Messenger - Vol. 2, No. 1, Page 11 Fall 1992 'Think Tank' comes to campus Almost everyone who talks about public education these days agrees that reform and change are needed. But the agreement stops there. The whats, whys and hows of educational reform bring forth conflicting theories, opinions and ideas from well-meaning and sincere people. What to do? That's where the University's new Center for Educational Research and Development enters the picture. A non-partisan, independent "think tank" that will make recommendations based on solid research, the center is a collaboration by the University, the Delaware Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and Delaware State College in Dover. A $2 million grant from the Du Pont Co. launched the center in June. A total of $12 million, half to be raised from the private sector, will be needed to fund the center for five years. According to state school superintendent Pascal Forgione, in his "New Directions for Education in Delaware" proposal, three basic questions are the starting place for educational reform: * What is it that all students must know and learn? * How will we know when students have accomplished the task? * What is the best way to help the students enhance their learning? The center's mission will be to provide a research base to help answer these questions and other issues related to curriculum, measures of student performance, school restructuring, teacher and administrator standards, educational finance and long-term policy studies. Operational this fall, the center is staffed by five educational researchers and a director. The latter is both a University faculty member and deputy state superintendent for policy analysis, serving in the state superintendent's cabinet and providing a link between policy/practice and research/development. An advisory board, chaired by the state superintendent, will include the presidents of the University, Delaware State College and the State Board of Education, among others. According to Frank B. Murray, H. Rodney Sharp Professor of Educational Studies and dean of the College of Education, the Delaware Center for Educational Research and Development "is an idea whose time has come." --Sue Swyers Moncure