Rutgers University and the Newark Public Schools Finalize Research Collaborative to aid in Boosting Student Achievement

With excitement and great expectations, the Newark Public Schools (NPS) and Rutgers University in Newark today announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding finalizing the establishment of the Newark Schools Research Collaborative (NSRC).

The mission of NSRC is threefold: to provide independent and objective research regarding what works within NPS and public charter schools in Newark; to provide data essential for the improvement of academic attainment and achievement of all children in Newark; and to create a collaborative research culture among universities and researchers from Newark, from New Jersey, from the region and from the nation, NPS and charter schools in Newark, and community stakeholders.

NSRC is loosely modeled after the Consortium on Chicago School Research (CCSR), which has been in operation at the University of Chicago since 1990.  Similar entities have been created in a number of major U.S. cities, including New York City (at New York University) and Baltimore (at Johns Hopkins University and Morgan State University).

NSRC has received initial funding from Rutgers-Newark, the Victoria Foundation, the Newark Charter School Fund and The Ford Foundation.  NSRC draws upon the interdisciplinary expertise of social scientists, educators and education lawyers to provide a comprehensive approach to urban school reform and improvement.

Dr. Clifford Janey, superintendent of NPS said, “The NSRC brings together the experts and research data the Newark Public Schools needs to address the formula for consistent academic performance. During our assessment phase we have been fortunate to engage Rutgers University and other partners as we move decisively to raise standards and energize staff. NSRC will also make an important contribution to school reform and help improve the capacity of Newark schools to use data, build effective strategies, and evaluate progress.”

“With the establishment of NSRC, we look forward to a sustained, long-term relationship among its partners with the ultimate goal of carrying out a variety of educational research projects related to the needs of NPS and Newark charter schools,” said Dr. Steven J. Diner, chancellor of Rutgers University in Newark.

NSRC is located on the Newark campus of Rutgers University and co-directed by Paul L. Tractenberg, Board of Governors Distinguished Service Professor and Alfred C. Clapp Distinguished Public Service Professor of Law, and Alan R. Sadovnik, professor of Education, Sociology and Public Affairs. Tractenberg and Sadovnik also co-direct the Institute on Education Law and Policy at Rutgers University in Newark. In addition to its two co-directors, NSRC will have a governing board and an advisory board and has a staff including Associate Director Darnell L. Moore and university-based researchers.

The co-directors expressed their excitement about the venture. Professor Tractenberg said, “NSRC can be the vehicle for NPS and Newark charter schools and their students to measure progress toward improved teaching and learning and the development of educational best practices, with the goal of eliminating the achievement gap.” Dr. Sadovnik said, “Rather than viewing itself as the scientifically detached expert, NSRC will function in the traditions of ‘action’ and applied research to work collaboratively with stakeholders to use research-based knowledge to improve school and student success, and to work with stakeholders to enhance the capacity for educational reform in the city of Newark.”

NSRC research projects relate to K-12 education in Newark involving both district and public charter schools and may include studies of student achievement and school performance, and surveys of administrators, teachers, students and parents/guardians, as well as rapid response studies proposed by NPS on issues requiring immediate attention. In addition, NSRC and NPS are cooperating in the establishment and maintenance of a comprehensive education database, including both student and employee data, to be housed at and maintained by NPS for use in connection with NSRC research.

Dr. Janey concluded that he is excited about NSRC and is proud that his executive team is able to contribute to its development.