Abigail Jones

Abigail Jones joined ESG in 2024 to support the postsecondary transitions portfolio. Prior to joining ESG, Abigail worked with EdTrust to support their assessments and accountability work, working on a 50-state ESSA scan prompting states to take action ahead of the reauthorization of ESSA by making key improvements to their school quality and success indicators. Abigail also held a research assistant position with Quantily, working to help school districts obtain Institute of Education Sciences grants focused on access to college and career readiness in conjunction with district partnerships. While pursuing her Ed.M., Abigail worked with Harvard’s Public Education Leadership Project to identify core areas of improvement for school districts to bring greater understanding and efficiency to the program. While at the University of Florida, Abigail worked with the Anita Zucker Center as a research assistant on the BEST in CLASS project, where she collected and analyzed data from North Central Florida’s rural school districts.

Abigail holds a B.A. in Education Sciences (Schools, Society, and Policy) and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Florida, a course of study she chose because of her interest in the intersection of education and economic mobility. Additionally, Abigail holds an Ed.M. in Education Policy and Analysis from Harvard Graduate School of Education, where she deepened her understanding of the policy process and contemporary issues affecting education.

Why are you in this work?

Education as a public good has countless benefits. For the individual it provides opportunity, independence, stability, and financial security. For society it leads to increased equity, better health outcomes, and economic prosperity. My hope is to center these ideas in work that brings more equitable opportunities to students and communities, while advocating for an increased understanding of the importance of a strong public education system.

Why ESG?

ESG’s core belief in the power of education for both the individual and communities resonated with the questions and ideas that initially interested me in education. I am excited to contribute to increasing the power of education for all students through my work with others who are passionate about centering equity in education to create economic opportunity.