Jennifer Duer

Jennifer K. Duer, Ph.D. is an Assistant Research Professor at the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) at Rutgers University. Her work focuses on both federal and state policies designed to improve the health and development of young children and their families with an emphasis on finance, quality, and prenatal-to-three policies. She is currently investigating preschool inclusion practices with the New Jersey Department of Education’s Office of Special Education through classroom observations using the Inclusive Classroom Profile (ICP). In additional work, she leads a state initiative assessing preschool classroom quality using the ECERS-3 in preschool classrooms across New Jersey.   

In previous work, Dr. Duer worked with the West Virginia Department of Health & Human Resources and Department of Education, Office of Early & Elementary Learning to create A West Virginia Roadmap: The Earliest Years Learning Initiative for Infants and Toddlers. Her recent publications include examining the role of blended funding models in early childhood education and the States(s) of Head Start and Early Head Start: Look at Equity report. Dr. Duer has a Ph.D. and MA in Education from the University of California, Irvine, and a BA in Psychology from Furman University. Outside of work, Jennifer enjoys crafting and outdoor adventures with her dog, Bailey.

B.A., Psychology, Furman University 

M.A., Education, University of California Irvine

Ph.D., Education, University of California Irvine