The Moody Foundation granted $1.8 million to a statewide education research network, according to an Oct. 10 announcement from UT’s College of Education. 

With its administrative hub in the College of Education, LONESTARP3 is a collaborative effort among researchers, teachers and policy advocates across Texas to implement education research in classrooms and evaluate the effectiveness of education policy. The program launched in September 2023 with an inaugural grant from the Gates Foundation, LONESTARP3 Director Carolyn Landel said. 

“The Moody Grant is funding our ability to do the research in a shared agenda and then work alongside schools to make the kinds of decisions they need to make to act on the findings,” Landel said. 

LONESTARP3 created four research “pathways” based on some of the most common problems for Texas public schools: academic and career advising, dual credit programs, workforce-aligned instruction and postsecondary pursuits.

The Moody Foundation grant funds only the research and classroom implementation portions of the program, but policy groups such as Educate Texas and Philanthropy Advocates use LONESTARP3’s research to inform their advocacy. Ryan Franklin, managing director for policy advocacy at Philanthropy Advocates, said they will pass the research findings on to lawmakers at the district and state levels. 

“Once we get clear on what the research says, then we’re able to problem solve and use our unique strengths to work across sectors to figure that out,” Franklin said. 

Franklin said supporting and retaining educators is one of many issues that RP3’s research could inform in the next Texas legislative session, but it’s too soon to clearly say where RP3 will have the most impact. 

Although the program is housed in UT’s College of Education, it connects researchers from public and private universities across the state, Landel said. 

“There really is an effort of many, (and it’s) not just a jewel in UT’s crown,” Landel said. “We’re playing an important leadership and facilitating role and really elevating and engaging the research expertise from institutions across the state.”