Public Agenda issues RFP for Pennsylvania Education Equity Project

Public Agendaaims to amplify public voice for an informed and inclusive democracy. The organization has issued a request for proposals for the Pennsylvania Education Equity Project. In 2022, the Pennsylvania Board of Education mandated training for educators in culturally relevant and sustaining education (CRSE) competencies. Continuing professional development programs are required to integrate CRSE competencies no later than the 2023-24 academic year, and educator preparation and induction programs must integrate the competencies no later than the 2024-25 academic year. The initial implementation of the CRSE competencies in Pennsylvania teacher education programs is an opportunity to focus actionable research on challenges and best practices in translating policy into effective educational practices. Public Agenda’s research focus for the Pennsylvania Education Equity Project is how to translate culturally relevant and sustaining education mandates into effective and sustainable

educational practices. Through this RFP, Public Agenda is committed to providing rigorous, actionable evidence to diverse stakeholders. Preference will be given to projects that have strong potential to produce evidence that can inform the work of principals and superintendents, teachers, teacher educators, student advocates, policy makers, and others who can benefit from research on education policy implementation in Pennsylvania and beyond. A range of approaches are expected to be funded, including descriptive and causal studies (e.g., quasi-experimental and experimental designs). Evaluation of proposals will be driven by the utility of results for practice, with no preference for any one epistemological approach or research method. Public Agenda’s purpose in funding original research is to support the development of a body of findings that we will synthesize, translate, and communicate to practitioners and stakeholders as soon as possible.In prioritizing research for practical application, Public Agenda encourages research focused on distinct populations and communities in Pennsylvania, research that situates culturally relevant and sustaining education within the structural and historical racial dynamics in public education, and research partnerships with institutions of higher education (IHEs), school districts, professional learning organizations, and other relevant practitioners and stakeholders Public Agenda expects to award six or more grants of up to $30,000.Grants are open to researchers affiliated with public or nonprofit U.S. universities. The principal investigator (PI) for a proposed project must have a doctoral-level degree. Doctoral candidates may be part of the research team and may be a co-PI as long as at least one co-PI has a doctoral degree.For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the Public Agenda website.