Time: 8:30am – 5:00pm ET

Location: SDP Administrative Offices; 440 N. Broad Street; Philadelphia, PA 19130

Description: The goal of the 4th annual SDP R2P conference is to convene experts in education research, practice, and policy to share information about their latest research activities, lessons learned, and challenges. This year, the SDP R2P conference is expanding to increase opportunities to learn from a network of researchers focused on common topics, including early literacy, dropout prevention, school climate, and using evidence to inform decision making. The day-long conference will include a plenary speaker, poster and networking session, and concurrent breakout sessions. Presentations will focus on research being conducted within Philadelphia, in addition to other schools and districts focusing on similar priorities. This conference will position researchers and practitioners from within and outside Philadelphia to share their approaches, methodologies, findings, and next steps for addressing key research questions.

Audience: The primary attendees of the R2P conference will be SDP staff in the Office of Research and Evaluation, policymakers such as the superintendent and staff from the district’s governing School Reform Commission, external research partners working with SDP or other districts, and practitioners—particularly school principals and SDP program directors.

The conference will provide participants with the opportunity to gain awareness of the research underway and an understanding of how and why the research is a priority for the district. By bringing together professionals from different perspectives, the conference will also encourage participants to think about new ways to bridge research, policy, and practice.

Speakers: William R. Hite, Jr., Ed.D, SDP superintendent (opening remarks) Brian Bumbarger, Ph.D., Founding Director of the Evidence-Based Prevention and Intervention Support Center (plenary speaker)