WestEd
Encyclopedia
WestEd is a San Francisco-based nonpartisan, nonprofit, mission-focused organization. The organization's mission states: "WestEd, a research, development, and services agency, works with education and other communities to promote excellence, achieve equity, and improve learning for children, youth, and adults." Annual revenue is approximately $115 million, with over 350 funders including the United States Department of Education
, National Science Foundation
, the United States Department of Justice
, and many state, county, local, philanthropic, and business entities.
WestEd develops research-based programs, intervention strategies, and other resources, including publications and services for teacher education
. In educational research
, educational evaluation
, policy support, and technical assistance, WestEd works to find the best answers to enduring challenges and emerging questions in education and human development. Among WestEd’s specialties are education assessment and accountability; professional development; early childhood and youth development; program evaluation; community building; and policy analysis.
Among its work, WestEd helps clients assess students' knowledge of science, develop mentoring programs, create fair and effective standardized assessments to inform instruction, and improve programs for English learners and students with disabilities. The agency develops and shares knowledge with educators and community leaders about youth resiliency and health, teaching and learning mathematics, technology to enhance learning, and day care centers and preschools.
Five times WestEd has been named one of the Best Employers in the San Francisco Bay Area
, the first time in 2004. In addition to headquarters in San Francisco, WestEd has 16 regional offices throughout United States and over 600 employees.
, California
, Nevada
, and Utah
, with Board members representing agencies from these states and nationally, including leaders from public and private education, business, and human services communities. Its Board takes an active role in agency leadership and strategic planning.
Agency leadership includes Glen Harvey, Chief Executive Officer; Gary Estes, Chief Program Officer; Max McConkey, Chief Policy & Communications Officer; Sri Ananda, Chief Development Officer; and, Nancy Riddle, Chief Financial Officer.
(FWL), located in San Francisco. SWRL and FWL were established in 1966, shortly after the passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
(ESEA) (Pub.L. 89-10, 79 Stat. 27, 20 U.S.C. ch.70), a United States federal statute enacted April 11, 1965. The Act funded several areas of primary and secondary education including professional development, instructional materials, resources to support educational programs, and parental involvement promotion. FWL and SWRL were established under ESEA (1965) Title IV, which established funding for educational research and training.
Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Program, in operation since 1965, is a network of ten laboratories that serves the educational needs of designated regions by providing access to high quality, scientifically valid education research through applied research and development projects, studies, and related technical assistance activities. The Regional Educational Laboratory Program (the "Lab Program") is the United States Department of Education
's largest research and development investment designed to help educators, policy makers, and communities improve schools and help all students attain their full potential.
WestEd operates REL West serving the states of Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah. REL West serves its region by producing causal evidence about what works in education, developing and disseminating the best information available to inform regional decision-making and practice, and fostering a culture of evidence-based education throughout the region Home to isolated rural schools and large urban districts, REL West’s region includes some of the nation’s fastest-growing districts, and more than 30 percent of its school-age children are English learners. REL West conducts two types of research: short-term, fast-response projects designed to inform immediate action or policy decisions and rigorous, multi-year experimental studies of promising education interventions. Findings are disseminated through IES-published Issues & Answers reports or Technical Briefs; REL West-produced publications, such as the Research Digest; targeted presentations and technical assistance; and face-to-face or online meetings and events. Recent studies include:
, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, School Support and Technology Programs. School Support and Technology Programs provide funds for education technology, school facilities, parent information assistance centers, and comprehensive education assistance centers. The Comprehensive Centers Program supports 21 comprehensive centers to help increase state capacity to assist districts and schools meet their student achievement goals. By statute, the Department is required to establish at least one center in each of the 10 geographic regions served by the Department's regional education laboratories. These comprehensive technical assistance centers are designed to help low-performing schools and districts close achievement gaps and meet the goals of the No Child Left Behind Act
of 2001. Section 203 of Title II of the Educational Technical Assistance Act of 2002 (TA Act) authorizes the Department to establish not fewer than 20 comprehensive technical assistance centers to provide technical assistance to States to benefit school districts and schools, especially those in need of improvement.
WestEd operates two regional centers, the California Comprehensive Center (CA CC) and the Southwest Comprehensive Center (SWCC) serving the states of Arizona
, Colorado
, Nevada
, New Mexico
, and Utah
. Regional Centers provide frontline assistance to States to help them implement NCLB and other related Federal school improvement programs and help increase State capacity to assist districts and schools meet their student achievement goals. Regional Centers are embedded in regions and responsible for developing strong relationships and partnerships within their regional community. While Content Centers must focus almost entirely on specific content areas, analyzing research, developing useful products and tools for Regional Centers and other clients, the Regional Centers are on ground providers to States.
The CA CC is directed by Fred Tempes, Director of WestEd's Comprehensive School Assistance Center, and has three priorities: supporting those working to build the capacity of districts and schools to improve student achievement; building the capacity of the state to assist districts to support students with special needs; and disseminating research-based and promising practices.
, Colorado
, Nevada
, New Mexico
, and Utah
The work of the SWCC is focused on six priority goals: Strengthen and align state assessment and accountability systems with the No Child Left Behind Act
(NCLB); Build and sustain state systems of support for district improvement; Build and sustain state systems of support for school improvement; Increase state capacity to recruit, prepare, and retain high-quality teachers; Support high school improvement; and Integrate technology applications in state reform efforts.
, operates the Accountability and Assessment Comprehensive Center (AACC), one of five content centers covering a spectrum of school improvement and technical assistance areas. The content centers are responsible for providing in-depth knowledge, expertise, and analyses to regional centers and the States served by the regional centers. Content centers disseminate knowledge on scientifically based research on effective practice and research-based products in their area of specialty and provide experts that regional centers can use in delivering technical assistance to States.
, Massachusetts
, Maine
, New Hampshire
, New Jersey
, New York
, Rhode Island
, and Vermont
. NERRC helps state agencies in the Northeast improve their systems of early intervention, special education, and transition services for children with disabilities. It is one of six regional program centers funded by the federal Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) to assist state education agencies in the systemic improvement of education programs, practices, and policies that affect children and youth with disabilities. Services offered by the RRC Program include consultation, information services, specially designed technical assistance, training, and product development. NERRC provides technical assistance and support to increase state capacity to improve state systems of general supervision under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA), ensuring that the northeast region's infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities receive the services and supports they need to learn, graduate from high school and move on to postsecondary education, employment, and independence.
, New York
, Puerto Rico
, and the United States Virgin Islands
.
The Regional Educational Laboratory Southwest administered by Edvance Research serves the states of Arkansas
, Louisiana
, New Mexico
, Oklahoma
and Texas
.
WestEd contributes to the work of the New England Comprehensive Center (New England CC) operated by RMC Research Corporation and serving Connecticut
, Maine
, Massachusetts
, New Hampshire
, Rhode Island
, and Vermont
, and to the work of the National High School Center, operated by the American Institutes for Research (AIR).
Child Development Division, is a comprehensive training system used in multiple states that promotes responsive, caring relationships for infants and toddlers. Its centerpiece is a series of broadcast quality videos/DVDs in English, Spanish, and Chinese (Cantonese), with accompanying video magazines, guides, and trainer's manuals available in both English and Spanish. The materials are organized into four training modules, based on the latest research and practice. A complementary program, Beginning Together, ensures that children with special needs are incorporated, and appropriate inclusive practices are promoted, in the training and technical assistance provided by PITC. This is accomplished through "training-of-trainers" institutes, regional outreach activities, training materials, and demonstration programs. In addition, the California Map to Inclusive Child Care project provides a statewide system of support, information and resources for families and providers to facilitate barrier–free access to inclusive child care for children birth to 21.
PITC worked with the Administration for Children, Youth, and Families to develop the Early Head Start program, and has presented training institutes and technical assistance for more than 500 programs serving families with children from birth to three. In 2002, the National Center for Children in Poverty
selected PITC as a model initiative to support infants, toddlers, and their families. The Center for Child and Family Studies and the University of Cincinnati are codeveloping an online associate degree program for early Head Start teachers.
, Child Development Division to create the state's Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) assessment system. DRDP evaluates child care and development services not from a process-oriented compliance model but rather with a focus on the results desired from the system. There are six basic components of the desired results structure: the results themselves, indicators, themes, measures, criteria for success, and measurement tools. The six desired results are: Children are personally and socially competent; Children are effective learners; Children show physical and motor competence; Children are safe and healthy; Families support their children's learning and development; and, Families achieve their goals. The Desired Results for children encompass the four developmental domains, i.e., cognitive, social-emotional, language, and physical development, which are reflected and integrated throughout the indicators, measures, and examples of the measures.
(NAEP), also known as the Nation's Report Card. In collaboration with educators, school officials, the business community, and the public, Steve Schneider, Director of WestEd's , Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics program, is leading the effort to create the basic blueprint for the standardized test, to be offered in 2012. The NAEP program is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics
, an agency in the United States Department of Education
's Institute of Education Sciences
. Information and updates are posted on the 2012 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Technological Literacy Framework and Test Item Specifications project Web site.
(CCSSO), the American Association for the Advancement of Science
(AAAS), the National Science Teachers Association
(NSTA), and the Council of State Science Supervisors (CSSS), WestEd was selected to develop the National Assessment of Educational Progress
(NAEP) Science Assessment Framework. The 2009 NAEP science assessment was administered to students in grades 4, 8, and 12 in schools throughout the country from January to March 2009.
In 2005, the Institute of Education Sciences
, National Center for Education Research funded the development of three teacher professional development courses in the Understanding Science series that address challenging physical science and earth science topics: heat and energy, plate tectonics, and climate and weather. This development grant includes three small, randomized controlled studies to assess the potential efficacy of each of these courses separately to improve teacher content knowledge and student learning, and the reduction of the science achievement gap between English learners and English-proficient speakers. A fourth study will assess the potential efficacy of the entire sequence of courses on teacher knowledge and student science achievement. In 2009 the Institute of Education Sciences
funded a randomized-cluster
experimental design study, Impact of the Understanding Science Professional Development Model on Science Achievement of English Language Learner Students, to evaluate the effects of WestEd's Understanding Science model of professional development — an approach that emphasizes inquiry-based instruction practices that depend less on English proficiency, textbook knowledge, and direct instruction — on student achievement in science, especially English language learner students. The National Science Foundation
has funded a large-scale study, Learning Science for Teaching: Effects of Content-Rich and Practice-Based Professional Development Models on Teacher Content Knowledge, Classroom Practice, and Student Learning, examining the effects of promising professional development models on teachers, classrooms, and students.
In 2010, WestEd received a federal Investing in Innovation (i3) grant to address the persistent academic achievement gaps in the nation's high schools by scaling up the Reading Apprenticeship model of academic literacy instruction. This collaborative effort is providing research-based, discipline-focused professional development to 2,800 high school of biology, U.S. history, and English language arts; and is reaching more than 400,000 students in 300 schools.
The first Reading Apprenticeship study was conducted in 1996-1997 in one San Francisco public high school. Students gained an average of two years growth in seven months of instruction measured on a standardized reading comprehension test, while engaging in rigorous, academic work rather than remediation focused on basic skills. The program tenets and the results were published in the book, Reading for Understanding: A Guide to Improving Reading in Middle and High School Classrooms (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass). In 2005, A Randomized Controlled Study of the Efficacy of Reading Apprenticeship Professional Development for High School History and Science Teaching and Learning was funded by the Institute of Education Sciences
, National Center for Education Research.
Reading Apprenticeship is one of only two supplemental literacy programs selected by the Institute of Education Sciences
for a rigorous evaluation, initiated in 2006. In 2008, the Enhanced Reading Opportunities Study reported that Reading Apprenticeship Academic Literacy had a positive and statistically significant impact on reading comprehension test scores (0.14 standard deviation; p-value = 0.015).
A cluster-randomized experimental study, funded by the United States Department of Education
Institute of Education Sciences
through its Regional Educational Laboratory Program, is underway to assess QTEL's program effects, with schools serving as the unit of assignment. Approximately 50 middle schools, 600 teachers, and about 16,000 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students in several urban school districts in the western region are participating in the study. Middle schools and their participating teachers were randomly assigned within the resulting strata to treatment and control conditions. The study is being conducted by Berkeley Policy Associates, an independent research agency.
(IES) and is designed to complement the What Works Clearinghouse and other IES products.
Office of Innovation and Improvement, highlight promising practices in putting the No Child Left Behind Act
to work, expanding the pool of high-quality charter schools and magnet schools, and engaging parents.
’s Office of Innovation and Improvement, offers practical advice and resources informed by research and the experiences of magnet school
directors and their partner evaluators. It supports district administrators to strengthen six essential components of the evaluation process: Set the stage for purposeful evaluation; Develop a theory of action for your program; Evaluate implementation to document what you are doing; Evaluate outcomes to show your program is making a difference; Get quality data into your evaluator's hands; and Take action in response to evaluation results. The toolkit also provides support for grantees in the federal Magnet Schools Assistance Program, authorized under Sec. 5301 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Authorization.
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
, National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
, the United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
, and many state, county, local, philanthropic, and business entities.
WestEd develops research-based programs, intervention strategies, and other resources, including publications and services for teacher education
Teacher education
Teacher education refers to the policies and procedures designed to equip prospective teachers with the knowledge, attitudes, behaviors and skills they require to perform their tasks effectively in the classroom, school and wider community....
. In educational research
Educational research
Educational research refers to a variety of methods, in which individuals evaluate different aspects of education including but not limited to: “student learning, teaching methods, teacher training, and classroom dynamics”....
, educational evaluation
Educational evaluation
Educational evaluation is the evaluation process of characterizing and appraising some aspect/s of an educational process.Q. 3 Discuss the role of standards and criteria in educational evaluation...
, policy support, and technical assistance, WestEd works to find the best answers to enduring challenges and emerging questions in education and human development. Among WestEd’s specialties are education assessment and accountability; professional development; early childhood and youth development; program evaluation; community building; and policy analysis.
Among its work, WestEd helps clients assess students' knowledge of science, develop mentoring programs, create fair and effective standardized assessments to inform instruction, and improve programs for English learners and students with disabilities. The agency develops and shares knowledge with educators and community leaders about youth resiliency and health, teaching and learning mathematics, technology to enhance learning, and day care centers and preschools.
Five times WestEd has been named one of the Best Employers in the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
, the first time in 2004. In addition to headquarters in San Francisco, WestEd has 16 regional offices throughout United States and over 600 employees.
Governance
WestEd is a Joint Powers Agency, authorized by a California Joint Powers Agreement and governed by public entities in ArizonaArizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, and Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, with Board members representing agencies from these states and nationally, including leaders from public and private education, business, and human services communities. Its Board takes an active role in agency leadership and strategic planning.
Agency leadership includes Glen Harvey, Chief Executive Officer; Gary Estes, Chief Program Officer; Max McConkey, Chief Policy & Communications Officer; Sri Ananda, Chief Development Officer; and, Nancy Riddle, Chief Financial Officer.
History
WestEd was formed in 1995 when the Southwest Regional Educational Laboratory (SWRL), located in Los Alamitos, California, merged with the Far West Laboratory for Educational Research and DevelopmentFar West Laboratory for Educational Research and Development
The Far West Laboratory for Educational Research and Development was established in 1966, as one of the 20 original Regional Educational Laboratories funded by Congress and charged with "bridging the gap between research and practice."...
(FWL), located in San Francisco. SWRL and FWL were established in 1966, shortly after the passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act , is a United States federal statute enacted April 11, 1965. It was passed as a part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's "War on Poverty" and has been the most far-reaching federal legislation affecting education ever passed by Congress...
(ESEA) (Pub.L. 89-10, 79 Stat. 27, 20 U.S.C. ch.70), a United States federal statute enacted April 11, 1965. The Act funded several areas of primary and secondary education including professional development, instructional materials, resources to support educational programs, and parental involvement promotion. FWL and SWRL were established under ESEA (1965) Title IV, which established funding for educational research and training.
Research and Technical Assistance Centers
WestEd operates several federal research and technical assistance centers.Regional Educational Laboratory West
The United States Department of EducationUnited States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Program, in operation since 1965, is a network of ten laboratories that serves the educational needs of designated regions by providing access to high quality, scientifically valid education research through applied research and development projects, studies, and related technical assistance activities. The Regional Educational Laboratory Program (the "Lab Program") is the United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
's largest research and development investment designed to help educators, policy makers, and communities improve schools and help all students attain their full potential.
WestEd operates REL West serving the states of Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah. REL West serves its region by producing causal evidence about what works in education, developing and disseminating the best information available to inform regional decision-making and practice, and fostering a culture of evidence-based education throughout the region Home to isolated rural schools and large urban districts, REL West’s region includes some of the nation’s fastest-growing districts, and more than 30 percent of its school-age children are English learners. REL West conducts two types of research: short-term, fast-response projects designed to inform immediate action or policy decisions and rigorous, multi-year experimental studies of promising education interventions. Findings are disseminated through IES-published Issues & Answers reports or Technical Briefs; REL West-produced publications, such as the Research Digest; targeted presentations and technical assistance; and face-to-face or online meetings and events. Recent studies include:
- Course-taking Patterns and Preparation for Postsecondary Education in California's Public University Systems Among Minority Youth.
- Examining Independent Study High Schools in California.
- Examining the Links Between Grade 12 Mathematics Coursework and Mathematics Remediation in Nevada Public Colleges and Universities
- The Reenrollment of High School Dropouts in a Large, Urban School District.
- Trends in California Teacher Demand: A County and Regional Perspective.
- A Multistate Review of Professional Teaching Standards.
California Comprehensive Center
The federal Comprehensive Centers Program is administered by the United States Department of EducationUnited States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, School Support and Technology Programs. School Support and Technology Programs provide funds for education technology, school facilities, parent information assistance centers, and comprehensive education assistance centers. The Comprehensive Centers Program supports 21 comprehensive centers to help increase state capacity to assist districts and schools meet their student achievement goals. By statute, the Department is required to establish at least one center in each of the 10 geographic regions served by the Department's regional education laboratories. These comprehensive technical assistance centers are designed to help low-performing schools and districts close achievement gaps and meet the goals of the No Child Left Behind Act
No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is a United States Act of Congress concerning the education of children in public schools.NCLB was originally proposed by the administration of George W. Bush immediately after he took office...
of 2001. Section 203 of Title II of the Educational Technical Assistance Act of 2002 (TA Act) authorizes the Department to establish not fewer than 20 comprehensive technical assistance centers to provide technical assistance to States to benefit school districts and schools, especially those in need of improvement.
WestEd operates two regional centers, the California Comprehensive Center (CA CC) and the Southwest Comprehensive Center (SWCC) serving the states of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, and Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. Regional Centers provide frontline assistance to States to help them implement NCLB and other related Federal school improvement programs and help increase State capacity to assist districts and schools meet their student achievement goals. Regional Centers are embedded in regions and responsible for developing strong relationships and partnerships within their regional community. While Content Centers must focus almost entirely on specific content areas, analyzing research, developing useful products and tools for Regional Centers and other clients, the Regional Centers are on ground providers to States.
The CA CC is directed by Fred Tempes, Director of WestEd's Comprehensive School Assistance Center, and has three priorities: supporting those working to build the capacity of districts and schools to improve student achievement; building the capacity of the state to assist districts to support students with special needs; and disseminating research-based and promising practices.
Southwest Comprehensive Center
The Southwest Comprehensive Center (SWCC), led by Paul Koehler, Director of WestEd's Policy Center, serves ArizonaArizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, and Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
The work of the SWCC is focused on six priority goals: Strengthen and align state assessment and accountability systems with the No Child Left Behind Act
No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is a United States Act of Congress concerning the education of children in public schools.NCLB was originally proposed by the administration of George W. Bush immediately after he took office...
(NCLB); Build and sustain state systems of support for district improvement; Build and sustain state systems of support for school improvement; Increase state capacity to recruit, prepare, and retain high-quality teachers; Support high school improvement; and Integrate technology applications in state reform efforts.
Accountability and Assessment Comprehensive Center
WestEd, in partnership with the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST) at the University of California, Los AngelesUniversity of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
, operates the Accountability and Assessment Comprehensive Center (AACC), one of five content centers covering a spectrum of school improvement and technical assistance areas. The content centers are responsible for providing in-depth knowledge, expertise, and analyses to regional centers and the States served by the regional centers. Content centers disseminate knowledge on scientifically based research on effective practice and research-based products in their area of specialty and provide experts that regional centers can use in delivering technical assistance to States.
The Northeast Regional Resource Center
WestEd's Northeast Regional Resource Center (NERRC) serves ConnecticutConnecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, and Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. NERRC helps state agencies in the Northeast improve their systems of early intervention, special education, and transition services for children with disabilities. It is one of six regional program centers funded by the federal Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) to assist state education agencies in the systemic improvement of education programs, practices, and policies that affect children and youth with disabilities. Services offered by the RRC Program include consultation, information services, specially designed technical assistance, training, and product development. NERRC provides technical assistance and support to increase state capacity to improve state systems of general supervision under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is a United States federal law that governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to children with disabilities...
(IDEA), ensuring that the northeast region's infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities receive the services and supports they need to learn, graduate from high school and move on to postsecondary education, employment, and independence.
Other Federal Centers
In addition, WestEd conducts research for two other RELs. The Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast and Islands (REL-NEI) administered by Education Development Center, Inc. serves New EnglandNew England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, and the United States Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands of the United States are a group of islands in the Caribbean that are an insular area of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.The U.S...
.
The Regional Educational Laboratory Southwest administered by Edvance Research serves the states of Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
WestEd contributes to the work of the New England Comprehensive Center (New England CC) operated by RMC Research Corporation and serving Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, and Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, and to the work of the National High School Center, operated by the American Institutes for Research (AIR).
SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC)
WestEd is the Project Management Partner for the multi-state SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium (SMARTER Balanced) — the first collaboration of its kind to develop a common assessment system among a majority of states. WestEd's four-year, $16.3 million contract includes project planning, documentation, governance support, budget monitoring, and communications. SMARTER Balanced was awarded a four-year, $175.8 million Race to the Top assessment grant by the U.S. Department of Education to develop a multi-state student assessment system that is aligned to the Common Core State Standards. SMARTER Balanced was only one of two consortia awarded a comprehensive assessment system grant. SMARTER Balanced is developing computer-adaptive summative assessments with extended performance tasks along with interim assessments and a suite of formative tools and resources.Early Childhood: Infants, Toddlers, and Preschool-Age Children
Through its Center for Child and Family Studies under the direction of J. Ronald Lally and Peter Mangione, WestEd partners with health, education, human service, mental health, child care, and family support entities to provide comprehensive, individualized, and coordinated services to young children and their families. WestEd offers customized and periodic services in early childhood and early intervention, such as infant/toddler care, home visitation, and English language learners training; infant/toddler guidelines; development and assessment; and family partnerships.Program for Infant/Toddler Care
The Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC), developed collaboratively by WestEd and the California Department of EducationCalifornia Department of Education
The California Department of Education is a California agency that oversees public education. The department oversees funding and testing, and holds local educational agencies accountable for student achievement...
Child Development Division, is a comprehensive training system used in multiple states that promotes responsive, caring relationships for infants and toddlers. Its centerpiece is a series of broadcast quality videos/DVDs in English, Spanish, and Chinese (Cantonese), with accompanying video magazines, guides, and trainer's manuals available in both English and Spanish. The materials are organized into four training modules, based on the latest research and practice. A complementary program, Beginning Together, ensures that children with special needs are incorporated, and appropriate inclusive practices are promoted, in the training and technical assistance provided by PITC. This is accomplished through "training-of-trainers" institutes, regional outreach activities, training materials, and demonstration programs. In addition, the California Map to Inclusive Child Care project provides a statewide system of support, information and resources for families and providers to facilitate barrier–free access to inclusive child care for children birth to 21.
PITC worked with the Administration for Children, Youth, and Families to develop the Early Head Start program, and has presented training institutes and technical assistance for more than 500 programs serving families with children from birth to three. In 2002, the National Center for Children in Poverty
National Center for Children in Poverty
National Center for Children in Poverty is an American non-partisan research center that promotes the interests of children in low-income families. The center was established at Columbia University in 1989 and is a part of the Mailman School of Public Health...
selected PITC as a model initiative to support infants, toddlers, and their families. The Center for Child and Family Studies and the University of Cincinnati are codeveloping an online associate degree program for early Head Start teachers.
Desired Results Training and Technical Assistance Project
WestEd's Center for Child and Family Studies collaborated with the California Department of EducationCalifornia Department of Education
The California Department of Education is a California agency that oversees public education. The department oversees funding and testing, and holds local educational agencies accountable for student achievement...
, Child Development Division to create the state's Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) assessment system. DRDP evaluates child care and development services not from a process-oriented compliance model but rather with a focus on the results desired from the system. There are six basic components of the desired results structure: the results themselves, indicators, themes, measures, criteria for success, and measurement tools. The six desired results are: Children are personally and socially competent; Children are effective learners; Children show physical and motor competence; Children are safe and healthy; Families support their children's learning and development; and, Families achieve their goals. The Desired Results for children encompass the four developmental domains, i.e., cognitive, social-emotional, language, and physical development, which are reflected and integrated throughout the indicators, measures, and examples of the measures.
Technology
Under the direction of Steve Schneider, WestEd's Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics program offers services, materials, and strategies that support teachers’ professional growth in content knowledge, effective teaching practices, appropriate assessment, and evaluation, covering topics from culture and language to earth science and international science education.National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Technological Literacy Assessment Framework
In 2008 WestEd was selected to develop the first ever technology literacy framework for the National Assessment of Educational ProgressNational Assessment of Educational Progress
The National Assessment of Educational Progress is the largest continuing and nationally representative assessment of what our nation’s students know and can do in core subjects. NAEP is a congressionally mandated project administered by the National Center for Education Statistics , within the ...
(NAEP), also known as the Nation's Report Card. In collaboration with educators, school officials, the business community, and the public, Steve Schneider, Director of WestEd's , Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics program, is leading the effort to create the basic blueprint for the standardized test, to be offered in 2012. The NAEP program is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
, an agency in the United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
's Institute of Education Sciences
Institute of Education Sciences
The Institute of Education Sciences, created as part of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, is the primary research arm of the United States Department of Education. It is the successor to the Office of Educational Research and Improvement . The first director of IES was Grover Whitehurst,...
. Information and updates are posted on the 2012 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Technological Literacy Framework and Test Item Specifications project Web site.
WebDialogues
The WebDialogues online platform, directed by Laurie Maak, creates targeted purposeful discussions among public agencies, policy-makers, subject experts, and citizens. WebDialogues have been used by local, state, and federal legislative bodies, agencies, and organizations to engage their constituents and the public on diverse policy issues such as public health, equitable access to education, and managing environmental resources.National Center for Cognition and Mathematics Instruction
The Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM) program at WestEd is leading the National Center for Cognition and Mathematics Instruction (Math Center), funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences. The Math Center is applying the latest cognitive science principles to redesign a mathematics curriculum and conduct rigorous research to determine how these modifications impact student learning. Leading experts in cognition, instruction, assessment, research design and measurement, mathematics education, and teacher professional development will address this need.National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Science Assessment Framework
In 2004, in collaboration with the Council of Chief State School OfficersCouncil of Chief State School Officers
The Council of Chief State School Officers is a non-partisan non-profit organization of public officials who head departments of elementary and secondary education in the U.S. states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity and five U.S. territories. CCSSO provides...
(CCSSO), the American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
(AAAS), the National Science Teachers Association
National Science Teachers Association
The National Science Teachers Association , founded in 1944 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, is an association of science teachers in the United States and is the largest organization of science teachers worldwide...
(NSTA), and the Council of State Science Supervisors (CSSS), WestEd was selected to develop the National Assessment of Educational Progress
National Assessment of Educational Progress
The National Assessment of Educational Progress is the largest continuing and nationally representative assessment of what our nation’s students know and can do in core subjects. NAEP is a congressionally mandated project administered by the National Center for Education Statistics , within the ...
(NAEP) Science Assessment Framework. The 2009 NAEP science assessment was administered to students in grades 4, 8, and 12 in schools throughout the country from January to March 2009.
Understanding Science
Understanding Science is a nationally field-tested professional development program that helps teachers learn major concepts of K-8 science, examine how children make sense of those concepts, and analyze and improve their science teaching. Understanding Science professional development modules help teachers actively learn science in combination with student thinking and teaching. Each module focuses on cases of actual classroom practice that illustrate students’ science ideas and highlight an important teaching dilemma, one that any teacher might face. Teachers engage in hands-on science activities that parallel those of students in the cases, examine student work, and critically analyze classic instructional activities and decisions. The principal investigators are Kirsten Daehler and Mayumi Shinohara.In 2005, the Institute of Education Sciences
Institute of Education Sciences
The Institute of Education Sciences, created as part of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, is the primary research arm of the United States Department of Education. It is the successor to the Office of Educational Research and Improvement . The first director of IES was Grover Whitehurst,...
, National Center for Education Research funded the development of three teacher professional development courses in the Understanding Science series that address challenging physical science and earth science topics: heat and energy, plate tectonics, and climate and weather. This development grant includes three small, randomized controlled studies to assess the potential efficacy of each of these courses separately to improve teacher content knowledge and student learning, and the reduction of the science achievement gap between English learners and English-proficient speakers. A fourth study will assess the potential efficacy of the entire sequence of courses on teacher knowledge and student science achievement. In 2009 the Institute of Education Sciences
Institute of Education Sciences
The Institute of Education Sciences, created as part of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, is the primary research arm of the United States Department of Education. It is the successor to the Office of Educational Research and Improvement . The first director of IES was Grover Whitehurst,...
funded a randomized-cluster
Cluster randomised controlled trial
A cluster randomised controlled trial is a type of randomised controlled trial in which groups of subjects are randomised...
experimental design study, Impact of the Understanding Science Professional Development Model on Science Achievement of English Language Learner Students, to evaluate the effects of WestEd's Understanding Science model of professional development — an approach that emphasizes inquiry-based instruction practices that depend less on English proficiency, textbook knowledge, and direct instruction — on student achievement in science, especially English language learner students. The National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
has funded a large-scale study, Learning Science for Teaching: Effects of Content-Rich and Practice-Based Professional Development Models on Teacher Content Knowledge, Classroom Practice, and Student Learning, examining the effects of promising professional development models on teachers, classrooms, and students.
Reading Apprenticeship
WestEd's Reading Apprenticeship program is a research-based instructional framework that improves the teaching effectiveness of content-area middle and high school teachers, literacy coaches, and teacher educators. The approach helps adolescent students become more confident, engaged, and strategic readers.In 2010, WestEd received a federal Investing in Innovation (i3) grant to address the persistent academic achievement gaps in the nation's high schools by scaling up the Reading Apprenticeship model of academic literacy instruction. This collaborative effort is providing research-based, discipline-focused professional development to 2,800 high school of biology, U.S. history, and English language arts; and is reaching more than 400,000 students in 300 schools.
The first Reading Apprenticeship study was conducted in 1996-1997 in one San Francisco public high school. Students gained an average of two years growth in seven months of instruction measured on a standardized reading comprehension test, while engaging in rigorous, academic work rather than remediation focused on basic skills. The program tenets and the results were published in the book, Reading for Understanding: A Guide to Improving Reading in Middle and High School Classrooms (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass). In 2005, A Randomized Controlled Study of the Efficacy of Reading Apprenticeship Professional Development for High School History and Science Teaching and Learning was funded by the Institute of Education Sciences
Institute of Education Sciences
The Institute of Education Sciences, created as part of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, is the primary research arm of the United States Department of Education. It is the successor to the Office of Educational Research and Improvement . The first director of IES was Grover Whitehurst,...
, National Center for Education Research.
Reading Apprenticeship is one of only two supplemental literacy programs selected by the Institute of Education Sciences
Institute of Education Sciences
The Institute of Education Sciences, created as part of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, is the primary research arm of the United States Department of Education. It is the successor to the Office of Educational Research and Improvement . The first director of IES was Grover Whitehurst,...
for a rigorous evaluation, initiated in 2006. In 2008, the Enhanced Reading Opportunities Study reported that Reading Apprenticeship Academic Literacy had a positive and statistically significant impact on reading comprehension test scores (0.14 standard deviation; p-value = 0.015).
Quality Teaching for English Learners (QTEL)
Directed by Aída Walqui, WestEd's Quality Teaching for English Learners (QTEL) is a grades 6-12 professional development initiative that rather than simplifying the curriculum and lowering expectations for English language learners, offers an academic framework rich in intellectual challenge along with high-level support. QTEL's approach is grounded in sociocultural learning theory; the Zone of Proximal Development and scaffolding theory are key. Five principles guide QTEL's work with and on behalf of teachers and students: sustain academic rigor, hold high expectations, engage in quality teacher-student interactions, sustain a language focus, and develop a quality curriculum. QTEL has developed and field tested ten multimedia modules that serve as the basis for tailored professional development delivered by QTEL staff members, faculty at university schools of education, and QTEL-certified school district personnel. All modules contain examples of practice, components that develop cognitive and metacognitive strategies, and reflection and elaboration activities. The modules also include road maps that propose sequences of engagement that can address the needs and circumstances of individual users and sites.A cluster-randomized experimental study, funded by the United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
Institute of Education Sciences
Institute of Education Sciences
The Institute of Education Sciences, created as part of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, is the primary research arm of the United States Department of Education. It is the successor to the Office of Educational Research and Improvement . The first director of IES was Grover Whitehurst,...
through its Regional Educational Laboratory Program, is underway to assess QTEL's program effects, with schools serving as the unit of assignment. Approximately 50 middle schools, 600 teachers, and about 16,000 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students in several urban school districts in the western region are participating in the study. Middle schools and their participating teachers were randomly assigned within the resulting strata to treatment and control conditions. The study is being conducted by Berkeley Policy Associates, an independent research agency.
Innovation in Education
WestEd's Innovation Studies Program, directed by Nikola Filby, creates and disseminates user-friendly information to support educators who want to understand and effectively implement promising policies and practices. The program's work includes studying promising practices in action, comparing them to other practices, relating them to relevant research, and analyzing key features that appear to contribute to successful outcomes.Doing What Works
The Doing What Works Web site helps educators make research-based plans and implement those plans effectively. The website offers educators "practices in action" — examples of schools from across the country that are implementing research-based practices in a variety of settings. More than just a conceptual guide, this website gives educators tools and multimedia presentations of these practices and describes key actions to implement them, including: Stories, interviews, and media pieces that bring the practices to life; Examples, materials, and links to resources keyed to the practices; and, Tools educators can download and customize for use in their own settings. Developed by WestEd's Innovation Studies Program in partnership with American Institutes for Research and RMC Research Corporation, the Web site's content is derived from research reviews by the Institute of Education SciencesInstitute of Education Sciences
The Institute of Education Sciences, created as part of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, is the primary research arm of the United States Department of Education. It is the successor to the Office of Educational Research and Improvement . The first director of IES was Grover Whitehurst,...
(IES) and is designed to complement the What Works Clearinghouse and other IES products.
Innovations in Education Guides
The Innovations in Education Guides, produced for the United States Department of EducationUnited States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
Office of Innovation and Improvement, highlight promising practices in putting the No Child Left Behind Act
No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is a United States Act of Congress concerning the education of children in public schools.NCLB was originally proposed by the administration of George W. Bush immediately after he took office...
to work, expanding the pool of high-quality charter schools and magnet schools, and engaging parents.
Magnet Schools Evaluation Toolkit
The online Magnet Schools Evaluation Toolkit, produced for the United States Department of EducationUnited States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
’s Office of Innovation and Improvement, offers practical advice and resources informed by research and the experiences of magnet school
Magnet school
In education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools.There are magnet schools at the...
directors and their partner evaluators. It supports district administrators to strengthen six essential components of the evaluation process: Set the stage for purposeful evaluation; Develop a theory of action for your program; Evaluate implementation to document what you are doing; Evaluate outcomes to show your program is making a difference; Get quality data into your evaluator's hands; and Take action in response to evaluation results. The toolkit also provides support for grantees in the federal Magnet Schools Assistance Program, authorized under Sec. 5301 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Authorization.
External links
- WestEd official website
- Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC) official website
- California Comprehensive Center at WestEd
- Southwest Comprehensive Center at WestEd
- WestEd/CRESST Assessment and Accountability Comprehensive Center
- California Inclusive Childcare official projects website
See also
- Education in the United StatesEducation in the United StatesEducation in the United States is mainly provided by the public sector, with control and funding coming from three levels: federal, state, and local. Child education is compulsory.Public education is universally available...
- Educational researchEducational researchEducational research refers to a variety of methods, in which individuals evaluate different aspects of education including but not limited to: “student learning, teaching methods, teacher training, and classroom dynamics”....
- Educational evaluationEducational evaluationEducational evaluation is the evaluation process of characterizing and appraising some aspect/s of an educational process.Q. 3 Discuss the role of standards and criteria in educational evaluation...
- Teacher educationTeacher educationTeacher education refers to the policies and procedures designed to equip prospective teachers with the knowledge, attitudes, behaviors and skills they require to perform their tasks effectively in the classroom, school and wider community....
- Early childhood educationEarly childhood educationEarly childhood education is the formal teaching and care of young children by people other than their family or in settings outside of the home. 'Early childhood' is usually defined as before the age of normal schooling - five years in most nations, though the U.S...
- Public PolicyPublic policyPublic policy as government action is generally the principled guide to action taken by the administrative or executive branches of the state with regard to a class of issues in a manner consistent with law and institutional customs. In general, the foundation is the pertinent national and...