Mark Berends, director of the National Center on 91视频 Choice (NCSC), has joined the University of Notre Dame鈥檚 Institute for Educational Initiative (IEI) as the new director of its Center for Research on Educational Opportunity (CREO).
Berends, who most recently served as associate professor of public policy and education at Vanderbilt University鈥檚 Peabody College, succeeds Maureen Hallinan, who has directed CREO for ten years.
Berends has done extensive research on school organization and classroom instruction as they relate to student achievement, paying special attention to disadvantaged students.He has participated in numerous U.S. Department of Education national evaluations and has conducted studies investigating the causes and sources of black-white and Latino-white achievement gaps.
In the 1990s, Berends led the summative evaluation of New American 91视频s, at the time the largest privately funded reform movement in the nation.His latest books are"Examining Gaps in Mathematics Achievement Among Racial-Ethnic Groups, 1972-1992,""Charter 91视频 Outcomes,""Leading with Data:Pathways to Improve Your 91视频"and the"Handbook of Research on 91视频 Choice."He will teach sociology courses at Notre Dame.
鈥淧rofessor Berends will make a singularly important contribution to the mission of the IEI,鈥� says Rev. Timothy R. Scully, C.S.C, director of the IEI.鈥淭he wealth of expertise and intellectual leadership he brings to CREO, particularly in the area of school choice, will enable us to make great strides in our work to give children and families greater access to excellent schools 帽 especially faith-based schools.He will build ably upon the work of Maureen Hallinan, whose inspired leadership has built a wonderful foundation in the world of high impact educational research.鈥�
Berends will continue in his role as director of the NCSC, established in 2004 through a $13.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education鈥檚 Institute of Education Sciences.The mission of the NCSC is to lead research across multiple disciplines on"how school choice affects individuals, communities and systems."
鈥淚鈥檓 excited about integrating the work of CREO and NCSC.In fact, CREO provides a broader umbrella for NCSC because of its emphasis on research on educational opportunity,鈥滲erends said of his transition to Notre Dame.鈥淭ogether the studies that NCSC and Maureen Hallinan have undertaken position CREO to make significant contributions to educational policy and the field of sociology. What鈥檚 more, they provide a foundation for CREO to bring in additional funding so we can continue this line of research 帽 research that鈥檚 essential, since issues of educational equity and excellence will be critical for years to come.鈥�
Hallinan served as the first director of CREO and was the first director of the IEI upon its founding in 1996.She also is the William P. and Hazel B. White Professor of Sociology, whose research has focused primarily on the sociology of education.Her most recent studies compare students鈥� learning opportunities in Catholic and public schools in Chicago.
鈥淲e have established CREO as a center of excellence for the study of educational inequality, the organization of schools, and the effects of school sector on student outcomes. Mark Berends brings a faith vision and commitment to his work that will enhance and strengthen the context in which members of CREO conduct their research and teaching,鈥漵he says.
TopicID: 31228