James Benson

James Benson is a program officer at the National Center for Education Research within the Institute of Education Sciences, the research arm of the U.S. Department of Education. His primary focus is supporting researchers who develop and test intervention strategies that aim to increase rates of college completion and close attainment gaps. He manages the College Completion Network, a collaboration of six research teams engaged in developing and testing strategies for increasing college completion at open- and broad-access postsecondary institutions. He is responsible for two National Research and Development Centers: CAPR and the Center on Standards, Alignment, Instruction, and Learning. Additionally, James monitors over 30 field-initiated postsecondary projects, including researcher–practitioner partnerships, state-level evaluations, and continuous improvement projects.