Each January, the calendar resets, classrooms reopen for a new semester, and we collectively get another chance to do school differently – and better. As we turn another page on the Equity Express and step into a new year of work at the National Center for the Elimination of Educational Disparities (NCEED), I am filled with gratitude and hope.
Over the past year, our research, partnerships, and publications have centered the academic, social, and emotional needs of children – especially those who have been underserved and underestimated. The December edition of Equity Express highlighted many of these efforts and reminded us how far we have come in such a short time. In this January edition, as schools launch the second semester, we lean into a theme that sustains everything we do: affiliations, teaming, and partnerships.
A new year, a confirmed mission
NCEED is a national interdisciplinary research center driven by a straightforward mission: to conduct research that addresses the academic, social, and emotional needs of children and to eliminate disparities in K–12 educational outcomes.
We do this by:
- conducting research that illuminates the causes and manifestations of educational disparities;
- designing and implementing evidence-based interventions;
- building coalitions across institutions and communities; and
- mobilizing resources to dismantle inequitable systems.
Our work is rooted in Maryland but intentionally designed so that the insights we gain locally contribute to advances nationally and globally. This month’s Numbers That Matter article highlights research that is particularly important as schools start the second semester – when many school and district teams are reviewing data, recalibrating supports, and renewing commitments to every learner’s success.
Why partnerships give us hope
To reach our goals, we know we cannot work in isolation. As the Harvard Family Research Project reminds us, “partnerships serve to strengthen, support, and even transform individual partners, resulting in improved program quality, more efficient use of resources, and better alignment of goals and curricula” (2010).
Across the country, there is renewed focus on the role of research in improving educational practice. Policymakers, funders, and researchers are exploring new ways to ensure that research speaks directly to problems of practice, not just theory. One powerful approach is the growth of research–practice partnerships (RPPs) – long-term collaborations in which researchers and practitioners investigate real-world problems together and co-develop solutions that can improve schools and districts.
Because of the success of high-profile RPPs such as the Strategic Education Research Partnership and the Carnegie Foundation’s Networked Improvement Communities, more organizations, including the Institute of Education Sciences, the Spencer Foundation, universities, and local funders, are investing in this model. At NCEED, we proudly see ourselves as part of this movement. Our six pillars are not abstract categories on a website; they are living partnerships with educators, families, and communities working together to create better futures for children.
Our six pillars: where partnership lives
Family, Student, and Teacher Academic Resilience (fSTAR)
fSTAR focuses on the relationships that stand closest to students: schools, families, and community-based organizations. Using community participatory research alongside traditional scholarship, the pillar designs interventions that improve student academic achievement, strengthen parent and family engagement, and support positive school climate. fSTAR’s work reminds us that when families and schools move in the same direction, students move further, faster.
Teachers and School Leaders
This pillar centers the professionals who show up every day for students. Our research and supports focus on recruiting and retaining highly effective, diverse educators; improving student outcomes through strong teaching and leadership; building positive school cultures; and fostering meaningful community engagement. As schools begin a new semester, we remain hopeful because we know the difference great teachers and leaders make in the lives of children.
Curriculum and Pedagogy
The Curriculum and Pedagogy Research Division advances innovative, engaging, and equitable instructional practices. By examining teaching methods and materials, the division supports educators in implementing culturally responsive and inclusive curricula and instructional strategies that close opportunity and achievement gaps. Through partnerships with schools, districts, and other organizations, this pillar helps shape learning environments where every student can thrive.
Literacy
The Literacy pillar prioritizes community engagement and collaboration to significantly improve literacy outcomes, particularly for students from marginalized backgrounds. At NCEED, we view literacy as more than an academic skill; it is a community asset and a foundation for civic participation, economic opportunity, and personal empowerment. Our hope for the new year is that more students will experience the joy and confidence that comes from being strong readers and writers.
Inclusion and Access
Grounded in asset-based thinking, community-based frameworks, and a commitment to justice, the Inclusion and Access Pillar draws on DisCrit, Black Feminist Thought, and intersectionality to reveal how intersecting systems of power construct and sustain educational exclusion. Guided by principles of relationality, resistance, and care, this work advances research and practice that foster systemic transformation toward cultural responsiveness and authentic usability. While our approach builds on a long legacy of critical and anti-racist scholarship, we also prioritize creating products and tools that are accessible and actionable for diverse audiences.
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and Psychological Well-being
The SEL and Psychological Well-being pillar addresses the social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs of students and families, particularly those affected by structural barriers and marginalization. Through research and interventions, this work helps schools attend to the whole child. As we step into a new calendar year, this pillar reminds us that well-being is not extra – it is essential to learning and to life.
Our growing network of partners
The NCEED team knows that our impact is greatest when we work collaboratively. That truth has guided us throughout our inaugural year. Our partner organizations work alongside us to advance shared priorities in educational equity, innovation, and impact. They collaborate on research projects, contribute expertise and resources, provide data and local knowledge, co-host events and professional learning, and help translate findings into practice. Some of our current NCEED affiliations include:
- Maryland State Department of Education
- The Baltimore Education Research Consortium (BERC)
- Maryland Cultural Proficiency Conference
- YMCA of Central Maryland
- Phi Delta Kappa International, Inc. (PDK)
- Fathers Fighting 4 Fathers
- Maryland Family Network
- Women of Color Educational Collaborative (WoCEC)
- Child First Authority
- NYU Metro Center
- We Will All Rise
- Young Scholars Day Affiliated School Districts include: District of Columbia; Baltimore County, MD; Baltimore City, MD; Newark, NJ; New York City; Fairfax County, VA; Brandywine, DE; Prince George’s County; Howard County; and Montgomery County.
Each name on this list represents more than an organization or logo. It represents people who are choosing to work side by side with us on behalf of children.
Centering community wisdom in the year ahead
All research in public school settings requires partnership, but at NCEED we view that partnership as an ethical commitment – not just a procedural step. As Guajardo and colleagues remind us, “the people closest to the issues are best situated to discover answers to local concerns” (2015). People in local communities know the issues firsthand and bring essential wisdom to the work of change.
Our work cannot move forward without collaboration, respect, and trust between researchers, practitioners, families, and communities. These are essential components of our approach as we work locally and nationally to eliminate educational disparities.
As we begin this new year, our hope is grounded in what we have already seen: partnerships change what is possible, community wisdom sharpens our questions and solutions, and when we move together, we move closer to a more just and equitable future for all children.
Thank you for being part of the Equity Express community and for everything you do on behalf of students and families. We look forward to deepening existing partnerships, forming new ones, and continuing to turn research into action in the months ahead.
References
Coburn, C. E., & Penuel, W. R. (2016). Research–practice partnerships in education: Outcomes, dynamics, and open questions. Educational researcher, 45(1), 48–54.
Guajardo, M. A., Guajardo, F., Janson, C., & Militello, M. (2015). Reframing community partnerships in education: Uniting the Power of Place and Wisdom of People. Routledge.
Harvard Family Research Project, 2010. Weiss, H. B., Lopez, M. E., & Rosenberg, H. Beyond Random Acts: Family, School, and Community Engagement as an Integral Part of Education Reform. National Policy Forum for Family, School, & Community Engagement.
Meade, J. (2024). Power of Partnerships. Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children, 11(2), 7.
