Company Profile
Value-Added Research Center
Company Overview
The Value-Added Research Center is dedicated to developing, applying, and disseminating value-added and longitudinal research methods for the purpose of evaluating the performance and effectiveness of schools and teachers, and educational programs and policies.
Housed in the Wisconsin Center for Education Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Value-Added Research Center is home to multiple on-going research projects, and is funded by grants from sources such as IES/NCES, NSF, and the Joyce Foundation. Research partners include the Milwaukee Public School System, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, and the Tri-State Partnership (Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin).
The Value-Added Research Center is directed by Rob Meyer. A staff of scientists, researchers, and education professionals provide a wide variety of cross-disciplinary expertise to allow for ground-breaking work on value-added systems and evaluation models. The work is rigorous, transparent, and highly collaborative.
Notable Clients
Milwaukee and Chicago Public Schools
Notable Accomplishments / Recognition
The Value-Added Research Center is the fastest growing center within the Wisconsin Center for Education Research, with total committed and proposed funding equal to approximately $3 million annually.
The work of the Value-Added Research Center is underwritten by many different foundations and organizations. This multiplicity of funding sources reflects both the complexity of the VARC mission and its commitment to full-spectrum work. The portfolio of work represents both basic research and leading-edge implementation work. The mix of agencies mirrors this range.