{"id":1480,"date":"2023-08-02T01:24:15","date_gmt":"2023-08-02T01:24:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/?page_id=1480"},"modified":"2026-03-06T09:29:27","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T14:29:27","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

About The<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Education Research & Opportunity Center<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n

The Education Research & Opportunity Center is located within the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (ELPS)<\/a> Department in the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences (CEHHS)<\/a> at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. The Education Research & Opportunity Center was established in 2022 after the merger of The Center for Education Leadership, The Postsecondary Education Research Center, and the College Access and Persistence Services Outreach Center. Our work today builds on the long tradition of excellence established by these prior CEHSS efforts with a renewed passion and enhanced capacity for producing high-quality research, delivering high-impact outreach, and improving policy and practice in education.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n

Research<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our research spans the classroom to career pipeline, from early childhood to adult education. Our affiliates are experienced program evaluators, quantitative and qualitative methodologists and content experts. No matter the project or partner, our center is committed to producing research that is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Relevant<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It is imperative that policymakers, school leaders, educators and community advocates have access to high-quality research when they need it. Our research values the examination of critical and pressing issues of education policy and practice and strives to deliver research products of pressing importance to valued stakeholders when they need it most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Rigorous<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Education Research & Opportunity Center values public trust, goodwill, and confidence. Therefore, all Education Research & Opportunity Center research will undergo a comprehensive internal and external review process to ensure research products (1) apply appropriate and sufficiently rigorous research methodologies, (2) responsibly access, manage, and analyze data sources, and (3) are free of errors, oversights, or overt biases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Actionable<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While our research may be rooted in abstract theoretical frameworks or grounded in complex, academic concepts, all Education Research & Opportunity research products made available for public consumption will include tangible, concrete, and simple action steps for policymakers, school leaders, and educators in order to maximize our collective impact on policy and practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Accessible<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Education Research & Opportunity Center hopes to work with and engage a broad audience of stakeholders and partners. Consequently, we value accessibility and will disseminate research products through a variety of channels beyond academic, peer-reviewed journals and refereed conferences. To increase accessibility, we will share findings through social media platforms, blog posts on our website, podcasts, affiliate sites, popular press and opinion, and practitioner-oriented venues. Similarly, we will share results, findings and policy analyses in graphical, text, audio and video formats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Outreach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As a land-grant university, UT prides itself on adding value to the state by educating students, conducting research and creative work that increases economic, social and professional opportunity for all Tennesseans. Our outreach is committed to the following values:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n

1. Service<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Increasing access to, and success within, postsecondary education for students from disadvantaged and historically underrepresented groups is our main priority and passion. The Education Research & Opportunity Center exists to serve students and every Education Research & Opportunity Center outreach program will place the best interest, well-being, and edification of students at the center of its existence. Every student, every opportunity.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Stewardship<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Education Research & Opportunity Center values the public resources and funds we manage and will regularly train on – and exercise –\u00a0 best practices in project management, annual reporting, fiscal responsibility, and will endeavor to create a safe, positive, and fair environment for our employees and the students we serve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Community<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exemplary student service and outreach begins with a deep understanding and connectedness to the communities we serve. We value engagement with – and support of – these communities and will maintain regular and effective contact with our project partners in order to nurture alliances, build trust and rapport, and provide comprehensive, community-specific supports for students and communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

Organizational Structure and Governance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As a unit committed to producing relevant, rigorous, actionable, and accessible education research that spans the P20W pipeline, and conducting high-impact outreach to systematically disadvantaged students across Tennessee, The Education Research & Opportunity Center aligns with –\u00a0 and supports – core goals within the CEHHS Strategic Plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEngage in and produce high-impact research and scholarship.\u201d &<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMake a direct and visible impact on our local and global community.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

About The Education Research & Opportunity Center The Education Research & Opportunity Center is located within the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (ELPS) Department in the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences (CEHHS) at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. The Education Research & Opportunity Center was established in 2022 after the merger of The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"editor_plus_copied_stylings":"{}","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-1480","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nAbout - Education Research & Opportunity Center<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/about\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"About - Education Research & Opportunity Center\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"About The Education Research & Opportunity Center The Education Research & Opportunity Center is located within the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (ELPS) Department in the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences (CEHHS) at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. The Education Research & Opportunity Center was established in 2022 after the merger of The […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/about\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Education Research & Opportunity Center\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-06T14:29:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/about-us.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2048\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"894\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cehhs.utk.edu\\\/ero\\\/about\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cehhs.utk.edu\\\/ero\\\/about\\\/\",\"name\":\"About - Education Research & Opportunity Center\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cehhs.utk.edu\\\/ero\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cehhs.utk.edu\\\/ero\\\/about\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cehhs.utk.edu\\\/ero\\\/about\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cehhs.utk.edu\\\/ero\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2023\\\/08\\\/about-us-1024x447.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-08-02T01:24:15+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-06T14:29:27+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cehhs.utk.edu\\\/ero\\\/about\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/cehhs.utk.edu\\\/ero\\\/about\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cehhs.utk.edu\\\/ero\\\/about\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cehhs.utk.edu\\\/ero\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2023\\\/08\\\/about-us.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cehhs.utk.edu\\\/ero\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2023\\\/08\\\/about-us.webp\",\"width\":2048,\"height\":894,\"caption\":\"a student and teacher smile at each other in a classroom setting at The University of Tennessee\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cehhs.utk.edu\\\/ero\\\/about\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cehhs.utk.edu\\\/ero\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"About\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cehhs.utk.edu\\\/ero\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cehhs.utk.edu\\\/ero\\\/\",\"name\":\"Education Research & Opportunity Center\",\"description\":\"University of Tennessee, Knoxville\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cehhs.utk.edu\\\/ero\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cehhs.utk.edu\\\/ero\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cehhs.utk.edu\\\/ero\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Education Research & Opportunity Center\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cehhs.utk.edu\\\/ero\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cehhs.utk.edu\\\/ero\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cehhs.utk.edu\\\/ero\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2024\\\/09\\\/cropped-favicon.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cehhs.utk.edu\\\/ero\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2024\\\/09\\\/cropped-favicon.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"Education Research & Opportunity Center\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cehhs.utk.edu\\\/ero\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"About - Education Research & Opportunity Center","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/about\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"About - Education Research & Opportunity Center","og_description":"About The Education Research & Opportunity Center The Education Research & Opportunity Center is located within the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (ELPS) Department in the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences (CEHHS) at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. The Education Research & Opportunity Center was established in 2022 after the merger of The […]","og_url":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/about\/","og_site_name":"Education Research & Opportunity Center","article_modified_time":"2026-03-06T14:29:27+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2048,"height":894,"url":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/about-us.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/about\/","url":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/about\/","name":"About - Education Research & Opportunity Center","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/about\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/about\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/about-us-1024x447.webp","datePublished":"2023-08-02T01:24:15+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-06T14:29:27+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/about\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/about\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/about\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/about-us.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/about-us.webp","width":2048,"height":894,"caption":"a student and teacher smile at each other in a classroom setting at The University of Tennessee"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/about\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"About"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/#website","url":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/","name":"Education Research & Opportunity Center","description":"University of Tennessee, Knoxville","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/#organization","name":"Education Research & Opportunity Center","url":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/cropped-favicon.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/09\/cropped-favicon.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"Education Research & Opportunity Center"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1480","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1480"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1480\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/ero\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1480"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}