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Brian Garcia is the Research Manager for the Council of the Great City Schools. In his role, he collects, analyzes, and leads research on urban school districts throughout the United States. Along with this, he leads the development of regular Council reports, surveys, and other publications while providing support for the Council’s annual conference that brings together district leaders from across the country.
Brian first became passionate about education while teaching first and second grade in Weldon, North Carolina, as part of the national Teach For America corps. Aside from teaching, he also served on the school’s improvement team, Parent Teacher Association, and school safety team. He worked to acquire laptops, tablets, and books through donations to the school and to expand access to technology and programing resources for students. Following his work in the classroom, he worked with Teach For America to recruit the nation’s top students to work in high-needs classrooms. Through his work, he is driven to expand opportunities for all students and puts equity at the center of his education research.
Brian joined the Council after completing his Master’s in Public Policy at The George Washington University’s Trachtenberg School. While a student at GWU, he conducted research on a wide range of topics, focusing on the US education system including equitable spending in public schools, the effects of AmeriCorps grants on teachers’ decisions, and the evaluation of new education programs. He also worked as a research and policy intern for the American Youth Policy Forum, where he examined policies affecting disconnected youth in underresourced communities and studied the surge in education technology after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fun Facts: Brian has an extensive board game collection, enjoys most competitive activities, from video games to sports, and is always working to perfect his cold brew and sour dough recipes.
