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The far-reaching impact of the work of the Stanford University School of Education is demonstrated by the many projects that serve as connections to a broad community of educators and community leaders. They support teachers, students, policy makers, and other professionals, and their sphere of influence -- ranging from local to international -- continues to grow.


Challenge Success
Formed in 2007, Challenge Success grew out of the success of the highly successful Stressed Out Students Project at Stanford University. The program was founded on the belief that real success results from attention to the basic development needs of children and a valuing of different types of skills and abilities, Challenge Success seeks to inform, inspire, and equip youth, parents, and schools to adopt practices to expand options for youth success. (http://www.challengesuccess.org)

Institute for Research on Educational Policy and Practice
The Institute for Research on Educational Policy and Practice (IREPP) is an effort designed to inform education policy decisions through rigorous and systematic research and analysis that is informed by the realities of educational settings. The focus of the research is on pressing questions in education policy, particularly those related to finance and governance; human resources such as the skills, recruitment and retention of effective teachers and administrators; the reduction of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic achievement disparities; and, the needs of immigrant students and English language learners. (http://irepp.stanford.edu)

John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities
The John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities is a university-community partnership to support research, development, and dissemination of effective practices and models for developing engaged, successful, and contributing young people. Its work is focused in the following San Francisco Bay Area communities: Redwood City, San Mateo County Mid-Coast, Oakland, and San Mateo and Alameda counties. Established in September 2000, the Gardner Center serves as facilitator, convener, and resource to optimize community youth development. (http://jgc.stanford.edu)

National Board Resource Center
The National Board Resource Center at Stanford (NBRC) offers support to teachers earning their National Board Certification, promotes teacher leadership, and improves the quality of teaching in California schools. Its successful support program is staffed by Board-certified teachers and is open to any eligible candidate. The NBRC helps teachers and administrators learn about ways to use National Board certification to advance professional practice and promote teaching quality in schools by providing information and support at its sessions at Stanford and through related outreach throughout the Bay Area. (http://nbrc.stanford.edu)

Ravenswood English
Ravenswood English is a volunteer program sponsored by the First United Methodist Church of Palo Alto, in conjunction with the Stanford School of Education, that brings together adult volunteers and preschool and young English language learners. Its purpose is to expose young immigrant children who have little access to English in their schools and communities to rich English language interactions. Ravenswood English seeks to assist schools in providing one-on-one access to English by drawing on the energy and commitment of community volunteers who want to make a difference in the lives of at-risk students. (http://www.stanford.edu/dept/SUSE/RavesEng)

Ravenswood Reads
In conjunction with the Haas Center for Public Service and the Ravenswood City School District, Ravenswood Reads connects Stanford students with elementary-age school children in meaningful one-on-one interactions that help develop language and literacy skills. The program is focused on providing a service to schools in East Palo Alto and creating a learning experience for Stanford students. (http://haas.stanford.edu/index.php/item/388)

Ravenswood Writes
The School of Education, in partnership with the Stanford Writing Center, has created school writing centers in Bay Area high schools as part of the Ravenswood Writes program. The goal of the program is to establish one-on-one tutoring of writing as a regular practice in the writing lives of students through the writing centers.

School Redesign Network
The School Redesign Network at Stanford University (SRN) helps create, support, and sustain equitable schools that are intellectually rigorous, high-performing, and provide all students access to college and the skills needed to meet the workforce demands of the 21st century. SRN works with networks of urban school districts on organizational innovation and instructional improvement; collaborates with leading scholars from the Stanford schools of business, education, and design to develop executive leadership programs; builds student and teacher assessments; and, conducts empirical research focused on strengthening educational systems. District partners include Austin, Albuquerque, Knox County (TN), Mapleton (CO), Miami-Dade, Milwaukee, North East Independent School District (TX), Oakland, and San Francisco. Major endeavors include the PACT teacher assessment, the LEADS Network, Hillsdale Study Visits, and the publication of research by SRN scholars. (http://www.srnleads.org)

Stanford Center for Innovations in Learning
Stanford Center for Innovations in Learning (SCIL) is an independent center that conducts scholarly research to advance the science, technology, and practice of learning and teaching from early childhood through post-secondary education. The Center brings together teachers, scholars, and students from around the world to study how to improve formal and informal learning across cultural boundaries. (http://scil.stanford.edu/)

Stanford Center on Adolescence
The Stanford Center on Adolescence conducts research and graduate training in the study of adolescent development. The Center’s work focuses on the talents, interests, and motivations of young people from all backgrounds. Research at the Center explores the intellectual, moral, and personal capacities required for successful lives and productive citizenship in a democratic society. (http://coa.stanford.edu)

Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society
The Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society (PACS) engages students, faculty, and practitioners in examining ways in which philanthropic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and other key elements of civil society work to address public interests, both in the United States and abroad. PACS-sponsored courses and seminars engage students and scholars from across campus in discussing core issues surrounding philanthropy, civil society, and social change, and builds a common frame of reference that engages conversation across disciplines. (http://pacscenter.stanford.edu)

Stanford Principal Fellows Program
Launched in 2008, the Stanford Principals Fellows Program is a year-long professional program designed to challenge and strengthen exceptional, early-career principals. Its goal is to develop principals with the knowledge, skills, and vision to lead equitable, transformational schools where all children can succeed and thrive. Participants attend intensive retreats and monthly working seminars where they investigate the challenges of 21st century school leadership and the skills required to meet them. (http://seli.stanford.edu).