Our Team

Tracy Merriman Jost

Early Childhood Education Policy Specialist
tracy merriman jost

Expertise and Research Interest

  • High-Quality Prekindergarten and Childcare
  • Early Childhood Education Systems
  • Early Intervention & Preschool Special Education

Bio

Tracy Merriman Jost is an Early Childhood Education Policy Specialist at the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University. In that capacity, Ms. Jost works on State and City PreK expansion, costs, and quality benchmark analysis. She also collects data and conducts research on special education and Birth-Three Year policies. Previously, Ms. Jost worked as a Policy Advisor to NIEER on issues related to PreK and Effective State Offices of Early Learning and as a Senior Policy Advisor to the Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes where she co-led CEELO’s Leadership Academy. Ms. Jost formerly worked at Maryland State Department of Education overseeing PreK Expansion Grants and Race to the Top Early Learning Challenging initiatives. She also founded and operated an accredited early learning center serving students 6 weeks-12 years of age for 15 years.

Ms. Jost holds a Master of Education and Certificate of Advanced Study in Early Childhood Education with an emphasis on public policy.

Education

B.A., Paralegal Studies, University of Maryland

M.Ed., Elementary Education, Towson University

Certificate of Advanced Study, Education Public Policy, Towson University