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Trusted, equity-focused, & community-engaged education researchers and policy experts.

Research for Action is a nonprofit education research organization. We use field-driven insights to advance equity in opportunities and outcomes for underserved students and their families along the early childhood to postsecondary education pipeline.

Educational Opportunity Dashboard

Built with data from the 2017-18 federal Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), this interactive tool from RFA allows users to compare disparities in access to educational opportunity for students in all 50 states and the nation. Visit the Dashboard to examine the data on your home state and review RFA’s reports about educational opportunity in the nation and in Pennsylvania.

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Top 5 Insights from RFA's Community Research Partnership

Becoming a Community-Engaged Research Organization

We know that research is better and more impactful when communities are engaged throughout the research process. But how can research organizations become community-engaged? To document the “how,” Research for Action launched a Community Research Partnership, and after its first year, we’re documenting our learnings through a brief and an audio-doc, which share five key insights we’ve drawn from embarking on this transformative journey.

Top 5 Insights

About Us

For 30 years, RFA has conducted research and evaluation to improve education policy and practice. Using culturally-responsive and equity-focused approaches to research studies, collaboration, and partnership, we work to advance racial and social justice so that all students, families, and their communities have the resources and supports to develop their potential and thrive.

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Featured Projects

An innovative research practice partnership with the School of Philadelphia’s Office of Research and Evaluation designed to provide research and analyses on some of Philadelphia’s most pressing education issues.

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The Allegheny County Black Teacher Study is a research project shaped by insights from the local community. It aims to understand the challenges Black teachers face in being recruited and retained in public schools in Allegheny County.

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Since 2011, RFA has served as the external evaluator for 21st Century Community Learning Center programs in Philadelphia and surrounding counties. We currently work with 20 grantees across all active PA grant cohorts, encompassing over 100 sites.

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