Who We Are
NCREST works to advance education stakeholders’ understanding of the complex and challenging work of restructuring schools. To carry out this mission, NCREST conducts research, fosters connections, and shares expertise, resources, and images that help education practitioners, reformers, researchers, parents and community members to reimagine and create equitable and effective schools.
Founded in 1990 by Linda Darling-Hammond and Ann Lieberman, NCREST’s current Co-Directors are Jacqueline Ancess and Thomas Hatch. NCREST is affiliated with the Department of Curriculum and Teaching, Teachers College, Columbia University.
Since its inception, NCREST has conducted research related to the restructuring of many different aspects of elementary, middle, and high schools. That work has addressed issues such as the design and development of small schools, new-school creation, high school conversions, school and teacher developed assessments, uses of instructional rounds, district-wide improvement, the high-school to college transition, and systemic reform.
What We Do
NCREST carries out projects that address many of the fundamental and comprehensive changes that successful restructuring demands. Current projects include research and support for the Institute for Student Achievement, the evaluation of the Say Yes to Education Program in New York City, support and evaluation for the New Jersey Network of Superintendents, support and evaluation for the National Middle College High School Consortium, and an evaluation of a new curriculum focusing on Understanding Fiscal Responsibility.
As part of the work on these projects, NCREST produces a wide range of publications that focus on the changes that need to be made in many aspects of schooling including teaching practices, curriculum, assessment, accountability, parent and community involvement, and policy.
NCREST also develops and shares online images of practice in K-12 classrooms that can be used in both professional development and teacher education.