The Riley Institute’s Center for Education Policy and Leadership supports and recognizes highly effective and innovative approaches to public education that drive better and more equitable outcomes for all the people of South Carolina and beyond.
Our work touches five primary focus areas: project-based learning, personalized competency-based learning, public school Montessori, afterschool and summer learning, and civic education in public schools. In addition, the Institute’s research group undertakes in-depth research and evaluation to promote evidence-supported education practices in public schools.
Each year, the Institute recognizes an outstanding evidence-based public education initiative in the state with its Dick and Tunky Riley WhatWorksSouthCarolina Award.
Our White-Riley-Peterson Policy Fellowship equips afterschool leaders with a real-world understanding of the art, science, possibilities, and realities of policy-making.
We're on a mission to honor highly effective programs improving South Carolina public schools and share key strategies to their success.
The Riley Institute has played an important role in expanding project-based learning across South Carolina and studying the teaching method's impact on student outcomes.
At a time when we critically need to strengthen American democracy, our programs encourage civic participation among young people.