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We are a team of researchers and problem solvers who work hand in hand with school districts, nonprofits, foundations, and government agencies.
Develop research-informed, practical solutions that advance opportunities for young people
Help our partners use research to increase their impact
Inform policies and practices at the local, state, and national levels
Community-engaged research — conducting research in the context of long-term, trusted partnerships — is both a hallmark of the Gardner Center and the platform that enables us to do meaningful work close to home and beyond.
Our rigorous research methods and strategic recommendations have immediate, practical applications that help our partners improve their policies, practices, and programs — and then assess the success of those efforts.
We work with our partners to set strategic goals; build their own capabilities to gather and work with data; and then monitor and improve programs on their own — enabling us to extend our impact far beyond a single project.
We bring together stakeholders on critical topics so they can learn from each other, establish common goals, and replicate approaches that have been proven in real-world settings.
The Gardner Center's work within the Stanford-Sequoia K-12 Research Collaborative — a partnership with nine San Mateo School Districts — has helped English learners and students struggling in math.
Hoover Senior Fellow Thomas Dee presented data on a program in several Bay Area cities that sends trained mental health professionals out on police calls where a mental health crisis is suspected.
Having a critical mass of same-race peers and staff is not enough.
Districts that used COVID-19 funds to support mental health face some tough decisions.
© Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305.