Research Associate
WestEd Research Associate Sarah Guckenburg works on a variety of research and evaluation projects focusing on teacher quality, community schools, and education policy issues.
Guckenburg performs work for the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Northeast and Islands, housed within Learning Innovations at WestEd. She has worked on a multivariate statistical analysis for a quasi-experimental study of state achievement data and a project focusing on teacher quality in rural school districts. As a result of Guckenburg's work, states will be better informed about their education data system and what questions about teacher quality can be answered based on state data.
Guckenburg also responds to state requests for research needs from the REL Northeast and Islands region. For example, she recently completed a summary of strategies to address adolescent literacy included in state literacy plans.
She is also evaluating teacher mentor programs, a network of charter schools focused on integrating academics and technology, and Community Learning Centres in English language schools in Quebec. Guckenburg's work in Quebec will result in lessons learned about the implementation of community learning centers and the impact of the centers on student achievement, lifelong learning, and the English-speaking communities in Quebec.
Prior to joining WestEd in 2006, Guckenburg worked for Join Together, a project of Boston University School of Public Health that works to advance effective alcohol and drug policy, prevention, and treatment. While at Join Together, Guckenburg coauthored
How Do We Know We Are Making a Difference? A Community Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drug Indicators Handbook. This handbook reaches thousands of community leaders around the country who are working toward reducing alcohol and drug problems. A companion website, codeveloped by Guckenburg, provides examples of communities that have successfully developed an alcohol and other drug indicator reporting system.
Her previous experience also includes developing technical assistance materials for the Evaluation Center at Human Services Research Institute. While there, she also served on the coordinating center team for a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration study on adolescent substance abuse treatment.
Guckenburg received a BA in psychology from Wheaton College and an MPH in public health from Boston University.
Tel: 781.481.1116
Email: sgucken@wested.org
Mailing Address:Learning Innovations at WestEd
200 Unicorn Park Drive, 4th floor
Woburn, Massachusetts 01801-3324
Project Work:
Evaluation of New Jersey Expedited Certification of Educational Leadership (NJ-EXCEL)
Evaluation of Quebec Community Learning Centres: An English Minority Language Initiative
Evaluation of the Lowell (MA) Teachers Academy
Evaluation of the New Bedford (MA) High School Smaller Learning Community Project
Evaluation of the Prince George’s County (MD) Faculty Support Team (FST) Approach to Improve Instruction in Schools in Need of Improvement
Evaluation of the Prince George’s County (MD) Special Education Program
Evaluation of the School for Integrated Academics and Technologies (SIATech)
Resource Involvement:An Analysis of State Data on the Distribution of Teaching Assignments Filled by Highly Qualified Teachers in New York Schools
Measuring How Benchmark Assessments Affect Student Achievement
