For more than 20 years, the Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools has turned education research into real results throughout the state and beyond its borders. Since its founding in 2004, the center’s programs and interventions have touched the lives of more than 325,000 children and adolescents, and 22,000 educators in nearly 3,800 schools and early childhood programs statewide.
Building on its solid foundation of evidence and impacts, CYFS has launched the Nebraska Academy for Partnerships in Education Research (NAPER).
Led by Amanda Witte, CYFS research associate professor, NAPER is designed to bring together researchers, school leaders, and state agency and community partners to address education challenges and improve outcomes for students across pre-K to grade 12.
The new, one-of-a-kind academy formalizes decades of collaborative work aimed at ensuring the state’s investment in education research leads to better-prepared teachers, thriving students and a stronger future for Nebraska. It focuses on creating an infrastructure to build and sustain research-practice partnerships, co-develop solutions grounded in local needs, conduct research to inform evidence-based practices, and scale practices and programs that improve outcomes for students, teachers, families and communities.
Witte notes that whether the focus is boosting literacy or math skills, promoting health and well-being, strengthening family-school connections or supporting the education workforce, NAPER will ensure the state’s investment in education research translates into better-prepared teachers, thriving students and a stronger future for Nebraska.
“This academy is extremely innovative. It focuses on research done with Nebraska, not simply for Nebraska,” Witte said. “NAPER capitalizes on decades of educational research partnerships between CYFS and Nebraska communities and allows us to elevate and extend that work.”
Witte notes that a “hunger” exists among Nebraska researchers and communities to expand and strengthen existing collaboration while finding new partnership opportunities.
“I think many of our partners are savvy about education and very interested in finding ways to use data and use good methodological practices to advance their work,” she said. “Their collaboration will build on decades of proven research to ensure solutions are uniquely relevant and connected to Nebraska communities.”
NAPER is seeking school leaders, researchers, state agencies and community partners from across Nebraska to help shape the future of education research. To learn more and get involved, email Witte at awitte2@unl.edu.