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The BRIDGE Initiative at Rutgers CESP Return to CESP Home Resources Events Blog Support More The Power of Partnership: Why SEPAGs Matter in Special Education Anna Lasek, Communications Assistant Special Education Parent Advisory Groups (SEPAGs) are parent-led groups that work with districts to create inclusive environments for students with disabilities. These groups provide a structured space for parents, educators, and administrators to collaborate on policies, programs, and practices that impact students with disabilities. Return to Blog Special Education Parent Advisory Groups (SEPAGs) are parent advisory groups that work with districts to create inclusive environments for students with disabilities. From providing inputs on curriculum and class instruction to making sure there is adequate facilitation, SEPAGs play a critical role in ensuring that there is an adequate and structured spaces of learning for all students. These groups, required by New Jersey law, provide a structured space for parents, educators, and administrators to come together and collaborate on policies, programs, and practices that impact students with disabilities. SEPAGs are successful and embedded in partnership. They provide an opportunity for families to share their lived experiences, raise concerns, and offer feedback—all of which help shape more responsive, inclusive, and effective services. For schools and districts, SEPAGs offer valuable insight into what’s working and where improvements are needed. Transparency, feedback, and change are key to developing an inclusive environment for schools for all students. Here's how to get involved: Contact your local school district Inquire about the SEPAG: learn how to get involved Attend meetings: Stay involved and attend meetings to stay up to date with what is happening within school districts. Express your interest: Stay active and show involvement, they know that you are interested in joining the group. Participate in discussions and activities: Share your experiences, concerns, and ideas related to special education in the district. Stay informed: Stay active and informed with new updates Engage with other parents. SEPAGs are a great opportunity not only to develop strong connections between families and the school district, but also for families to connect with one another! Whether you're a parent, educator, or administrator, engaging with your local SEPAG is a meaningful way to strengthen your school community and advance equity in education. Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link The BRIDGE Initiative is funded by the NJ Department of Education Office of Special Education (Engagement of Parents of Students with Disabilities; Grant #26000007) through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA-B; 84.027A). Rutgers is an equal access/equal opportunity institution. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to direct suggestions, comments, or complaints concerning any accessibility issues with Rutgers websites to accessibility@rutgers.edu or complete the Report Accessibility Barrier / Provide Feedback Form . Copyright 2025 Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Back to Our People Vivian Allen Associate Director e : p : vivian.allen@gse.rutgers.edu (732) 564-9100 x16 Education : Continuing Ed. Diploma, Financial Analysis; New York University B.A., New York University Vivian Allen is the Associate Director of the Center for Effective School Practices, where she provides advanced leadership and engaged oversight to the Center’s day-to-day operations striving to achieve optimal operational efficiencies within current university and stakeholder climates such that CESP may excel in meeting its existing award commitments, perform beyond stakeholder expectations, and further grow and develop in meaningful purposeful ways. Vivian closely supervises the CESP team to ensure the integrity of the research and methodological approaches, as well as the completion of related tasks on-time and up to CESP’s high-standards. She does so by focusing on the capacity building of individual team members and the organization as a whole to support healthy, strategic growth toward realizing the mission and vision of CESP. Vivian actively collaborates with faculty, staff, and external partners to ensure the rigor and relevance of CESP’s research portfolio with an eye toward efficient and effective project management in a fiscally sound manner. Beyond this, she actively partakes in research and evaluation projects and disseminates the work of the Center through written publications and presentations at conferences. Vivian has extensive experience with evaluating programs and using this information in an iterative process of program refinement. Her undergraduate and graduate education focused on mathematics and analytical processing and she has extended this with a more recent emphasis on research methodologies with social science theoretical underpinnings. Additionally, she has spent over 20 years in financial management and program development within private industry and non-profit organizations and has a deep and sincere appreciation for the importance of relationship-building and authentic collaboration, open and honest communication, and the central role of third-party organizations in an educational research and policy context.

Published in the EDULEARN2023 Conference Proceedings Community-engaged pedagogy offers a rich, authentic, and motivating context for learning that stimulates personal and academic growth of both students and instructors. By studying and addressing real-world problems facing communities—whether related to health, the environment, or social justice—student learning is transformed from a passive to an active form of engagement that is not only complex and challenging, but also highly relevant. Such competency-focused learning provides space for impactful service to learners’ communities and rewarding and grounded experiences. This contribution describes the practical decisions involved in planning, designing, and executing community-engaged pedagogy, which differs from service learning given its emphasis on the co-production of knowledge. Different models of community-engaged pedagogy exist, but studies that compare them are virtually non-existent. Moving to close this gap, two distinct models of high-quality, community-engaged pedagogy are explored in terms of their learning outcomes, learning experience, and benefit to the community. A community-based model seeks ad-hoc opportunities for individual classes to collaborate with a community partner on solving a problem that is relevant to that community; this model often builds on existing relationships between individual instructors and community groups to introduce students to problem-based learning opportunities. A partnership-based model, in contrast, builds on institutional infrastructure and an educational vision that promote the system-level integration of community-engaged pedagogy into the learning experience of students by building and maintaining robust, long-term partnerships within communities. The factors and conditions needed to support each of these two models are discussed, along with recommendations regarding the broader application of each model in practice, including areas in need of greater development, testing, and investment. View the Publication Suggested Citation: Blitz, C. L., Yanovitzky, I., & Amiel, D. J. (2023). Community-Engaged Pedagogy by Design: Practical Strategies for Promoting Transformative Learning. Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies , 5270–5275. https://doi.org/10.21125/edulearn.2023.1382 Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link ⟵ All Resources Community-Engaged Pedagogy by Design: Practical Strategies

Back to Research Building Elementary Computer Science Educators' Capacity: A Workshop to Improve Content and Pedagogical Knowledge David J. Amiel, Cynthia L. Blitz, & Taylor G. Clough In an article titled “Building Elementary Computer Science Educators’ Capacity: A Workshop to Improve Content and Pedagogical Knowledge,” published in the journal Technology and Engineering Education (January 2025), authors David J. Amiel, Cynthia L. Blitz, and Taylor G. Clough of the Rutgers Center for Effective School Practices describe the process of planning and implementing a professional development workshop for elementary educators who are involved with delivering computer science education as part of their school-based curricula. Topics discussed in the journal article about the workshop include: Workshop planning considerations, such as selecting a format to best support educators in an out-of-school professional learning opportunity and developing an agenda that enables educators to quickly mobilize learned concepts. Highlights representing the most well-received pieces of the workshop as well as those that can be easily replicated or implemented in other settings by educators or professional development providers. Collaboration with experienced workshop instructors to develop professional learning that targets long-term retention through short-term implementation. Materials needed for participating in workshop model lessons (and for educators to subsequently implement them as part of their school-based curricula). Summaries of impact, survey results, and participant reflections. January 2025 Technology & Engineering Education | Volume 2, Issue 3 Planning a professional development workshop for elementary educators who are delivering computer science education as part of their school-based curricula is the focus of this journal article. Citation Amiel, D. J., Blitz, C. L., & Clough, T. G. (2025). Building Elementary Computer Science Educators’ Capacity: A Workshop to Improve Content and Pedagogical Knowledge. Technology & Engineering Education , 2 (3), 13–18. View Online Download PDF Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

RESOURCES Rutgers CESP / Research / Resources / Our center’s commitment to building the capacity of education stakeholders to develop and deliver high-quality, evidence-based instruction and learning opportunities is a point of pride. To support and shape best practices within and beyond educational contexts, the Center for Effective School Practices creates professional resources that aim to bolster practitioners’ abilities to improve learning among individuals, teams, groups, and entire institutions. Now Available: Computer Science Instructional Resources Through an Education, Innovation, and Research (EIR) award from the United States Department of Education, the Extending the Computer Science Pipeline project engaged middle school educators teaching computer science and related courses. Participating educators received hands-on technical assistance and professional learning as they developed high-quality instructional resources to engage all learners in rigorous and relevant computer science instruction. Lesson packages, practice guides, professional learning and other project resources are all available for free! Access CS Resources Full Collection Many of the resources listed here were developed in alignment with the center’s recent focus on scalable mechanisms for improving computer science education across the K-12 continuum. You also will find resources for recruiting schools to participate in research. Explore these sets of practitioner-facing resources, such as lesson packages, curricula development guides, professional development content, and other ready-to-use materials. We will continue to post new resources on this webpage, so check back often and follow our center on social media for updates. Year Resource Description Tags 2025 Common Online Math Platforms at a Glance: Reference Sheets Consise and printable one-pagers summarizing five widely used online math learning platforms: ALEKS, Beast Academy, DreamBox, IXL, and Khan Academy. mathematics; educator resources; ALEKS; Beast Academy; DreamBox; IXL; Khan Academy 2025 Computer Science, Entrepreneurship, and Design – An Enticing Approach! A creative, hands-on project where middle schoolers design ice cream shops while learning computer science, entrepreneurship, data analysis, website creation, and 3D modeling. computer science education; entrepreneurship; curriculum resource; interdisciplinary learning 2024 School Recruitment Resource Packet This guide describes the center’s outreach process and communication materials, which leverage research recruitment principles related to personalized messaging, potential positive impacts, and incentives. research; schools and districts; outreach and engagement 2024 Middle School Introductory Computer Science Curriculum Crosswalk This tool features detailed information on eight different curricula for middle school introductory computer science, including approaches to teaching, whether through games, storytelling, or other engaging methods. computer science; course and curriculum planning; online tool 2024 Computing Concepts: A Four-Part Professional Development Video Series for Middle School Educators At-your-own-pace video modules in this four-part professional development series include: Impacts of Computing, Networks, The Internet, and Protocols. computer science; professional learning; videos Page 1 of 3

Hosted by the Rutgers University Center for Effective School Practices & Department of Computer Science With funding from the Rutgers EIR: Extending the CS Pipeline project, the Center for Effective School Practices and the Department of Computer Science partnered together to host the 7th semi-annual Rutgers University Computer Science Summit. The summit offered an opportunity for over 200 K-12 teachers and administrators, faculty from 2- and 4-year institutes of higher education, industry partners and curriculum developers and other CS education advocates to engage in meaningful conversations and learning opportunities. This year, the Summit offered, in addition to professional learning in to core CSE concepts (teaching and learning, instructional practices, and strategies to broaden participation in computing, among others), many opportunites to explore emerging topics, such as artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. The program also featured robust discussions of statewide issues, with representatives from the NJDOE sharing updates on certifications, standards, professional development, and strategic plans. The 2024 Keynote speakers were Natasha Singer, a technology reporter at The New York Times and Michael Geraghty, NJ’s Chief Information Security Officer and Director of the NJ Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell. The full program agenda, session descriptions, speaker information, and resources shared by presenters are available freely on the summit's webpage. View the Summit Webpage Suggested Citation: Center for Effective School Practices. (2024). 2024 Rutgers University Computer Science Summit [Event archive]. Rutgers University. New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA. https://cesp.rutgers.edu/eir-resource-library/2024-rutgers-cs-summit/ Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link ⟵ All Resources 2024 Rutgers University Computer Science Summit

Back to Resources New Jersey Parents’ Views of Adolescent Depression Screening New Jersey Parents Weigh in on School-Based Depression Screening A statewide survey of parents reveals strong support for adolescent depression screening, tempered by concerns about stigma, privacy, and the administration of school-based programs. Suggested Citation New Jersey Parents’ Views of Adolescent Depression Screening. (2022). Project ASPEN. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University. Retrieved from https://cesp.rutgers.edu . Our research shows that parents in New Jersey recognize the benefits of depression screening but have concerns regarding possible unintended effects and the administration of screening in schools. Effective communication that addresses these concerns is imperative to increasing support from parents to school- based depression screening. There is an alarming increase in the percentage of U.S. adolescents reporting depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation, including in New Jersey. Early detection and treatment are key to preventing negative, long-term effects of depression in youth, and current guidelines recommend routine screening for depression in adolescents ages 12-18. Yet rates of adolescent depression screening remain extremely low. Project ASPEN, 2022 - New Jersey Parents Views of Adolescent Depression Screening .pdf Download PDF • 882KB Project ASPEN is a collaboration between a team of researchers from Rutgers University and the National Alliance on Mental Illness New Jersey (NAMI-NJ) to improve policy decision-makers’ access to credible and timely research evidence regarding different aspects of formulating and implementing sound youth mental health policies. The project is funded by a grant from the William T. Grant Foundation. Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Back to Research Building Computer Science Education Capacity in Middle Schools: A University-District Partnership Cynthia L. Blitz & David J. Amiel Instruction in computer science (CS) and computational thinking instills students with fundamental skills that equip them to succeed in the 21st century and empower them to design creative solutions to problems facing their schools, their communities, and their world. Thus, expanding students' access to computer science education (CSE) is a major priority of educational systems worldwide. In the US, these efforts are intentionally focused on broadening the participation of historically underrepresented groups, including students from economically and socially marginalized backgrounds. Many continue to be primarily focused on reaching high school students, although available research suggests that improving access to CSE in middle school can increase students' interest, participation, and retention in CSE in high school and beyond. However, significant variations exist in the capacity of middle schools to deliver intentional, consistent, and meaningful CSE as a function of institutional considerations (e.g., transportation, scheduling constraints, and curricular demands), available resources, teacher training, and characteristics of the communities they serve. In addition, established curricular and pedagogical norms for engaging students in CSE do not exist at the middle school level as they do in high school, presenting another barrier to expanding earlier access to CS. Therefore, it is imperative to provide schools with responsive supports as they develop, implement, and refine CSE programs that address their unique circumstances. Many collaborative structures, such as research-practice partnerships, research alliances, and professional learning communities, can be powerful mechanisms for connecting educators with evidence-based practices, thereby building the capacity of their schools to deliver high quality CSE. Here, we describe the process used to establish and maintain a sustained university-district partnership within a broader, regional consortium of districts, united by the common goal of improving access to middle school CSE. With funding from the U.S. Department of Education, these efforts bring together educators, researchers, faculty, and private and public sector CS experts to (a) examine and assess the current state of CSE in participating schools, (b) identify opportunities that situate CSE with each school's goals, resources, and infrastructure, (c) implement educational initiatives and innovations, making data-informed decisions at each stage, and (d) assess the short- and long-term impacts of their efforts, retracing steps when needed, and building on successes when possible. We then report findings from the ongoing evaluation of the partnership's performance and impact, including perspectives from an array of stakeholders alongside programmatic considerations that drive the partnership's progress, including those made in response to continued disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the insights gained from this experience. July 2023 15th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies (EDULEARN) Palma, Mallorca, Spain DOI: 10.21125/edulearn.2023.1547 This paper presents processes for a university-district partnership that responsively supports schools' development, implementation, and refinement of middle school computer science education. Citation Blitz, C. L., & Amiel, D. J. (2023). Building Computer Science Education Capacity in Middle Schools: A University-District Partnership. Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies , 5922–5930. https://doi.org/10.21125/edulearn.2023.1547 View Online Download PDF Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

OUR STORY A History of Excellence The Center for Effective School Practices (CESP) is an applied translational research and evaluation unit within the Rutgers University Graduate School of Education. Established nearly 25 years ago, Rutgers CESP has a well-earned reputation for its dedication to bridging the gaps among research, practice, and policy. Centrally, the center works to develop mechanisms and tools that build the capacity of systems, organizations, and stakeholders to effectively use timely, credible, and actionable research-based insights. To this end, Rutgers CESP has decades of experience in leveraging community and practitioner knowledge, fostering multi-sector collaborations, and facilitating the institutionalization of effective decision-making routines. Rutgers CESP operates as a dynamic hub for innovation, working to create, test, refine, and scale promising interventions and programs. The center’s work operates within and well beyond traditional educational boundaries, forging meaningful connections among disciplines such as health, workforce development, and public policy. Through our interdisciplinary approach, we foster impactful partnerships among local education agencies, institutes of higher education, government agencies, community organizations, and industry corporations. With a rich network of collaborators and proven ability in facilitating collaborations, Rutgers CESP actively engages in the co-production of knowledge that benefits all involved. A Mission that Inspires Us The Center for Effective School Practices (CESP) at Rutgers University bridges the gaps among research, practice, and policy by developing innovative, evidence-based solutions. We empower systems, organizations, and stakeholders to make informed, data-driven decisions through interdisciplinary collaboration and the practical application of research insights. We: • Conduct rigorous research and evaluation to generate new knowledge and actionable insights. • Develop tools and mechanisms that build the capacity of individuals, organizations, and systems. • Facilitate interdisciplinary collaborations across education, health, workforce development, and public policy. • Provide professional development and technical assistance tailored to diverse stakeholder needs. • Translate and apply research evidence to enhance research, practice, and policy. Work That Matters Securing over $22 million of research and contract funding since 2012, Rutgers CESP has a wide-reaching portfolio of high-impact research and evaluation programs. The center has received competitive grant awards from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, state and federal Departments of Education, and other public and private organizations. In addition, Rutgers CESP frequently serves as an evaluator for an array of programs and interventions, develops and delivers high quality professional development and technical assistance, and provides numerous impactful services directly to organizations and professionals. Rutgers CESP is your trusted partner for work that matters. Whether through research, evaluation, technical assistance, or analytics, our center delivers innovative, tailored, and practical solutions. Work with Us Work That Matters Spanning disciplines and levels, Rutgers CESP is committed to excellence in all its work. Explore the efforts that keep practitioners and professionals at the center. Projects Generating New Knowledge With decades of experience in mixed methods applied research and evaluation, Rutgers CESP is a major contributor to NJ's research titan. Research Translating to Practice As experts in dissemination, Rutgers CESP makes findings, tools, and other resources available to practitioners in ways that make sense, all for free. Resources People Make it Possible At Rutgers CESP, our team, our partners, and collaborating districts and organizations are at the heart of what we do. Learn more about the engine that powers our work. People

Back to Research Computer Science, Entrepreneurship, and Design – An Enticing Approach! David J. Amiel, Cristin Sedelmaier, & Frances P. Trees This fun and flexible middle school project invites students in grades 6–8 to design their own fictional ice cream shop while building foundational skills in computer science, entrepreneurship, and design. Developed through a U.S. Department of Education-funded university-district partnership, the project spans several weeks and includes activities such as logo creation, website development, market research, survey design and analysis, and 3D storefront modeling. Students explore internet safety, data literacy, branding, and more—all anchored in a creative, student-driven context. The project is fully customizable and adaptable across classroom settings, subject areas, and instructional time frames. Teachers can choose from modular components like graphic design, data visualization, and 3D modeling, or extend the experience with “extra toppings” such as cost modeling, nutrition research, and even custom cone cover design. All materials are free and ready-to-use, making it easy for educators to bring hands-on, interdisciplinary STEM learning to life. March 2025 2025 Philadelphia National Conference, National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA A creative, hands-on project where middle schoolers design ice cream shops while learning computer science, entrepreneurship, data analysis, website creation, and 3D modeling. Citation Amiel, D. J., Sedelmaier, C., & Trees, F. P. (2025, March 27). Computer Science, Entrepreneurship, and Design – An Enticing Approach! [Poster presentation]. 2025 Philadelphia National Conference, National Science Teaching Association (NSTA), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. View Online Download PDF Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link