Research Priorities

Learn more about our areas of research.

Postsecondary Readiness

Understanding and addressing barriers to equity on the path to college and career.

Supporting Educators

Identifying and scaling the job-embedded supports educators need to provide high-quality instruction for every student.

“This is the time to do this work. Both institutions are prioritizing equity and how we bring our ideals into reality. Our hope is for all kids to get a high-quality education in Metro Nashville Public Schools that allows them to thrive to be successful in school and after they graduate.”

Maury Nation

Professor, Department of Human and Organizational Development, Vanderbilt University

Student Absenteeism

Understanding the root causes of and designing solutions to student absenteeism in Nashville.

Educational Equity Ecosystem

Developing equity strategies for how city agencies, community organizations, and the school district can establish citywide accountability to foster successful youth outcomes and wellbeing.

“Our goal is to better understand how we identify and remedy inequity at the system level so that all students have an opportunity to be successful. This research work is not performative, we are actively trying to pinpoint the root causes of issues and address them. This is truly about being more student-centered and equitable in everything we do.”

Ashford Hughes

Executive Officer for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Metro Nashville Public Schools

Social-Emotional Skills

Examining and strengthening strategies to support students’ development of social-emotional competencies.

Engage with Us

We want you to learn more about what we do and why we do it. We invite you to sign up to receive updates to learn how you can help us champion equity.