As policy lead on the P-12 policy team, Qubilah informs and manages Ed Trust’s policy positions on equitable school funding. She is responsible for analyzing state and federal policy proposals and supporting state partners and advocates in achieving more equitable state funding formulas for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.
Prior to joining Ed Trust, Qubilah worked as a senior policy analyst at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute, where she analyzed the District’s education policy and budget proposals with an eye toward racial and economic equity. While there, she served on numerous working groups and policy committees designed to improve the District’s funding formula . Qubilah also engaged in deep coalition building work, including co-founding and co-leading the Strengthening Families Through Behavioral Health Coalition — a 40 + member coalition that advocates for more timely, affordable, accessible, and culturally relevant behavioral health supports for students.
Qubilah received her bachelor’s degrees in political science and public policy from The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and holds a master’s in public policy from The University of Maryland at Baltimore County. She also holds a Certificate in Education Finance from Georgetown University.
Proudest Moment
Navigating back to my Airbnb in London in the middle of the night purely from photographic memory. ( My phone died while waiting for the bus .)
What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work? (Ex. Hobbies, volunteer work)
Learning more about the medicinal properties of plants and herbs and volunteering on an organic herb farm in Western Maryland.
What drew you to education?
I attended underfunded Title I schools and had to self-advocate for access to Advanced Placement courses in high school. I didn’t have the words then to know that what my peers and I experienced were the result of structural racism, but I knew that what was happening was wrong. I vowed to be the change I wanted to see in public education.
