Service Areas
To help our partners in education and community development achieve their goals, the Community Training and Assistance Center (CTAC) provides expertise and assistance in three important areas. Our ability to integrate technical assistance, research and evaluation, and public policy is key to developing comprehensive solutions that address complex challenges.
Technical Assistance
We don’t just advise our partners; we actively participate in helping them succeed. CTAC provides customized, on-site assistance to develop the leadership, planning, and managerial capacity of those we serve. This includes working with diverse stakeholders to:
- Analyze conditions and root causes that help or hinder student performance
- Create and implement customized improvement strategies
- Conduct capacity-building initiatives
- Provide training to leadership teams
- Strengthen planning and governance capacity of organizations
- Implement resource and network development strategies
Research and Evaluation
We believe evidence-based strategies are key to achieving lasting change. CTAC conducts tailored research to improve practices and inform policy decisions at local, state, and national levels. Our recent research and evaluations focus on specific programs, large-scale initiatives, and organizational effectiveness. They examine the impact of:
- District-wide and state-wide reform initiatives
- Performance-based compensation
- State interventions in urban school districts
- Teacher and principal evaluation systems
- Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) and achievement
- Professional development for teachers
- Nonprofit capacity
Public Policy
Real change often involves advancing public policy at the state or national level. CTAC leads the way—examining, framing, and informing public policy improvements in partnership with educators and community leaders. Examples include:
- Working with the U.S. Congress, U.S. Department of Education, state education agencies, and teacher unions to advance educational reform
- Establishing a broad-based network to inform national public policy in elementary and secondary education
- Partnering with national and regional foundations and community organizations to achieve meaningful progress in urban neighborhood revitalization