Description

We propose the use of innovative data analytical models that exemplify QuantCrit, including Critical Structural Equation Modeling, Critical Race Spatial Analysis, Bayesian Modeling, and Phantom Variable Modeling. Our aims are to uncover and expose zones of (re)segregation in special education, brought about by white supremacy (citation of our work), that restrict Black and Latinx students’ access to the general education classroom and curricula; and b) understand the extent that anti-racist educators can disrupt the process of Black and Latinx students being placed in these zones.

Principal Investigator

Zachary Collier

Departments

Educational Psychology

Funding

Funded by Spencer Foundation; awarded by SUNY - Albany for $28,823

Dates

3/1/2024 to 2/28/2026

Description

The Equity-Based Teaching Collective (EBTC), composed of faculty from American University, Florida International University, and the University of Connecticut, is developing a policy playbook for broad-scale change of teaching in higher education. Specifically, the policy playbook will support organizational change to improve the use of equity-based teaching practices for Black, Latinx, Indigenous students, and those from low-income backgrounds (BILLI) in highest-enrolling gateway courses. As part of this collective, UConn has supported various aspects of the project and led the development of framework for equity-based teaching and a systematic review of higher education literature focused on organizational levers and stakeholders for supporting equity-based teaching.

Principal Investigator

Milagros Castillo-Montoya

Co-Principal Investigators

Jillian Ives, Xinnian Chen, Amit Savkar

Departments

Educational Leadership, PNB, MATH

Funding

Funded by Gates Foundation for $499,998

Dates

11/25/2024 to 1/30/2026

Description

Brain Healthy will engage students from diverse backgrounds in citizen science investigations of their own brain health and wellness, which is particularly relevant given COVID-related increased concern about mental health and well-being.

Principal Investigator

Ido Davidesco

Co-Principal Investigators

Todd Campbell, Sandra Chafouleas, Noah Glaser, Eric Loken

Departments

Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Psychology

Funding

 $1,336,626 —Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Dates

8/5/2022 to 7/31/2027

Description

Brain Healthy develops a curriculum to teach high school students about the importance of healthy habits for brain functioning.  The lessons combine health information with data science techniques to develop an understanding of the analysis of real world data, including those gathered from fitness devices.

Principal Investigator

Eric Loken

Co-Principal Investigators

Todd Campbell, Sandra Chafouleas

Departments

Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Psychology

Funding

Funded by NIH/NIGMS, awarded by Boston College for $70,353

Dates

8/5/2022 to 7/31/2027

Description

Attention is dynamic and tends to fluctuate between external and internal states, and thus focusing attention on an instructor in undergraduate science courses for a long period of time is extremely taxing. While external attention, the selection and modulation of sensory information (e.g., focusing on an instructor’s voice while ignoring background noise), has been studied extensively, very little is known about the functional significance of internal attention, the selection and modulation of internally generated thoughts (e.g., quietly thinking about a prompt while ignoring distracting thoughts). Some researchers and practitioners have suggested that “thinking” periods can promote the development of student ideas, while others argue that internally-generated thoughts are primarily off-task and lead to poor learning. The current CAREER project at the University of Connecticut will attempt to reconcile these competing claims by exploring how opportunities to focus attention internally during a biology lecture can support or jeopardize student learning. More info

Principal Investigator

Ido Davidesco

Department

Educational Psychology

Funding

$1,325,817 — National Science Foundation, Division of Research on Learning

Dates

1/1/2022 to 12/31/2026

Description

The Connecticut COVID-19 Education Research Collaborative (CCERC) will bring together researchers from across Connecticut and the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) to conceptualize and coordinate COVID-related research in K-12 education in the state. CSDE currently operates task forces on accelerating learning but there is no parallel research arm. CCERC will fill this void, coordinating the development and enactment of research on COVID related educational issues and ensuring strong connections between the research and Connecticut’s districts and schools.

Principal Investigator

Morgaen Donaldson

Department

Educational Leadership

Funding

Funded by U.S.ED/ESSER; awarded by CSDE for $2,841,660 and $100,000 

Dates

7/1/2023 to 1/31/2027

Description

This project aims to serve the national interest by developing highly effective mathematics teacher leaders (MTLs) who can address the mathematics-specific instructional needs of the 33 high-needs and low-performing school districts in Connecticut, collectively dubbed the Alliance Districts. Alliance Districts serve over 40% of the state’s student population and most of its students of color, low-income students, and English learners. To support these districts, we will implement a 5-year mathematics leadership development program for MTLs, bolstered by, and to advance, the growing body of research on teacher leadership and its impact on supporting equitable outcomes in mathematics education. Participants will engage in workshops, a graduate certificate program, and a mathematics leadership academy. This program will augment the skills MTLs need to serve as mentors, coaches, and professional development providers for pre- and in-service mathematics teachers and enhance the state’s capacity to deliver ongoing mathematic teacher professional development.

Principal Investigator

Megan Staples

Co-Principal Investigators

Gladis Kersaint, Fabiana Cardetti, Jennifer Michalek

Department

Curriculum and Instruction

Funding

$1,499,875 — National Science Foundation, Division of Undergraduate Education

Dates

7/1/2021 to 6/30/2026

Description

The purpose of this 5-year cooperative agreement is to support schools and districts in using the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model to protect and improve the health and well-being of school-age children and adolescents.

Principal Investigator

Sandra Chafouleas

Co-Principal Investigator

Jessica B. Koslouski

Department

Educational Psychology

Funding

$2,028,508— Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services

Dates

6/30/2023 to 6/29/2028

Description

People with opioid use disorder are trapped in a deadly cycle wherein opioid use leads to social isolation, and social isolation leads to increased risk of continued opioid use and overdose. Disclosure can reduce social isolation and help people (re-)establish social connection as they enter and engage in treatment; however, many people in recovery from opioid use disorder struggle with disclosure decisions and processes. We propose to test whether a disclosure intervention designed to help people receiving treatment for opioid use disorder make disclosure decisions and build disclosure skills leads to improved treatment- and recovery-related outcomes.

Principal Investigator

Zachary Collier

Department

Educational Psychology

Funding

Funded by DHHS/NIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse, awarded by University of Delaware for $139,290

Dates

9/30/2023 to 8/31/2028

Description

The funded Early Childhood Intervention Personnel Center (ECIPC) works with states and institutions of higher education to do systems-level change work to address and improve developmental and behavioral outcomes for infants and young children with disabilities and families enrolled in early childhood Intervention under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The Center has put in place a robust evaluation system, including an external evaluation led by Dr. Bianca Montrosse-Moorhead, a professor in the educational psychology department specializing in research methods, measurement, and evaluation. The external evaluation team is tasked with assessing the Center’s universal, targeted, and intensive technical assistance and its’ influence on faculty, graduate students, and state system administrators.

Principal Investigator

Bianca Montrosse-Moorhead

Department

Educational Psychology

Funding

$394,074— U.S. Department of Education

Dates

9/1/2022 to 8/31/2027

Description

This grant will fund the development of a doctoral leadership program to train 28 future faculty. These trainees will then design and teach courses and programs of study designed to prepare teachers, social workers, and therapists to provide specialized interventions to infants and young children with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. More info

Principal Investigator and Co-Principal Investigator

Mary Beth Bruder and Michael Coyne

Department

Educational Psychology

Funding

$6,500,000 — U.S. Department of Education

Dates

10/19/2020-

Description

ELEVATE is a five-year doctoral leadership training grant. As part of a five-institution national consortium, ELEVATE will train doctoral students to become experts and leaders in secondary transition in special education.

Principal Investigator

Joseph Madaus

Co-Principal Investigator

Tracy Sinclair

Department

Educational Psychology

Funding

Funded by U.S. ED/Office of Special Education Programs; awarded by University of Oklahoma for $1,334,613

Dates

10/1/2024 to 9/30/2029

Description

The purpose of this project is to conduct an efficacy trial of the Comprehensive, Integrated, Three-Tiered (Ci3T) model of prevention for elementary schools. In addition, the research team will further develop systems-level professional learning modules necessary for moving the Ci3T model to scale.

Principal Investigator

Sandra Chafouleas

Department

Educational Leadership

Funding

Funded by IES, awarded by University of Kansas for $572,850

Dates

7/1/2019 to 6/30/2026

Description

This evaluation provides feedback on whether and to what degree the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History’s oral history project, “Redefining Moments of Change,” achieved its stated goals. In doing so, it will answer the following evaluation questions: What do participants (interviewees, students, faculty members) identify as the main benefits of participating in this project? What do they learn through their participation?  How, according to participants, could this project lead to greater or more profound learning?  Redefining Moments of Change trains Connecticut college students as oral historians. After training, they conduct oral history interviews with 2-3 members of their community. These interviews will be archived online. College professors will be encouraged to use these oral histories as part of their courses.

Principal Investigator

Morgaen Donaldson

Department

Educational Leadership

Funding

Funded by ED/Department of Education, awarded by the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History for $50,250

Dates

8/28/2024 to 5/31/2026

Description

This study examines dual enrollment patterns in Connecticut. The project combines interviews and middle and high school counselors, interviews with an in-depth analysis of state administrative to understand the factors affecting the supply and demand for advanced course-taking.

Principal Investigator

Eric Loken

Co-Principal Investigator

Morgaen Donaldson, Christopher Rhoads, and Alexandra Lamb

Department

Educational Psychology, Educational Leadership

Funding

Funded by NSF for $1,084,419

Dates

7/1/2024 to 6/30/2027

Description

This contract was established to support validation of a newly developed School Fidelity Tool, which GaDOE staff designed for use by school teams who are implementing an integrated (academic and behavior) multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) framework. Through this contract, we will support the GaDOE team in (a) performing content validation, (b) establishing indices of reliability (test-rests, inter-rater), and (c) exploring construct concurrent validity with an established PBIS fidelity measure (the Tiered Fidelity Inventory).

Principal Investigator

Brandi Simonsen

Co-Principal Investigator

Betsy McCoach, Nicole Peterson

Department

Educational Psychology

Funding

Funded by ED/Department of Education/GA Department of Education; awarded by Georgia Department of Education for $188,636

Dates

1/1/2025 to 12/31/2026

Description

One year grant for the planning of full activities for the International Technical Assistance Center for Research Informed Best Practices in Higher Education and Disability. Activities include conducting an international needs assessment of researchers and practitioners in higher education and disability, the submission of two research based articles for publication, the convening of an advisory committee at the 2024 Postsecondary Disability Training Institute, and the development of a full grant for 5-years of activities.

Principal Investigator

Joseph Madaus

Co-Principal Investigator

Nicholas Gelbar

Department

Educational Psychology

Funding

Funded by MOH Foundation for $1,175,571

Dates

4/1/2024 to 3/21/2026

Description

This project, a partnership between university researchers and leaders in two diverse school districts, uses race-conscious deliberative dialogues in which citizens address civic problems to develop new district diversity and enrollment plans. We center innovative strategies for authentically engaging multiple communities in district planning processes – approaches that have shown great promise in areas of political and educational change but have been understudied in education. Our work together supports districts in not only reshaping existing enrollment policies but also re-envisioning the role families and community members play in the policymaking process - even as they face multiple, complex challenges in a precarious moment for equity-oriented work.

Principal Investigator

Alexandra Freidus

Department

Educational Leadership

Funding

Funded by Spencer Foundation, American Institutes for Research (AIR) for $187,500

Dates

9/1/2024 to 8/31/2027

Description

The Maine Department of Education (MDOE) is actively scaling up the implementation of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) throughout districts and schools within the state through a 5-year State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG). As a result, leadership, training, and coaching support are needed. Karen Robbie played an integral role in the MDOE's PBIS program prior to joining UConn and continued to provide consultation support after joining UConn. Once SPDG funds became available, Karen entered a contract for .5 FTE to serve as a state leadership team member, trainer, and coach with the MDOE's PBIS project. The project aims to build sustainable implementation support systems and increase the number of schools/districts implementing PBIS within the state.

Principal Investigator

Karen Robbie

Department

Educational Psychology

Funding

 $384,714 — U.S. Department of Education

Dates

10/1/2022 to 9/30/2026

Description

This model demonstration project was developed—in collaboration with the Navigating Excellence Parent Center Assistance & Collaboration Team (NE-PACT)—to  address the need for equitable family partnerships between schools and underserved families of children with disabilities by leveraging a school’s existing multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) framework to center the voices and needs of these families and establish equitable partnerships across school and home. Schools implementing this approach center the voices and experiences of their families and establish equitable partnerships across tiers (of their PBIS/MTSS framework) and home (E-PATH).

Principal Investigator

Brandi Simonsen

Co-Principal Investigators

Katherine Meyer, Nicole Peterson

Department

Educational Psychology

Funding

Funded by U.S. ED/Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services for $1,598,319

Dates

10/1/2024 to 9/30/2029

Description

As the MTSS the goal of the I-MTSS Network Lead is to (a) move the field forward with regard to implementation of integrated MTSS approaches and (b) improve outcomes for all students, especially students with and at-risk for disabilities, in our nation’s schools. The I-MTSS Network Lead coordinates activities across the network and its four research teams and ensures that the overall impact of the Research Network is greater than the sum of its parts. To develop a strong and cohesive network among distinct research teams nationwide, the I-MTSS Network Lead engages in network administration and coordination including leading the development of a shared vision of integrated MTSS, supporting aligned and complementary methodological and assessment approaches, and mentoring early career researchers. The I-MTSS Network Lead also coordinates the communication and dissemination of network findings.

Principal Investigator

Michael Coyne

Co-Principal Investigators

Brandi Simonsen, George Sugai

Department

Educational Psychology

Funding

Funded by U.S.ED/IES for $1,499,572

Dates

7/1/2019 to 6/30/2026

Description

As stewards of the Technical Assistance (TA) Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) during this 5-year cycle, we will refine, implement, and evaluate a multi-tiered approach to TA that improves the capacity of State and Local Education Agencies (SEAs and LEAs) and schools to implement, scale up, and sustain the PBIS framework. Our aims will target two key priorities (1) improve supports and outcomes for students with disabilities or 504 plans (Priority 1, supported by the Office of Special Education Programs) and (2) enhance school safety through the School Safety National Activities Program (Priority 2, supported by the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education). In our activities, we will support SEAs and LEAs “to enhance their capacity to develop, implement, scale-up, and sustain school-wide frameworks for MTSS/PBIS” to (a) “implement positive and safe school environments;” (b) “effectively support and respond to students’ social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs;” and (c) “enable all students…to fully participate in, and benefit from, a high-quality learning environment” across educational contexts (U.S. Department of Education [ED], 2023b, pp. 45401-2).

Principal Investigator

Brandi Simonsen-Gaines

Co-Principal Investigators

Jennifer Freeman, George Sugai, Steven Goodman

Department

Educational Psychology

Funding

Total award to the University of Oregon for the national center is $21,749,997.

Dates

10/1/2023 to 9/30/2028

Description

The National Center on Research for Gifted Education will fund work to examine and strengthen gifted education opportunities for underserved populations through four studies. More info

Department

Educational Psychology

Funding

$5,000,000 — Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education

Dates

9/1/2020 to 8/31/2025

Description

The funding supports a National Center for Research on Gifted Education at the University of Connecticut to address issues of under representative populations in gifted programs. The Center examines the extent of gifted programming and student participation; identifying districts and schools that show high achievement growth rates among gifted students, including those from underserved groups; and exploring how these sites successfully identified, served, and retained students from underserved students in gifted programs. NCRGE is also examining gifted students' mathematics and reading/language arts achievement under different service options with a focus on underserved populations.

Principal Investigator

Del Siegle

Co-Principal Investigators

D. Betsy McCoach, E. Jean Gubbins, Christopher Rhoads, Catherine Little

Department

Educational Psychology

Funding

$5,000,000 — Institute of Education Sciences

Dates

9/1/2020 to 8/31/2026

Description

Computer-based intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs) provide students with a personalized learning experience that is tailored to their prior knowledge and learning progression. ITSs have been shown to support student learning and are implemented widely in classrooms, but not all students engage effectively with ITSs, leading to varying learning outcomes. Prior research primarily relied on data that is automatically collected by tutors (e.g., How many errors a student makes, how fast students answer a question posed by the tutor), but this data cannot provide sufficiently detailed information about learner engagement. For example, students might be slow in responding to a question either because they are distracted or because they are thinking deeply about the problem. In this proposed project, log-data will be complemented with an array of physiological measures, consisting of eye gaze, Electroencephalography (EEG), and heart rate, to provide a more comprehensive understanding of when and why students get disengaged with ITSs. Neurophysiological data is typically acquired in controlled laboratory environments, but this project will leverage recent technological developments in portable and wearable technologies to study student engagement with ITS in school environments. Additionally, the investigators will experimentally manipulate the level of tutor assistance (e.g., whether hints are provided automatically or on-demand) and measure its impact on student engagement. The proposed studies will be conducted concurrently in two countries - the U.S. and Israel which will contribute to the ability to generalize results to a wider range of students. The results of this project will support the design of more engaging and effective tutors, which could improve the learning experience of tens of thousands of students each year.

Principal Investigator

Ido Davidesco

Department

Educational Psychology

Funding

$849,999— National Science Foundation

Dates

8/1/2022 to 7/31/2026

Description

The purpose of the project is for researchers to develop and establish initial psychometric evidence for a school-based screening instrument designed to assess both child- and environmentally-focused indicators: the Comprehensive and Contextual Child Screener in Schools (C3SS). Screening assessments serve as a primary data driver in multi-tiered systems of support as data are provided to efficiently and effectively deliver information needed to direct supports. Psychometrically-sound screening assessments for social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) domains have proliferated over the past two decades; however, the promise of these screeners has yet to be fully realized for multiple reasons. First, uptake of SEB screeners has not been widespread, with resource demands and capacity for data use as primary barriers. Second, although the rise in available SEB screening tools is promising, concerns about the narrow focus and potential rater bias of these screeners have been raised. That is, the vast majority of SEB screening tools are comprised of items that reinforce a child deficit view. A within-child perspective that does not also attend to contextual factors is problematic for many reasons, particularly with regard to its potential contribution to reinforcing bias and ultimately disproportionality. Equitable SEB screening must incorporate data collection that can efficiently screen across multiple independent risk factors and data use that incorporates contextually relevant information and addresses personal biases. In sum, SEB screening assessments offer critical information within integrated multi-tiered systems of support, but current iterations are inadequate at providing contextualized information about the whole child.

Principal Investigator

Sandra M. Chafouleas

Co-Principal Investigator

Jacqueline Caemmerer

Department

Educational Psychology

Funding

 $1,924,244  — U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences

Dates

7/1/2022 to 6/30/2026

Description

Project Focus uses professional learning to increase access to advanced learning for all and to assist schools in providing services for gifted learners, particularly those from traditionally underserved groups. The project builds on previous work in gifted education and professional learning to (a) increase teacher awareness of behaviors that may indicate high potential, particularly in traditionally underserved populations; (b) equip teachers with resources and strategies for supporting higher-level thinking; (c) develop new information about the linguistic features that characterize high-quality questioning and discussion; and (d) disseminate findings to support use of evidence-supported approaches.

Principal Investigator

Catherine Little

Co-Principal Investigator

Kylie Anglin

Department

Educational Psychology

Funding

Funded by U.S.ED, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education for $3,446,835

Dates

10/1/2023 to 9/30/2028

Description

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of Planning Realistic Intervention implementation and Maintenance by Educators (PRIME2) for improving elementary school teachers' implementation of function-based behavioral interventions for students with and at risk for disabilities. PRIME2 is a theory-informed, consultation-based, individually tailored, tiered system of implementation support developed with previous IES funding. More info

Principal Investigator

Lisa Sanetti

Co-Principal Investigators

Melissa Collier-Meek, Nedim Yel

Department

Educational Psychology

Funding

$3,769,253 — U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER)

Dates

7/1/2021 – 6/30/2026

Description

SPDG is a five-year project with the Connecticut State Department of Education that will improve the ability of special education teacher candidates to write high quality Individualized Education Programs.

Principal Investigator

Joseph Madaus

Co-Principal Investigator

Susannah Everett

Department

Educational Psychology

Funding

Funded by U.S. ED; awarded by CSDE for $107,186

Dates

9/1/2024 to 8/31/2029

Description

This project aims to serve the national need to improve the retention of effective STEM teachers in high need school districts. Elevated rates of turnover of teachers contribute to lowered educational outcomes, particularly for high-need schools. Improving STEM teacher retention creates conditions for science and mathematics teachers to develop their expertise and foster relationships that will strengthen school programs. The project also seeks to understand how to increase the presence of racially diverse STEM teachers by identifying cases where conditions allow STEM teachers of color to remain in the classroom. The project team will examine large quantitative data sets to track STEM teacher movement and instructional effectiveness in the state of Connecticut. Statistical analyses will be complemented by interviews with practicing STEM teachers. This research has the potential to improve understanding of STEM teacher retention patterns and the relationships between teacher movement and instructional effectiveness. The results of this study have the potential to inform school district decision-making and state official policy-shaping, driving the development of data-driven interventions focused on STEM teacher retention in the service of effectiveness and equity.

Principal Investigator

John Settlage

Co-Principal Investigator

Ben Wasserman

Department

Curriculum and Instruction

Funding

Funded by NSF for $999,365

Dates

7/1/2024 to 6/30/2028

Description

The Sueños Scholars Program, through UConn Stamford and the Neag School of Education’s Teacher Certification Program for College Graduates, prepares underrepresented students for careers as educators. It provides community-based internship experiences in partner Alliance districts, specifically those with teacher shortages in the key areas of special education and other secondary content areas, to undergraduate and graduate students.

Principal Investigator

Katie Nagrotsky

Co-Principal Investigators

Tracy Sinclair, Alyssa Hadley Dunn, Jason Irizarry, Laura Tropp, Jennifer Orlikoff

Departments

UConn Stamford; Curriculum and Instruction; Educational Psychology

Funding

Funded by United States Department of Education; $2,812,638.00

Dates

10/1/2024 to 10/1/2029

Description

The current study will build on a previous IES-funded efficacy study to test the replication of Supporting Teacher Enactment of the Probability and Statistics Standards (STEPSS). The STEPSS intervention includes a replacement unit for the statistics and probability curriculum in grade 7 mathematics along with teacher professional development to support its implementation. The current study will test the replication of the intervention in different population of grade 7 learners. Over the past few decades in the United States, there has been a steadily increasing emphasis on statistics and probability on the mathematics curriculum standards at the secondary level. Unfortunately, many schools have not risen to meet the intent of the curriculum standards for statistics and probability. Mathematics teachers who are tasked with teaching this material have had few, if any, opportunities to learn statistics-much less how to effectively teach it. As a result, enactment of statistics instruction falls short of expectations, so potentially effective interventions, such as STEPSS, need further replication with diverse learners from a wider range of contexts.

Principal Investigator

Christopher Rhoads

Departments

Educational Psychology

Funding

Funded by U.S. Ed/IES, awarded by Florida State University for $124,683

Dates

7/1/2024 to 1/7/2028

Description

The BOLD Women’s Leadership Network is a pioneering program cultivating courageous leadership in young women during the college years and beyond. BOLD focuses on facilitating opportunities for women’s career development and networking through scholarship funding, programming, and post- graduation fellowships. Ultimately, the program will empower young college women to become leaders in their life and careers after college. The BOLD Network was launched at various institutions of higher education led by women presidents who have demonstrated their commitment to collaboration, innovation, diversity, and inclusion: California State University, Fullerton; Ithaca College; Middlebury College; Smith College; and Rutgers University—Newark. The University of Connecticut, The College of Saint Rose, and Colby-Sawyer College joined BOLD in 2018. Dr. Sally Reis is the UConn lead for the BOLD Women’s Leadership Network.

Principal Investigator

Sally Reis

Co-Principal Investigator

Rachel Rubin

Department

Educational Psychology, Presidents Office

Funding

$1,725,000 -Helen Gurley Brown Fund, Hearst Foundation

Dates

7/1/2022 to 6/30/2026

Description

A $1.5 million gift was awarded to launch Dr. Marcus’ Breaking Bias and Creating Community Project in greater Hartford schools that was initially piloted at E.O. Smith High School. With this funding, he will expand this project to work with West Hartford Schools during the 2025-2026 academic year, before working with additional schools from 2026-2031. The program works with teachers and students to fight antisemitism, racism, and other bias while strengthening community (https://breakingbias.education.uconn.edu/). https://www.foundation.uconn.edu/stories-and-updates/gift-brings-uconns-immersive-holocaust-and-bias-awareness-program-to-high-school-students/

Principal Investigator

Alan Marcus

Department

Curriculum and Instruction

Funding

Funded by the Morris and Judy Sarna Foundation for $1,500,000

Dates

2024 to 2026

Description

The Neag Foundation has provided the UConn Collaboratory on School and Child Health (CSCH) with a two-year grant to facilitate work in the Think about the Link Project. Think about the Link offers practical tools to help schools enhance their work by incorporating the a whole school-whole community-whole child model in decision-making across academic, social, emotional, behavioral, and physical supports. More info

Principal Investigator

Sandra Chafouleas

Department

Educational Psychology

Funding

$100,000 for first year — Neag Foundation

Dates

6/16/20-

Description

The Total Teach Health (TTH) research project is a large and multi-phase research and intervention study focusing on the well-being of teachers in the pubic eduation system. There are more that 3.5 teachers in the U.S., and U.S. teachers are at high risk of stress, depression, and anxiety. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced even greater stressors for teachers as essential workers. The overall objective of our project is to generate actionable knowledge and tools, developing a process that school districts can use to promote and protect the well-being of their teachers.

Principal Investigator

Lisa Sanetti

Department

Educational Psychology

Funding

$514,276 - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Dates

9/1/2021 to 8/31/2026

Description

All humans grieve. Strikingly though, most bereavement science and grief research offer race, gender, and socioeconomic class “neutral” grief experiences and resources. In other words, grief research lacks much-needed race, gender, and class specific analysis and resources. Also, university bereavement policies and practices are severely detached from the daily and long-term realities of grief—for all people. This 4-phase sequential mixed-methods national study was designed to investigate and center the experiences of grieving tenure-track Black women faculty who often experience amplified “intersectional impacts” of racism, sexism, classism, and occupational vulnerability (rank) in addition to their grief. At the request of grieving Black women faculty across the ranks (assistant, associate, full, and administrators) in higher education, within the first few months of this 3-year project, this work has expanded to include Black women faculty across the ranks. Creating space for grief among Black women faculty in higher education directly benefits Black women faculty. At the same time, this study also expects to create shifts in grief research, policies, and practices for all faculty.

Principal Investigator

Sakeena Everett

Department

Curriculum and Instruction

Funding

Funded by the Spencer Foundation for $74,999

Dates

7/1/2022 to 8/31/2026