About Research & Development
NESDEC has received grants from the Ford, Kellogg, Nellie Mae, and Wallace Foundations to study public school district governance and its impact on improving student achievement. A study funded by The Ford Foundation produced the report, Thinking Differently: Recommendations for 21st Century School Board/Superintendent Leadership, Governance, and Teamwork for High Student Achievement. It is available on this site by clicking the title link. Hard copies can be purchased from the Educational Research Service (ERS).
The initial study, funded by the Kellogg Foundation, resulted in a comprehensive report published by ERS entitled, Getting There from Here, School Board-Superintendent Collaboration: Creating a School Governance Team Capable of Raising Student Achievement. A copy of this report was sent to every superintendent of schools in the United States at the time of publication. Copies can be purchased by calling ERS at 800.791.9308 or by visiting ERS on the web.
This research has led to the development of related services in the area of school district governance. Dr. Richard H. Goodman and Dr. William G. Zimmerman, Jr., co-authors of these studies, have designed a variety of services to help districts implement the report findings with their boards. Services include:
- consultation with the superintendent and/or board chair
- a five-hour, customized workshop on developing better working relations between the superintendent and board
- an overview of school board roles and responsibilities
Future Research and Development
NESDEC is in the process of pursuing additional grants in a broader range of areas for future work. All projects will have a development component so that the results of our research can be converted into practical applications for our affiliates.
CONTACT NESDEC: For a brochure that outlines the services in more depth, or more information on NESDEC's publications and offerings please contact the NESDEC office at 508.481.9444 or nesdec@nesdec.org.