The Institute for Research and Reform in Education is a non-profit institution that is in collaboration with other educational agencies to provide aid to all students. The Institute for Research and Reform in Education has worked together with different schools and districts to enhance all students’ academic strong points that would help them land better employment opportunities and pursue post-secondary education.

The Institute for Research and Reform in Education also offers consultation services state education officials, other non-profit organizations, and education professionals primarily with regards to education system and management.

The Institute for Research and Reform in Education developed First Things First¸ a framework of a school reform with emphasis on helping students achieve the necessary academic skills and knowledge to ensure their success in the workplace or in their continuing education. The goal of the First Things First program also works in parallel with the No Child Left Behind Act, a federal law enacted on January 8, 2002 that calls for the improvement in the standards of education in primary and secondary schools.

The First Things First program by The Institute for Research and Reform in Education seeks to develop and instill academic competence to students by promoting the use of Small Learning Communities (SLC), The Family Advocate System, and Instructional Improvement.

The Institute for Research and Reform in Education also created several supporting programs to bolster First Things First, some of which are listed below:

• Measuring What Matters – Teachers, parents, and school administrators have access to the data that are significant in developing a student’s academic potential;
• FTF Literacy – aids students that are a grade or two behind in terms of reading capabilities and skills;
• A Guide to the Family Advocate System – designed help teachers immerse in their new roles as advocates of education in small learning communities.

The Institute for Research and Reform in Education has partnered with several institutions like Talent Development High Schools (TDHS) and Architects of Achievement, in the pursuit of their goals.