Research for Action Roundup RFA Roundup Insights Into Action. CONTACT US State of Inequity: Disparities in Pennsylvania School Districts by Degree of Funding Adequacy We just published a first-of-its-kind study that looks at how school funding in Pennsylvania affects student success. The study examines 499 school districts, grouping them into five categories based on how much their funding falls short according to the state's calculations. The research, led by Senior Fellow David Lapp, compared these groups across a wide range of factors, including: Student needs: How many students are low-income, homeless, have disabilities, are learning English, or attend charter schools. Educational opportunities: How many teachers and staff each school has, how much staff are paid, staff experience, and the number of teachers with temporary certifications. Student outcomes: How well students do in math, reading, and science, graduation rates, and dropout rates. The study found a very consistent pattern: schools with the least adequate funding have more students with greater needs, fewer resources, and worse student results. ACCESS Patterns of Student Mobility Among English Learner Students in Public High Schools in Philadelphia English Learners (ELs) in Philadelphia high schools are more likely to change schools during the school year or summer compared to non-ELs, according to a new study published by the Philadelphia Education Research Consortium (PERC). PERC is a partnership between the School District of Philadelphia’s Office of Research and Evaluation and Research for Action. This research highlights student mobility as an equity concern due to its potential negative impact on educational outcomes. Key findings include: From the 2021-2022 to 2023-2024 school years, ELs experienced higher rates of both within-year and between-year mobility compared to non-ELs. Mobility patterns varied among ELs based on their classification status and time spent as an EL. Long-term English Learners (LTELs) were less likely to move mid-year than non-LTELs, while reclassified former EL students were the least likely to experience mid-year mobility. EL students often transfer schools to access programs that better meet their needs. This study was conducted by Lindsey Liu and Sean Vannata of Research for Action, along with Elisabeth Fornaro and Ebru Erdem from the School District of Philadelphia. EXPLORE Data Puzzles: Three Challenges to Overcome In a new post, Senior Research Associate Molly Pileggi shares insights from her experience providing technical assistance at RFA. She highlights three common data management challenges: Unclear Vision for Data: Planning for data use beyond reporting requirements. Inconsistent Definitions and Formats: Ensuring data quality through clear standards. Difficulty Summarizing or Visualizing Data: Extracting meaningful insights from large datasets. She emphasizes the importance of addressing these challenges to leverage data effectively. RFA's personalized technical assistance helps organizations overcome these hurdles and unlock their data's potential. If you're interested in improving your data management, reach out to explore how RFA can support your organization's data journey and drive progress forward. START HERE The Women Who Shape the Future In honor of Women's History Month 2025, Research Associate Dr. Kendall LaParo celebrates the contributions of women in early childhood education, highlighting her grandmother Mary Watters' influence and the broader impact of women educators in the field. Key points from the blog post: Women have been instrumental in developing early childhood education, overcoming societal barriers to champion child-centered learning. Approximately 97% of early childhood educators in the United States are women. Low compensation is the primary reason early childhood educators leave the field, as shown by recent RFA studies. High turnover rates (nearly 30% for Head Start teachers in 2021-22) negatively impact children's education and strain remaining educators. Dr. LaParo emphasizes the need for better compensation to reflect the importance of high-quality early education as it lays the foundation for a child's future learning, development, and overall well-being. LEARN MORE Stand Up for Science: Why Education Research Matters At the recent Stand Up for Science event in Philadelphia, RFA’s Senior Research Director Dr. Alyn Turner emphasized the critical role that robust scientific research plays in shaping a healthy democracy. These events, held across the country on March 7, 2025, highlighted concerns about threats to scientific research, including funding cuts and political interference. “I've seen firsthand how scientific research in schools and districts can drive innovation, inform policy decisions, and ensure that progress in education is based on evidence, not ideology,” she stated. But recent funding cuts are threatening to undermine the integrity of scientific inquiry—and that affects us all. That's why it's essential for local leaders, educators, and scientists to come together around policies that support independent research, demand transparency in data, and provide every student the opportunity to thrive. WATCH Recent News RFA in the News: Department of Education contract cuts spur ‘chaos and confusion’ Alyn Turner, Senior Research Director at Research for Action, warns that cutting federal contracts for large-scale educational studies will hinder understanding of what works for schools and students. Speaking to The Hill, she noted how these cuts raise concerns about the future of education research and improving educational outcomes. THE HILL Corequisite Course Models in California Community Colleges: Implementation Variation and Challenges RFA researchers Mark Duffy, Kri Burkander, and Molly Pileggi have published a new study on how California community colleges are supporting students who need extra help in math and English. Instead of traditional developmental education, many colleges are enrolling students directly into college-level courses with additional support labs. Their study found that this "corequisite" model is not widely used and varies significantly across colleges, highlighting challenges in its implementation. The study is published by the Annenberg Institute at Brown University in EdWorkingPapers. EDWORKINGPAPERS We're Hiring a Senior Director of Finance Are you ready to take your financial expertise to the next level while driving impactful change in education? Research for Action is looking for a Senior Director of Finance to join our team and lead our financial strategy, management, and reporting. This is a unique opportunity to combine your financial acumen with a passion for advancing educational equity and systems change. As the Senior Director of Finance, you'll be a key member of RFA's leadership team, reporting directly to the Executive Director. From strategic financial planning to leading audits and mentoring a high-performing finance team, your work will ensure the financial health and sustainability of our organization. If you're excited by the opportunity to oversee complex budgets, work within a mission-driven nonprofit, and contribute to meaningful organizational impact, we want to hear from you! Get started on our Careers Page. And if you know someone for whom this role would be a perfect fit, please forward this newsletter to them. About RFA Our Mission RFA partners with education change agents on research, evaluation, and capacity-building projects that yield empirical insights and aligned actions to catalyze the advancement of a just education system. READ MORE Our Work Our researchers' capacity and expertise span preK-12 through postsecondary to workforce preparation and out-of-school time. Our rigor and commitment to community engagement set us apart.  READ MORE News & Events Stay up to date between issues of RFA Roundup. Visit the News & Events section of our website to explore the insightful articles, research highlights, and upcoming opportunities from our community. 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