Research

students posing in front of research poster
Research Driving Change

We are home to 14 research and outreach units. Our faculty members in these units have a reputation for conducting innovative work in school reform, assessment, school-wide discipline and behavior management, positive youth development, family interventions, special education, early intervention, and culturally responsive educational practices. These programs help children and families of all ages—from infants and toddlers to adolescents and young adults. The work they do is making a difference in Oregon, across the country, and around the world.

Our research culture is field-leading and highly influential with a long tradition of translating research into effective models, methods, and measures that improve lives.

$67M
In faculty sponsored research and project grants FY2024
46
Principal investigators
in fy2024
108
Active research Awards
Received in fy2024
$631K
Average annual award
in fy2024

 

Research Briefly

Brief videos highlighting remarkable research and grant awards within the College of Education
 

 Impact and Outcomes

43
commercial education products on the market right now
29,000+
schools use our Positive behavioral interventions and supports Apps (PBISApps)
1 in 10
US Students were impacted by the use of The School-Wide Information System (SWIS)

We are the highest-ranked academic unit at the University of Oregon, due largely to a decades-long record of national and international research and development in special education, counseling psychology, educational leadership, and school psychology. Our research culture is unique and highly influential because our faculty have a long tradition of translating research into effective models, methods, and measures that improve lives.

Our innovations have an enduring impact in Oregon and across the nation.

Our Education Products

Research News 

November 1, 2024

multiple individuals posing for a photo, person taking photo with device

Well-being across the lifespan at the Prevention Science Institute

Whether in schools, healthcare, or in the home, UO's Prevention Science Institute (PSI) helps individuals and communities enact lasting behavioral change to prevent some of the most important problems we face in society. Beth Stormshak, PSI’s director and Philip H. Knight chair and professor gives expert commentary.

October 25, 2024

HEDCO courtyard

UO touts $7 million increase in research expenditures

UO’s research enterprise grew in fiscal year 2023-24 across all disciplines with $178 million in new awards. 35% of federal funding came from the Department of Education, and faculty in the College of Education received high-impact awards including $24.5 million in funding renewals.

October 2, 2024

Adult sitting with young individuals

Early Adolescence: A Window of Opportunity for Educators to Support Positive Mental Health

Early adolescence, roughly ages 10 to 13, is a unique time in development where young people experience rapid social, cognitive, and emotional changes. In a new research brief authored by Lorry Lokey Chair in Education Leslie Leve, the National Scientific Council on Adolescence (NSCA) provides research-based recommendations for educators to promote positive mental health in their classrooms.

September 24, 2024

teaching sitting on floor holding up the letter A with a group of young individuals

New research to test validity of an early learning curriculum

Researchers will test the Early Learning Matters Curriculum’s efficacy in a multistate, five-year project led by Sara Schmitt, Bricker-Squires Faculty Chair in Early Intervention and an associate professor in the College of Education at the University of Oregon.

 

 

 

Jennifer Ruef
Associate Professor Jennifer Ruef Receives 2024 NSF CAREER Award

Jennifer Ruef, PhD, is one of four UO researchers to receive the National Science Foundation’s most prestigious honor for early-career faculty in 2024. Ruef’s project is focused on student perceptions of math and partnering with teachers to improve how they teach math.

Learn more about Jennifer's award

HEDCO Institute Classroom
HEDCO Institute for Evidence-Based Educational Practice

Strengthening connections between research and practice in K-12 education

The HEDCO Institute for Evidence-Based Educational Practice aims to impact future generations by supporting today’s educators. Using the latest tools and methods to conduct rigorous evidence syntheses that meet the rapid decision-making needs of education leaders, the HEDCO Institute translates the findings from existing research, providing education leaders with trustworthy information to support the implementation of evidence-based practices, and promoting healthy students and schools.

Discover the HEDCO Institute

Research and Outreach Units

Click on the titles below to learn about the research and outreach unit's current work, faculty and staff, community impact, and more.   

The BRT concentrates on student learning information systems and teacher decision-making by researching and developing basic skills and content assessments, and supporting accessibility to state accountability systems that document academic standards proficiency.
CEQP is dedicated to working with communities to better understand and support the positive development of children and families, particularly those who are underserved by education, health, and social services systems.
CHD focuses on research, training, and outreach to support individuals with disabilities, their families, and communities. Home to the University Center for Excellence on Developmental Disabilities, our faculty and staff are particularly committed to bridging the research-to-practice gap through partnerships with schools and other community agencies. 
CPAN is designed to develop, implement and research a collective impact and public health approach to child abuse-neglect prevention.
CTL conducts research on the design, delivery, and efficacy of curriculum, instruction, and assessment as individual elements used in schools, especially in the primary, elementary, and middle school grades.
ECCares provides early intervention and early childhood special education services to children from birth to five-year-olds in Lane County who have a development delay, disability and/or sensory impairment.
ECS focuses on the development and implementation of practices that result in positive, durable, and scientifically substantiated change in the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families. Federal and state funded projects support research, teaching, dissemination, and technical assistance activities
IntoCareers works directly with leaders in education and workforce across the United States to develop and centralize evidence-based resources, curriculum, and technology-supported career action plans. By engaging state leaders, intoCareers maximizes at-scale impact while ensuring that the focus remains on empowering individuals in their personal Career Action Plans.
CIS provides a seamless connection between education, workforce, career, and reskilling. CIS assists state agencies, schools, community organizations, and private businesses to remove barriers to career planning, provide comprehensive information about opportunities, tools that teach career self-management skills, and information specific to Oregon’s labor and education markets.
Oregon Education Science Laboratory
OESL conducts research on teaching and learning in STEM+C education (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computing) with an emphasis on creating and studying learning environments that foster equity and inclusion for historically underrepresented groups.
SSET conducts research and outreach activities to develop and implement research-based transition services that assist transition-age youth in developing knowledge and skills to fulfill their desired adult roles, including meaningful employment, completion of postsecondary education or training programs, and living independently in the community.
PSI is a multidisciplinary institute focused on understanding human development, preventing behavioral health problems, and implementing effective interventions in community settings.
HEDCO Clinic can assist with a variety of challenges from treating stuttering to helping families navigate parenting or relationship issues. We are here to assist caregivers of children and adolescents, individuals experiencing stress or mental health issues, couples, and families.
The HEDCO Institute for Evidence-Based Educational Practice provides K-12 education and policy leaders in the United States with relevant, accessible, valid, and reliable information about the latest research so they can implement evidence-informed practices and policies that promote the physical, mental, and social well-being of students, schools, and communities.