“We are proud that JFF served as a platform to launch the spinoff
of this innovative and field-changing work,” says JFF CEO Maria Flynn.
“Promoting strong systems of learning that place learners and workers at the
center remains a strategic priority for JFF. We are particularly excited to
push the field to extend the improvement of learning beyond compulsory
education to lifelong learning in postsecondary systems, workforce training,
and beyond. Transitioning the Research Collaborative to KnowledgeWorks allows
us to sharpen our focus on learning beyond K-12 while also celebrating the
success of the Collaborative in its new home.”
JFF Associate Vice President Rebecca Wolfe, PhD, and Senior
Research Director Eric Toshalis, EdD, have joined KnowledgeWorks as vice
president and senior director, respectively, to continue to lead the Research
Collaborative work.
“KnowledgeWorks and JFF know how effective student-centered practices have been for improving the trajectories of students at every level in a rapidly changing economy,” KnowledgeWorks President and CEO Chuck Ambrose says. “Using our personalized approach to education, states and school districts are preparing each and every learner for future success. With a strong equity and evidence-based focus, the contributions of the Research Collaborative, under the leadership of Rebecca Wolfe and Eric Toshalis, will help to strengthen teaching and learning practices and build responsive systems that begin to transform the way every student learns to be more personalized and competency-based.”
“By
studying and sharing research findings, we can lead the national conversation
around education, research, and insights,” Ambrose says.
In less than three years, the Research Collaborative
has supported eight
studies that investigate the impact of student-centered
learning approaches and the extent to which such practices can be used to
advance equity in public education; produced numerous field-friendly resources
and presentations; and sponsored 15 Distinguished Fellows from
across research, education, and policy. The Research Collaborative will
continue to be funded by the Nellie Mae Foundation, The Oak Foundation, The Carnegie
Corporation of New York, Overdeck Family Foundation and The Barr Foundation. The Students at the Center Hub website, which JFF created with funding from Nellie Mae, will now
be managed by KnowledgeWorks.
During the transition period, JFF and KnowledgeWorks
will work closely to ensure the seamless transition of the work of the Research
Collaborative. This is just one of many ways the two organizations have forged
mutually beneficial collaborations and alliances, including previous work with
the Early College High School Initiative and continued work as founding
steering committee members of the College in High School Alliance, which has
helped to expand policies nationally promoting strong transitions from high
school into college through dual enrollment and early college strategies.
About JFF
JFF is a national nonprofit that
drives transformation in the American workforce and education systems. For 35
years, JFF has led the way in designing innovative and scalable solutions that
create access to economic advancement for all. Join us as we build a future
that works. www.jff.org
About KnowledgeWorks
KnowledgeWorks is a national nonprofit dedicated to
advancing personalized, competency-based learning that creates equitable
opportunities for each student. With nearly 20 years of experience exploring
the future of learning, growing educator impact and working with policymakers,
our team partners with schools and communities to grow a system-wide approach
to sustain student-centered practice. www.knowledgeworks.org
