LIST
OF STUDIES
LIST OF PUBLICATIONS OVERVIEW
Research for Action’s (RFA) body of
work about Philadelphia school reform demonstrates
the importance of having an independent,
place-based research organization. Research
for Action provides timely, actionable, and
rigorous research
that strengthens education leaders’ and
practitioners’ understanding of local
education improvement efforts, reform results
and challenges.
As independent researchers with extensive
knowledge of public education in Philadelphia,
we conduct applied research on local education
policies and practices over time; share our
research findings with local education leaders,
community leaders, and citizens. We play
a role in building the capacity of the district
and its schools to improve all students’ performance
and in developing local civic capacity for
school reform. Our research has armed Philadelphia's
civic and community leaders, government officials,
parents, and citizens with the knowledge
they need to press effectively for equitable
opportunities and outcomes for youth.
RFA’s history of studying Philadelphia
school reform dates back to 1989, when several
current staff members evaluated the Pew Charitable
Trust’s $13 million grant to restructure
Philadelphia high schools into small learning
communities. From 1995-2000, RFA, in partnership
with the Consortium for Policy Research
in Education (CPRE), conducted a five-year,
$1 million evaluation of Children Achieving,
a systemic standards-based reform effort
funded with an Annenberg Challenge Grant.
Currently, RFA is completing Learning from
Philadelphia's School Reform, a comprehensive,
multi-year study of Philadelphia’s
complex school reform efforts
after the state takeover of the School District
of Philadelphia and the onset of NCLB. This
work includes in-depth examinations of the
district’s
diverse provider model, civic engagement
in an era of school privatization, the recruitment,
retention, and equitable distribution of
highly qualified teachers, and the use of
student performance data to inform instructional
changes.
In addition, RFA researchers are now documenting
high school reform efforts in Philadelphia
with
an eye to understanding how these reforms
will contribute to providing high quality
high school options for youth
across the city.
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