REDEE Center

Research for EDucator Equity & Excellence (REDEE) Center

Founded in 2020, the Research for EDucator Equity & Excellence (REDEE, pronounced Ready) Center is housed at Texas State University, which is home to one of the largest traditional educator preparation programs (EPP) in the US. The REDEE Center’s mission is to conduct equity-focused research that (a) increases the quantity, quality, and effectiveness of new educators, (b) improves the employment environment in which the new educators work so students and educators thrive, and (c) informs state and federal education and EPP policies. To accomplish this mission, REDEE researchers are conducting quantitative and mixed-methods research studies that examine the educator pipeline from admissions into an EPP through the first 10 years in schools.

EPP-Research Partnership

In early 2021, the REDEE Center established an EPP-Research Partnership. The Partnership is designed to answer questions that the EPP members lack the capacity to answer themselves. REDEE researchers conduct research for and on behalf of member EPPs; this is grass-roots research for EPPs, by EPPs. The 20 largest traditional and alternative EPPs in Texas are members of the Partnership.  Texas is home to many of the largest EPPs in the US and Texas EPPs prepare over 50% of the alternatively prepared teachers in the US (Van Overschelde & Wiggins, 2019). Collectively, the partner EPPs prepared over 18,000 new educators in 2019-20, which is 70% of the newly prepared Texas educators. This number of new educators is equivalent to 6.5% of all new public-school teachers in the US.

Vision

The REDEE Center's vision is to collaboratively conduct research that will:
(a) inform practices that ensure the preparation of excellent educators, and
(b) inform policies that encourage the creation of effective teaching and learning environments in schools.

Mission

The REDEE Center consists of faculty members who are collaboratively engaged in educator preparation and educator employment research. The REDEE Center is developing and executing a strategic, equity-focused research agenda that informs EPP design as well as state and federal EPP and school policies. The REDEE Center conducts research, seeks grant funding to support our research, and communicates research findings to a broad audience.