Benchmark Research provides the analytic and technical services to develop and continually enhance the quality of the comparative data designed to support and inform planning and policy development in participating institutions.

In 1993, a small group of the larger independent coeducational day schools engaged Benchmark Research to design and coordinate a collaborative initiative (JRPO - Joint Research and Planning Office) serving shared research and planning needs at reasonable costs for participating schools. Since then, this consortium has grown to include 50 institutions while three other groups of independent schools have established and developed similar projects.

Collaborative Benchmark Projects

Reports

Each school participating in these collaborative benchmark projects receives a unique report comparing it on a wide range of structural and performance characteristics with statistics for the group as a whole.

• Ratio analysis and standardization of current, local financial data such as salaries and tuitions for regional variations in costs of living facilitate "apples to apples" comparisons.
• Extensive use of graphics makes many of the comparisons readable at a glance in a user-friendly document that can be printed in black and white or color or used directly for presentations via video projector.

While each school's report displays its own data against the background of comparative statistics for the group as a whole, identities of the other participating institutions and assocations with specific data items are not explicit. Use of the data by schools participating in these benchmark projects is governed by a confidentiality policy.

Annual Meeting

Annual two-day meeting on research and planning issues are scheduled for each group and these offer uniquely valuable opportunities for heads and senior administrators to explore shared challenges in a collegial context.