In May 2025, the RESTART hosted the third annual in-person forum bringing together researchers, policymakers, leaders, and practitioners from across the country to share their knowledge, perspectives, and experiences. 

The PreK-12 Research on Education Strategies to Advance Recovery and Turnaround (RESTART) Network coordinates research activities across five Institute of Education Sciences (IES)-funded research teams and engages researchers, policymakers and practitioners throughout the United States to accelerate learning recovery for students in the wake of educational disruptions. Lessons from the RESTART Network provide critical information for how public education systems respond to major disruptions and crises to mitigate learning loss.

Goal

To engage a community of policymakers, practitioners, education community members, and researchers focused on leveraging research and insights from the pandemic to inform the development of systems that can effectively respond to future disruptions or crises in schools and districts throughout the nation. During the forum participants: 

• Identified strategies and challenges.
• Conducted reviews and primary research to build research evidence.
• Created opportunities to dialogue about implications from the research evidence for future disruptions and to inform the development of resilient systems.
• Disseminated information about evidence-based strategies in actionable ways.

Event archive

Session 1: Developing Conditions for Educators to Thrive

Pandemic research shows that disruptions affect educator recruitment, retention, and turnover. Panelists, including researchers, superintendents, school leaders, and educators, shared pandemic experiences, discussed research findings, and provided strategies for creating positive and supportive working conditions for educators. 

Presenters

• Kevin Bastian, Director, Education Policy Initative at Carolina (EPIC)
• Cory Koedel, Professor of Economics and Public Policy, University of Missouri-Columbia

Panelists

• Franciso Durán, Superintendent, Arlington Public Schools
• Ralph Saint-Louis, Science Educator, Policy Advocate, and Community Leader, Lowell High School
• Kristy Zaleta, Principal, Rogers Park Middle School

Moderator

• Jonathan Isler, Administrator of the Office of Research Requests and Partnerships, California Department of Education 

Session 3: Engaging Parents and Caregivers as Partners

Education disruption and crises affect every member of the education community. During this session, parents and caregivers will shared their experiences, perspectives, and insights into how we can collaboratively foster resilient school systems and work with parents as partners. 

Panelists

• ShaElla Askew, Communications Manager, New Schools for Alabama
• Jillian RainingBird, Parent Power Lab, Leading Economic Development, Chippewa Cree Tribe

Moderator

• Tafshier Cosby, Senior Director of Organizing and Partnerships, National Parents Union, CEO of Parent Impact

Session 4: Implications from Pandemic Recovery Research for Fostering Responsive School Systems

Learnings from the research and evidence generated during and after the pandemic can be leveraged to prepare proactive approaches and school systems that are responsive and resilient. Panelists will include researchers, superintendents, school leaders, and educators.

Presenters

• Salma Mohammad Ali, Graduate Research Assistant, Georgia Policy Labs
• Michael DeArmond, Director of Policy at the Center for Analysis Longitudinal Data in Education Research (CALDER)
• Thomas Goldring, Director of Research, Georgia Policy Labs

Panelists

• Jimmy Leak, Interim Director of Accountability, Research, and Evaluation, Guilford County Schools
• Kimberly Radostits, Spanish Teacher and Instructional Coach at Oregon Community Unit District 220
• Tia Trahan, Principal, Lafayette Middle School

Moderator

• Susan Therriault, RESTART Network PI, American Institutes for Research