SESP Faculty

Cynthia Coburn

Faculty Profile

Cynthia E. Coburn is the Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence at the School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University. Coburn studies the relationship between instructional policy and teachers’ classroom practices in urban schools, the dynamics of school district policy making, and the relationship between research and practice for school improvement. She has won numerous awards for her scholarship, including the American Educational Research Association Early Career Award (2011), election as a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association (2015), an honorary doctorate (Doctor Honoris Causa) from CU Louvain in Belgium (2019), election to the National Academy of Education (2020), and Northwestern University’s Ver Steeg Distinguished Research Fellowship (2020). She is a member of the California Collaborative for District Reform, the DREME network investigating coherence of early mathematics instruction, the National Academy of Sciences, Medicine and Engineering NASEM) Standing Committee on Scientific Communication, and the NASEM Committee on the Future of Educational Research. Prior to graduate school, Coburn worked for a national non-profit organization that worked to support poor and minoritized communities in pushing for improvement in their local schools. Coburn has a BA in philosophy from Oberlin College, and a MA in Sociology and a PhD in Education from Stanford University.

Relationship between research and policy
Relationship between instructional policy and teachers’ classroom practices in urban schools

• 2021-2024  Charles Deering McCormick Professorship of Teaching Excellence, Northwestern University
• 2020  Dorothy Ann and Clarence L. Ver Steeg Distinguished Research Fellowship, Northwestern University
• 2020  Elected Member, National Academy of Education
• 2019  Doctor Honoris Causa (Honorary Doctoral Degree), Faculty of Psychology and Education and the Psychological Sciences Research Institute, UC Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
• 2015  Elected Fellow, American Educational Research Association, honoring “exceptional contributions to and excellence in educational research”
• 2014  Association of Student Government Faculty and Administration Honor Roll, for excellence in undergraduate teaching, Northwestern University
• 2014  Chair of Educational Change, Faculty of Education, Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, Chile
• 2012  Chancellor’s Professor, University of California Berkeley
• 2011  Early Career Award, in recognition of a distinguished portfolio of cumulative research within the first decade of career, American Educational Research Association 
• 2010  Visiting Scholar, Center for Educational Policy and Innovation, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium
• 2008  Regents’ Junior Faculty Fellowship, UC Berkeley
• 2008  Albert J. Harris Award for outstanding research contribution to the understanding of prevention or assessment of reading or learning disabilities, International Reading Association 
• 2007  Outstanding Reviewer Award, American Educational Research Journal-Social and Institutional Analysis
• 2006  Palmer O. Johnson Award for outstanding scholarship in an AERA journal, American Educational Research Association
• 2003  Award of Excellence, in recognition of outstanding support to graduate students Council of Graduate Students in Education, University of Pittsburgh
• 2002  Dissertation Award, Division L (Politics and Policy), American Educational Research Association
• 1999  Spencer Foundation National Fellowship for Research Related to Education
• 1988  Phi Beta Kappa

Stein, M. A.* & Coburn, C. E. (in press). PreK – 3 initiatives: Challenges of fostering alignment and continuity in two school districts. Educational Policy.

Wong, L-S.*, Coburn, C. E. & Kamel, A.* (in press). How central office-school relationships shape school leaders’ instructional decision making: Evidence from two site-based decision making systems. Peabody Journal of Education.

Huguet, A.*, Coburn, C. E., Farrell, C. F., Kim, D. H.* & Allen, A-R. (2021). Constraints, values, and information: How district leaders justify their positions during instructional deliberations. American Educational Research Journal. Published online February 20, 2021.

Huguet, A.*, Wong, L-S.*, Harrison, C.*, Coburn, C. E., & Spillane, J. (2019). Research use and school leaders: A review of the evidence. In C. James, D. H. Eddy-Spicer, M. Connolly & S. D. Kruse (eds), The SAGE Handbook on School Organizations. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

Tseng, V., & Coburn, C. E. (2019). The Changing Tides of Evidence Use in U.S. Education: From What Works to Continuous Improvement. In A. Boaz, H. Davies, A. Fraser & S. Nutley (eds), What Works Now: Evidence Informed Policy and Practice. UK: Policy Press.

Morel, R. P.*, Coburn, C. E., Catterson, A. K.*, & Higgs, J.* (2019). The multiple meanings of scale: Implications for researchers and practitioners. Educational Researcher, 48(6), 369-377. 

Farrell, C. C., Harrison, C.*, & Coburn, C. E. (2019). “What the hell is this and who the hell are you?”: Role negotiation in research-practice partnerships. AERA Open, 5(2). 

Farrell, C., & Coburn, C. E. (2018). The role of district absorptive capacity for organizational learning: An empirical study. American Education Research Journal, 955-994.

Morel R. P., & Coburn, C. E. (2018). Brokering in context: Exploring influence in a professional development network. American Education Research Journal, 247-288.

Whyte, K. L.*, Stein, M. A.*, Kim, D.*, Jou, N., & Coburn, C. E. (2018). Mathematics in early childhood: Teacher educators’ accounts of their work. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 39(3), 213-231.

Coburn, C.E., McMahon, K.*, Borsato, G., Stein, A.*, Jou, N., Chong, S.*, LeMahieu, R.*, Franke, M., Ibarra, S.*, & Stipek, D (2018). Fostering Pre-K to Elementary Alignment and Continuity in Mathematics in Urban School Districts: Challenges and Possibilities. Stanford, CA: Policy Analysis for California Education.

Coburn, C. E., Friedmann, E., & Stipek, D (2018). Fostering pre-K to elementary alignment and continuity in urban school districts: Challenges and possibilities. A policy brief. Stanford, CA: Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE).

Farrell, C. C., & Coburn, C. (2017). School districts and their external partners: A conceptual framework for productive partnering . Journal of Educational Change, 18(2), 135-159.

Huguet, A.*, Allen, A-R., Coburn, C.E., Farrell, C.C., Kim, D.H.* & Penuel, W.R. (2017). Locating data use in the microprocesses of district-level deliberations. Nordic Journal of Studies in Education, 3(1), 21-28.

Stipek, D., Clements, D., Coburn, C. E., Franke, M. & Farran, D. (2017). PK-3: What does it mean for instruction?. Social Policy Report , 30(2), 1-22.

Penuel, B., Gallagher, D., & Coburn, C.E. (2017). Varieties of relationships between educators and researchers. In B. Penuel & D. Gallagher, Building and sustaining research-practice partnerships in education. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Educational Press.

Farrell, C. C., & Coburn, C. E. (2017). School districts and their external partners: A conceptual framework for productive partnering. Journal of Educational Change, 135-159.

Coburn, C.E., & Penuel, W.R. (2016). Research-practice partnerships: Outcomes, dynamics, and open questions. Educational Researcher, 45(1), 48-54.
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Coburn, C.E., Hill, H.C., & Spillane, J.P. (2016). Alignment and accountability in policy design & implementation: The Common Core State Standards and implementation research. Educational Researcher, 45(4), 243-251.
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Coburn, C.E. (2016). What’s policy got to do with it? How the structure-agency debate can illuminate policy implementation. American Journal of Education, 122(3), 465-475.
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Penuel, W.R., Farrell, C.C., Allen, A-R, Toyama, Y., & Coburn, C.E. (2016). How district leaders use research: Comparing differences within and across districts. Educational Policy.

Boaz, A., Coburn, C.E., et al. (2016). The future of Evidence and Policy: Moving forward from Valencia. Evidence & Policy.
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Penuel, W.R., Allen, A.-R., Coburn, C.E., & Farrell, C. C.* (2015). Conceptualizing research-practice partnerships as joint work at boundaries. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk (JESPAR), 20(1-2), 182-197.
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Penuel, W.R., & Coburn, C.E. (2014). Research use at the school and district level. In K. Finnigan & A.J. Daly (eds.), Using research evidence in education: From the schoolhouse door to Capitol Hill. 
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Coburn, C.E., Mata, W., & Choi L. (2013). The embeddedness of teachers’ social networks: Evidence from mathematics reform. Sociology of Education, 86(4), 311-342.
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Penuel, W.R., Coburn, C.E., & Gallagher, D. (2013). Negotiating problems of practice in research-practice design partnerships. In W.R. Penuel, B.J. Fishman, & B.H. Cheng (eds.), Design-based implementation research. Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education.
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Coburn, C. E., & Turner, E. O.* (2012). Research on data use: A framework and analysis. Measurement: Interdisciplinary Research and Perspectives, 9(4), 173-206 [lead article].
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Coburn C. E., & Turner, E. O.* (2012). Putting the “use” back in data use: An outsider’s contribution to the measurement community’s conversation about data. Measurement: Interdisciplinary Research and Perspectives, 9(4), 227-234.
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Coburn, C. E., & Woulfin, S. L.* (2012). Reading coaches and the relationship between policy and practice. Reading Research Quarterly, 47(1), 5-30. [lead article]
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Coburn, C. E., Russell, J. L., Kaufman, J., & Stein, M. K. (2012). Supporting sustainability: Teachers’ advice networks and ambitious instructional reform. American Journal of Education, 119(1), 137-182.
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Turner, E. O.*, & Coburn, C. E. (2012). Interventions to promote data use: An introduction. Teachers College Record, 114(11), 1-13.
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Coburn, C. E., & Bueschel, A. C. (Eds.) (2012). Promoting data use in education: Promises and pitfalls. Special issue of Teachers College Record, 114(11).

Coburn, C. E., & Turner, E. O.* (2012). The practice of data use: An introduction. American Journal of Education, 118(2), 99-111.
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Coburn, C.E., & Bueschel, A.C. (Eds.) (2012). The practice of data use. Special issue of American Journal of Education, 118(2).

Woulfin, S.*, & Coburn, C. E. (2011). Policy implementation: The path from reading policy to classroom practice. In R.M. Bean & A. S. Dagen (eds.), Best practices of literacy leaders in schools. NY: Guilford Press.

Coburn, C. E., & Stein, M. K., (Eds.) (2010). Research and practice in education: Building alliances, bridging the divide. NY: Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group.

Coburn, C.E., Choi, L.*, & Mata, W.* (2010). “I would go to her because her mind is math”: Network formation in the context of district-based mathematics reform. In A.J. Daly (ed.), Social network theory and educational change (pp. 33-50). Cambridge: Harvard Educational Press.

Coburn, C. E., Pearson, P. D., & Woulfin, S.* (2010). Reading policy in the era of accountability. In M. Kamil, P.D. Pearson, E. Moje, & P. Afflerbach (eds.), Handbook of reading research volume IV. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Coburn, C. E., Toure, J.*, & Yamashita, M.* (2009). Evidence, interpretation, and persuasion: Instructional decision making at the district central office. Teachers College Record, 111(4),1115-1161.
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Coburn, C. E., Honig, M. I., & Stein, M. K. (2009). What’s the evidence on districts’ use of evidence? In J. D. Bransford, D.J.  Stipek, N. J. Vye, L. M. Gomez, & D. Lam (eds.), The role of research in educational improvement (pp. 67-86). Cambridge: Harvard Education Press.

Coburn, C. E., Bae, S.*, & Turner, E. O.* (2008). Authority, status, and the dynamics of insider-outsider partnerships at the district level. Peabody Journal of Education, 83(3), 364-399.
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Coburn, C. E., & Russell, J. L.* (2008). District policy and teachers’ social networks. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 30(3), 203-235. [lead article]
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Honig, M. I., & Coburn, C. E. (2008). Evidence-based decision making in school district central offices: Toward a policy and research agenda. Educational Policy, 22(4), 578-608.
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Stein, M. K., & Coburn, C. E. (2008). Architectures for learning: A comparative analysis of two urban school districts. American Journal of Education, 114(4), 583-626.
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Coburn, C.E., & Russell, J.L. (2008). Getting the most out of professional learning communities and coaching: Promoting interactions that support instructional improvement . Learning Policy Brief, 1(3), 1-4.
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Coburn, C. E. (2006). Framing the problem of reading instruction: Using frame analysis to uncover the microprocesses of policy implementation. American Educational Research Journal, 43(3), 343-379. [lead article]
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Coburn, C. E., & Talbert, J. E. (2006). Conceptions of Evidence Use in School Districts: Mapping the Terrain.  American Journal of Education, 112(4), 469-495.
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Coburn, C. E., & Stein, M. K. (2006). Communities of practice theory and the role of teacher professional community in policy implementation. In M.I. Honig (ed.), New directions in education policy implementation: Confronting complexity (pp. 25-46). Albany, NY: The State University of New York Press.

Coburn, C. E. (2005). The role of nonsystem actors in the relationship between policy and practice: The case of reading instruction in California. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 27(1), 23-52.
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Coburn, C. E. (2005). Shaping teacher sensemaking: School leaders and the enactment of reading policy. Educational Policy, 19(3), 476-509.
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Honig, M.I., & Coburn, C.E. (2005). When districts use evidence to improve instruction: What do we know and where do we go from here?. Voices in Urban Education, (6), 22-29.
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Coburn, C. E. (2004). Beyond decoupling: Rethinking the relationship between the institutional environment and the classroom. Sociology of Education, 77: 211-244 [lead article].
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Coburn, C. E. (2003). Rethinking scale: Moving beyond numbers to deep and lasting change. Educational Researcher, 32(6), 3-12.
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Stein, M. K., & Coburn, C. E. (2003). Toward producing usable knowledge for the improvement of educational practice: A conceptual framework. In Abstracts, Biennial Meeting of the European Conference for Research on Learning and Instruction. Padova, Italy. 

Coburn, C. E. (2001). Collective sensemaking about reading: How teachers mediate reading policy in their professional communities. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 23(2), 145-170.
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