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Los Angeles Education Research Institute

Los Angeles Education Research Institute. April 30, 2014. LAERI Mission. To inform policy, transform practice, and improve student outcomes in Los Angeles through high quality and actionable research. Organizational Purpose. From the emerging tradition of place-based R&D orgs

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Los Angeles Education Research Institute

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  1. Los Angeles Education Research Institute April 30, 2014

  2. LAERI Mission • To inform policy, transform practice, and improve student outcomes in Los Angeles through high quality and actionable research

  3. Organizational Purpose • From the emerging tradition of place-based R&D orgs • Focus on applied, rigorous research that is solution oriented • Build collaborative relationships between researchers and practitioners • Sustain efforts/focus over time, to build cumulative research base • Independent, non-profit focused on LA County (starting with LAUSD), marshaling resources of local and national cadre of Research Affiliates • Improvement Emphasis • Identifying points of intervention • Examining innovations/promising practices for prospect of scaling • Evaluating implementation and/or effects of policies/programs • Developing learning community around high quality education research

  4. Organizational Model

  5. LAERI Guiding Principles • Trust • Commitment to being trusted partners • No Surprises policy • Usefulness • Focused on real problems of practice • Engaging stakeholders in ongoing dialogue to identify and refine research questions; make results more tangible, practical, and actionable • Independence • Neutral, objective party – Decisions driven by objective analysis rather than ideology • Critical friend to education policymakers • Quality • Multi-disciplinary, multi-method research of the highest technical quality • National network of scholars – advise projects, review research products

  6. Overall Research Agenda LAERI research studies will fall under the following broad topics: • Pathways to Proficiency • High School Graduation, College Enrollment and Completion • Closing the Achievement Gap • Interventions and School Improvement Efforts

  7. Initial Proposed Studies in LAUSD Identify possible points of intervention, and particular schools and classrooms that are succeeding, in the following areas: • Algebra Success • A-G Graduation Requirements (Universal College Eligibility) • Early Intervention (preK-3)

  8. LAERI Convenings around LAUSD Research • LAERI Internal District Discussions/Series • 8thGrade Algebra Placement and Math Achievement with district math coordinators, A-G Task Force • Research Methods Workshop: Mike Seltzer on research design considerations when evaluating programs, for district data coordinators and research staff • LAERI Public Research Symposia Series • Co-hosting Harvard/SDP release of Human Capital analyses • Co-hosting Harvard/SDP release of Graduation analyses

  9. LAERI Challenge/Question

  10. Needs of the District/Partnership Extend beyond Typical Project-based Research Some needs we have met: • Needs assessment/scanning of district research priorities • Some ad hoc descriptive and predictive analytics (e.g., algebra placement policies) • Data analytics & reporting consultations (A-G PerfMgmt Working Group) • Monthly Research Priority Committee meetings (incl. proposal reviews) • Research Methods Workshops (understanding evaluation designs) Others we have not (but wish we could): • Documentation of existing needs/practices/interventions across schools • Specific urgent program/policy research or evaluation • Many other ad hoc descriptive/predictive analytics • Consultations on RFP Development • Literature reviews

  11. Limitations to Research Use Manifest Frequently • Constraints users encounter (e.g., lack of time or organizational support for use, lack of capacity, skepticism) • Infuse our work w/relationship-building and practitioner-capacity building; develop mechanisms for org’l dialogue about research • Conflicting time horizons between policy decisions and rigorous research standards • Develop quick turnaround research capacity to address more immediate decision making needs but also encourage patience and build common goal for considering eval earlier in process • Those most likely to use research to inform practice are not at the table, didn’t receive report • Disseminate different products for different audiences; Convene a matrix of groups at various levels (executive leadership team, horizontal and vertical teams, school site teams)

  12. Our Question(s) for the Group • What strategies do partnerships use to address some of these needs and/or constraints to engaging stakeholders around research? • Practitioner capacity building • Infusing strategic orientation toward evaluation (inserting it into planning/prior to implementation) • Quick turnaround research capacity • Extensive dissemination and intensive convenings • And how are such strategies funded?

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