Each January, the calendar resets, classrooms reopen for a new semester, and we are collectively offered another opportunity to do school differently—and better. As we turn another page on 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 both 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 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 clear mission: to conduct research that addresses the academic, social, and emotional needs of children and to eliminate disparities in K–12 educational outcomes.

We pursue this mission, in part, by building coalitions across institutions and communities.

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 attention to the role of research in improving educational practice. Policymakers, funders, and researchers are increasingly focused on ensuring that research speaks directly to problems of practice—not just theory. One powerful approach gaining traction is the growth of research–practice partnerships (RPPs): long-term collaborations in which researchers and practitioners work together to investigate real-world challenges and co-develop solutions that 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 national movement. Our six pillars—Family, Student, and Teacher Academic Resilience (fSTAR); Curriculum and Pedagogy; Literacy; Inclusion and Access; Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and Psychological Well-being; and Teachers and School Leaders—are not abstract categories on a website. They represent living partnerships with educators, families, and communities working together to create better futures for children.

Our Six Pillars: Where Partnership Lives

While partnerships are central across all six pillars, I want to highlight the work of the Teachers and School Leaders pillar. This pillar centers the educators who show up every day for students. Our research and support focus on recruiting and retaining highly effective, diverse educators; improving student outcomes through strong teaching and leadership; cultivating 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—and it is imperative that we continue to invest in these professionals.

Our partnership with the Women of Color Education Collaborative (WOCEC) exemplifies a research–practice partnership at NCEED. We are proud to announce the selection of educators for the second cohort of the 2026 National Aspiring District Leaders Fellowship. These educators are learning, growing, and participating in research focused on the preparation and development of school system leaders.

This accomplished cohort of approximately 30 women leaders from districts across the country is prepared to extend its impact beyond school buildings and into district-level systems. We were particularly excited to see that 25 percent of the cohort will be Marylanders. Each fellow brings a strong record of instructional leadership, community-centered practice, and a demonstrated commitment to advancing educational equity at scale. Applications were received from 16 states, reflecting both the fellowship’s and the center’s expanding national reach. Notably, 46 percent of applicants hold a doctoral degree—an especially rare credential. According to The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education (2025), only 1.6 percent of Black adults age 25 and older in the United States hold a doctoral degree, with Black women representing approximately 60.3 percent of those degree holders.

The National Aspiring District Leaders Fellowship supports high-performing principals and school leaders as they transition into central office roles through rigorous professional learning, executive coaching, applied district-based experiences, and participation in a powerful national network. Fellows also agree to participate in research conducted by Morgan State University and/or NCEED. Delivered in partnership with NCEED, the fellowship aligns closely with the Teachers and School Leaders pillar, which prioritizes the advancement of leaders who improve student outcomes, strengthen school communities, and contribute to research aimed at eliminating disparities in advanced degree attainment.

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.

Each partnership represents more than an organization or a logo. It represents people choosing to work side by side on behalf of children.

Centering Community Wisdom In The Year Ahead

All research conducted in public school settings requires partnership, but at NCEED we view partnership as an ethical commitment—not merely 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). Community members bring essential knowledge and lived experience to the work of educational change.

Our work cannot move forward without collaboration, respect, and trust among researchers, practitioners, families, and communities. These principles are foundational to our approach as we work locally and nationally to eliminate educational disparities. 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, district teams, and their partners are reviewing data, recalibrating supports, and renewing commitments to every learner’s success.

As we begin this new year, our hope is grounded in what we have already seen: partnerships expand what is possible, community wisdom sharpens both our questions and our 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 and years 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.

Three in ten Black Americans over age 25 hold a bachelor’s degree. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. (2025, September 22). https://jbhe.com/2025/09/three-in-ten-black-americans-over-age-25-hold-a-bachelors-degree/