about the project
The U.S. Department of Education selected WestEd as the agency to operate the Southwest Comprehensive Center (SWCC). The SWCC works collaboratively with Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah to help all children achieve to high standards.
Federal Technical Assistance Network. The SWCC is part of a federal network of 16 Regional Comprehensive Centers, each serving individual or clusters of states.
The network also includes five Content Centers designed to develop materials and products in support of the Regional Centers, specifically in the areas of assessment and accountability; high school reform; school innovation and improvement; instruction; and teacher quality.
The network of centers also works closely with the Regional Educational Laboratories and other technical assistance providers to ensure effective coordination of services.
CC Priorities. The Comprehensive Centers are charged with building state capacity to implement fully the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), and specifically to improve student achievement and close achievement gaps.
The SWCC is designed to provide assistance to the five State Departments/Offices of Education, as well as to statewide groups and organizations that assist districts and schools.
The SWCC has six priority areas:
- Support states to align assessment and accountability systems with ESEA.
- Increase states’ capacity and infrastructure to support district development and improvement.
- Enhance and support each state's system of support for program improvement in schools.
- Increase state capacity to recruit, induct and retain quality teachers.
- Build state capacity to initiate high school reform.
- Integration of Technology Solutions.