Read on to learn more DECEMBER 2022 As 2022 winds down and RFA closes for a period of collective rest before the new year, it’s a natural time to reflect. Looking back on my first year as Executive Director, I am proud of the ways that RFA has grown and changed to design, conduct, and deliver research that advances racial and social justice. Below we highlight a small sampling of projects that have identified structures impeding Black, Latinx and Native American students from high quality education opportunities, including access to a diverse teaching force and high school graduation. We also have continued to chart our course as a community-informed research organization hosting our first annual Teach-In at FDR park and extending our dissemination practices to include direct delivery of actionable findings to city council members. Looking ahead, I am excited to have just launched a year-long, strategic planning process with Dragonfly Partners, a Philadelphia-based organization dedicated to helping organizations create and codify equitable, inclusive workplaces and actionable, achievable strategic plans. I am so thankful for you, our partners, collaborators, and community, who help make this work possible. And finally, I save the highest esteem and gratitude for our staff, board members, and interns whose talent and dedication drive RFA’s impact. Read on in this newsletter for a snapshot of our recent work as we wrap up the year. Onward to 2023. In partnership, Kate Insights & Findings School climates, lack of supportive or effective school leadership, and advancement opportunities are among factors that drive Black teachers from the classroom. RFA’s most recent teacher diversity study focusing on the experiences of Black teachers in Philadelphia has continued to expand and gain recognition as many schools and school districts struggle to attract and retain a diverse teaching force. Leana Cabral, RFA research associate and lead author, discusses key findings from the study and what’s next in a recent blog. READ MORE >> Disparities in student access to educational opportunity in the K-12 system are prevalent across our nation RFA's Educational Opportunity Dashboard, an interactive tool, reveals stark gaps by student race and income with most states providing White and Asian students greater access to educational opportunity compared to what they provide to Black, Hispanic, Native American and other students of color. READ MORE >> Only about a third of recent School District of Philadelphia high school students would have graduated through the new Keystone pathways under Act 158. RFA’s recent study, co-authored with the School District of Philadelphia’s Office of Research and Evaluation, shows that Act 158 will require most schools to significantly improve student Keystone performance or support students in pursuing alternative graduation pathways. READ MORE >> Action & Engagement RFA’s commitment to making our research actionable is a value that all of our staff members share. This fall we disseminated our findings to a wide range of national, state, and Philadelphia-based audiences including philanthropy, policy makers, district and school leaders, educators, and advocates in a variety of settings, including: …At Philadelphia City Hall where our researchers gathered for a day of action on education. …With the Montgomery County Health and Human Services, where Dr. Alexis Little and Dr. Alyn Turner provided a workshop on educator mental health to more than 10 school districts in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. …At the SHEEO Higher Education Policy Conference in Indianapolis where Dr. Kri Burkander presented findings from RFA’s IES-funded study of California's equitable placement reform on a panel with representatives from the California Community College Chancellor's Office and the RP Group. …At the Lumina Foundation’s State Policy Retreat where Dr. Shafiqua Little presented RFA’s State Racial Equity Toolkit to a national audience of policymakers and advocacy partners and facilitated an interactive session to gather input from their efforts to center racial equity in their states' postsecondary attainment agendas. …With PA Schools Work, where Anna Shaw-Amoah, Justis Freeman, and David Lapp highlighted Pennsylvania’s educational opportunity disparities. …At the 5th Annual Black Men Educators Convening, where Leana Cabral, Saxon Nelson, and David Lapp discussed RFA’s new study on the experiences of Black teachers in Philadelphia. New & Notable Our team is growing! We have welcomed several new researchers this fall. Do you want to work in a dynamic, fast-paced organization? Be sure to visit our Employment Page for several new opportunities—both full-time and internships—to join the RFA team. 2022 Research for Action | Website ‌ ‌ ‌ Research for Action | Land Title Building, 100 South Broad Street, Suite 700, Philadelphia, PA 19110 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today!