Debbra Lindo, Educator Leadership Council Chair for EF+Math & Superintendent in Residence, shares reflections and anecdotes in "Leading as a Warm Demander: How My Values Informed my Career in Education Leadership":

It was time to end the racist and classist practices that sent the message that public schooling was not designed for just an elite few, rather, it had been reimagined to democratize the potential of all who entered its hallowed halls.

Aubrey Francisco is the Program Director of EF+Math. Prior to stepping into the role of Program Director, Aubrey served as EF+Math’s Deputy Program Director, working closely with Melina Uncapher, EF+Math’s Founder and Scientific Director. Melina is also now the Chief of Research Development at AERDF.

An engineer by training, Aubrey brings expertise in working collaboratively at the intersection of research, education practice, and technology development to design, implement, and scale approaches that can improve learning outcomes.

Dr. Temple Lovelace is the Program Director of Assessment for Good. Assessment for Good grew out of a commitment to transforming the role of assessment in the lives of Black and Latinx learners, so that it is identity-affirming, responsive, and honors the continuum of their development.

Before joining AERDF, Temple was an Associate Professor of Special Education at Duquesne University and in 2018 launched eXaiLab, a cooperative incubator for emancipatory research and development that focuses on advancing equitable learning opportunities that are accessible to learners across a variety of contexts.

Rebecca Kockler is the Program Director of Reading Reimagined, an inclusive R&D project focused on unlocking the great reader in every child. Rebecca formed this belief—and found the inspiration to do something about it—after decades supporting students, families, and teachers at the school, district, and state level.

As the former Assistant Superintendent of Academics at the Louisiana Department of Education, Rebecca created a comprehensive, nationally recognized academic support model that provided teachers, principals, and districts unique resources and direct support to integrate assessments, curriculum, and teacher evaluation. 

AERDF is spearheading an effort to co-create a map of the education R&D ecosystem in the United States that will outline players, where they are working, and what they are working on. 

We’re looking to build together a map that none of us could see on our own. Our vision is that the map will be a tool for the emerging field that enables us to increase our impact, both individually and collectively, by making it easier to find collaborators, avoid duplicative efforts, and bridge gaps. We believe that this map will drive greater interest to education R&D as a whole and that the more attention and resources directed to the ecosystem, the more we can improve learning for all students.

Stay tuned to know how you can get involved!

We’re hitting the road this spring to share our story and insights from our work. Join us to learn how expanding research and development capacity in PreK-12 education can catalyze progress against some of the longest standing systemic inequities that impact Black and Latino students and students experiencing poverty. Catch us at these upcoming events:

• April 1-3: Learning and the Brain: The Science of Thinking: Teaching Reasoning & Critical Thinking with Melina Uncapher (NYC / Virtual)

• April 4-6: ASU+GSV Summit (San Diego / Virtual)

• April 6-8: Education Leaders of Color (EdLoC) (Houston)

• April 21-26: AERA: Cultivating Equitable Education Systems for the 21st Century (San Diego)