The collaboration between three New York University centers and institutes has received the most recent Spencer Foundation Vision Grant
(NEW YORK) — The McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research, The Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools, and The Research Alliance for New York City Schools are the recipients of a prestigious $75,000 Vision Grant from the Spencer Foundation to establish a groundbreaking research initiative to better understand and address overlapping traumas that impact educational outcomes for marginalized youth.
The research project, which will work in partnership with the office of New York City Council Member Nantasha Williams (Council District 27), will focus on the critical need for equitable access to services that can reduce the impact of compounded trauma on childhood cognitive and emotional development.
“As we confront the intersectional challenges facing our marginalized youth, this research initiative is a testament to the power of collective action through collaborative research and community partnerships,” Council Member Williams, Chair of the NYC Council Committee on Civil and Human Rights, said. “This groundbreaking research initiative represents a critical step towards understanding and dismantling the systemic barriers that perpetuate educational disparities in communities of color. This grant is an opportunity to develop solutions and lay a foundation of equitable access to services, guaranteeing a future where all children can thrive academically and emotionally.”
“As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, we have a better understanding of the alarming impact the pandemic had on the physical, mental, and socio-emotional well-being of school-aged children,” said McSilver Institute Executive Director Rose Pierre-Louis. “Through the generous support of the Spencer Foundation we have a remarkable opportunity to dig deep into these issues, to better support and care for our young people, today and in the future.”
This initiative will focus on communities in Southeast Queens, which saw disproportionate effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including alarming rates of infection and loss of life. The project will focus its efforts on elementary and middle schools in the area, which grapple with significant race and gender disparities compounded by factors such as poverty, violence, educational achievement, and underemployment. Additionally, the initiative will address the enduring impacts of COVID-19 in a multicultural neighborhood characterized by a blend of long-standing, racially diverse residents, and recent migrants and asylum seekers.
The collaborative effort will incorporate an interdisciplinary team of researchers, practitioners, and policymakers spanning education, psychology, sociology, and social work to formulate a multi-method research project that can help both the initial populations, as well as be expanded to other similar communities as well. Through rigorous examination and innovative interventions, the project endeavors to improve educational outcomes and advance social justice for all.
“Research has shown that childhood trauma can have long-lasting negative impacts on individuals that extend far into adulthood. This grant from the Spencer Foundation provides the opportunity for a remarkable collaboration to look for real solutions to the challenges being faced by young people, to help them achieve greater academic success now and longer, healthy, happier lives going forward,” said Principal Investigator Dr. Andrew Cleek, the McSilver Institute’s deputy executive director.
“Our considerable work within communities has shown conclusively that too many youth have been disproportionately affected by recent traumas. Through our partnerships across policy, research, and practice, we hope to capitalize on this opportunity, made possible by the Spencer Foundation, to develop novel ways to support improvement in youth outcomes,” said Principal Investigator Dr. Lydia Franco, senior director of education and innovation at the McSilver Institute.
“We at NYU Metro Center are thrilled for the opportunity to collaborate with such wonderful colleagues to bring the power of research to bear on addressing such critical issues impacting our most vulnerable communities,” said Principal Investigator Dr. Fabienne Doucet, executive director of the NYU Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools. “We look forward to engaging with impacted community members and policymakers to leverage their expertise, strength, and resilience as we work toward making access to resources more equitable.”
“The Research Alliance is excited to partner on this important project. The Spencer Foundation planning grant provides the opportunity to incubate transformative research that puts equity at the center. Through inclusive and collaborative processes, we ensure that our research not only addresses pressing educational challenges but also reflects the diverse voices and experiences of those directly impacted,” Principal Investigator Dr. Cheri Fancsali, executive director of the Research Alliance for NYC Schools, said.
This work is made possible through the Spencer Foundation’s Vision Grants program, which funds the collaborative planning of innovative, methodologically diverse, interdisciplinary research on education that contributes to transforming education systems for equity. Following the initial year-long planning period funded by the grant, the next phase will be the application for a comprehensive five-year research study that will do the substantive research leading to concrete, data-driven, and applicable ways to improve the lives of youth in some of the most vulnerable communities.