NAEd Education Policy White Papers Initiative

The National Academy of Education undertook an initiative to connect policymakers in the new administration and Congress with the best available evidence on selected education policy issues. The Education Policy White Papers Project is designed to help policymakers better understand key education issues and to strengthen their ability to formulate effective policies by providing them with independent, research-based information.

Many of the nation’s top education researchers served on the project working groups, which developed white papers that address six key areas in education policy: reading and literacy, science and mathematics education, time for learning, teacher quality, equity and excellence in American education, and standards, assessments and accountability. Each of the white papers reviewed the available research evidence and presented possible policy options or recommendations. The white papers were subjected to a rigorous peer review process before being released, both to ensure the highest quality and to vet the evidentiary basis for the conclusions and recommendations.

Time for Learning White Paper Standards, Assessments, and Accountability White Paper Science and Mathematics Education White Paper Teacher Quality White Paper Briefing sheets

This project was guided by a Steering Committee chaired by Lauren Resnick; members of the Steering Committee include:

Roy Romer (former Governor of Colorado) and Marc Lampkin from Strong American Schools serve as sponsor liaisons to the Steering Committee.

Members of the working groups were selected based on their expertise in the topic areas, with an eye toward assuring that the members represent a diverse range of perspectives and backgrounds in order to achieve appropriate balance. The working groups include the following individuals:

Equity and Excellence in American Education:
Robert Hauser (Chair), Alfredo Artiles, Kathryn Au, Kenji Hakuta, Paul Hill, Michael Kirst, Goodwin Liu, Uri Treisman; with additional support from Megan Andrew, Carl Frederick

Math and Science Education:
Jeremy Kilpatrick and Helen Quinn (Co-Chairs), Hyman Bass, Paul Cobb, Philip Daro, Louis Gomez, Joseph Krajcik, James Pellegrino, Judith Ramaley, Richard Shavelson, Robert Tinker, Hung Hsi Wu; with additional support from Kyle Schultz, Jon Shemwell

Reading and Literacy Education:
Richard Anderson (Chair), Arthur Applebee, Maria Carlo, Lily-Wong Fillmore, Andy Hartman, Carol Lee, Annemarie Palincsar, Catherine Snow, Dorothy Strickland, Richard Wagner; with additional support from Jan Gaffney

Standards and Assessments:
Eva Baker and Jane Hannaway (Co-Chairs), Patricia Gandara, Drew Gitomer, Peg Goertz, Helen (Sunny) Ladd, Robert Linn, David Pearson, Diane Ravitch, William Schmidt, Alan Schoenfeld, David Stern, William Trent, Mark Wilson; with additional support from Katherine Ranney

Teacher Quality:
Suzanne Wilson (Chair), Deborah Ball, Anthony Bryk, David Figlio, Pamela Grossman, Jacqueline Jordan Irvine, Judith Warren Little, Susanna Loeb, and Andrew Porter; with additional support from Courtney Bell

Time for Learning:
Brian Rowan (Chair), David Berliner, Harris Cooper, Jacquelynne Eccles, Henry Levin; with additional support from Robert Miller