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Professional Learning Communities for Science Teaching
Lessons From Research and Practice
What would it take to move your school or district closer toward a culture that supports and sustains professional learning communities (PLCs)? Edited by WestEd's Susan Mundry and Katherine Stiles, this thought-provoking collection details seven successful approaches to developing PLCs. more >
Price: $22.95 | Format: Trade Paper | Copyright: 2009
ISBN: 978-1-93515-500-3 | Order #: NSTA-09-01
Handbook of Education Policy Research
This comprehensive, AERA-sponsored guide defines the theoretical boundaries and methodological approaches of education policy research. more >
Price: $119.95 | Format: Trade Paper | Copyright: 2009
ISBN: 978-0-415-98992-3 | Order #: ER-09-01
Examining Independent Study High Schools in California
By: Vanessa X. Barrat, BethAnn Berliner
This examination of California's independent study high schools, prepared by REL West, describes enrollment trends since 2001/02 and the number and characteristics of schools and students as well as teacher qualifications in 2006/07. more >
Format: PDF |
Science and Mathematics Education Solutions: 2009 Products and Services Catalog
For K-12 science and mathematics education solutions, request our free catalog. You'll find valuable resources for professional development! more >
Format: Print | Copyright: 2009
Order #: CM-09-02
Handbook of Research on Literacy and Diversity
"Powerful. The editors have brought together brilliant researchers who make a tremendous contribution to building knowledge about instruction that capitalizes on students' social and cultural contexts. Perhaps most important, they point the way toward taking action that is evidence based and holds potential for making a difference in the literacy lives of our students."
— Victoria J. Risko, EdD, Department of Teaching and Learning, Vanderbilt University more >
Price: $65.00 | Format: Hardcover | Copyright: 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60623-246-0 | Order #: RE-09-01
Infant and Toddler Spaces
Design for a Quality Classroom
By: Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC) and Community Playthings
This free guide, a collaboration between WestEd’s Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC) and Community Playthings, provides practical, research-based information on creating surroundings conducive to high quality infant/toddler group care and education. more >
Format: PDF | Copyright: 2008
Managing Diverse Classrooms
How to Build on Students' Cultural Strengths
By: Elise Trumbull, Carrie Rothstein-Fisch
This book helps teachers understand some of the most powerful cultural differences that can lead to classroom conflict for many students and shows how teachers can capitalize on these differences to make each classroom a harmonious, productive environment. more >
Price: $25.95 | Format: Trade Paper | Copyright: 2008
ISBN: 978-1-4166-0624-6 | Order #: LCD-09-01
WestEd's 2008 Annual Report
Our annual, public statement about the agency and its accomplishments. more >
Format: Print | Copyright: 2009
Order #: AN-09-01
English Learners and Literacy Education Solutions: 2009 Products and Service Catalog
For English learner and literacy education solutions, request our free catalog. You'll find valuable resources for professional development! more >
Format: Print | Copyright: 2009
Order #: CM-09-01
Culturally Responsive Mathematics Education
Culturally Responsive Mathematics Education moves beyond a point of view that is internal to mathematics education as a discipline, and instead offers a broad perspective of mathematics as a significant, liberating intellectual force in our society. more >
Price: $64.95 | Format: Trade Paper | Copyright: 2009
ISBN: 978-0-8058-6264-5 | Order #: CLE-09-01
Making Mathematics Accessible to English Learners
A Guidebook for Teachers
By: John Carr, Catherine Carroll, Sarah Cremer, Mardi Gale, Rachel Lagunoff, Ursula Sexton
"This book's clear, understandable writing style makes complex ideas accessible. The authors explain how teaching strategies that are good for English learners are good for all diverse learners — this principle is the heart of equity.
— Kathlan Latimer, Mathematics and Science Leadership Office, California Department of Education more >
Price: $24.95 | Format: Trade Paper | Copyright: 2009
ISBN: 978-0-914409-68-7 | Order #: CC-09-01
Neither Rest Nor Tranquility: Education and the American Dream in the 21st Century
By: Sir Michael Barber
In this Policy Perspectives paper, Sir Michael Barber describes the "struggle, over more than two centuries, to close the gap between the 'American Dream' and the American reality." more >
Format: Print | Copyright: 2009
Order #: PP-09-02
R&D Alert® Vol. 10, No. 2
Focus on Professional Development
Teacher quality is key to student success, and teachers need opportunities throughout their careers to continue learning and growing. This issue of R&D Alert focuses on professional development, with articles describing a variety of approaches to providing effective professional development, lessons learned from successful programs, and research on professional development. more >
Format: PDF | Copyright: 2009
Order #: RD-09-01
Framework for High-Quality English Language Proficiency Standards and Assessments: Brief
This brief is an introduction to the Framework for High-Quality English Language Proficiency Standards and Assessments prepared by the Assessment and Accountability Comprehensive Center (AACC) at WestEd. more >
Format: PDF | Copyright: 2009
Framework for High-Quality English Language Proficiency Standards and Assessments
Prepared by the Assessment and Accountability Comprehensive Center (AACC) at WestEd, the Framework for High-Quality English Language Proficiency Standards and Assessments provides criteria for developing, implementing, and evaluating high-quality English language proficiency standards and assessments that support English learners’ attainment of English language proficiency and achievement of academic content. more >
Format: PDF | Copyright: 2009
REL West Research Digest Vol. 1, No. 2
The REL West Research Digest keeps educators and others abreast of the research being carried out by REL West and by other regional educational laboratories across the country. more >
Format: PDF | Copyright: 2009
Order #: REL-09-01
Making Charter School Facilities More Affordable: State-driven Policy Approaches
By: WestEd for the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement
This free guide, Making Charter School Facilities More Affordable: State-driven Policy Approaches, profiles policy interventions from eight states and the District of Columbia that have been developed to help charter schools address various facilities-related challenges. more >
Format: PDF |
Framework for High-Quality English Language Proficiency Standards and Assessments: Overview of Criteria
Prepared by the Assessment and Accountability Comprehensive Center (AACC) at WestEd, the Framework for High-Quality English Language Proficiency Standards and Assessments provides criteria for developing, implementing, and evaluating high-quality English language proficiency (ELP) standards and assessments that support English learners’ attainment of English language proficiency and achievement of academic content. This one-page document lists criteria to help states establish and maintain high-quality ELP standards and assessments. more >
Format: PDF | Copyright: 2009
Expanding School Time to Expand School Learning
Lessons Learned and Challenges Remaining
By: Christopher Gabrieli, Warren Goldstein
Will adding two hours of school every day raise student academic achievement and ensure a well-rounded education? Find out in this new Policy Perspectives paper. more >
Format: Print | Copyright: 2009
Order #: PP-09-01
The Star Navigation Reader
By: Barbara L. Adams
The Star Navigation Reader is the literary component to the curriculum module Star Navigation: Explorations into Angles and Measurement, and part of the Math in a Cultural Context series. more >
Price: $13.95 | Format: Softcover | Copyright: 2007
ISBN: 978-1-55059-329-7 | Order #: CLE-08-07
Star Navigation: Explorations into Angles and Measurement
By: Barbara L. Adams, Melissa Kagle, Frederick George
Star Navigation: Explorations into Angles and Measurement is a new entry in the Math in a Cultural Context series. more >
Price: $32.95 | Format: Multimedia | Copyright: 2007
ISBN: 978-1-55059-326-6 | Order #: CLE-08-06
Iluvaktuq and Paluqtalek
Two Yup'ik Warrior Stories
Iluvaktuq and Paluqtalek: Two Yup'ik Warrior Stories is the companion book to the curriculum module Designing Patterns: Exploring Shapes and Area, and part of the Math in a Cultural Context series. more >
Price: $14.95 | Format: Multimedia | Copyright: 2006
ISBN: 978-1-55059-328-0 | Order #: CLE-08-16
Designing Patterns: Exploring Shapes and Area
By: Daniel Lynn Watt, Jerry Lipka, Joan Parker Webster, Evelyn Yanez, Dora Andrew-Ihrke, Aishath Shehenaz Adam
Designing Patterns: Exploring Shapes and Area is part of the Math in a Cultural Context series. more >
Price: $34.95 | Format: Softcover | Copyright: 2006
ISBN: 978-1-55059-318-1 | Order #: CLE-08-15
Iluvaktuq
By: Annie Blue, Mary E. Bavilla, Evelyn Yanez, Joan Parker Webster, Putt Clark
Iluvaktuq is the companion book to the curriculum module Patterns and Parkas: Investigating Geometric Principles, Shapes, Patterns, and Measurement, and is part of the Math in a Cultural Context series. more >
Price: $17.95 | Format: Softcover | Copyright: 2006
ISBN: 978-1-55059-307-5 | Order #: CLE-08-11
Patterns and Parkas:
Investigating Geometric Principles, Shapes, Patterns, and Measurement
By: Sandi Penderprast, Jerry Lipka, Daniel Lynn Watt, Kay Gilliland, Nancy Sharp
Patterns and Parkas: Investigating Geometric Principles, Shapes, Patterns, and Measurement is part of the Math in a Cultural Context series, a supplemental math curriculum based on the traditional wisdom and practices of the Yup'ik Eskimo people of southwest Alaska. more >
Price: $34.95 | Format: Softcover | Copyright: 2007
ISBN: 978-1-55059-325-9 | Order #: CLE-08-10
Big John and Little Henry
By: Seth Myers
Big John and Little Henry is the companion storybook to the curriculum module, Picking Berries, and part of the Math in a Cultural Context series. more >
Price: $9.95 | Format: Softcover | Copyright: 2004
ISBN: 978-1-55059-284-9 | Order #: CLE-08-04
Berry Picking
By: Walkie Charles, Nastasia Wahlberg, Agnes Green
Berry Picking is the companion storybook to the curriculum module, Picking Berries, and part of the Math in a Cultural Context series. more >
Price: $17.95 | Format: Softcover | Copyright: 2004
ISBN: 978-1-55059-283-2 | Order #: CLE-08-03
Picking Berries: Connections Between Data Collection, Graphing, and Measuring
By: Jerry Lipka, Janice Parmelee, Rebecca Adams
Picking Berries: Connections Between Data Collection, Graphing, and Measuring is a new entry in the Math in a Cultural Context series. more >
Price: $34.95 | Format: Softcover | Copyright: 2004
ISBN: 978-1-55059-282-5 | Order #: CLE-08-02
Salmon Fishing Curriculum Kit
Investigations into Probability
By: Aishath Shehenaz Adam, Jerry Lipka, Barbara L. Adams, Anthony Rickard, Kay Gilliland, Joan Parker Webster
Salmon Fishing: Investigations into Probability is part of the Math in a Cultural Context series. more >
Price: $32.95 | Format: Multimedia | Copyright: 2005
ISBN: 978-1-55059-305-1 | Order #: CLE-08-13
Drying Salmon Curriculum Kit
Journeys into Proportional and Pre-Algebraic Thinking
By: Barbara L. Adams, Jerry Lipka
Drying Salmon: Journeys into Proportional and Pre-Algebraic Thinking is part of the Math in a Cultural Context series. more >
Price: $35.95 | Format: Multimedia | Copyright: 2007
ISBN: 978-1-55059-330-3 | Order #: CLE-08-01
Star Navigation Curriculum Kit
Explorations into Angles and Measurement
By: Barbara L. Adams, Melissa Kagle, Frederick George
Star Navigation: Explorations into Angles and Measurement is part of the Math in a Cultural Context series, a supplemental math curriculum based on the traditional wisdom and practices of the Yup'ik Eskimo people of southwest Alaska. more >
Price: $45.95 | Format: Multimedia | Copyright: 2007
ISBN: 978-1-55059-337-2 | Order #: CLE-08-05
Patterns and Parkas Curriculum Kit
By: Sandi Penderprast, Jerry Lipka, Daniel Lynn Watt, Kay Gilliland, Nancy Sharp
Patterns and Parkas Curriculum Kit is part of the Math in a Cultural Context series, a supplemental math curriculum based on the traditional wisdom and practices of the Yup'ik Eskimo people of southwest Alaska. more >
Price: $55.95 | Format: Multimedia | Copyright: 2007
ISBN: 978-1-55059-308-2 | Order #: CLE-08-09
Picking Berries Curriculum Kit
By: Jerry Lipka, Janice Parmelee, Rebecca Adams
The Picking Berries curriculum kit emphasizes both conceptual and applied understanding of measuring, data, and representation by engaging students in a series of activities that connect to everyday life. more >
Price: $68.95 | Format: Multimedia | Copyright: 2004
ISBN: 978-1-55059-294-8 | Order #: CLE-08-08
Designing Patterns Curriculum Kit
By: Daniel Lynn Watt, Jerry Lipka, Joan Parker Webster, Evelyn Yanez, Dora Andrew-Ihrke, Aishath Shehenaz Adam
Designing Patterns: Exploring Shapes and Area is part of the Math in a Cultural Context series, a supplemental math curriculum based on the traditional wisdom and practices of the Yup'ik Eskimo people of southwest Alaska. more >
Price: $49.95 | Format: Multimedia | Copyright: 2006
ISBN: 978-1-55059-306-8 | Order #: CLE-08-14
Building a Smokehouse Curriculum Kit
The Geometry of Prisms
By: Melissa Kagle, Valerie Barber, Jerry Lipka, Ferdinand Sharp, Anthony Rickard
Building a Smokehouse: The Geometry of Prisms is part of the Math in a Cultural Context series, a supplemental math curriculum based on the traditional wisdom and practices of the Yup'ik Eskimo people of southwest Alaska. more >
Price: $31.95 | Format: Multimedia | Copyright: 2007
ISBN: 978-1-55059-331-0 | Order #: CLE-08-12
Characteristics of California School Districts in Program Improvement: 2008 Update
By: Eric W. Crane, Chun-Wei Huang, Min Huang, Kenwyn Derby
This descriptive analysis, prepared by REL West, updates an earlier study of California's Title I school districts in program improvement. This brief reveals that by aggregating student data to the district level, California’s accountability system continues to be able to identify shortfalls in student academic performance that are not picked up when looking only at the school level. more >
Format: PDF |
Successful Magnet High Schools
By: WestEd for the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement
Successful Magnet High Schools profiles eight successful magnet high schools, analyzes their common characteristics, and examines the strategies that have allowed these schools to demonstrate sustained success. more >
Format: Online |
Creating and Sustaining Successful K-8 Magnet Schools
By: WestEd for the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement
Creating and Sustaining Successful K-8 Magnet Schools shares "lessons learned" regarding how specialized magnet programs can spark enthusiasm for learning and catalyze academic growth, especially for students whose interests and aptitudes may not be fulfilled by their neighborhood schools. more >
Format: PDF |
Handbook of Adolescent Literacy Research
WestEd's Ruth Schoenbach and Cynthia Greenleaf author a key chapter in the Handbook of Adolescent Literacy Research. The first comprehensive research handbook of its kind, this volume showcases innovative approaches to understanding adolescent literacy learning in a variety of settings. more >
Price: $65.00 | Format: Hardcover | Copyright: 2008
ISBN: 978-1-59385-829-2 | Order #: RE-08-02
R&D Alert® Vol. 10, No. 1
Focus on English Learners
Providing effective support for the nation's rapidly growing population of English learners has become a top priority of schools throughout the U.S. This R&D Alert samples from WestEd's wide-ranging expertise in this area. It describes the latest research-based practices and lessons learned, addresses issues of professional development, policy, and practice, and covers the needs of English learners from preschool through high school. more >
Format: PDF | Copyright: 2008
Order #: RD-08-02
Alternative Education Options: A Descriptive Study of California Continuation High Schools
By: Jorge Ruiz de Velasco, Gregory Austin, Don Dixon, Joseph Johnson, Milbrey McLaughlin, Lynne Perez
This issue brief summarizes initial findings from a year-long descriptive study of continuation high schools in California. It is the first in a series of reports from the ongoing California Alternative Education Research Project conducted jointly by the John W. Gardner Center at Stanford University, the National Center for Urban School Transformation at San Diego State University, and WestEd's Health and Human Development Program. more >
Format: PDF | Copyright: 2008
Training Early Intervention Assistants in California's Community Colleges
By: Diane Hammon Kellegrew, Jean Pacifico-Banta, Kari Stewart
This report, prepared by REL West, examines California's efforts to foster preservice preparation of early intervention assistants for infants and toddlers with special needs through the Community College Personnel Preparation Project, a certificate program offered by participating community colleges. more >
Format: PDF |
Implementation of the Weighted Student Formula Policy in San Francisco: A Descriptive Study of an Equity-Driven, Student-Based Planning and Budgeting Policy
By: Larisa Shambaugh, Jay Chambers, Danielle DeLancey
This report, prepared by REL West, describes the planning and implementation of San Francisco's weighted student formula policy, an equity-driven, student-based planning and budgeting policy. more >
Format: PDF |
Teachers in Professional Communities
Improving Teaching and Learning
“Breaks new ground. . . . Lieberman and Miller tell us how teacher learning communities develop inside and outside schools. A must-read for anyone committed to improving teaching quality—teacher leaders, teacher educators, principals and district administrators, school reformers, and professional developers.” — Joan Talbert, co-director of the Stanford University Center for Research on the Context of Teaching more >
Price: $21.95 | Format: Softcover | Copyright: 2008
ISBN: 978-0-8077-4889-3 | Order #: MS-08-02
School and District Improvement Solutions: 2008 Products and Service Catalog
For school and district improvement solutions, request our free catalog. You'll find valuable resources for professional development. more >
Format: Print | Copyright: 2008
Order #: CM-08-03
La Frontera: Student Achievement in Texas Border and Nonborder Districts
By: Edward F. Sloat, Reino Makkonen, Paul Koehler
This study offers policymakers a data-rich profile of the education environment in the region of Texas, along the U.S.-Mexico border, known as La Frontera. more >
Format: PDF |
Evaluating Online Learning: Challenges and Strategies for Success
By: WestEd for the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement
This free publication features seven evaluations of online learning programs or resources. The evaluations represent variety both in method of evaluation and in the program or resource that was examined. more >
Format: PDF |
Characteristics of California School Districts in Program Improvement
By: Eric W. Crane, Chun-Wei Huang, Kenwyn Derby, Reino Makkonen, Aditi M. Goel
This descriptive analysis, prepared by REL West, provides a statistical profile of California’s Title I school districts in program improvement. more >
Format: PDF |
Characteristics of Arizona School Districts in Improvement
By: Eric W. Crane, Chun-Wei Huang, Kenwyn Derby, Reino Makkonen, Aditi M. Goel
This descriptive analysis, prepared by REL West, provides a statistical profile of Arizona's lowest performing school districts, which can inform the context for district improvement as Arizona rolls out and refines its district intervention strategies. more >
Format: PDF |
Trends in California Teacher Demand: A County and Regional Perspective
By: Melissa Eiler White, Anthony B. Fong
This report, prepared by REL West, highlights the differences among California’s counties and regions in their use of underprepared teachers and their expected needs for new teachers in the coming decade as driven by projected student enrollment changes and teacher retirements. The findings show county and regional variations in key factors that influence teacher labor markets. more >
Format: PDF |
Examining the Links Between Grade 12 Mathematics Coursework and Mathematics Remediation in Nevada Public Colleges and Universities
By: Anthony B. Fong, Min Huang, Aditi M. Goel
This study, prepared by REL West, examines the links between the grade 12 mathematics courses that Nevada students take and the likelihood of students needing to take remedial mathematics courses in Nevada’s public colleges and universities. It analyzes remediation rates by students’ highest-level grade 12 mathematics course, their grade 12 mathematics grade point average, and various student and school characteristics. more >
Format: PDF |
Reenrollment of High School Dropouts in a Large, Urban School District
By: BethAnn Berliner, Vanessa X. Barrat, Anthony B. Fong, Paul B. Shirk
This study, prepared by REL West, follows a cohort of first-time 9th graders in one large urban school district from 2001/02 to 2005/06 and documents dropout, reenrollment, and graduation rates. more >
Format: PDF |
Guidance for the Selection and Support of Exemplary Principals Under the Quality Education Investment Act
This document provides guidance for district leaders in selecting, assigning, and supporting exemplary principals for schools subject to the requirements of California's Quality Education Investment Act of 2006. more >
Format: PDF | Copyright: 2008
A Synthesis of Recent California Education Reform Recommendations
By: Reino Makkonen, Camille Esch
This brief analyzes and synthesizes four prominent California education reform initiatives proposed by the California Dropout Research Project, the Governor's Committee on Education Excellence, the Superintendent's P-16 Council, and Getting Down to Facts. more >
Format: PDF | Copyright: 2008
Are You Sure You're the Principal? Second Edition
A Guide for New and Aspiring Leaders
By: Susan Villani
"Through the use of stories, Susan Villani brings to life the essence of school leadership. For those aspiring to be school principals, this book brings into focus the realities of serving in a leadership role. A must-read for tomorrow’s principals!" — Gerald Tirozzi, Executive Director, National Association of Secondary School Principals more >
Price: $23.95 | Format: Softcover | Copyright: 2008
ISBN: 978-1-4129-5815-8 | Order #: LI-08-02
Performance Expectations and Indicators for Education Leaders
By: Nancy M. Sanders, Karen Kearney
The Performance Expectations and Indicators, based on the six ISLLC Standards for School Leaders, describe observable and measurable leader actions required to improve teaching and learning for every student. more >
Format: PDF | Copyright: 2008
Getting to Know You Through Observation
This informative DVD illustrates the importance of observation in early child care and education settings. It offers strategies for developing accurate and reliable systems of observation and recording. more >
Price: $16.95 | Format: DVD | Copyright: 2006
Order #: CCFS-08-03
Beyond Behavior Management: The Six Life Skills Children Need to Thrive in Today's World
By: Jenna Bilmes
"This is a must-read book for early childhood professionals who want to make a difference in their children's lives." — Sandra J. Stone, Professor, Northern Arizona University more >
Price: $24.95 | Format: Softcover | Copyright: 2004
ISBN: 978-1929610-53-2 | Order #: CCFS-08-02
Common Psychological Disorders in Young Children: A Handbook for Early Childhood Professionals
By: Jenna Bilmes, Tara Welker
Much progress has been made in the understanding and treatment of mental illness. Geared to the everyday needs of providers and teachers, this book brings together the best and the most pertinent information on childhood psychological disorders. more >
Price: $29.95 | Format: Softcover | Copyright: 2006
ISBN: 978-1929610-91-4 | Order #: CCFS-08-01
REL West Research Digest Vol. 1, No. 1
The REL West Research Digest keeps educators and others abreast of the research being carried out by REL West and by other regional educational laboratories across the country. more >
Format: PDF | Copyright: 2008
Order #: REL-08-01
The Feasibility of Mandating School Breakfast in California's Severe Need Schools: Costs, Challenges, and Recommendations
By: William J. McCarthy, Barbara Dietsch, Brian McReynolds, Gabriela S. Jones
Prepared by WestEd and the California Department of Education, this report recommends a state requirement that severe need schools provide nutritious, cost-effective breakfasts for their students, improving their capacity to learn and grow into healthy, productive adults. more >
Format: PDF | Copyright: 2008
Great Expectations: The E3 Institute-San Jose State University Bachelor's Degree Cohort Program for CARES Participants in Santa Clara County
By: Yolanda Garcia, Ilene M. Hertz, Kara Dukakis
Learn how a partnership between WestEd's E3 Institute and San Jose State University is improving the quality of care and education for children and families. more >
Format: PDF | Copyright: 2008
Best Practices in Adolescent Literacy Instruction
"For those of us who have interacted with middle and high school students over our entire careers, this book is a much-anticipated 'must read.' Best Practices in Adolescent Literacy Instruction taps many of the most credible voices in the field to provide in-depth and thoughtful discussions of current approaches and initiatives. Educators want to hear what these authors have to say." — Doug Buehl, Adolescent Literacy Specialist, Madison, Wisconsin more >
Price: $33.00 | Format: Softcover | Copyright: 2008
ISBN: 978-1-59385-692-2 | Order #: RE-08-01
An Analysis of State Data on the Distribution of Teaching Assignments Filled by Highly Qualified Teachers in New York Schools
By: Ann Brackett, Susan Mundry, Sarah Guckenburg, Patricia Bourexis
A high percentage of core teaching assignments in New York rural schools and districts are filled by highly qualified teachers, with only small differences across key factors such as school poverty and school need for improvement. The state's urban schools — particularly those in New York City — have fewer core assignments filled by highly qualified teachers. more >
Format: PDF |
Piloting a Searchable Database of Dropout Prevention Programs in Nine Low-Income Urban School Districts in the Northeast and Islands Region
By: Athi Myint-U, Lydia O’Donnell, David Osher, Anthony Petrosino, Ann Stueve
While there is evidence that some dropout prevention programs have positive effects, the degree to which districts in the region are using evidence-based programs has not been documented. This report details a pilot project to generate and share knowledge by building a searchable database of dropout prevention programs and policies. more >
Format: PDF |
Measuring How Benchmark Assessments Affect Student Achievement
By: Susan Henderson, Anthony Petrosino, Sarah Guckenburg, Stephen Hamilton
This report examines a Massachusetts pilot program for quarterly benchmark exams in middle-school mathematics. Researchers found that program schools do not show greater gains in student achievement after a year, but they note that this may reflect limited data rather than the ineffectiveness of using benchmark assessments. more >
Format: PDF |
Making Links: A Collaborative Approach to Planning and Practice in Early Childhood Programs
By: Janet Gonzalez-Mena, Anne Stonehouse
"This lovely book gently raises our appreciation for the unique qualities of each child and how much teachers have to gain by developing a true partnership with families. It makes a strong case for any curriculum that enables teachers to use what they learn about children to plan authentic learning experiences. In a time when scripted, one-size-fits-all curricula are entering the field of early childhood education, [the authors] give us an inspiring vision of responsive curriculum and practical strategies for achieving that vision." — Diane Trister Dodge, Founder and President, Teaching Strategies, Inc.
more >
Price: $35.95 | Format: Softcover | Copyright: 2008
ISBN: 978-0-8077-4843-5 | Order #: PC-08-01
Rethinking High School: Supporting All Students to be College Ready in Math
By: Tracy A. Huebner, Grace Calisi Corbett
How can high schools succeed in preparing students for mathematics courses in college?
more >
Format: PDF | Copyright: 2008
Assessment-Centered Teaching: A Reflective Practice
By: Kathryn DiRanna, Ellen Osmundson, Jo Topps, Lynn Barakos, Maryl Gearhart, Karen Cerwin, Diane Carnahan, Craig Strang
"Valuable for practitioners who wish to improve their teaching and their students' learning, and for researchers concerned with putting ideas of formative assessment into teaching practice." — Richard J. Shavelson, Margaret Jack Professor of Education, Stanford University more >
Price: $36.95 | Format: Softcover | Copyright: 2008
ISBN: 978-1-4129-5463-1 | Order #: MS-08-01
Course-Taking Patterns and Preparation for Postsecondary Education in California's Public University Systems Among Minority Youth
By: Neal D. Finkelstein, Anthony B. Fong
This report, prepared by REL West, finds that the high school program for college preparation begins in 9th grade and that making up missed preparatory courses and academic content is likely to be difficult for students who put off college-preparatory work until later in their high school career. more >
Format: PDF |
Alternate Assessments for Special Education Students in the Southwest Region States
By: Stanley N. Rabinowitz, Edynn Sato, Betsy J. Case, Debra Benitez, Kevin Jordan
In 2003, the U.S. Department of Education issued regulations allowing states to develop alternate standards and assessments for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. This study reviews and summarizes alternate assessment policies and practices and their implementation and impact for the most significantly cognitively disabled students, across the five states in the Southwest Region. more >
Format: PDF |
Formative Assessment Policies, Programs, and Practices in the Southwest Region
By: Carole Gallagher, Peter Worth
Formative assessments help educators target instructional practices to meet specific student needs and monitor and support student progress toward valued state learning outcomes. Policies and programs in the five Southwest Region states suggest a range of strategies to support the development and use of formative assessments. more >
Format: PDF |
R&D Alert® Vol. 9, No. 2
Focus on Education Research
Research has become more central than ever to how decisions are made about education policy and practice. As an agency committed to evidence-based practices, WestEd engages in a wide range of research and seeks to translate research knowledge into effective policy and practice. This issue of R&D Alert begins with a Q&A on the growing importance of education research and includes articles describing examples of WestEd-led research. more >
Format: PDF | Copyright: 2008
Order #: RD-08-01
Literacy Instruction in the Content Areas: Getting to the Core of Middle and High School Improvement
By: Rafael Heller, Cynthia L. Greenleaf
This report urges higher expectations for all students in reading and writing, and new approach to improving these skills. more >
Format: PDF | Copyright: 2007
An Analysis of Utah's K-3 Reading Improvement Program
By: Reino Makkonen, Chun-Wei Huang, Paul Koehler
This report, prepared by REL West, finds that more districts and charter schools in Utah reported implementing key elements of the state literacy framework and meeting their own goals in Year 2 of the Reading Improvement Program.
Format: PDF |
Connecting Students to Advanced Courses Online
By: WestEd for the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement
This guide highlights six providers of academic course work that are using Internet technology to deliver rigorous curricula to students. more >
Format: PDF |
Similar English Learner Students, Different Results:
Why Do Some Schools Do Better?
By: Trish Williams, Mary Perry, Isabel Oregon, Noli Brazil, Kenji Hakuta, Edward Haettel, Michael Kirst, Jessie Levin
How elementary schools focus their time and energies, and what resources they have for doing it, can make a powerful difference in the academic achievement of English learners from low-income backgrounds, according to findings from this new research brief. more >
Format: PDF | Copyright: 2007
English Language Proficiency Assessment in the Nation:
Current Status and Future Practice
By: Jamal Abedi, Robert Linquanti, et al.
Has standardized testing measuring English language proficiency improved since the federal No Child Left Behind Act was passed? Read this report to find out. more >
Format: PDF | Copyright: 2007
The Data Coach's Guide to Improving Learning for All Students
Unleashing the Power of Collaborative Inquiry
By: Nancy Love, Katherine E. Stiles, Susan Mundry, Kathryn DiRanna
"This book offers a compelling message of hope and resolve. The authors' three-year journey in a multiplicity of diverse, underperforming, high-poverty schools across the nation has resulted in a treasure chest of knowledge and experiences about how to professionally develop data coaches in ways that benefit some of our most underserved students. This book provides powerful resources to those who have the belief, passion, and desire for implementing collaborative data inquiries in schools and districts." — From the Foreword by Ruth S. Johnson more >
Price: $50.95 | Format: Softcover | Copyright: 2007
ISBN: 978-1-4129-5001-5 | Order #: LI-08-01
The Distribution of Teaching and Learning Resources in California's Middle and High Schools
By: Miguel Socías, Jay Chambers, Phil Esra, Larisa Shambaugh
This report, prepared by REL West, presents findings from a study examining educational resources in California's middle and high schools. It found that access to these resources is not equal among schools that serve different student populations. Overall, the most disadvantaged populations of students are likely to have the least access to the resources necessary for learning. more >
Format: PDF |
Measuring Resilience and Youth Development: The Psychometric Properties of the Healthy Kids Survey
By: Thomas L. Hanson, Jin-Ok Kim
This report, prepared by REL West, summarizes findings from a study of the psychometric properties of a key component of the Healthy Kids Survey. The study aims to improve resilience assessment and research so that educators can shape the school environment to promote academic resilience. more >
Format: PDF |
Social and Emotional Well-Being: The Foundation for School Readiness
By: Joni Pitcl, Elissa Provance, Cindy Arstein Kerslake
Although infant mental health work continues to expand, the message remains consistent: focusing on early relationships between young children and their caregivers has lifelong implications for achieving healthy social and emotional well-being. more >
Format: PDF | Copyright: 2006
Engaging Parents in Education: Lessons From Five Parental Information and Resource Centers
By: WestEd for the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement
This free guide highlights five Parental Information and Resource Centers (PIRCs) and how they have collaborated with other partners to enhance parental involvement in education. It describes the promising practices and strategies each of these organizations has implemented to maximize parental involvement in schools. more >
Format: PDF |
Charter High Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap
By: WestEd for the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement
This free guide addresses a central goal of current education reform efforts nationwide — closing achievement gaps that separate the academic performance of various subgroups of students, especially between low-income, minority, and special needs students and their peers. more >
Format: PDF |
K-8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap
By: WestEd for the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement
This free guide profiles seven charter schools in high-poverty communities with historically underserved children that are making headway in narrowing gaps in achievement. more >
Format: PDF |
Supporting Charter School Excellence Through Quality Authorizing
By: WestEd for the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement
This free guide focuses on the role of charter authorizers in contributing to the quality and success of charter schools. This publication highlights eight charter school authorizers that are advancing the quality and growth of charter schools. more >
Format: PDF |
The Status of Science Education in Bay Area Elementary Schools
By: Rena Dorph, David Goldstein, Shirley Lee, Kathleen Lepori, Steven Schneider, S. Venkatesan
Find out why San Francisco Bay Area's elementary school students are not performing well in science and what can be done about it. more >
Format: PDF | Copyright: 2007
Language, Culture, and Community in Teacher Education
"Now more than ever, those who are committed to teacher education practice, research, and policy that includes language diversity need to understand and be strategic about the complex circumstances that threaten these agendas. This volume is a big step in the right direction." — Marilyn Cochran-Smith, John E. Cawthorne Millennium Professor of Teacher Education for Urban Schools, Boston College more >
Price: $29.95 | Format: Softcover | Copyright: 2008
ISBN: 978-0-8058-5698-9 | Order #: CLE-07-01
Why Do We Have a Knowledge Deficit?
By: E. D. Hirsch, Jr.
Why are reading scores low? Because educators emphasize comprehension strategies instead of teaching the broad general core knowledge that is chiefly needed for reading comprehension, according to E. D. Hirsch in a new WestEd Policy Perspectives paper. more >
Format: Print | Copyright: 2007
Order #: PP-07-02
Making Science Accessible to English Learners: A Guidebook for Teachers, Updated Edition
By: John Carr, Ursula Sexton, Rachel Lagunoff
"The strategies in Making Science Accessible to English Learners are invaluable"
— Bill Pence, Science Teacher, California High School, San Ramon, California more >
Price: $24.95 | Format: Softcover | Copyright: 2007
ISBN: 978-0-914409-40-3 | Order #: CC-07-01
R&D Alert® Vol. 9, No. 1
Focus on Improving Mathematics and Science Education
Concerned with the quality of the nation's mathematicians, scientists, and engineers, the federal government in 2007 created the "America COMPETES Act," authorizing programs to shore up education and research in these subjects. Building on WestEd's extensive expertise in mathematics and science, this issue of R&D Alert describes strategies and lessons learned from some of WestEd's most successful efforts in these areas. more >
Format: Print | Copyright: 2007
Order #: RD-07-02
Minding the Gap: Why Integrating High School with College Makes Sense and How to Do It
Many young people never get a chance to go to college, yet a postsecondary degree has become the baseline requirement for success in today's highly competitive economy. Learn how leading experts, including WestEd's Andrea Venezia, propose to tackle this important issue. more >
Price: $29.95 | Format: Softcover | Copyright: 2007
ISBN: 978-1-891792-45-8 | Order #: HEP-07-01
Rethinking High School: Preparing Students for Success in College, Career, and Life
By: Grace Calisi Corbett, Tracy A. Huebner
Find out how five successful Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-funded high school programs are preparing adolescent students for academic success in college, career, and life. more >
Format: PDF | Copyright: 2007
Order #: GF-07-02
Prevention is Primary: Strategies for Community Well-Being
WestEd's Bonnie Benard, leading expert on asset-based youth development and author of the bestselling Resiliency: What We Have Learned, contributes a key chapter, "The Hope of Prevention: Individual, Family, and Community Resilience," to this cutting-edge, comprehensive book on prevention. more >
Price: $55.00 | Format: Softcover | Copyright: 2007
ISBN: 978-0-7879-8318-5 | Order #: HD-07-01
ASSETs Final Evaluation Report
California 21st Century High School After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens (ASSETs) Program
By: Jerome Hipps, Marycruz Diaz
In this WestEd report, learn about California's 21st Century High School After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens (ASSETs) Program and how it influences students both academically and socially. more >
Format: PDF | Copyright: 2007