Research Studies

Comparing Achievement Trends in Reading and Math Across Arizona Public School Student Subgroups
What percentage of Arizona public school students is proficient in reading and math? How does the percentage differ by student subgroup and school level? And what are the results when only charter schools are examined? Find out in this research study.

Achievement Trends of Schools and Students in Arizona's Title I School Improvement Program
How can state agencies help increase student achievement in schools and districts serving disadvantaged populations? This REL West brief examines the academic performance of Arizona schools receiving Title I funds.

The Relationship Between English Proficiency and Content Knowledge for English Language Learner Students in Grades 10 and 11 in Utah
This study explores English learners' performance on language proficiency and content assessments, and documents performance differences on particular strands of content between English learners and their non-English learner counterparts.

Do Schools in Rural and Nonrural Districts Allocate Resources Differently? An Analysis of Spending and Staffing Patterns in the West Region States
This study presents the first detailed comparison of resource allocation patterns between rural and nonrural districts in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah.

An Examination of English Language Learner Student Mobility in Arizona Public Schools
This report analyzes the magnitude of student mobility among English language learners and non-English language learners across the state of Arizona.

Where Do English Language Learners Go to School? Student Distribution by Language Proficiency in Arizona
Read this study describing the distribution of English language learner students across Arizona schools and various school characteristics.

Multistate Review of Professional Teaching Standards (Update)
This REL West report reviews teaching standards in six states and updates a 2009 review by incorporating California's recently adopted teaching standards while retaining data from the other five states previously studied.

School-Site Administrators: A California County and Regional Perspective on Labor Market Trends
This study explores the differences among California's counties and regions in their needs for new school-site administrators in the coming decade.

The Status of State-Level Response to Intervention Policies and Procedures in the West Region States and Five Other States
This study informs and supports state policymakers and administrators in developing and implementing state-level response to intervention policies and practices.

Examining Independent Study High Schools in California
This study examines California's independent study high schools — enrollment trends, the number and characteristics of schools and students, and teacher qualifications.

The Distribution of Teaching and Learning Resources in California's Middle and High Schools
The most disadvantaged populations of California's middle and high school students are likely to have the least access to the resources necessary for learning. Find out why.

Training Early Intervention Assistants in California's Community Colleges
This study 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.

Implementation of the Weighted Student Formula Policy in San Francisco: A Descriptive Study of an Equity-Driven, Student-Based Planning and Budgeting Policy
This study describes the planning and implementation of San Francisco's weighted student formula policy, an equity-driven planning and budgeting policy.

Characteristics of Arizona School Districts in Improvement
This statistical profile of Arizona's school districts in improvement can inform the context for reform and assistance as the state rolls out and refines its district intervention strategies.

Trends in California Teacher Demand: A County and Regional Perspective
This study highlights the differences among California's counties and regions in their use of underprepared teachers and needs for new teachers in the coming decade, as driven by projected student enrollment changes and teacher retirements.

Characteristics of California School Districts in Program Improvement
WestEd researchers provide a statistical profile of California's Title I school districts in program improvement.

The Reenrollment of High School Dropouts in One Large, Urban School District
This study follows a cohort of first-time ninth graders in one large urban school district from 2001/02 to 2005/06 and documents dropout, reenrollment, and graduation rates.

Measuring Resilience and Youth Development: The Psychometric Properties of the Healthy Kids Survey
This study aims to improve resilience assessment and research so that educators can shape their school environment to promote academic resilience.

Course-Taking Patterns and Preparation for Postsecondary Education in California's Public University Systems Among Minority Youth
This study, prepared by WestEd's Regional Educational Laboratory West (REL West), examines the extent to which California high school students meet the course requirements for admission to California's four-year public universities.

An Analysis of Utah's K–3 Reading Improvement Program
Utah's Superintendent of Public Instruction asked WestEd's Regional Educational Laboratory West to review district and charter school participation during the first two years of the state's K-3 Reading Improvement Program.