In a powerful example of community-centered education research, Kent School District (KSD) joined forces with The Learning Accelerator (TLA), a national nonprofit committed to education equity, to explore how schools can better support all students—especially those most impacted by systemic inequities.
Amid the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the district and nonprofit formed a research-practice partnership (RPP) aimed at understanding and elevating student learning through an “asset-based” lens. Rather than focusing on learning loss, the collaborative project looked for “bright spot” schools—campuses where students receiving free or reduced-price lunch made above-average progress in reading compared to their peers.
The goal? To uncover the practices and strategies that fueled that success, and to explore how they might be applied more broadly to benefit all students.
The study not only identified actionable insights to support academic growth but also shifted the way research is done in the district. Through the RPP model, educators and district leaders were engaged directly in the research process—contributing their experiences, contextual expertise, and voices to shape the findings. This inclusive approach challenged traditional power dynamics in education research and helped build lasting research capacity within the district itself.
The collaboration sets a precedent for future research at KSD, modeling a more equitable, community-anchored approach to data use and decision-making. It also provides a framework for other districts looking to integrate practitioner voices and contextual knowledge into evidence-based strategies for educational improvement.
As the district continues its commitment to equity and innovation, the lessons from this partnership promise to inform and inspire ongoing progress in the Kent School District and beyond.