UNO Center for Public Affairs Research’s Post

Last week, at our final convening of the East Side Alliance Transformation Network, our keynote speaker was Glenn Vander Zee, superintendent of the East Side Union High School District, which our partner districts feed into. Mr. Vander Zee focused on equity. He said, “When we talk about building equitable communities in the East Side, we mean doing four things: 1) Welcoming every student as they are – not ‘fix yourself, get yourself a certain way and then come to us.’ No – you’re you, and you’re welcome here. 2) Getting students’ areas of growth and strength to be known – by them and the adults. It could be academic, social emotional, or even your cool factor. 3) Responding positively – not reacting, not just responding, but positively responding. That means responding in the best interest of the student. 4) Helping students be full participants in their classroom, their schools, and their future. We want them to be full participants in Silicon Valley.” The superintendent’s inspirational remarks set the table for our partner schools’ presentations of the work they’re doing to help create bright futures for all students. Learn more about those presentations here in the days to come. [Image description: Graphic with a quote from Glenn Vander Zee, Superintendent of East Side Union High School District. The quote is: “The word ‘equity’ gets thrown around a lot, and sometimes it can lose its meaning. Let’s not let it.” The graphic also shows a headshot of Mr. Vander Zee.] #education #equity #EducationEquity #K12Education #EducationalLeadership #EducationForAll

Three things already making us curious at Tees Valley Education this week Get full access to the links (and even more research) for #FREE via my roundup @ThatPovertyGuy on SubStack 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e_EdnG_k 💡 Should we still be looking at the impact of the pandemic on learning? A longitudinal study, conducted by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) tracks the youngest school-age children affected by the #Covid19 pandemic to assess the long-term impact of partial school closures. It examines how these closures have influenced pupils' attainment in reading and maths, their social skills, and the gap between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged children. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eyut8veq 💡What can we learn from our four nations about tackling child poverty? A new research briefing from Child Poverty Action Group UK is helpful for better understanding the ways in which poverty and hardship in the UK are compounded by policy. Child poverty has been rising across the UK over the past decade due to cuts to the social security system, with the two-child limit being a key factor driving further increases in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/enFV6MVZ 💡 How can the government and others remove barriers to local leadership in communities and through education? Liz Robinson at Big Education is no stranger to us Tees Valley Education The work of Big Education in both understanding and implementing local community change is inspiring. This article explores two key themes: place-based collaboration and leadership in the education system. It highlights a growing focus on "place" — with government and organisations like the Confederation of School Trusts and Fair Education Alliance prioritising local, community-centred initiatives. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eA2ABRma Thank you to the other thinkers and contributors who feature in next weeks roundup. Including FFT Education FFT Education Datalab Parentkind Schools Week YoungMinds Anne Longfield CBE Centre for Young Lives Bristol City Council University of Oxford University of Sussex Mari Martiskainen Debbie Hopkins Chartered College of Teaching Dr Karen Boardman Blackpool Research School Simon Cox Becky Francis Department for Education and many more.... You can get the full update delivered direct to your inbox on Monday morning for #FREE by simply clicking the link.

In the face of extreme headwinds, the work of making our campuses open and accessible to all remains. How can we stand behind the good work we have been doing? What can we learn from peers with experience navigating some of these waters? How can we make the business case for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in higher education? Join Dr. Shirley Malcom and current SEA Change Members on April 11 at 3:30pm ET to learn how the SEA Change framework can assist in implementing sustainable strategies and scaling your existing institutional excellence efforts. https://brnw.ch/21wIwpY

Three things that made us more curious at Tees Valley Education this week 💡Things Worth Knowing: The role of assumed knowledge in youth transitions for education to employment This report from Social Market Foundation and Speakers for Schools focuses on the significant role that parental education, wealth, and knowledge of the system play in shaping the life chances of young people, particularly in their educational outcomes and career success. Payne and Gollings (2024) highlight why young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, even with similar academic performance to their more privileged peers, often fare worse in higher education and the job market. The research attributes this disparity to a lack of "assumed knowledge" about how to navigate the education and career systems. This research chimes with work we are doing with the generous support of SHINE Trust and with support from Chartered College of Teaching Evidence Based Education Stuart Kime FCCT on crafting curriculum with disadvantage in mind. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ekWEa8fU 💡 Tackling Child Poverty: Developing Our Strategy  This paper from government outlines key initiatives, such as making work pay, lowering energy costs, making housing more affordable, and expanding access to childcare. It also stresses the importance of collaboration across government, businesses, and community organizations to tackle the deep-rooted causes of poverty.  🔗 https://lnkd.in/e7gemjyj 💡 Driving system change: From neighbourhood to national We recently had the pleasure of contributing to a roundtable event with our colleagues at Fair Education Alliance and from a range of partnerships. The theme was "Driving Systems Change Together," emphasising collective action to address systemic issues that sustain inequality. To catch up on a recording of our webinar and what we shared in relation to our #PLACE project with Fair Education Alliance Bloomberg and others 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ekDN_p62 Thanks also to other contributors featured in the next roundup Centre for Young Lives Voice 21 UK Impetus UK Limited Education Policy Institute Children North East Lorna Nicoll Michele Deans North East Child Poverty Commission One Cornwall SecEd Schools Week Tes Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council Gina Cicerone Katrina Morley Big Education Get full access to the research and a host of other resources/insights through my #FREE substack below 🔗 https://lnkd.in/exujjynZ

Join Principal Erin Lonoff on Sunday, April 14, at the American Planning Association National Planning Conference as she moderates an insightful panel on "Unlocking the Potential of Innovation Districts for Economic Development.". In the wake of lingering commercial vacancies post-COVID, communities are turning to the knowledge economy for support. These panelists, with national experience in innovation district development, will delve into the key ingredients for success in designing and implementing successful innovation districts, highlighting the following topics:   - The significance of innovation districts - Post-pandemic interest of developers and private capital in innovation and life sciences. - Critical elements for advancing innovation districts. - The role of anchor institutions and fostering public-private partnerships. - Ensuring equity in innovation district planning.   This panel will offer valuable insights for communities seeking inclusive economic growth through their knowledge economy. Don't miss out! Register now to join the discussion.    #InnovationDistricts #EconomicDevelopment #KnowledgeEconomy #CommunityDevelopment #PanelDiscussion

Reflection on My Fellowship Experience in Public Policy Having recently completed my fellowship and earned the National Fellowship and Public Policy from the The University of Texas at Austin, in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy and Planning - MEPsaudi, I’ve gained invaluable insights that I’d like to share. A key realization was the importance of balancing functional and political aspects in policy-making. Effective policies must not only be theoretically sound but also viable within the political context. This balance is crucial for successful implementation. I also learned the value of a stepwise approach to policy-making. It’s essential to engage various stakeholders to ensure cohesion among policies, as disintegration can lead to ineffective outcomes. The goal of policy is to create a clear course of action that meets public needs. Collaboration stands out as another vital takeaway. Fostering dialogue among stakeholders allows us to address challenges effectively and ensure policies resonate with community needs. Additionally, following an iterative adaptation approach is important for design and implementation, emphasizing feedback and celebrating small successes. Finally, measuring policy success should consider both impact and effects on people and processes.

Five bits of education related news you might have missed this week.... 📰 SEND papers more complex than cosmology Recent research suggests that some school "information reports" on SEND support are more difficult to read than Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time. 📰 Confusion concerns over Ofsted proposals Leaders warn that proposals for new Ofsted report cards may confuse parents and create "a whole new host of issues," following widespread backlash sparked by leaked plans recently. 📰Knife crime sees sharp rise amongst young children Knife crime is impacting children as young as 11 across England, with experts warning it is widespread and not limited to specific groups. 📰 Sustainability just as important as core subjects A majority of young people feel that lessons about climate change and sustainability are just as important as learning maths and English. 📰Private school pupils no longer outperform state school pupils Recent research reveals that private school pupils in England no longer outperform state school pupils in core GCSE subjects when socioeconomic background is considered, though a grade gap persists in creative subjects. Access full stories, news, research and freebies using the link below. Regular subscribers (also FREE) get early access on a Monday morning. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eApVB_Ec #News #EYFS #Schools #Primary #Secondary #ChildPoverty #Learning #Education #Research #Trending #Insights #Place #Ofsted #TVEd #Sustainability #UNESCO #SEND #Inclusion #KnifeCrime #Crime #YouthCrime #ChildProtection #Safeguarding #Teaching #AttainmentGaps #IndependentSchools #ScoreCard #Policy #SchoolsWeek #TES #BBCNews #Guardian #Media #LatestNews #FiveThings #ThatPovertyGuy

The The Conference Board of Canada is partnering with The Centre for Research & Education on Violence against Women and Children (https://lnkd.in/dsEeJfbg) (Western University) on a project to assess the costs of IPV-related lateness, absenteeism, and presenteeism. This is a unique opportunity to: - Participate in research that will enhance awareness of how IPV negatively impacts your profit margins; and - Implement training and supports to mitigate the negative financial impact of these behaviors. Participating companies will receive the following: - A full confidential report on the finding from their workplace; - Support measures for employees experiencing and/or perpetrating IPV to mitigate the negative financial impacts of these behaviours; and - An opportunity to engage in a new core curriculum and associated resources, like leadership training, developed through this project. Please note that there is no cost for organizations who wish to participate, but eligibility is limited to organizations with a minimum of 1000 employees. If you are interested in participating in this research, please contact Leah Ringwald, Associate Director, Human Capital, The Conference Board of Canada (ringwald@conferenceboard.ca) directly before Friday, May 17.  

Harris Public Policy is spotlighting members of the incoming MPP class of 2026, who will begin matriculating this fall. Alonso Gutierrez Olivare, MPP Class of 2026, shares: “I firmly believe that evidence is crucial for formulating and implementing social policy solutions. I chose Harris because its methodological rigorousness, strong emphasis on quantitative methods, and interdisciplinary approach offer an ideal opportunity to develop the necessary skills to make a greater impact through designing and evaluating evidence-based policies. At Harris, I am convinced I will learn more effective ways to use and analyze data, communicate complex information, and apply data-driven strategies to positively impact the lives of vulnerable populations.” Are you #InAtHarris? Let us know below!

Insights from the Annual Report💡 “In 2024, CEG launched a new initiative: the Democracy Reform Primers. With the goal of producing a more informed discussion about the viability of different institutional reforms, this series explains what existing research says about the impact, pitfalls, and unknowns for each reform policy.  For each primer, a scholar with subject expertise writes a concise explanation of what the research does and doesn’t say about the potential of the reform. The primers serve as an accessible way for public servants, nonprofit leaders, funders, and journalists to assess institutional reform policies through an evidence-based lens. By empowering practitioners to draw upon the best empirical and theoretical research on potential reforms, the series strengthens the discourse and advocacy around what policies best serve to advance effective government.  The Democracy Reform Primers mark an ongoing investment by CEG, with new primers being commissioned every year, progressively building up the series to encompass a wide range of reforms at both the national and local levels.” Want to read more? Check out the Center for Effective Government’s 2023-24 Annual Report!