Our Research

In this 2016 policy brief, the Rennie Center examines ongoing work in Boston to advance the development of a formalized system for providing students with expanded learning opportunities for academic credit.

The 2016 Condition of Education Action Guide, explores the critical role social-emotional learning plays at several stages of the schooling pipeline, noting where the state has made progress and how Massachusetts leaders can support a more comprehensive and research-based vision for social-emotional learning.

This 2015 research report looks at how social-emotional learning policy, practice, and measurements are being effectively implemented in states and districts across the nation, including in three Massachusetts school districts.

In honor of the 10th anniversary of EdVestors' School on the Move Prize, the Rennie Center looked back at 10 years of prize winners and finalists. This report takes a closer look at what happened to these rapidly improving schools over time – what factors contributed to sustained or continued improvement, and what impeded their progress.

This 2015 case study documents the work of Boston's Youth Transitions Task Force in building a city-wide, cross-sector coalition to support dropout prevention and recovery in Boston.

This 2015 policy brief documents the lessons learned as two Massachusetts school districts piloted new computer-based tests developed by the PARCC consortium.

In the second iteration of the Condition of Education project, the Data Report is joined by the Action Guide, in which Rennie Center presents three of the most critical challenges facing our public schools—areas where greater investments, strategic expansion of effective practices, and thoughtful collaboration can bring us closer to achieving our statewide vision of excellence for every child.

The Roadmap to Expanding Opportunity project looks at promising, evidence-based strategies to better support all kids in our Commonwealth. In this 2015 report, the Rennie Center has taken up the challenging question of how to improve early career professional supports for teachers—specifically induction and mentoring offerings for beginning teachers—across the Commonwealth.

The Roadmap to Expanding Opportunity project looks at promising, evidence-based strategies to better support all kids in our Commonwealth. In this 2015 report, the Rennie Centeraims to expand the conversation about preparing all students for success in college and the workforce by examining early college designs.

In this 2014 policy brief, the Rennie Center explores high school equivalency (HSE)-plus programs; specifically, Massachusetts’ capacity to serve opportunity youth by taking a close look at HSE-plus programs in three communities, examining to what extent local programming reflects best practice, and identifying areas where more capacity must be built.