Molly F. Gordon

Molly F. Gordon is a Senior Research Scientist at NORC at the University of Chicago. In her past role at the UChicago Consortium, she studied the impact of closing schools on students, staff, and families, focusing on the lived experiences of those directly impacted by school closings. As a qualitative researcher, she also investigated how principals and other school leaders organize their schools to produce positive school cultures and improve student learning. Furthermore, she studied preschool attendance policies and practices, as well as the five essential organizational supports in Illinois schools. Molly has presented her work to a variety of research, practice, and policy audiences. Her research interests include how educators interpret and enact policies into practice, the role of district and school leaders in school improvement and student learning, and family and community engagement. In her career, she has also studied state educational policy contexts, outside stakeholder influences in education, and has conducted numerous policy and program evaluations.

Featured Publications

All Publications

Title Type Date Sort ascending
Educational Policy cover Forced to Choose

Lessons Learned from Families of Students Within Special Education

Article Sep 2023
On the Path to Becoming a Chicago Public School Principal Chicago Public School Principals' Prior Experiences Report Jan 2023
How Strong Principals Succeed How Strong Principals Succeed

Improving Student Achievement in High-Poverty Urban Schools

Article Jan 2022
Principal Leadership Practices, Organizational Improvement, and Student Achievement Principal Leadership Practices, Organizational Improvement, and Student Achievement Book Dec 2020
Relational trust in Valparaíso, Chile and Illinois schools Relational trust in Valparaíso, Chile and Illinois schools

Surprising consistency and further questions

Article Nov 2019
Supporting Social, Emotional, & Academic Development

Research Implications for Educators

Literature Review Oct 2018
On the Path to Becoming a Teacher: The Landscape of Student Teaching in Chicago Public Schools On the Path to Becoming a Teacher

The Landscape of Student Teaching in Chicago Public Schools

Brief Aug 2018
School Closings in Chicago: Staff and Student Experiences and Academic Outcomes School Closings in Chicago

Staff and Student Experiences and Academic Outcomes

Report May 2018
A First Look at the 5Essentials in Illinois Schools A First Look at the 5Essentials in Illinois Schools Report Jun 2015
School Closings in Chicago: Understanding Families' Choices and Constraints for New School Enrollment School Closings in Chicago

Understanding Families' Choices and Constraints for New School Enrollment

Report Jan 2015
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