D., Lichtman, J., & Voyce, C. (1999). No Safe Haven II: The effects of violence exposure on urban youth. Journal of The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 38(4), 359–367.
Robinson, C., Tamborlane, W. V., Maggs, D. G., Enoksson, S., Sherwin, R. S., Silver, D., et al. (1998). Effect of insulin on glycerol production in obese and lean adolescents. American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, 37(4), E737–E743.
Kain, Z., Mayes, L., & Silver, D. (1995). Parental presence during induction of anesthesia: A randomized trial. Anesthesiology, 83, 101–108.
Silver, D. The opportunity gap behind the achievement gap: “Opportunity indicators” reveal how unequal school conditions beget unequal college access. Doctoral dissertation.
Silver, D. (2016). The Critical Role of Non-University Research Centers in Scholarship on Educational Equity. Presidential Session at 2016 Conference of the American Education Research Association.
Warkentien, S., and Silver, D. (2016). Alternative Methods for Estimating Achievement Trends and School Effects: When Is Simple Good Enough? Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness Annual Conference.
Silver, D. (Discussant). (2016, March). Education and life cycle transitions symposium scaling up early colleges: Implementation and impacts across settings. Presented at The Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness Spring Conference, Washington, DC.
Silver, D. (2014). Solving issues of educational equity through research and technology. Presidential Session at 2014 Conference of the American Education Research Association.
Silver, D. (2009, April 30). Testing 101: A primer for journalists. Presented at the National Education Writers of America 62nd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC.
Silver, D. (2008, December 15). Rigorous quasi-experimental design for evaluating voluntary public school choice. Presented at the Office of Parental Options and Information Project Directors Conference; USDOE, OII, Washington, DC.
Silver, D., Greenleaf, C., & Brown, W. (2008, November). The integrated learning assessment (ILA): A tool for assessing students’ literacy and content understanding in science. Presented at CAESL 2008 International Conference on Assessment of Learning in Science.
Silver, D., & Saunders, M. (2007). High school completion in the Los Angeles Unified School District: The cumulative impact of low achievement and inadequate school resources. Presented at AERA.
Oakes, J., Mendoza, J., & Silver, D. (2003, October). California opportunity indicators: Monitoring equity in college access. Paper presented at Harvard Civil Rights Conference.
Silver, D., Oakes, J., Allen, Solorzano, Brown, W., Mendoza, J., & Nao. (2002). Equity in access to higher education: A quantitative analysis of barriers to eligibility for the University of California. Presented at AERA.
Silver, D., Schwab-Stone, & Seltzer. (2000, April). A multilevel model of school dropout. Paper presented at AERA, New Orleans.
Chen, Silver, D., Greenberger, & Schwab-Stone. (1998, March). Exposure to violence and adolescents’ internalizing and externalizing behaviors: A two-year longitudinal study. Presented at biennial meeting of the Society for Research on Adolescence, San Diego, CA.
Schwab-Stone, Lichtman, Silver, D., & Voyce. (1997, October). Overcoming social challenges for youth for the year 2000. APA Institute on Psychiatric Services, Washington, DC.
Schwab-Stone, M., Lichtman, J., Silver, D., Kasprow, W. J., Voyce, C. K., Nygren, M., & Crowther. (1997, October). No safe haven: Community violence exposure in urban youth.