Brown’s Annenberg Institute to remodel approach to confronting educational inequality
PROVIDENCE, R.I.* [Brown University] — Brown University’s Annenberg
Institute for School Reform has reached an important moment as it
approaches its 25th anniversary in 2018. As the University prepares to
launch a search for the institute’s next director, Annenberg will refocus
its mission and add strength to its capacity to serve the community, the
region and the nation as a leading hub for social science scholarship
related to education.
A new model for Annenberg will be adopted from a set of recommendations
developed by a committee of University leaders, Annenberg staff and Brown
faculty, which reviewed the institute’s mission, strengths and
opportunities for the future. Outlined in a plan titled “The Annenberg
Institute: A Road Map,”
the
new model will build on more than two decades of accomplishments in
addressing the causes and consequences of educational inequality in America.
“The causes, consequences and mitigation of educational inequality should
serve as the central organizing principle for the Annenberg Institute,” the
committee’s report states. In its future work, the institute “should not
only support research that describes and analyzes specific aspects of
educational inequality, but should also connect this knowledge with broader
thinking about how to develop research-based solutions to achieve greater
equity in educational opportunity and outcomes.”
University President Christina Paxson shared details of the plan Friday,
Jan. 27. In affirming that Brown will move forward with the committee’s
recommendations, Paxson said the new model increases the institute’s impact
with a greater emphasis on interdisciplinary research, teaching and service.
“This new approach builds upon the institute’s excellent record of success
engaging with community partners and education practitioners,” Paxson said.
“It seeks to connect knowledge gained through these stakeholders to inform
faculty-based research and expand Brown’s contributions by translating this
high-impact scholarship into policy and practice to achieve greater equity
in educational opportunities.”
Annenberg’s evolved focus will cultivate stronger connections among
Annenberg staff and Brown faculty, departments and programs to ultimately
improve the quality and impact of public education in Providence, in Rhode
Island and across the nation, Paxson said.
The new model for Annenberg outlines a series of steps to advance the
evolution of the institute’s work: organizing research and teaching
activities around a small number of themes in support of the renewed
mission; establishing a set of Annenberg positions and programs for
faculty, postdoctoral fellows and students; and enhancing the institute’s
role in undergraduate and graduate education at Brown. The model recognizes
Annenberg’s experience in community engagement. It seeks to continue the
exploration and application of community-based research strategies when
developing research-informed approaches to achieving improved outcomes in
education.
Brown’s search for a new director for Annenberg will identify the leader
who will guide the institute through these efforts. With the 2015
retirement of Warren Simmons, who led the Annenberg Institute for 17 years,
a transition in leadership offered an ideal time to consider the
institute’s mission, structure and approach to strengthening education,
said University Provost Richard Locke. The refocus of the institute’s
mission aligns with Brown’s broader strategic priorities established
in the *Building
on Distinction*
strategic
plan.
“At a time when we face great challenges in our country, we are committed
to taking full advantage of Brown’s distinct approach to research and
education,” said Locke, who led the committee that developed the new model
for Annenberg. “At the center of this approach is the University’s wealth
of scholarly resources and a resolute focus on multidisciplinary research
that addresses pressing societal issues. The Annenberg Institute has a long
and distinguished record focusing on equity in education, and by
strengthening connections with faculty across the campus, we will build on
this success and create research-based solutions to improve educational
opportunities and outcomes.”
The new director, who will join the Brown faculty as a tenured professor,
will engage collaboratively with faculty from across the University to
conduct research on education inequality that informs policy and practice
and engages community stakeholders.
*A history of equity-centered school reform*
The Annenberg Institute for School Reform has a distinguished history as a
national policy research and reform organization that works toward
high-quality public education for all children. Established in 1993 through
a gift to Brown that was part of Ambassador Walter H. Annenberg’s “Challenge
to the Nation”
schools initiative, the institute’s original mission was to “support
sustained, focused efforts to enhance the quality of learning by children
and youth across the country.” Led by Brown education professor Ted Sizer
work of the Coalition of Essential Schools
which promoted teacher and school development that provided students with
personalized, equitable and intellectually challenging education
opportunities.
In 1998, Warren Simmons
institute’s second leader. Simmons, along with Mike Grady
Annenberg’s deputy director) shifted the institute’s focus to build the
capacity of school systems and communities to achieve equity and
effectiveness to scale. Grady says the common thread in all of Annenberg’s
work, since its earliest days, is a relentless attention to equity.
“We have always led with equity,” Grady said. “The Annenberg Institute has
a strong history of nationally recognized, high-quality, high-impact work
that seeks to create more and better learning opportunities for all
students. Equity has been our guiding light, connecting our research,
technical assistance, community engagement work and our support to
districts. Throughout, we have sought to answer the question: How can we
change systems and communities in ways that increase the chances that
students who are least well served will be successful?”
The Annenberg Road Map calls on the institute to persist in making
educational equality and community-informed research an organizing
principle of its work — goals that align with the University’s strategic
priorities, including its campus-wide commitment
creating a more fully diverse and inclusive community.
Grady said that the Annenberg Institute’s robust history as an
equity-focused policy and research institute with strong community
partnerships will strengthen and inform the work ahead.