The Rutgers Institute for Improving Student Achievement (RIISA) provides organizational consultation and professional development services to schools to help address challenges in leadership, curriculum and instruction, education technology, and students' social-emotional development. Some specific services include executive coaching, principal and teacher leadership training, literacy and math support, and helping schools and districts analyze and use data to improve achievement for all students. RIISA works with schools and districts across New Jersey through various programs and networks focused on middle grades, high school reform, and developing educational leaders.

1. What are the services that RIISA
provides to schools?
The Rutgers Institute for Improving Student
Achievement (RIISA) is a value-added resource
for organizational consultation and in-district
professional development for teachers,
administrators, and boards of education. Through
RIISA, Rutgers University-affiliated experts assist
in effectively addressing district or school
challenges in the following areas:
• leadership and organizational development
• curriculum and instructional development
• educational technology
• students’ social and emotional development
What are some areas of potential
support and assistance?
• Executive Training & Individual Coaching for
District and School Administrators
• Principal Instructional & Organizational
Leadership Development
• Teacher Instructional & Organizational
Leadership Development
• District Professional Development Planning
& Implementation for Administrators
• Literacy & Mathematics Curriculum
and Instruction
• District and School-Based Team Building
• Decision-Making & Problem-Solving
• Information Management & Analysis for
Instructional/Administrative Decision-Making
• Central Office Organization & Service Delivery
• Public Leadership Engagement &
External Communications
• School Board Leadership Development
Rutgers Institute for Improving
Student Achievement
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Graduate School of Education
10 Seminary Place
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Email: riisa@rci.rutgers.edu
www.gse.rutgers.edu/riisa
WILLIAM LIBRERA, Ed.D.
Executive Director
(732) 932-7496, Ext. 8150
William.Librera@gse.rutgers.edu
PENELOPE LATTIMER, Ph.D.
Assistant Director
(732) 932-7496, Ext. 8225
Penelope.Lattimer@gse.rutgers.edu
PETER BASTARDO, Ed.D.
Senior Associate
(732) 932-7496, Ext. 8302
Peter.Bastardo@gse.rutgers.edu
CARRIE HARRIS
Program Coordinator
(732) 932-7496, Ext. 8120
Carrie.Harris@gse.rutgers.edu
RIISA
IMPROVING THE
ACHIEVEMENT OF
ALL STUDENTS
RUTGERS
INSTITUTE FOR
IMPROVING
STUDENT
ACHIEVEMENT

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President Richard McCormick has made the
involvement of Rutgers University with the PreK-
12 schools in New Jersey one of the major
priorities of his administration. To this end, with
members of this administration Dr. Phillip
Furmanski, Executive Vice President, and Dr.
Richard DeLisi, Dean of the Graduate School of
Education, he has carefully created and supported
the establishment of a Rutgers Institute for
Improving Student Achievement (RIISA).
In September 2005, President McCormick
appointed Dr. William Librera, former NJ State
Commissioner of Education, to the position of
Executive Director of RIISA.
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The mission of Rutgers Institute for Improving
Student Achievement is to provide continuous
improvement in the achievement of all students
through the combined efforts of Rutgers
University, PreK-12 districts, corporate affiliates
and community partners. RIISA is pleased to
welcome partners in this important work.
Three Components of
Rutgers Institute for Improving
Student Achievement:
1. LEADERSHIP
Developing, expanding, and modeling leadership
to improve student achievement among all
members of the school community.
2. CONTENT & TEACHING EXPERTISE
Determining both the necessary understanding of
content and pedagogy for quality teaching and
student achievement in Language Arts Literacy,
Mathematics, and Science with a special emphasis
on middle grades (4-8).
3. HIGH SCHOOL REFORM
Supporting new models of structure and
organization within high schools including specifics
such as schedules that promote high performance.
In addition to these three central components of
RIISA’s work, we seek to analyze and interpret
data as well as disseminate research that supports
the improvement of teaching and learning.
* If you have an interest in obtaining more information
on any project, please contact Carrie Harris at:
(732) 932-7496, Ext. 8120. You may also contact her
by email at: carrie.harris@gse.rutgers.edu or
riisa@gse.rutgers.edu
* Please browse the RIISA website for more
information: www.gse.rutgers.edu/riisa
Significant Projects
2009-10 School Year:
 MIDDLE GRADES NETWORK
A consortium of schools and school districts
committed to middle level education focusing
on effective classroom practices in grades 4-8 in
Literacy and Mathematics.
 HIGH SCHOOL NETWORK
Bringing high schools together to address
achievement gap challenges and innovative
practices appropriate for 21st century learning
and teaching.
 LEADERSHIP
A. Twenty-five Superintendents from The
New Jersey School Development Council
work with RIISA to better understand
current issues impacting the educational
environment. This study group will
continue to explore important leadership
projects like this throughout the current
academic year.
B. RIISA is a Co-Chair of a New Jersey
Association of School Administrators Task
Force designed to develop plans to address
New Jersey’s achievement gap.
As a member of a five-state coC. nsortium (NJ,
NY, Mass, CT, & RI), Rutgers through
RIISA will coordinate the New Jersey
higher education institution program for
twelve Superintendents in their second or
third year of service.