Congratulations to the two Attallah College of Educational Studies faculty members who are the principal investigators for projects awarded over $38,000 by the Solutions Grants Program.
The Solutions Grants Program is directly aligned with the college’s overarching Strategic Plan to promote faculty-led, student-involved research that helps sustain collaborations. The grants have the potential for long-term systemic impact and draw support for the development of new and innovative research that addresses critical issues in local K-12 schools, higher education institutions, or community organizations.
Dr. Andrew Matschiner, Assistant Professor in the Attallah College of Educational Studies, has been awarded up to $20,000 for his research project titled, “Bright Spots in Pandemic Recovery: A Mixed-Methods National Expansion Study of Districts That Beat the Odds.”
Dr. Matschiner’s study will examine why fewer than 2% of U.S. school districts had fully recovered from pandemic-related learning loss in math and reading as of 2024, while a subset of 201 “bright spot” districts achieved full academic recovery.
Dr. Matschiner’s study offers insight into the systems-change leadership and organizational learning strategies behind those districts’ turnarounds, with implications for how districts nationwide approach urgent academic improvement.
Dr. Quaylan Allen, Full Professor in the Attallah College of Educational Studies, has been awarded up to $18,000 for his proposal, “Centering Youth Voice Through Photovoice: A Community-Based Research Partnership with Higher Ground Youth and Family Services.”
Dr. Allen’s study will examine how Anaheim youth from historically marginalized communities can use photography and storytelling, in partnership with Higher Ground Youth and Family Services, to document their communities, reflect on their lived experiences, and imagine possibilities for change.
Dr. Allen’s work offers young people a chance to develop their voices as leaders and advocates, with the project’s photographs and narratives set to culminate in a community exhibition designed to spark dialogue and strengthen partnerships around equity, youth leadership, and community-driven change.
Opportunities to participate in these projects will be made available to undergraduate and graduate students. We look forward to seeing the outcomes of both research studies, which align with Attallah College of Educational Studies’ mission — changing education, changing the world.
