The School of Social Work recently added the Center for Education Data and Research, an organization which conducts policy-relevant research on complex education issues, to the School's network of research and innovation centers.
Founded in 2010 by Dan Goldhaber, CEDR addresses the disconnect that often exists between research, policy and practice, focusing on the relationship between education and social service policies and practices. Its research helps policymakers in Washington state and elsewhere improve educational outcomes for all students. CEDR is also a well-respected source for news outlets: its research was recently cited in a CNN report on schools, around the country, grappling with teacher shortages.
CEDR began working with the School a few years ago when it collected data on foster care for a project with the School-affiliated Partners for Our Children. Currently, CEDR and POC are submitting a joint grant proposal to the U.S. Department of Education that will assess the effects of student mobility, particularly students in the foster care system, on educational achievement.
“I see a real synergy between the work CEDR does and that of the School of Social Work,” said Goldhaber. “We both work to address complex social problems. CEDR focuses on questions of educational opportunity, access and success through a quantitative lens, and, like the School, is particularly interested in learning about policies and interventions that help disadvantaged groups.”
The CEDR team will bring a wide range of disciplinary and analytic approaches to the School’s research capabilities. One of CEDR’s strengths is its ability to maintain and access large-scale databases that can be used to evaluate policies and practices, providing policymakers and practitioners with the information they need to translate data and evidence into action and reform.