Research-Practice Partnerships

The Black Education Research Center (BERC), an affiliate of the Gordon Institute, received a $750,000 award from the New York City Council to continue its provision of professional learning opportunities and support to New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) educators implementing lessons from the Black Studies as the Study of the World Curriculum (BSC), which was completed on June 30, 2024, as part of the 2021 Education Equity Action Plan
(EEAP) Initiative.

This included the monthly Black Studies Virtual Learning Series covering a range of topics that culminated in the 2025 BERC Summer Conference, showcasing curricular implementation and research-informed practices for implementing the BSC.

BERC has also established a research-practice partnership with NYCPS Community District 3 (D3) that is the basis for a Spencer Vision Grant Proposal entitled: Black Studies as the Study of the World: Exploring Curriculum Implementation as a Lever for Systems-Level Change in Large Urban Districts.

BERC also is a member of D3’s School Integration Advisory Board, which provides strategic guidance on the district’s goal to ensure each of its schools is socioeconomically representative of its student population overall and offers its students a rigorous, culturally affirming education.