Center for Public Education & Community Engagement
Fostering equity in schools and their surrounding communities by investing in their research questions.
Our Mission
The TCU Center for Public Education & Community Engagement (CPECE) is dedicated to strengthening public education through research, program evaluation, and community partnerships. We believe education is a civil and human right and a public good.
We partner with schools and organizations to explore meaningful questions and use research and evaluation to support students, educators, and communities. Our work promotes equity, supports high school-to-college pathways, and contributes to local initiatives that create lasting change.
Rooted in collaboration, we advocate for public education by contributing research and insight into the issues that impact schools and the surrounding communities.
Core Commitments
Research
We study the questions that shape public education and community organizations.
Program Evaluation
We evaluate programs to understand impact and guide improvement.
Community Partnerships
We partner with communities to move meaningful work forward.
Our Approach to Collaboration
We listen, co-design, and implement research with schools, districts and nonprofits to drive change. Here's how we approach partnerships—with flexibility and shared purpose.
1. Listen & Learn
We take time to understand your organization's goals, mission and challenges.
2. Develop Research-Backed Strategies
Our team creates customized evaluation plans.
3. Implement and Assess
We collect and analyze data to provide clear, actionable recommendations.
4. Partner for Long-Term Impact
Our work doesn't end with a report - we help turn findings into action and support next steps.
Education in Action
Research briefs from centers and institutes across TCU’s College of Education, designed for educators and the communities they serve.
Through collaboration among the Alice Neeley Special Education Research and Service (ANSERS) Institute, the Center for Public Education and Community Engagement (CPECE), and the Andrews Institute for Research in Mathematics & Science Education, the work translates educational research into practice.
This research brief examines the rapid dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education and what it means for students, families, and educators in Fort Worth and across Texas. By tracing the Department’s history, core functions, and current restructuring, the brief clarifies what is being lost, particularly for students with disabilities, multilingual learners, and under-resourced districts, and why these changes matter locally.