Education Reform in New York City: Ambitious Change in the Nation's Most Complex School System

Jennifer A. O'Day is a managing research scientist at the American Institutes for Research and director of the New York City Education Reform Retrospective project. Her main areas of research include accountability and capacity building strategies in standards-based reform, effects of district and state policy on classroom instructional practice, and equity. She currently chairs the California Collaborative on District Reform, which joins researchers, school district leaders, and state policy makers in ongoing evidenced-based dialogue and joint activity to improve instruction and student learning for all students in California's urban school systems. Catherine S. Bitter is a senior research analyst at the American Institutes for Research. Her work has focused on district-level reform and accountability policy. She has led a study of the literacy instructional practices associated with the reform efforts in San Diego City Schools, and has served as a senior researcher supporting the California Collaborative on District Reform. Louis M. Gomez, Helen Faison Professor of Urban Education at the University of Pittsburgh, is also a senior partner at the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Professor Gomez works to improve the day-to-day work of teaching and learning and organizational activity. Most recently, he has turned his attention to problem-solving research and development, R&D organized around high-leverage problems embedded in the day-to-day work of teaching and learning and the institutions in which these activities occur.