About Us – Center for Education Policy

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Vision & Mission

The Center for Education Policy (CEP) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst seeks to strengthen PK-12 schooling and higher education through democratic decision-making and the use of evidence. The Center advances this aim through three strands of work:

• Deliberative events that connect leaders, practitioners, scholars, and citizens
• Research and evaluation led by CEP staff and affiliates
• Dissemination of free and open-source resources

The Center is staffed by UMass faculty and graduate students who work closely with legislators, policymakers, school leaders, educators, and communities. CEP staff and affiliates maintain particular policy expertise in four areas:

• Governance and accountability
• Program evaluation and the assessment of school quality
• Civic education and the public mission of schools
• Civil rights and educational equity

Faculty

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Jack Schneider
Dwight W. Allen Distinguished Professor
Director, Center for Education Policy

Jack Schneider is a historian and policy analyst who studies the influence of politics, rhetoric, culture, and information in shaping attitudes and behaviors.

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Rebecca Woodland
Professor
Associate Director, Center for Education Policy

Rebecca Woodland is professor of educational leadership in the Department of Educational Policy, Research, and Administration who works with education practitioners and policy makers to evaluate and strengthen organizational learning and performance.

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Kathryn McDermott
Professor
Associate Director, Center for Education Policy

Kathryn A. McDermott is on the faculty of the UMass School of Public Policy and the College of Education’s concentration in Educational Leadership. She is a political scientist who researches civil rights and equity in PK-12 education policy.