Research for Action

Research for Action
Name	Research for Action
Formation	2000s
Type	Nonprofit research organization
Headquarters	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Fields	Education research, policy analysis
Methods	Mixed methods, randomized trials, quasi-experimental designs

Research for Action is a nonprofit organization focused on policy-oriented empirical studies in education policy, pilot programs, and community engagement. It conducts mixed-methods research, randomized evaluations, and program evaluations to inform decision-making by school districts, state governments, and philanthropic funders. The group collaborates with local stakeholders, academic partners, and national foundations to translate evidence into actionable recommendations.

Introduction

Research for Action operates at the intersection of applied research institutes, nonprofit policy organizations, and local education agencies such as School District of Philadelphia, Chicago Public Schools, and New York City Department of Education. Its staff often include former university faculty, practitioners from charter schools, and analysts with experience at institutions like RAND Corporation, Brookings Institution, and Urban Institute. Funders and partners have included the William Penn Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and municipal offices such as the Philadelphia City Council and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

History and Development

Founded in the early 2000s amid debates shaped by events such as the No Child Left Behind Act and discussions influenced by reports from National Research Council panels, Research for Action emerged alongside other entities like Annenberg Institute for School Reform and Consortium on Chicago School Research. Its development paralleled policy shifts under administrations connected to debates like those surrounding the Every Student Succeeds Act and critiques from scholars associated with Teachers College, Columbia University, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and Stanford Graduate School of Education. Over time, it expanded collaborations with labor organizations such as the American Federation of Teachers and local advocacy groups like the Parents United for Better Schools.

Methodologies and Approaches

Research for Action employs randomized controlled trials akin to studies by What Works Clearinghouse-aligned researchers and quasi-experimental designs resembling work from Institute of Education Sciences projects. Its methodologies range from qualitative case studies in the tradition of Yale School of Management-linked applied researchers to quantitative analyses using administrative data common to teams at Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University. The organization also integrates participatory action research practices used by scholars from University of California, Berkeley and collaborates on mixed-methods syntheses like those promoted by National Academy of Education members.

Applications and Sectors

Primary applications include evaluations of programs within localities such as Philadelphia and partnerships with state-level agencies like the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Sectors served encompass early childhood initiatives linked to providers like Head Start, K–12 interventions tested in districts such as Chicago Public Schools and Los Angeles Unified School District, and workforce development pipelines associated with community colleges such as Community College of Philadelphia. Projects often intersect with philanthropic actors including the Annenberg Foundation and policy networks connected to Education Trust.

Impact and Evaluation

Research for Action’s reports have influenced policy discussions at forums such as hearings before the Pennsylvania State Senate and advisory committees convened by the U.S. Department of Education. Its impact can be compared to outputs from think tanks like the Urban Institute, Brookings Institution, and Economic Policy Institute, particularly where evidence has informed district decisions on teacher evaluation systems promoted by entities like the TNTP and school assignment reforms debated in partnerships with Mayor's Office offices. Evaluations of their work draw on standards set by the What Works Clearinghouse and peer-review practices used by journals from publishers like SAGE Publications and Oxford University Press.

Challenges and Criticisms

Critiques mirror those faced by other applied research groups such as RAND Corporation and Mathematica Policy Research, including concerns about generalizability raised by scholars at University of Chicago and debates over researcher neutrality voiced in venues like Education Week and by commentators connected to American Enterprise Institute. Challenges include negotiating access to administrative datasets held by districts like New York City Department of Education, aligning timelines with funders such as the William Penn Foundation, and balancing stakeholder priorities similar to tensions described in work from Harvard Kennedy School.

Case Studies and Examples

Notable examples involve local studies of school improvement initiatives in Philadelphia conducted with partners including Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and municipal actors such as the Office of the Mayor of Philadelphia. Other case studies parallel evaluations of charter sector programs in cities like Chicago and Los Angeles and early childhood pilots comparable to projects assessed by researchers affiliated with Rutgers University and Temple University. Comparative projects echo collaborative models seen in research from Consortium on Chicago School Research, MDRC, and Princeton University affiliates.

Category:Nonprofit research organizations Category:Education research institutes