Partner with CREEO

Bridging Research and Practice to Transform Educational Opportunity

At the Center for Research on Expanding Educational Opportunity (CREEO) at UC Berkeley’s School of Education, led by faculty director Associate Professor Travis J. Bristol, Ph.D., we transform proven ideas into equitable and impactful educational solutions. We partner with schools, districts, and organizations to bridge rigorous research with real-world application—advancing educational opportunity for Historically Resilient and Marginalized (HRAM) students and educators.

Why Partner with CREEO

CREEO combines academic rigor with a deep commitment to equity, justice, and care. We are led by scholars and practitioners who identify with historically marginalized communities and approach every partnership with reflection and humanity.

Our “special sauce”—research, relationships, and reflection—ensures that our work is not only credible but transformative.

Humanizing Research: We collaborate with, not on, educators and communities—co-creating knowledge that strengthens teaching, learning, and leadership.
Centering HRAM Voices: We design projects guided by and for HRAM students and educators, ensuring their perspectives shape every stage of our work.
Intentional Barrier Removal: We identify and address systemic barriers faced by educators of color and other marginalized groups.
Creating Access with Care: We support all educators—from paraeducators to administrators—through inclusive and responsive partnerships.
Sustaining Educators: We develop mechanisms to help teachers stay in the classroom, thrive professionally, and grow within their community.
Continuous Improvement and Reflection: We “challenge with care,” creating opportunities for thought-provoking dialogue and improvement.
Macro and Micro Vision: We connect the larger system with the everyday realities of classrooms and educators.

Who We Work With

CREEO partners with a wide range of organizations and leaders across education and allied sectors who seek to strengthen their programs, expand their reach, or understand their impact through rigorous, human-centered research.

Ideal partners are:

Schools, districts, and county offices of education improving educator development and student outcomes.
Universities, research centers, and educator networks engaging in collaborative, equity-informed research.
State and local education agencies, legislators, and policy offices advancing policies that expand opportunity and improve working and learning conditions.
Community-Based Organizations, nonprofits, and foundations designing and evaluating initiatives that serve HRAM students and educators.
Public, private, and philanthropic partners seeking credible, human-centered evidence to inform strategy and investment.

Our Core Services

We offer a comprehensive suite of services focused on research, policy, and practice, tailored to meet the unique needs of our partners and the communities we serve. Every partnership aligns with our mission to directly improve the academic and social experiences of HRAM students and educators.

Research

Our research bridges rigorous inquiry with real-world impact. While grounded in qualitative methodologies, we also employ mixed methods to capture the full complexity of educational experiences. We gather and analyze data through interviews, focus groups, surveys, observations, and document analysis, ensuring findings reflect lived realities.

Three Core Research Strands:

The role of educational policies in shaping teacher workplace experiences and retention.
District and school-based professional learning communities as mechanisms for educator growth.
The role of race and gender in educational settings and their influence on outcomes.

We conduct and support research addressing gaps in educator diversity and equity, co-design studies that turn data into actionable insights, and disseminate findings that inform policy, guide practice, and strengthen systems.

Policy

CREEO translates research into evidence-based policy recommendations that expand educational opportunity and dismantle barriers. We work with policymakers, practitioners, and community partners to shape local, state, and national policy, amplify educator and community voices, and produce policy briefs, white papers, and op-eds that connect research to practice and advocacy.

Practice

We embed research and policy insights into practical, on-the-ground strategies that strengthen teaching and leadership. Our work supports educators to implement research-informed, equity-centered approaches that improve student outcomes. We facilitate professional learning and coaching, create and disseminate tools and resources that foster educator well-being and retention, and cultivate communities of practice where educators co-learn, reflect, and innovate.