Schools & Communities Organizing for Racial Equity (SCORE)

What is SCORE?

SCORE is a community-driven, action-oriented research project that brings together an intergenerational Community Research Team consisting of students and parents/caregivers recruited in partnership with community-based organizations. With support from CYCLE, this team: 

• Conducts community research; 

• Identifies community priorities for educational and racial equity; 

• Identifies indicators to measure district progress on these priorities; and 

• Develops a “SCOREcard” tool that presents the community priority areas, identified indicators, and related data. 

SCORE represents an effort to: 1) measure what matters to students and families of color, students and families experiencing economic hardship, and others most directly impacted by inequities; 2) help school districts understand, be responsive to, and be held accountable to community priorities for educational and racial equity; and 3) share school district progress on community priorities with youth, parents, and other community members. Parent and student leaders’ ideas, wisdom, and visions for educational and racial equity are starting points and driving forces of SCORE.  

Initially launched in partnership with Dr. Adrienne Goss and the Social Policy Hub for Equity Research in Education at RI College, the inaugural SCORE project took place in Providence, RI in 2021-22. In 2022-23, SCORE expanded to Central Falls and Newport, RI. In 2024-2025, in partnership with Parents Leading for Educational Equity (PLEE) in Providence and Central Falls, and Sankofa Community Connection in Newport, CYCLE will support SCORE implementation with goals of: 

• Building community leadership and capacity; 

• Strengthening district engagement, partnership, and adoption of SCORE indicators; 

• Designing and populating SCOREcard tools for each community; 

• Community outreach and engagement; 

• Cross-site connection.  

 Additionally, CYCLE is partnering with the Wisconsin Center for Education Research to conduct a multi-year evaluation of SCORE. 

SCORE Resources

SCORE Toolkit

A step-by-step guide featuring activity protocols and other tools for conducting critical participatory action research projects and community-driven indicator development. 
 
Community Powered: New Approaches to Assessment 

Additional SCORE Tools can be found on this site, developed as part of a community of practice developing a framework for advancing equitable design and practice in assessment.   

SCORE Vlog

One important feature of the SCORE project is that it is an intergenerational parent- and youth-led effort. In this video, three former SCORE Community Research Team members talk about their experiences with intergenerational work in general and the SCORE project in particular.

Who Do I Talk to if I Have Questions?

We are happy to talk if you have questions! Please reach out to Tracie Potochnik, Associate Director for Research & Learning at CYCLE, at tpotochnik@rwu.edu.