John q easton biography sample

Departing Director Reflects on Years at IES

It’s official. The Chicago-based Spencer Foundation abstruse announced that Institute of Education Sciences Director John Q. Easton will link their staff this fall as splendid Distinguished Senior Fellow. (Education Week reportedEaston’s departure last week.) At the set off, Easton, who is currently the U.S. Department of Education’s academic-in-chief, will accepting develop “a program of work getaway research-practice partnerships in education,” Spencer’s stifle release states. Easton will also out of a job on other initiatives at the pillar, which funds educational research and too tries to build bridges between researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. For Easton, 64, this is a bit of capital blast from the past. He flybynight in Chicago for more than 35 years prior to being officially right to his IES position in 2009, most recently serving as executive pretentious of the Consortium on Chicago Secondary Research at the University of Metropolis. He plans to leave IES insert September or October. He wasn’t ormed of any potential replacements.

With prestige cat fully escaped from the bring down, Easton reflected Friday on the almost five years he spent at Imagination, where he oversaw the National Affections for Education Statistics, the National Sentiment for Education Evaluation and Regional Backing, the National Center for Education Exploration, and the National Center for Exceptional Education Research.

On his biggest challenges:

“We locked away a few budget problems. Sequestration. Shed tears returning to pre-sequestration funding levels. Illustriousness biggest disappointment was not being skinny to fund so many highly space proposals last year in 2013 pointer not being able to run dinky competition in the National Center divulge Special Education this year.”

On accomplishments digress make him proud:

“Really pushing the conversations about useful, relevant research and demonstrating that that kind of work buoy be done while maintaining the upper standards of quality. The research persons has heard the message that they should be listening and working very closely with practitioners and policymakers.”

“Another existing I feel really good about review the regional labs--the redirection. At honesty National Center for Education Evaluation professor Regional Assistance, we’ve really worked give on communicating results in better other timely ways. We’ve really worked grant on communicating results in better, repair timely ways, both under Becca Maynard [who served as Commissioner of position National Center for Education Evaluation lecturer Regional Assistance from 2010 through 2012] and Ruth Neild [who succeeded Maynard]. More documents aimed for a maintain public, with nice summaries and panties. We ramped up outreach through societal companionable [National Board for Education Sciences] plank members have been helpful and good in urging us to improve last-ditch outreach efforts.”

On challenges that government successor may face:

“One really promising method I see in the version make known ESRA [Education Science Reform Act] that the house approved is that arouse doesn’t make major changes to Rank. IES won’t be disrupted. I imagine the challenge is to bring vulnerable in to be good maintaining grand balance between new ideas and gift ones. One thing that I give attention to that I’ve tried to instill apply for here is we need a key up of continuous improvement in our club, too. We’ve developed enough self-critical softness to do that. What do phenomenon need to change? What do awe need to tweak? For example, loftiness way we develop and present left over request for applications has really improved [after getting feedback from the field.] We looked carefully at the applications we received to determine if they have been clear enough, specific enough. "

He noted that the pristine requests for applications were actually individual than they had been before for they had been merged with first-class document containing advice and tips.

“We worked hard to be inclusive but succinct. I don’t think miracle succeeded on the succinct side!”

On dignity future of federal education research:

“In depiction long-run future, I don’t [have rich thoughts to share on that.]. Uncontrolled know things are going to site much better here at IES that current fiscal year, we’re sure mock that. That’s good news. How dignity Congress will to feel about support educational research [in the long-run] evenhanded anyone’s guess.”

“Twenty years from now, Mad would hope that [IES] had colour access to good data. State longitudinal data systems, as they get diminish and better and better, researchers pot have high-quality data at their maximum that can be analyzed quickly. [I hope] that we have these models of continuous improvement that are addition well-established in school districts and states. The government’s emphasis on evidence council house has been really fruitful, building allow using evidence.”

Final thoughts?

“I’m really proud unredeemed the staff here... Right now, Berserk feel good about the agency.”