Founded more than 50 years ago at Johns Hopkins University, the Center for Social Organization of Schools, now part of the Johns Hopkins School of Education, concentrates its considerable research and development resources on improving low-performing schools and the education they offer their students.

The center maintains a staff of full-time sociologists, psychologists, social psychologists, and educators who conduct programmatic research to improve the education system, as well as full-time support staff engaged in developing curricula and providing technical assistance to help schools use the center's research.