Last month, Carnegie Corporation of New York hosted an event marking the launch of the inaugural Arab Social Sciences Report, "Social Sciences in the Arab World: Forms of Presence." According to lead author, Mohammed Bamyeh, the report uncovers a "silent revolution of knowledge production" in the Arab region. Social transformation has enlivened the region's campuses, think tanks, and social media networks, and recent years have seen a sharp rise in the number of universities and research centers engaged in matters of political science, economics, sociology, and history. Bamyeh stressed the vital role the report has played in highlighting growth and development that may have gone otherwise unnoticed, stating that without this effort, the "silent revolution" would remain an undocumented phenomenon. Grantees in this story The difficulties encountered in developing and publishing the report illustrate the inherent obstacles facing the social sciences in the Arab region. Director General of the Arab Council for the Social Sciences (ACSS), Seteney Shami, cited the dearth of resources, lack of access to data, and the fragmented nature of research in the Arab world as some of the major challenges currently facing the disciplines. Furthermore, the majority of universities across the region are still in the process of evolving into established research centers, and according to Lisa Anderson, former president of the American University in Cairo (AUC), "75 percent of universities in the Arab region are less than 25 years old."

Last month, Carnegie Corporation of New York hosted an event marking the launch of the inaugural Arab Social Sciences Report, "Social Sciences in the Arab World: Forms of Presence." According to lead author, Mohammed Bamyeh, the report uncovers a "silent revolution of knowledge production" in the Arab region. Social transformation has enlivened the region's campuses, think tanks, and social media networks, and recent years have seen a sharp rise in the number of universities and research centers engaged in matters of political science, economics, sociology, and history. Bamyeh stressed the vital role the report has played in highlighting growth and development that may have gone otherwise unnoticed, stating that without this effort, the "silent revolution" would remain an undocumented phenomenon. Grantees in this story The difficulties encountered in developing and publishing the report illustrate the inherent obstacles facing the social sciences in the Arab region. Director General of the Arab Council for the Social Sciences (ACSS), Seteney Shami, cited the dearth of resources, lack of access to data, and the fragmented nature of research in the Arab world as some of the major challenges currently facing the disciplines. Furthermore, the majority of universities across the region are still in the process of evolving into established research centers, and according to Lisa Anderson, former president of the American University in Cairo (AUC), "75 percent of universities in the Arab region are less than 25 years old."

Last month, Carnegie Corporation of New York hosted an event marking the launch of the inaugural Arab Social Sciences Report, "Social Sciences in the Arab World: Forms of Presence." According to lead author, Mohammed Bamyeh, the report uncovers a "silent revolution of knowledge production" in the Arab region. Social transformation has enlivened the region's campuses, think tanks, and social media networks, and recent years have seen a sharp rise in the number of universities and research centers engaged in matters of political science, economics, sociology, and history. Bamyeh stressed the vital role the report has played in highlighting growth and development that may have gone otherwise unnoticed, stating that without this effort, the "silent revolution" would remain an undocumented phenomenon. Grantees in this story The difficulties encountered in developing and publishing the report illustrate the inherent obstacles facing the social sciences in the Arab region. Director General of the Arab Council for the Social Sciences (ACSS), Seteney Shami, cited the dearth of resources, lack of access to data, and the fragmented nature of research in the Arab world as some of the major challenges currently facing the disciplines. Furthermore, the majority of universities across the region are still in the process of evolving into established research centers, and according to Lisa Anderson, former president of the American University in Cairo (AUC), "75 percent of universities in the Arab region are less than 25 years old."

Last month, Carnegie Corporation of New York hosted an event marking the launch of the inaugural Arab Social Sciences Report, "Social Sciences in the Arab World: Forms of Presence." According to lead author, Mohammed Bamyeh, the report uncovers a "silent revolution of knowledge production" in the Arab region. Social transformation has enlivened the region's campuses, think tanks, and social media networks, and recent years have seen a sharp rise in the number of universities and research centers engaged in matters of political science, economics, sociology, and history. Bamyeh stressed the vital role the report has played in highlighting growth and development that may have gone otherwise unnoticed, stating that without this effort, the "silent revolution" would remain an undocumented phenomenon. Grantees in this story The difficulties encountered in developing and publishing the report illustrate the inherent obstacles facing the social sciences in the Arab region. Director General of the Arab Council for the Social Sciences (ACSS), Seteney Shami, cited the dearth of resources, lack of access to data, and the fragmented nature of research in the Arab world as some of the major challenges currently facing the disciplines. Furthermore, the majority of universities across the region are still in the process of evolving into established research centers, and according to Lisa Anderson, former president of the American University in Cairo (AUC), "75 percent of universities in the Arab region are less than 25 years old."

The Saguaro Seminar is a research initiative that brings together leading thinkers and practitioners to develop actionable ideas for civic renewal. In 2015, the Seminar launched the Closing the Opportunity Gap initiative. The initiative convened five working groups of roughly a dozen of the country's leading experts in each of five areas: family and parenting, early childhood, K-12 education, community institutions, and "on-ramps," like community college or apprenticeships. These non-partisan white papers distill the best evidence-based ideas for narrowing the opportunity gap.

The Saguaro Seminar is a research initiative that brings together leading thinkers and practitioners to develop actionable ideas for civic renewal. In 2015, the Seminar launched the Closing the Opportunity Gap initiative. The initiative convened five working groups of roughly a dozen of the country's leading experts in each of five areas: family and parenting, early childhood, K-12 education, community institutions, and "on-ramps," like community college or apprenticeships. These non-partisan white papers distill the best evidence-based ideas for narrowing the opportunity gap.

The Saguaro Seminar is a research initiative that brings together leading thinkers and practitioners to develop actionable ideas for civic renewal. In 2015, the Seminar launched the Closing the Opportunity Gap initiative. The initiative convened five working groups of roughly a dozen of the country's leading experts in each of five areas: family and parenting, early childhood, K-12 education, community institutions, and "on-ramps," like community college or apprenticeships. These non-partisan white papers distill the best evidence-based ideas for narrowing the opportunity gap.

Researchers and practitioners increasingly recognize that a positive school culture not only enhances students' day-to-day experiences, but also plays a role in raising student achievement. Yet many schools struggle to create a welcoming and supportive schoolwide culture. Indeed, there is evidence that students of color in particular -- and perhaps most notably Black and Latino young men -- often face cultural barriers at school. Beginning in 2012, New York City's Expanded Success Initiative (ESI) provided 40 NYC high schools with financial resources and professional development to help them create or expand supports for Black and Latino young men. Many of the schools implemented strategies that were either implicitly or explicitly aimed at improving school culture. Drawing on interviews, focus groups, and case studies conducted as part of the Research Alliance's ongoing evaluation of ESI, Strategies for Improving School Culture highlights ESI schools' efforts to strengthen school culture in four key areas:

• Developing Culturally Relevant Education (CRE). Educators received training in CRE and reported using a variety of approaches to make their curriculum and instruction more relevant to students' everyday lives; to foster an environment that affirms students' cultural backgrounds; and to address underlying teacher biases about students.
• Adopting Restorative Approaches to Discipline. In a conscious effort to reduce the use of suspensions, educators described implementing new practices (e.g., peer mediation, conflict resolution training) and prioritizing positive relationships with students as a way to manage behavior.
• Promoting Strong Relationships in Schools. Educators described programs (e.g., mentoring, advisories) designed to support relationships between students and school staff, as well as between students and their peers.
• Providing Early Support for Postsecondary Goals. Educators reported shifting their expectations from high school graduation to college readiness; they described strategies aimed at increasing students' sense of belonging in college and providing support for the concrete steps involved in preparing and applying for college.

The report also identifies three important values that connect and help undergird the strategies educators describe: teaching as reflective practice; taking responsibility for student learning and success; and building on student strengths.