Center on Research and Evaluation (CORE)
A $3.5 million gift from The Addy Foundation to the SMU Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development will ensure the long-term success of the Center on Research and Evaluation, a vital community partner for education-related organizations across Dallas and Texas.
Newly named in its tenth year of operation at SMU, The Addy Foundation Center on Research and Evaluation (CORE) is a local research and evaluation partner that helps create impactful learning opportunities. CORE will utilize The Addy Foundation endowment to enhance and sustain our commitment to research and evaluation that equips organizations with the insights needed to strengthen their impact.
CORE’s focus on impact in education aligns fully with the mission of The Addy Foundation. CORE has adopted a cradle to career focus
, capturing early childhood, K-12 education, and bridging support into college and career. CORE uses research methodology and sound evaluation practice
to promote equity and excellence in all the places and spaces where youth learn and develop. We seek partnerships in both formal and informal learning spaces, and we are particularly adept at collaborative initiatives that bridge
learning across these settings.
CORE acknowledges a persistent problem in modern education—that changemakers need sound data and insights to assess and optimize their learning. Data is often difficult to access, interpretation of findings may be biased, and insights emerge too late for substantive action to be taken. CORE’s solution to this problem is to
generate data, insights, and strategic guidance to drive excellence and innovation. It is our aim to equip changemakers with powerful insights to improve outcomes for all learners.
“This gift from The Addy Foundation benefits our entire community, driving meaningful, data-informed change throughout our region, improving the effectiveness of programs and services across our education system. The research done by The Addy Center will continue to both spark innovation and ensure best practices that will benefit our children.”
R. Gerald Turner, SMU President
CORE’s expertise is in education.
While the core of our focus is K-12, we conceptualize learning as happening across an expanded learning ecosystem. This means that we are also engaged in and experienced with early childhood, including infant and toddler settings, college access and attainment, out-of-school or informal learning, educator pipeline initiatives, and large-scale data infrastructure projects that inform each of these specific sectors.
CORE’s work centers on five key themes.
Equity
We envision a future where all people can participate fully in learning that helps them grow, develop, and thrive. This central value orientation drives CORE’s work to help community partners design stronger, more impactful learning opportunities that equip all learners.
Clarity
Organizations’ goals may be clear, but specific strategies for how to get there can often be uncertain. CORE brings our partners evidence-based best practices and data-driven insights into what’s working, what’s not and how to maximize impact.
Evidence
CORE equips our partners with compelling evidence to drive transformative change. From comprehensive data collection and analysis to dynamic reporting, we provide changemakers with the insights needed to optimize their impact on learning.
Thought Partnership
Data is just the beginning. We are a thought partner to clients, helping them to assess the meaning behind the numbers, turn data into action, and maximize their impact.
Continuous Improvement
Our most powerful collaborations are with changemakers who are committed to learning and growth. Creating impact in complex learning environments requires a commitment to the cycle of continuous improvement: plan, pilot, implement, evaluate, act, and repeat.
“We are deeply grateful to The Addy Foundation. In addition to broad-based support, this gift will also ensure the center’s capacity to provide low-cost assistance to nonprofit organizations and sustain our staff year-round, ultimately delivering more effective services that improve lives across the region.”
Annie Wright, Executive Director of The Addy Foundation Center on Research and Evaluation at SMU