The Office of Professional Research and Development provides quality research, evaluation, and development services to support public schools, higher education, human service, and community organizations. OPRD’s mission is to improve organizational capacity through research-based practices, evaluation that focuses on serious study of practice, and development and dissemination of exemplary programs. OPRD’s activities are funded by grants and contracts, often in collaboration with other colleges or agencies, with the work achieved through a team from SU and statewide consultant specialists.
OPRD's capacity combines the scholarship of faculty from a private research university and esteemed School of Education with the expertise of seasoned field practitioners and research associates. The OPRD has recently joined with Training Systems Institute (TSI) at Syracuse University. This increased capacity creates the opportunity for expanding our outreach to national and international government and corporate organizations.
Recent Clients:
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- NYS Education Department
- Learn and Serve America
- VESID
- Syracuse University
- School Administrators Associates of NYS
- NYS School Boards Association
- NYS BOCES (multiple)
- Hezel Associates
- The Magellan Foundation
Sample Projects:
- US Department of Agriculture / Rural Distance Learning Program
From a grant involving Cornell University and seven North Country rural schools; provides technical assistance for curriculum development to increase capacity of rural schools to provide quality education. - NYS Education Department / Best Practices Website Project
To identify benchmark schools based on student achievement in NYS, and to study and disseminate best practices aligned with high-achieving, low wealth schools. - PANY Campus Compact / Learn and Serve America
Evaluation of regional and interdisciplinary learn and serve projects administered by eight higher education institutions in two states. The Pennsylvania and New York Campus Compact Consortium, funded through Learn and Serve America, provides oversight. - NYSED / VESID-SIG Evaluation
Evaluation and planning to regional and state level constituents regarding the processes and effects of special education training and implementation in higher education and K-12 institutions throughout NYS. - Syracuse University / Bellevue Academy Youth Empowerment Program
Funded by the Office of Minority Health, Department of Health, the project serves minority youth at middle school level. The evaluation includes quasi-experimental and qualitative tracking design toward continuous improvement and program effectiveness. - School Administrators Association of NYS
Evaluation to inform multiple state organizations of the effects and the processes of a Gates Foundation funded, multi-year initiative focusing on leadership and technology throughout the state. - Magellan Foundation / Dropout Prevention
Evaluation study of administrators in 100 rural schools and implementation of initiatives for dropout prevention in the secondary schools of the region. - Oswego County BOCES Tax Effort and Enrollment Forecasting Studies
Study of tax effort in the school districts throughout the region and a study of enrollment forecasting for ten years in school districts throughout the region. - Hezel Associates / School District - Community Enrollement Study
Demographic study of prior and ten-year projection of school enrollment and organizational capacity in large suburban school district.
OPRD Principal Personnel:
Director – Scott L. Shablak, Ph.D., 443-8454
Evaluation Director – Hayley Cavino, M.S., 443-8454
Program Coordinator – Laura Payne-Bourcy, Ph.D., 443-8454
Administrative Assistant – Mary T. Welker, A.S., 443-8454