For decades, government agencies, regions, foundations, and school districts have turned to SRI to address complex issues in education, learning, and human services. SRI's multidisciplinary teams of education policy researchers, sociologists, psychologists, political scientists, statisticians, and others study education policy issues and develop research-based solutions to improve productivity and quality of life at home and school, and in the workplace.

SRI applies education research-based insights into how to improve learning and teaching in real-world settings across three broad categories:

• Education technology: To address how technology can enhance the quality of learning for all students, researchers in SRI's Center for Technology in Learning evaluate large-scale educational innovations and design assessments to enhance teaching and learning. The Center also develops tools to help students master complex ideas, enhances online learning communities, and offers strategic learning consulting services. Also for the next generation of online learning and education, SRI’s Center for Software Engineering leads development of the open-source National Training and Education Resource (NTER) platform.

• Education policy: SRI's Center for Education Policy evaluates the impact of a variety of educational programs, including improvement efforts for traditionally underrepresented students, models for education reform, initiatives aimed at raising teacher quality, and efforts to improve adult education. The Center conducts education research to identify which factors improve education and use this information to inform policymakers.

• Education and human services: SRI's Center for Education and Human Services focuses on children, youth, and families facing challenges from economic disadvantage, disability, teenage parenthood, neighborhood decay, and other risk factors. Center researchers examine the impact and effectiveness of federal, state, and local policies and programs, including community services, special education and disability policies, school partnerships, and early childhood programs.

• Higher education: SRI's Center for Science, Technology, and Economic Development has significant experience in the management and design of higher education institutions, creating strategies and implementing policies to develop the next generation of research leaders.