The Coalition of Essential School announces the Theodore R. Sizer Dissertation Scholars Grant Program. The program's goals are:

1. to stimulate research on CES schools and practice;
2. to increase our understanding of the effectiveness of the ten common principles and CES practice, and;
3. to encourage a new generation of scholars and educational researchers examining the CES philosophy.

Researchers of color are strongly encouraged to apply.

The Coalition of Essential Schools was formed in 1984 to help schools become more effectively designed to help students learn how to use their minds well. Ten ideas, or common principles, form the backbone of CES. Schools fashion these principles in ways that make sense to their community rather than as a new and improved "model" to be imposed. CES offers a vision of education which sees students and teachers as active partners in creating meaningful learning. CES stands for certain essential elements of good practice:

• Schools and classes have to be small enough so that teachers and kids have warm, trusting relationships and so that instruction can be personalized.

• Students should be engaged in authentic tasks and assessments should be directed at providing information to improve teaching.

• Schools should work actively to redress the inequities that have plagued our educational system.

• Schools should focus on developing students' habits of mind -- to ask good questions and find answers, to stick to a task, to think critically, and to see from many points of view -- rather than on the memorization of facts and formulas.

Currently, the CES Network includes over 800 schools and 19 centers, which offer direct support to schools in school design, classroom practice, leadership, and community connections.

CES invites dissertation proposals that examine the implementation and effectiveness of CES practices and CES schools. Dissertation Grants are available for doctoral students writing their dissertation proposal or before conducting their research. Applicants for Dissertation Scholar Grants may be U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, or non-U.S. citizens. Applicants must be candidates for the doctoral degree at a graduate school within the United States. CES will provide up to five awards of $2000-$4000 each. In addition to the grant, award winners will receive a stipend to attend and present their research at the Fall Forum, CES' Annual Conference. Dissertation grantees' final reports may either be an article of a quality and in a format suitable for publication in a scholarly journal, or a copy of the dissertation.

Dissertation topics may cover a wide range of practice-related issues that include but are not limited to: evidence of effectiveness; teachers and teaching; student voice; policies and practices related to student achievement and assessment; policies and practices that influence student and parental attitudes; contextual factors (individual, curricular, and school related) in education; at-risk students; and school resources and finance.

All applications for Dissertation Grants must include:

• A cover sheet with your name, contact information, department, and university affiliation

• Dissertation Abstract of no more than 200 words, summarizing the substantive focus and research design of your dissertation and its contribution to education.

• Research proposal (limited to 2250 words) that addresses the following:

1. Brief review of relevant research/policy literature
2. Description of methodology including sample, variables (including selection of variables and rationale for using them), and analytic techniques
3. Importance of findings to the Coalition and the larger educational community
4. Applicant's future goals

• Current curriculum vitae

• Two (2) letters of recommendation, including one from applicant's faculty dissertation advisor that includes an indication of the student's current progress toward the degree and expected date of completion. If applicant is from a discipline other than education, a letter of support from a faculty sponsor with an education research background must also be included. Support letters only may be submitted electronically.

Basic criteria for selection include: the importance of the research question to CES and the larger educational community; the quality of the research approach and feasibility of the work plan, and the applicants qualifications for carrying out the proposed study and their future interest in education.

Proposals for Theodore R. Sizer Dissertation Scholar Grants will be reviewed twice a year, with funding decisions made within a month of the review date. Upcoming deadlines for proposals are:

December 1, 2008 to be reviewed in December.

April 21, 2009 to be reviewed in May.

All required materials must be submitted and received by the deadline above (either two copies of each item if submitted in hard copy, or one if submitted electronically). Incomplete applications will not be considered. Contact Jay Feldman (below) if you have questions regarding the application or submission process. Applications should be sent to:

Jay Feldman, Ph.D.
Director of Research
CES National
1330 Broadwar, Suite 600
Oakland, CA 94612
ph 510.433.1914
fax 510.433.1455
jfeldman@essentialschools.org