Publications
2025
The Peabody Journal of Education: Special Issue
Educational Improvement Networks: Exploring the Development of Scientific-Professional Learning Communities
Guest Editors: Jennifer Lin Russell, Donald J. Peurach and Anthony S. Bryk
Introduction
Russell, J. L., Peurach, D. J., & Bryk, A. S. (2025). Introduction to Themed Issue: Educational Improvement Networks: Exploring the Development of Scientific-Professional Learning Communities. Peabody Journal of Education, 100(1), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1080/0161956X.2025.2444824
Catalyzing Scientific-Professional Learning Communities: A Framework for Conceptualizing the Health and Development of Educational Improvement Networks
Russell, J. L., Bryk, A. S., Peurach, D. J., Sherer, J. Z., Duff, M., Sherer, D., & Matthis, C. (2025). Catalyzing Scientific-Professional Learning Communities: A Framework for Conceptualizing the Health and Development of Educational Improvement Networks*. Peabody Journal of Education, 100(1), 7–27. https://doi.org/10.1080/0161956X.2025.2444839
Examining the Validity of Practical Measures of Improvement Network Health and Development
Bryk, A. S., Li, A. Y. L., Luppescu, S., & Bui, M. A. (2025). Examining the Validity of Practical Measures of Improvement Network Health and Development. Peabody Journal of Education, 100(1), 28–47. https://doi.org/10.1080/0161956X.2025.2444840
The Design of an Information System to Support Network Development
Sherer, D., Bryk, A. S., Yee-Lam Li, A., Sherer, J. Z., Russell, J. L., & Bui, M. A. (2025). The Design of an Information System to Support Network Development. Peabody Journal of Education, 100(1), 48–63. https://doi.org/10.1080/0161956X.2025.2444842
Bringing Scientific-Professional Learning Communities into Practice: Exploring Variation in Educational Improvement Network Health and Development
Russell, J. L., Bryk, A. S., & Sherer, J. Z. (2025). Bringing Scientific-Professional Learning Communities into Practice: Exploring Variation in Educational Improvement Network Health and Development. Peabody Journal of Education, 100(1), 64–81.
https://doi.org/10.1080/0161956X.2025.2444843
Measuring Educators’ Perceived Benefits of Participation in Educational Improvement Networks
Perlman, H., Bryk, A. S., & Russell, J. L. (2025). Measuring Educators’ Perceived Benefits of Participation in Educational Improvement Networks. Peabody Journal of Education, 100(1), 82–99. https://doi.org/10.1080/0161956X.2025.2444844
Hub Leaders’ Perspectives on Equity in Networked Improvement
Duff, M., Sherer, J. Z., Premo, A., & Perlman, H. (2025). Hub Leaders’ Perspectives on Equity in Networked Improvement. Peabody Journal of Education, 100(1), 100–116. https://doi.org/10.1080/0161956X.2025.2444845
The Practice and Contexts of Hub and District Leadership: New Directions in Research on Educational Improvement Networks
Peurach, D. J., Jones, E. S., Duff, M., Sherer, J. Z., & Matthis, C. (2025). The Practice and Contexts of Hub and District Leadership: New Directions in Research on Educational Improvement Networks. Peabody Journal of Education, 100(1), 117–132. https://doi.org/10.1080/0161956X.2025.2444846
2020
The Work and Complications of Hub Leadership in Educational Improvement Networks
Peurach, D. J., Russell, J. L., Sherer, J. Z., McMahon, K., & Parkerson, E. (2020). The work and complications of hub leadership in educational improvement networks. Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. PDF.
2025
Improvement Networks in Education: Practical Work Series
Understanding Variation in Improvement Networks, by Jennifer Lin Russell, Anthony S. Bryk, and Jennifer Zoltners Sherer
2026
Sherer, J. Z., & Li, A. Y, Purohit, K., & West. R. (March 2026) Leading for Network Health: Selecting Tools and Planning Your Improvement Routines. National Summit on Improvement in Education. San Diego, CA. Presentation. Presentation. Handout.
Sherer, J. Z., McMahon, K., & Li, A. Y. (March 2026) On or Off Track? Understanding How Your Leadership Practice is Helping Your Network Reach its Aim. National Summit on Improvement in Education. San Diego, CA. Presentation. Presentation. Handout.
Li, A. Y., Sherer, J. Z., & Bryk, A. S. (2026) When Time Gets in the Way: Understanding Time-Related Challenges in Improvement Networks. American Educational Research Association Meeting. Los Angeles, CA. Handout forthcoming.
Duff, M. Russell, J. L., Sherer, J. Z., Matthis, C. (2026) Making Improvement Continuous: How Network Hub Leaders Plan for the Sustained Impact of Educational Improvement Networks. American Educational Research Association Meeting. Los Angeles, CA. Poster.
Peurach, D. J., Duff, M., Sherer, J. Z., Matthis, C. (2026) Contextualizing the Evaluations of the NSI Initiative: Perspectives on Hub Leadership in Educational Improvement Networks. American Educational Research Association Meeting. Los Angeles, CA. Presentation.
2025
Russell, J. L. & Sherer, J. Z. Planning for Sustained Impact: How Can We Ensure Our Improvement Work Sticks?. Summit. Nashville, TN. Presentation. Guide.
Sherer, J. Z., Li, A., & McMahon, K. Key Considerations for Building a Productive Improvement Network: What Do Leaders Need To Know?. Summit. Nashville, TN. Presentation. Six Domains Guide. Rubric.
Russell, J. L., Peurach, D., Bryk, A., Duff, M., Li., A., Perlman, H., Premo, A., Sherer, J. Z., Matthis, C. Improvement network development: Exploring the promise of collaboration among schools to support educational improvement. American Educational Research Association Meeting. Denver, CO. Presentation.
Sherer, J. Z., Li, A., & Russell, J. L. Designing for high engagement: Balancing structure and agency in improvement networks. The Carnegie Foundation Summit on Improvement in Education. San Diego, CA. Presentation. Methods Sheet.
Sherer, J. Z., Peurach, D., & McMahon, K. Supporting network leaders: Unpacking the work and challenges of hub leadership. The Carnegie Foundation Summit on Improvement in Education. San Diego, CA. Presentation. 1Pager.
Peurach, D., Jones, E., Duff, M., Sherer, J. Z., & Matthis, C. The Central Role of Hub Leaders in the Development and Sustainned Impact of NSI. NSI Advisory Board Webinar. Powerpoint.
2024
Duff, M., Sherer, J. Z., Li, A. Equity in networked improvement: For whom and under what conditions? The Carnegie Foundation Summit on Improvement in Education. San Diego, CA. Presentation.
Russell, J. L., Sherer, J. Z., Bryk, A., & Duff, M. Improvement Network Development: Lessons from the field. The Carnegie Foundation Summit on Improvement in Education. San Diego, CA. Presentation.
Duff, M., Russell, J. L., & Sherer, J. Z. Putting networks in context: How NSI manage complex environments The Carnegie Foundation Summit on Improvement in Education. San Diego, CA. Presentation.
Duff, M., Sherer, J. Z., Russell, J. L., Premo, A., E., Li, A. Y., & Perlman, H. Equity in networked improvement: For whom and under what conditions? American Educational Research Association Meeting. Philadelphia, PA. Presentation.
Russell, J. L., & Sherer, J. Z. Network Health. Community of Practice. Presentation.
2023
Russell, J. L., & Sherer, J. Z. Organizing for improvement. American Educational Research Association Meeting. Chicago, IL.
Peurach, D. J., Russell, J. L., Sherer, J. Z., Jones, E., Duff, M., Matthis, C. S., McMahon, K. Developing, managing, and sustaining school improvement networks: Inside the black box of hub leadership. American Educational Research Association Meeting. Chicago, IL.
Duff, M., Perlman, H., Russell, J, L., Sherer, J. Z., Matthis, C. S., Bryk, A. S. Putting networks in context: How school improvement networks manage complex environments. American Educational Research Association Meeting. Chicago, IL. Presentation.
Russell, J. L., Peurach, D. J., Bryk, A., Sherer, J. Z., Duff, M., & Premo, A. A descriptive examination of the manifestation of the improvement network concept in the NSI Initiative. American Educational Research Association Meeting. Chicago, IL.
2022
Peurach, D., Russell, J. L., Sherer, J. Z., McMahon, K., & Parkerson, E., The work and complications of hub leadership in educational improvement networks, in Creating Systemic Change for Improvement and Transformation: Affordances and Limitations of Five Efforts to Improve Instruction at Scale. American Educational Research Association Meeting. San Diego, CA.
2021
Russell, J. L., Sherer, J. Z., Petrosky, A., Newman, C., Smith, T., Walters, K., Ashoka, E. H. Improving the core: Features, challenges, and opportunities of instructionally-focused improvement networks. The Carnegie Foundation Summit on Improvement in Education. Virtual, April 2021.
2020
Russell, J. L., Sherer, J. Z., Ashoka, E. H., & Apodaca, R. Improving the core: Features and challenges of instructionally-focused networked improvement communities. The Carnegie Foundation Summit on Improvement in Education. Virtual, April 2020.