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​Adrienne C. Goss
Director
sphere@ric.edu
401-456-9070


Location Henry Barnard School
Suite 217
(Find us on campus)​​


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​Social Policy Hub for Equity Research in Education (SPHERE)

NEW! Please view the 2020 Rhode Island Education Policy Primer.

Mission

The mission of SPHERE is to engage Rhode Island College students and faculty, in partnership with Rhode Island community members, in conducting and disseminating research for equitable educational and social policies. SPHERE endeavors to help Rhode Islanders understand, and become more involved in education policy decisions.

Vision

SPHERE aspires to be a leading education and social policy institute in Rhode Island.  As a policy hub, SPHERE connects with Rhode Island’s education stakeholders in multiple spheres of influence by linking research, policy, and practice.

Where We “Fit”

SPHERE is housed under the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development (FSEHD).  SPHERE helps to fulfill FSEHD’s mission to provide expertise in educational policy, research, and professional development to schools, agencies, and communities.

Policy Priorities

At SPHERE, we conduct and disseminate research on educational practices and policies that advance equity and justice for Rhode Island’s children.  Focusing only on educational practices and policies ignores the systemic societal problems that contribute to educational inequity.  Therefore, our work addresses practices and policies in multiple spheres: classrooms and schools, out-of-school spaces, and communities.  ​

Our work will start with a focus on K-12 schools during the 2019-2020 academic year.  We will add out-of-school time to our policy agenda by the 2021-2022 academic year, followed by a focus on communities in subsequent years.  Because of our commitment to the needs of the Rhode Island community, we will adjust as needed so that we can respond to challenges and opportunities as they emerge in the state.  ​

Page last updated: October 26, 2020