Research and Policy Studies
RFA conducts original research on some of the most important areas of educational reform. We seek to understand the challenges that reforms face, the consequences and successes of educational innovations, and the contexts that determine their success.
At a local level, we have developed a comprehensive body of work about the evolution and policies of the School District of Philadelphia, centered around our multi-year study Learning from Philadelphia’s School Reform, which generated more than fifty publications on topics including teacher quality, civic engagement and civic capacity, the impact of state and federal policy, school privatization and the diverse provider model, and more.
Funders also turn to us to conduct research on issues of national importance occurring in other locations across the country.
Selected Projects
This is a national, multi-site examination of how teachers, students, schools, districts and others educational entities develop, respond to and/or utilize new assessment tools. Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, RFA is working with a team of researchers to study how the new tools are utilized in the classroom; and how an array of supports, including professional development and new technology platforms, affect the implementation and utilization of the new tools.
This study, commissioned by the Accountability Review Council of the School District of Philadelphia, focuses on the early months of Superintendent Ackerman’s Renaissance Schools Initiative, which is designed to turn around chronically low-performing schools. Thirteen schools are included in this initiative during the 2010-2011 school year, split between two strategies—external (charter) management, and internal (district) management. RFA’s research focuses on the role that community members play in the reform effort for each school; as well as changes in school climate, and staffing and school leadership.
The advent of the Pennsylvania Information Management System (PIMS) has made state-wide analysis of teacher turnover possible for the first time. Using this database, RFA will examine teacher retention and turnover across the state, and conduct comparative cross-district analyses that track teacher mobility, as well as predictors and effects of teacher turnover. This project is funded by the Ford Foundation and the William Penn Foundation.
The Pennsylvania Clearinghouse for Education Research - or PACER - is designed to inform state education policy discussions using rigorous, objective research. PACER briefs will be decided upon through policy scans and stakeholder and policymaker input. For each issue, PACER will review the current Pennsylvania context, reforms in states nationwide, and provide research from leading scholars and nonpartisan organizations.
RFA evaluated a grant that the Donors' Education Collaborative (DEC) in New York City awarded to a set of advocacy and organizing groups. The grant supported the development of a coalition focused on influencing the debate over New York City school governance. RFA examined how these groups worked collaboratively to develop strategies that shaped the terms and outcomes of the debate. Jeffrey Henig of Teachers College, Columbia University joined RFA in this effort.
RFA's study on high school choice builds on the "Learning from Philadelphia's School Reform" study and turns RFA's attention to the improvement of Philadelphia's high schools - a focus that was not part of the previous study and one that is sorely needed given the dire statistics on the city's youth. Philadelphia's system of comprehensive high schools has undergone dramatic change in the past several years. In this study, we use qualitative and quantitative methods to explore the district's approach to creating good high school options for all students, and we investigate neighborhood high schools from the perspectives of students, parents, and staff.
RFA is leading "Learning from Philadelphia's School Reform," a comprehensive, multi-year study of Philadelphia's complex and radical school reform effort. RFA researchers worked with colleagues from the University of Pennsylvania, Montclair State University, Swarthmore College, and the Consortium on Chicago School Research to examine the impact of state takeover, the efficacy of a diverse provider model, the success of district-level leadership in managing a complex set of reforms, the engagement of civic and community groups with district policy and school improvement, and the key factors influencing student outcomes under various school conditions and school management models. "Learning from Philadelphia's School Reform" included a multi-faceted, vigorous public awareness component that engages leaders and citizens in the process of educational change, and informed and guided the national debate on school reform. RFA continues to disseminate information broadly through public speaking and the RFA website.
This large-scale, randomized trial funded by IES involves 13 school districts, 48 schools, hundreds of teachers, and thousands of students. The first strategy involves assigning students to a two-semester Algebra course, allowing time for teachers to help students catch up on intermediate mathematics skills on an as-needed basis; the second strategy assigns students to a structured catch-up curriculum (the Johns Hopkins Transition to Advanced Mathematics curriculum) during first semester, followed by Algebra 1 during the second semester. Findings about impact will be available in Spring 2011.
