Research for Action Roundup RFA Roundup Insights Into Action. CONTACT US Commission Report Recommends Evidence-Based Policymaking to Reduce Pennsylvania’s Nation-Leading Education Inequity Research for Action commends the Pennsylvania Basic Education Funding Commission for adopting a strong report, recommending several improvements to the state’s system of education funding. The recommendations are rooted in a deep evidence base, including research from RFA and others demonstrating Pennsylvania’s unfortunate distinction of operating one of the most inequitable school systems in the nation. READ MORE Save the Date: Hold March 19, 2024, for a Teach-In on Educator Diversity in Allegheny County You're invited to join us for "Wisdom to Action: Learning from Black Educators to Diversify Allegheny County's Teacher Workforce," an inspiring and informative Teach-In event that delves into the contributions, challenges, and future directions for Black educators in Allegheny County. Mark your calendar for a dynamic evening of learning and networking, featuring educators, regional leaders, community champions, researchers, and panel discussions. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks. READ MORE RFA Board Member Publishes New Book In Disillusioned, five American families navigate the collision of hope, history, and racial denial in suburban schools. From Atlanta to Pittsburgh, RFA Board Member Benjamin Herold weaves these stories, unveiling a vicious cycle and exposing the fallout as upwardly mobile White families exploit suburbs, leaving Black and Brown families to grapple with the aftermath. Demographic shifts challenge this unsustainable pattern, forcing communities to confront harsh truths about the suburban dream. The suburban lifestyle dream is a Ponzi scheme whose unraveling threatens us all. LEARN MORE Latest Research, Policy & Analysis Examining the Effectiveness of Completion Coaching in a College Promise Program See insights from a three-year study evaluating a completion coaching program for community college students from low-income backgrounds. Explore its impact on postsecondary success, implementation challenges, and an analysis of cost. DOWNLOAD A Randomized Controlled Trial on an Early Learning Curriculum Discover the latest findings from our evaluation of a Children’s Literacy Initiative Pre-K intervention in Broward County, Florida. Despite pandemic-related hurdles, our study sheds light on the effectiveness of CLI's Blueprint curriculum and its implementation challenges. EXPLORE Small but Mighty: Lessons from Black Teachers’ Experiences in Allegheny County RFA studied why Black teachers were leaving their jobs more than White teachers in Allegheny County from 2014 to 2020. Previous analyses have found that the number of Black teachers in the area was consistently dropping, more than the decrease in the overall Black population. To understand this decline and to bring Black teacher experiences into sharper focus, we engaged with 38 Black teachers through interviews and focus groups in our community-informed research project. READ MORE Allegheny County Teacher and Student Demographics: 2022-23 Update This ACER brief updates RFA’s prior analyses of teacher and student race and ethnicity in Allegheny County public schools with data current through the 2022-23 school year. We found that in 2022-23, teachers of color (TOCs) represented just 4.6% of approximately 10,700 total teachers in the county’s public schools. In contrast, students of color (SOCs) made up 37.6% of students. These SOC-to-TOC disparities were larger than statewide or national disparities, and they exist across each race and ethnicity subgroup. REVIEW Webinar Recording Lessons from Black Teachers’ Experiences in Allegheny County was a timely briefing to explore why Black teachers are leaving the workforce at higher rates than their peers and what we can do to reverse this trend. WATCH Recent News makeSPACE Arts Program Launches in Philadelphia We are thrilled to share the official launch of the makeSPACE program, an inspiring arts integration project led by the collaborative efforts of the School District of Philadelphia, Children First PA, and Creative Engagement Lab. READ MORE The Upside-Down System: Inequity in Pennsylvania’s System of Public Education RFA’s Director of Policy Research David Lapp delivered testimony at a hearing before the Basic Education Funding Commission late last year. Read More RFA at #AERA24 It’s a tremendous honor for our scholars to have multiple sessions at #AERA24, the world’s largest gathering of education researchers, which will take place in Philly April 11-14, 2024. Come to see 15 RFA experts, including Kate Callahan, Tracey Hartmann, Siettah Parks, Mark Duffy, and Leana Cabral, showcasing our expertise and groundbreaking research through sessions, roundtables, and symposia. Join us for conversations about education equity, out-of-school time, teacher diversity, cultural responsiveness, leadership, assessments, and more. Visit the link below and search “Research for Action” to see a listing of all our sessions. RFA AT AERA About RFA Our Mission Research for Action conducts research, evaluations, and technical assistance to improve educational opportunities and outcomes for all learners. READ MORE Our Work Our researchers are experts in all areas of education research from preK-12 through postsecondary to workforce preparation and out-of-school time.  READ MORE News & Events Stay up to date between issues. Visit the News & Events section of our website to explore the insightful articles, research highlights, and upcoming opportunities. 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