KU Center for Public Partnerships and Research announces new director
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas Center for Public Partnerships and Research (KU-CPPR) has announced the appointment of Jared Barton as the new director of KU-CPPR. Barton most recently served as CPPR’s assistant director of applied research.
Barton is the second director in CPPR’s 12-year history, following CPPR founder Jackie Counts, who was recently named an operating officer at KU's Achievement & Assessment Institute (AAI).
“Jared is a trusted collaborator and has established strong relationships within KU, across several states and nationally. He is an experienced researcher providing relevant thought leadership with entrepreneurial instincts that he effectively uses to seed and scale good ideas,” Counts said. “He is well poised to step into the role of director.”
Barton received his master’s in social work administration and advocacy practice in 2008 at the KU School of Social Welfare, where he later earned his doctorate in social welfare in 2019. He served as the assistant director of data science at KU-CPPR from 2010 to 2020 before becoming the co-director of the KU Center for Research to Transform Systems. As an assistant research professor in the School of Social Welfare, he conceptualized and designed research programs to improve systems for child and family well-being, and he directed and oversaw the implementation of Results Oriented Management (ROM) as the principal investigator.
With his expertise in supporting the uptake of data and technology in human services, Barton has overseen the conceptualization and technical implementation of web applications used to support the data collection, shared measurement, and reporting for several federal, state, and local child and family well-being initiatives. He was critical in expanding DAISEY across four states and has secured approximately $16 million after successfully procuring 41 externally funded projects as principal or co-principal investigator. Barton recently oversaw the development and implementation of Kansas Early Childhood Integrated Data System (ECIDS), a new data governance structure that brings together the datasets of five state agencies and Kansas partners to improve outcomes for children, youth and families.
“KU-CPPR gave me opportunities from designing rigorous research studies to wrangling complex data systems and developing technologies that impact communities across multiple states,” Barton said. “I’ve learned lessons here that extend far beyond work about resilience, community and the power of human relationships. I believe deeply in what people can accomplish when they work together, and I am honored to step into this role and to work alongside people who are committed to making an impact on the world that’s bigger than themselves.”
About CPPR
The KU Center for Public Partnerships and Research (CPPR), a center within the Achievement & Assessment Institute (AAI), partners with communities, government, and nonprofit organizations across the country to optimize the well-being of children, youth, and families. CPPR empowers people to overcome systemic challenges through innovation and sustainable partnerships with their multidisciplinary team of researchers, data scientists and systems-thinkers, to catalyze change and make measurable improvements. In addition to depth of experience, CPPR is valued for contributing a broad array of unique resources and for applying strategic foresight in areas like early childhood care and education, public health, youth development, child and family well-being, and future-focused leadership.
About AAI
The Achievement & Assessment Institute (AAI) is one of 11 designated research institutes at KU. The organization includes eight strategic centers addressing critical challenges in educational assessment, pedagogy research, technology and innovation, school district-level support, direct impact programming, educational opportunity, well-being organization optimization and more. The work provides positive impact across all 105 Kansas counties as well as serving partners in over 20 states across the U.S.