Advancing State Education R&D: SERP’s Partnership with the Alliance for Learning Innovation
Public education is at an inflection point. Across the country, states and local systems are grappling with how to improve outcomes for learners while navigating complex challenges from equity and engagement to evidence and scale. At SERP, we believe one powerful lever for progress is
education research and development (R&D) that is rooted in community needs and connected to real-world practice.
That belief is why we’re proud to partner with the
Alliance for Learning Innovation (ALI) and to contribute to the newly released
State Education R&D Playbook.
A Playbook for Turning Vision into Action
Developed by
Education Reimagined and
Transcend, in partnership with ALI, the
State Education R&D Playbook is an interactive resource designed to help states build the conditions and infrastructure needed to transform education systems.
- Informed by insights from more than 100 stakeholders across education and beyond, the Playbook offers:
- Practical recommendations for state and local leaders
- Real-world examples of education R&D in action
Tools to help communities identify, test, and spread what works for learners
Rather than prescribing one-size-fits-all solutions, the Playbook emphasizes coordination, capacity-building, and technical assistance, so innovation can emerge from the communities closest to students.
SERP’s Work Spotlighted: From DCPS to Math by Example
As part of this partnership,
SERP’s work with
District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) is featured in the Playbook’s recommendations, highlighting how research-practice partnerships can support local systems through targeted technical assistance and sustained collaboration.
In addition,
SERP’s Math by Example (MBE) work is
recognized as a “bright spot” that reflects the program’s focus on evidence-based design, classroom relevance, and responsiveness to educator and student needs.
We’re honored to see this work elevated alongside efforts from states and systems across the country that are making education R&D a strategic priority rather than a side initiative.
Why Education R&D and Why Now
Unlike fields such as medicine or technology, education has historically lacked durable systems to develop, validate, and scale effective solutions. The State Education R&D Playbook makes the case that R&D is not abstract or partisan, it’s a
practical, bipartisan pathway to:
- Stronger evidence of what works
- Better return on investment
- Continuous improvement grounded in what learners and communities value
By connecting innovation to policy and systems change, the Playbook helps ensure that R&D is not just about generating knowledge, but about improving learning experiences at scale.
Being Part of the ALI Coalition
SERP is a proud member of ALI’s growing coalition of nonprofits, researchers, practitioners, funders, and private sector leaders committed to advancing education R&D. Through this coalition, members collaborate on priority policy areas, share research and insights, and engage with federal and state leaders to strengthen investment in evidence-based innovation.
This partnership reflects SERP’s long-standing commitment to bridging research and practice and to working alongside others who believe that improving education requires both rigor and collaboration.
Learn More and Explore the Playbook
We encourage state leaders, district partners, funders, and educators to explore the
State Education R&D Playbook and consider how its recommendations might support their own design and improvement efforts.
Explore the Playbook:
https://www.alicoalition.org/playbook
We’re grateful to our partners at ALI, Education Reimagined, and Transcend for their leadership and we look forward to continuing this work together as education R&D gains momentum nationwide.