Institute for Education and Social Policy Celebrates 10 Years

Steinhardt’s Institute for Education and Social Policy celebrated it ten-year anniversary this November with a reception at 24 Fifth Avenue. Founded in 1995, the institute seeks to strengthen urban public schools, particularly those serving low-income neighborhoods and communities of color. In the past ten years, under the direction of Norm Fruchter, the institute has published more than 45 studies, reports, and evaluations, which have contributed to improving the performance of the New York City Schools. Among the institute’s findings: small New York City public high schools are as costeffective as large ones; the city’s charter schools have developed effective supports to replace the traditional roles of school districts; and in New York State the No Child Left Behind law may worsen existing school segregation.

“IESP’s research not only contributes to rigorous academic discussions, but is extremely relevant to policy makers locally and at the state and federal levels,” says Amy Ellen Schwartz, the institute’s director of research. “Our research informs policy in critical areas including school size, resource allocation, accountability, preparing students for college, and examining links between neighborhoods and schools.”

Fruchter predicts the Institute’s support for organizing should result in powerful New York City parent- teacher collaboratives that will exert significant policy and practice influence across the city system. “Our research concentration on small schools, immigration, costeffectiveness and schools and gentrification should result in significant contributions that advance the field of urban education research,” Fruchter said.