THE CENTER
Every child has the capacity to succeed in school and in life. Yet far too many children fail to meettheir potential. Many students, especially those from poor and minority families, are placed at risk byschool practices that sort some students into high-quality programs and other students into low-quality education. CRESPAR believes that schools must replace the "sorting paradigm" with a "tal-ent development" model that sets high expectations for all students, and ensures that all students re-ceive a rich and demanding curriculum with appropriate assistance and support.
The mission of the Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed At Risk(CRESPAR) is to conduct the research, development, evaluation, and dissemination needed to trans-form schooling for students placed at risk. The work of the Center is guided by three centralthemesensuring the success of all students at key development points, building on students' per-sonal and cultural assets, and scaling up effective programsand conducted through research anddevelopment programs in the areas of early and elementary studies; middle and high school studies;school, family, and community partnerships; and systemic supports for school reform, as well as aprogram of institutional activities.
CRESPAR is organized as a partnership of Johns Hopkins University and Howard Univer-sity, and is one of twelve national research and development centers supported by a grant (R117-D40005) from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES, formerly OERI) at the U.S. Department ofEducation. The centers examine a wide range of specific topics in education including early child-hood development and education, student learning and achievement, cultural and linguistic diversity,English language learners, reading and literacy, gifted and talented students, improving low achiev-ing schools, innovation in school reform, and state and local education policy. The overall objectiveof these centers is to conduct education research that will inform policy makers and practitioners
about educational practices and outcomes that contribute to successful school performance.