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Faculty Research Grant Program

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The Faculty Research Grant Program (FRGP) is a series of structured research grants to encourage multidisciplinary applied research in K-12 public education. Established and funded by the Cowen Institute, the program seeks to meet the informational, planning, evaluative, and other research needs of the system of public schools in New Orleans (and eventually the country).

We believe that the post-Katrina rebuilding of public education in New Orleans must be research-based in order to achieve sustained school and student achievement. We also believe that the rebuilding process represents a unique opportunity for research in school system transformation, school choice, and autonomous schools.

The Cowen Institute for Public Education Initiatives announces its interest in receiving proposals for its Fall 2008 FRGP grants.  The proposed research will contribute to academic and public understanding of the problems that impede the emergence of a high-performing system of public schools in New Orleans.  The issues studied should be related to one of the following subject areas: student achievement and performance, human capital, governance and accountability, resource management, school environment, and parent and community engagement.

We invite research proposals from researchers in education, business, law, public policy, the social sciences, social work, psychology or other related fields.  Additional support provided by the Cowen Institute to our grantees includes facilitating access to traditional and charter public schools in New Orleans, and identifying student volunteers or interns to aid data collection, if required.

The FRGP grants will be awarded to research proposals selected by the Cowen Institute's Faculty Advisory Committee, an inter-disciplinary body of Tulane University faculty and administrators.  Researchers may be Tulane faculty or graduate and professional students supervised by Tulane faculty.  Proposals should be submitted by August 4, 2008, and the selected proposals will be announced by the beginning of September 2008.  The Institute expects to award up to two grants for up to $5,000 each, to begin in September 2008.  The typical grant period is expected to be six months and should be no longer than one year.

Please click here to download the Request for Proposals for the Fall 2008 FRGP grants.

For additional information, contact Michael Schwam-Baird.