Austin Independent School District (Austin ISD) and The University of Texas at Austin College of Education (UT COE) have a long, informal history of collaboration. Networking and organic partnerships have been organized through regular meetings between institutional leaders, often through a group called the UT-AISD Collaborative.
Over the years, they launched many early pilots for successful programs that are active and thriving today. The Texas Principal Leadership Academy principal residents and the early career mentoring program now called THRIVE have origins in the UT-AISD Collaborative. The Collaborative also hosted forums (view here or here) where practitioners and researchers came together and built upon work that was happening within our walls.
Though our institutions celebrate collaborating and conducting research, we recognized that the lack of formalized research-practice partnership – and the practices that come with it – limited our partnership from fully realizing its potential for students, staff, research, and the wider Austin community.
UT COE, the research university home site, and Austin ISD, its urban core partner are now developing an RPP. Together, with LONESTARP3, a team is deep into a yearlong effort to create official structures for forging an RPP.
The effort is led by Dr. Jay Brown, supervisor of Research-Insight-Analytics for Austin ISD and Dr. Sarah Woulfin, professor and department chair of UT COE Educational Leadership and Policy. Both lead thought-partnership and day-to-day progress on the RPP for their institution.
They are also joined by Dr. Paula Arce-Trigatti, Director, facilitator, and content coach for the National Network of Education Research-Practice Partnerships (NNERPP). NNERPP provides deep expertise on the practical creation and maintenance of RPP structures. NNERPP also provides an outside perspective in facilitation as institutions come together for shared purpose.
These three core leaders have defined the following tasks for success:
- Explore available information on RPPs
- Connect best-fit features for the unique needs of the Austin area
- Create initial documentation for approval
- Support the approval processes.
The scope of work began in Spring in 2025, and included sending a team to the NNERPP Annual Forum in the summer to connect with other RPPs from across the country. In the Fall, a leadership team of 5-8 key leaders from both organization was formed, coaching sessions between NNERPP and their budding RPP began, and design meetings facilitated by NNERPP progressed.
Looking ahead, the work continues with data analysis from the initial design meeting and continued coaching leading to mission and vision statements and a formal interlocal agreement to cement the bond.
Insights from contributors in this planning process revealed that their research agenda must stem from actionable community needs; building trust is a keystone to success; and that the RPP design will be best suited as a “matchmaker” to find the right people, data, and methods for each job.
While the model may evolve with time, this initial start will organize our collaborations to better serve students, community, research, and the larger Texas and education contexts. They are excited to be a regular presence in the LONESTARP3 community and share insights and understanding with their like-inded peers from across the state..
One lingering hurdle is selecting a clever name. Submit your question about this emerging RPP, or suggestions for their name, to Sarah Woulfin and Jay Brown.
