Research & Engagement for Systems Transformation: Introducing the Consortium’s 2026–30 Agenda

Research and Engagement for Systems Transformation: Introducing the UChicago Consortium's 2026-30 Research and Engagement Agenda How the Consortium is shaping its next five years of research and engagement Colleagues from research organizations, research-practice partnerships, and education nonprofits joined us for an engaging conversation with Chicago Public Schools, The To&Through Project, and the National Network of Education Research-Practice Partnerships (NNERPP), moderated by NNERPP’s Paula Arce-Trigatti. The webinar offers a look at the role of research-practice partnership in a changing education landscape and how they can contribute to advancing more equitable education systems. Read the 2026-30 Research and Engagement Agenda, Research and Engagement for Systems Transformation: Building Knowledge, Capacity, and Coherence for Equitable Education Systems: https://consortium.uchicago.edu/publi... Highlights & Key Takeaways Opening remarks [4:51] Dr. Karime Asaf, Chief Education Officer at Chicago Public Schools “Chicago's students, schools, and communities have unique strengths and challenges. Having a local research institution [UChicago Consortium] that knows this context, builds relationships over time, and can work alongside educators and district leaders is an extraordinary resource.” What is a Research Practice Partnership? [10:38] Paula Arce-Trigatti described a research-practice partnership as a sustained collaboration between researchers and the educators, policymakers, and communities they work with. Inquiry is embedded in ongoing practice, and knowledge flows in both directions: research shapes practice, and practice shapes research. Where we’re focusing [18:19] Marisa de la Torre and Rosa Ramirez Richter discussed the agenda’s commitments and described the collaborative process of developing the agenda through a year of engagement with students, families, educators, researchers, community organizations, and education leaders. The guiding vision is to build knowledge, strengthen capacity, and contribute to education systems where every young person has the opportunity to thrive. Five priority areas: -Centering student experience to strengthen learning and belonging -Illuminating what drives equity -Building data use in schools and communities -Supporting student and educator mental health -Strengthening post-secondary and career pathways How we’ll work [27:41] The commitments that guide our approach, including democratizing data and research, treating learning as a systemic process, strengthening the education ecosystem, and advancing educational science. What this means for the field [39:16]—panel discussion Chicago Public School leaders Megan Hougard and Sarah Dickson, Dominique McKoy of The To&Through Project, and Consortium researcher Marisa de la Torre reflected on how research-practice partnerships can produce knowledge that is rigorous, responsive to context, and connected to learning and systems change. This discussion included insights from: -Dr. Karime Asaf, Chief Education Officer, Chicago Public Schools -Dr. Megan Hougard, Chief of College and Career Success, Chicago Public Schools -Sarah Dickson, Director of External Research, Chicago Public Schools -Paula Arce-Trigatti, Director, National Network of Education Research-Practice Partnerships (NNERPP) -Marisa de la Torre, Managing Director and Senior Research Associate, UChicago Consortium -Rosa Ramirez Richter, Director of Partnerships & Engagement, UChicago Consortium -Dominique McKoy, Executive Director, The To&Through Project Resources and organizations mentioned in this webinar: -2026–30 UChicago Consortium Research & Engagement Agenda: https://consortium.uchicago.edu/publi... -Office of College and Career Success, Chicago Public Schools: https://www.cps.edu/about/departments... -CPS Equity-Centered Research Approach (EqRA): https://sites.google.com/cps.edu/eqra... -The To&Through Project: https://toandthrough.uchicago.edu/ -National Network of Education Research-Practice Partnerships (NNERPP): https://nnerpp.rice.edu/