The Wisconsin Center for Education Research was founded in 1964 at the highly ranked School of Education at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. One of the first and largest university-based education research and development centers in the world, its researchers and staff work to make teaching and learning as effective as possible for all ages and people.

WCER’s mission is to improve educational outcomes for diverse student populations, positively impact education practice, and foster collaborations among academic disciplines and practitioners. Historically, research has focused on the human mind and motivation (contributing to the rise of cognitive psychology) and math and science learning. Now, in addition, much of WCER’s research focuses on:

• investigating diverse learners
• conducting assessment and evaluation
• exploring solutions for opportunity/equity gaps
• providing educational support for English language learners