The mission of the Brown Center on Education Policy, housed in the Governance Studies program at Brookings, is to produce quality, independent research that impacts the efficiency of schools and the lives of all students. Brown Center experts use the best tools available from the quantitative social sciences to bring data-based evidence to bear on education policy discussions in a timely manner. Thus, the Brown Center occupies a unique niche by bringing scientific sensibilities and methods to the issues of the day in education policy.

AREAS OF FOCUS

Reflecting its topical mission, the Brown Center’s research is wide-ranging.  During the last few years, work has included studies on the impact of curriculum, school accountability and turnaround, class size, instructional technology, student loans, preschool education, public pensions, teacher evaluation, the contributions of school districts and their leaders to student outcomes, and the academic achievement of U.S. students on international assessments.

The Brown Center is also home to the Brown Center Chalkboard blog, a source of research-based analysis and opinion from Brown Center scholars and guests, and the Brown Center Report on American Education, a yearly analysis of the state of education in the U.S.

CENTER GOALS

• Inform education policy conversations among policymakers and leaders with independent and impactful research
• Promote the application of research to improve student outcomes, particularly among the disadvantaged