In 2008, a diverse group of civic leaders came together to form the Research Alliance for New York City Schools. The group coalesced around the need for better evidence about problems facing the City’s schools—and about the effectiveness of various reforms aimed at addressing these problems. They set out to develop an organization that could collaborate with policymakers and educators to conduct high-quality and useful research, while also offering essential independent analysis of outcomes, trends and reform strategies.
Today, the Research Alliance is an important and growing part of NYC’s civic infrastructure. We conduct rigorous studies on topics that matter to the City’s public schools. We strive to advance equity and excellence in education by providing credible, nonpartisan evidence about policies and practices that promote student success.
Housed at New York University, within the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, the Research Alliance:
- Conducts rigorous, applied research in collaboration with policymakers, educators, and other stakeholders;
- Maintains a unique archive of longitudinal data on NYC schools and communities, to support ongoing research; and
- Communicates the results of our work to multiple audiences here in NYC and around the nation.
Since our launch, the Research Alliance has generated valuable information on topics ranging from high school choice and preparation for college and careers to accountability and school improvement. To learn more about this work, please browse through our projects and publications.
