WestEd Senior Research Associate Johnpaul Lapid is one of the lead providers for the English Language and Literacy Acceleration (ELLA) project: a comprehensive, coherent, and high-impact process for improving the academic performance of English learners.

Lapid provides training and technical assistance with the implementation of state and national standards, assessments, and scientifically valid methods to districts, administrators, teachers, and paraprofessionals in Arizona, California, and Nevada.

In California, Lapid works with several high-poverty districts on their district/school improvement plans that focus on language arts implementation, intensive and rigorous reading and writing instruction, and a comprehensive vocabulary program.

Many of the California schools with which Lapid works have experienced increased achievement gains for all groups of students and several have met state and federal accountability measures for the first time.

Lapid delivers effective ongoing professional development to enhance high-quality teachers, administrators, and district personnel to meet the needs of all students. He accomplishes this through best instructional practices, data analysis, product development, and the delivery of programs under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

Prior to joining the ELLA project within WestEd's Comprehensive School Assistance Program (CSAP), Lapid was involved with the Arizona Department of Education Reading First office, implementing the Arizona READS initiative. He provided technical assistance to the Reading First office and delivered professional development to over 5,000 Reading First administrators, instructional coaches, and teachers. His work with these school and district personnel focuses on standards, assessments, and instructional strategies that directly affect over 55,000 students statewide.

Along with assisting low-performing schools with the school improvement process and serving as an External Facilitator for the Nevada Department of Education, Lapid is one of the primary authors of the Teach for Success Classroom Observation Protocol.

Prior to joining WestEd in 2001, Lapid was an Adjunct Professor of Education through the University of Guam, where he focused on language and literacy development throughout the Pacific region. Lapid has worked across grade levels in California, Guam, and the Marshall Islands.

He received a BA in early childhood/elementary education and an MEd in language and literacy from the University of Guam.