Center on Instruction

Center on Instruction
Name	Center on Instruction
Formation	2004
Headquarters	Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Type	Research and professional development center
Parent organization	RMC Research Corporation

Center on Instruction The Center on Instruction is a research and professional development center focused on improving classroom practices and student outcomes through standards-based instruction, assessment, and teacher support. It engages with state departments of education, national technical assistance providers, and classroom practitioners to translate research into practice, emphasizing literacy, mathematics, science, and English language learning across K–12 settings. The Center collaborates with federal programs, educational consortia, and philanthropic organizations to disseminate instructional strategies, formative assessment approaches, and professional learning models.

History

The Center on Instruction was established in 2004 following federal initiatives associated with the No Child Left Behind Act and collaborations among entities such as RMC Research Corporation, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, National Science Foundation, Council of Chief State School Officers, and American Institutes for Research. Early projects linked to assessments and standards aligned with efforts exemplified by the Common Core State Standards Initiative, Every Student Succeeds Act, and state-level reforms in places like Massachusetts, Florida, Texas, and California. Over time the Center partnered with organizations including WestEd, SRI International, The RAND Corporation, Educational Testing Service, and REL (Regional Educational Laboratory) network to support instructional shifts mirrored in initiatives such as Race to the Top and assessments comparable to PARCC and Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. The Center’s trajectory intersected with national conversations involving actors like Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and Annenberg Foundation.

Mission and Objectives

The Center’s mission emphasizes translating research into actionable instructional practice, aligning with objectives advanced by institutions such as Harvard Graduate School of Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, University of Chicago Consortium on School Research, Johns Hopkins University, and Stanford Graduate School of Education. Core objectives mirror priorities in reports from National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council, American Educational Research Association, International Literacy Association, and National Council of Teachers of Mathematics: improving literacy instruction, strengthening mathematics pedagogy, enhancing science teaching, and supporting English learner instruction. The Center also works to support policy implementation linked to Every Student Succeeds Act requirements, collaborates on professional learning consistent with models from Learning Forward and ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development), and aims to build capacity in systems represented by state education agencies and regional consortia such as Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL).

Programs and Initiatives

Programmatic work includes initiatives focused on reading comprehension aligned to frameworks from National Reading Panel, numeracy strategies referencing research from Carnegie Learning, science instruction informed by Next Generation Science Standards, and supports for English learners drawing on scholarship from TESOL International Association and WIDA Consortium. Initiatives have been implemented in partnership with entities like Council of the Great City Schools, National Association of State Boards of Education, Education Development Center (EDC), and American Institutes for Research. The Center developed professional learning modules, formative assessment tools, and instructional practice guides used in collaborations with districts such as Chicago Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified School District, and Houston Independent School District, and in alignment with projects by Teach For America and The New Teacher Project.

Research and Publications

Research outputs include practice guides, technical briefs, instructional videos, and implementation manuals informed by studies from RAND Corporation, Mathematica Policy Research, Abt Associates, and university research centers such as University of Michigan School of Education, Columbia University Teachers College, and University of California, Berkeley Graduate School of Education. Publications synthesize evidence from randomized trials, quasi-experimental studies, and meta-analyses reported in venues like American Educational Research Journal, Review of Educational Research, and reports by Institute of Education Sciences. Products address topics intersecting with standards movements associated with Common Core State Standards Initiative and assessment consortia like Smarter Balanced.

Partnerships and Funding

Funding and partnerships have involved federal agencies including U.S. Department of Education programs and grants through Institute of Education Sciences, philanthropic partners such as Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Carnegie Corporation of New York, and collaborations with research organizations like WestEd, SRI International, and American Institutes for Research. The Center has entered consortium agreements with professional associations including Learning Forward, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, International Literacy Association, and regional labs within the REL network to scale professional development and technical assistance.

Impact and Evaluation

Impact evaluations have drawn upon methodologies used by Mathematica Policy Research, NORC at the University of Chicago, and RAND Corporation, assessing changes in instructional practice, student achievement trends, and implementation fidelity in districts and states such as New York State, Ohio Department of Education, Georgia Department of Education, and Illinois State Board of Education. Findings have been disseminated through conferences hosted by American Educational Research Association, National Conference on Student Assessment, and Council of Chief State School Officers, influencing policy discussions related to Every Student Succeeds Act implementation and professional learning improvements.

Organizational Structure and Leadership

The Center operates within RMC Research Corporation’s organizational umbrella alongside program directors, research scientists, and professional development specialists with affiliations to institutions like Harvard Graduate School of Education, Stanford Graduate School of Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, and Johns Hopkins University. Leadership and advisory roles have included experts with prior positions at Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, RAND Corporation, and major university research centers, participating in advisory forums convened by organizations such as Council of Chief State School Officers and Learning Forward.

Category:Educational research organizations in the United States