CCERC

The Center for Connecticut Education Research Collaboration (CCERC) is a research partnership between the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) and institutions of higher education across Connecticut. CSDE sets the agenda, identifies projects, and allocates funding for CCERC. The University of Connecticut manages funding and provides an administrative team. A Steering Committee composed of researchers from various Connecticut institutions guides the administrative team in developing and approving research projects and reports. Researchers from Connecticut universities and colleges constitute the research teams. The mission of CCERC is to address pressing issues in the state's public schools through high quality evaluation and research that leverages the expertise of researchers from different institutions possessing varied methodological expertise and content knowledge.

CCERC was formed initially using federal relief funds to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on learning and well-being and recovery efforts in the state’s schools. The partnership was subsequently institutionalized to respond to ongoing evaluation and research needs of the CSDE, provide research opportunities for Connecticut researchers, and foster collaboration across the state’s institutions of higher education.

CCERC administrative team

  • Co-director: Ajit Gopalakrishnan, Chief Performance Officer, CSDE
  • Co-director: Dr. Morgaen Donaldson, Associate Dean for Research, University of Connecticut
  • Project Manager: Dr. Alexandra Lamb, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Connecticut

Steering committee

  • Dr.  Eric Loken, University of Connecticut
  • Dr. Betsy McCoach, University of Connecticut
  • Dr. Kayon Morgan, University of Hartford
  • Dr.  Kari Sassu, Southern Connecticut State University
  • Dr. Michael Strambler, Yale University
  • Dr. Tricia Stewart, Western Connecticut Sate University
  • Dr. Wesley Younts, University of Hartford