Pearman's research and policy interests concern the interplay of poverty, race, and geography in the context of urban schooling. His current research examines connections to and consequences of gentrification with respect to modern schooling. Throughout his research, Pearman combines quasi-experimental research with careful attention to how “big data,” including geo-coded crime statistics, business information, and local voting patterns, might open new sites of inquiry in the field of education. His research has been published in a variety of academic journals, including Sociology of Education, The Urban Review, Urban Education, and Education and Urban Society. Pearman holds a Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University, M.Ed. from Vanderbilt University, and a B.S. from the University of Virginia.