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The Center for Assessment, Design, Research and Evaluation (CADRE)
The Center for Assessment, Design, Research and Evaluation (CADRE) is housed in the School of Education at the University of Colorado Boulder in the Research and Evaluation Methodology program. The School of Education engages in research to make a positive difference with and in schools and communities. The work of the School of Education’s faculty, researchers, staff, and students contributes to evidence-based policy and practice. As a key research center of the School of Education, the CADRE team carries out work with national organizations, state departments of education, and local school districts to help fulfill the school’s mission. Our projects are intended to produce generalizable knowledge, to assess and improve student learning, and to evaluate programs and methods that may have a meaningful effect on student learning.
Our Goals:
- To promote and support the design of assessments capable of providing insights about what and how students learn.
- To evaluate programs and interventions intended to have effects on student learning.
- To disseminate the results of its research to a wide audience of individual educators, educational institutions and organizations, government representatives and units, the media, and the general public.
- To collaborate with local, state and national groups, organizations, and individuals on projects germane to its mission.
- To enhance the School of Education’s graduate program in Research and Evaluation Methodology.
- To support the School of Education’s mission by advancing evidence-based policies and practice.
CADRE meets these purposes by conducting research in assessment and psychometrics, taking a lead role in small and large-scale educational evaluation projects, and training graduate students to have expertise in these areas. CADRE leverages the widely recognized strength of faculty throughout the School of Education in assessment and evaluation. This expertise is rooted in expertise in both disciplinary content and research methodology. The primary home of CADRE is the school’s Research and Evaluation Methodology program, where faculty specialize in psychometrics, statistics, experimental design and program evaluation. CADRE projects also involve interdisciplinary content experts in other schools and departments and those with an interest and expertise in educational assessment and evaluation throughout the university.
What's New
CADRE Director Derek Briggs elected to the National Academy of Education
Derek Briggs is one of 22 education leaders and scholars elected in 2025 to membership in the National Academy of Education. The National Academy of Education advances high quality education research and its use in policy and practice. The Academy consists of U.S. members and international associates who are elected based on outstanding scholarship or leadership related to education.
The Role of the School District in School Turnaround Efforts
This literature review investigates the evolving role of school districts in the context of school turnaround efforts, focusing on post-2015 developments under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Traditionally, school turnaround policies emphasized isolated school-level actions, but recent perspectives advocate for a system-wide approach involving districts as pivotal facilitators of reform. The review underscores the importance of leadership, clear vision, capacity building, and collaborative frameworks for successful turnaround efforts.
Experimental Estimates of College Coaching on Postsecondary Re-enrollment
Although college enrollment has increased significantly over the last few decades, approximately 60% of students graduate within eight years, and only 2% of former college students with no degree choose to re-enroll. In this project, we examine whether student supports can improve short-term reenrollment outcomes for students who attempted but dropped out of college and wish to return.
