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Thomas Hanson
Senior Research Associate
WestEd's Thomas Hanson conducts rigorous research on the effectiveness of programs, products, and practices intended to improve student outcomes.
Hanson serves as Senior Research Associate for the Health & Human Development Program and Co-Director of Research for the Regional Educational Laboratory West, both programs of WestEd.
He directs the Lessons in Character and Tribes Outcome evaluations. These federally funded experimental trials examine the effectiveness of school-based interventions designed to enhance students' social skills and improve academic performance. Hanson also serves as lead methodologist for several studies examining the impacts of education interventions:
- Algebraic Interventions for Measured Achievement, an experimental trial testing the efficacy of an intervention curriculum targeting specific algebraic learning trouble spots;
- Math Pathways and Pitfalls Lessons for K–7 Students, a cluster-randomized trial investigating the efficacy of the Math Pathways and Pitfalls instructional materials on 4th–6th grade students' mathematics achievement and mathematical language development; and the
- Integrating Literacy and Science Instruction in High School Biology Project and Efficacy of Reading Apprenticeship Professional Development for High School History and Science Teaching and Learning study. These cluster-randomized trials examine the effectiveness of teacher training in the integration of reading instruction and subject area content on student achievement in science, history, and reading.
Hanson also conducts evidence-based research for the California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS), a comprehensive youth risk behavior and resilience data collection service available to all California local education agencies. The CHKS is administered to approximately 600,000 students annually in California, and school districts and schools are provided with results to help guide programmatic decision-making. As a result of Hanson's work, school districts, schools, and independent evaluators have become increasingly knowledgeable of the strengths and limitations of the CHKS system.
In addition, Hanson will lead the efficacy studies in the final years of the Institute of Education Sciences' READi (Reading, Evidence, and Argumentation in Disciplinary Instruction) research initiative. The Strategic Literacy Initiative at WestEd is a significant partner in this five-year initiative, which is developing instructional strategies, technology, curricula, teacher professional development, and assessment to increase the reading comprehension of students in grades 6-12.
Hanson cowrote WestEd's Ensuring That No Child is Left Behind: How are Student Health Risks & Resilience Related to the Academic Progress of Schools? Based on CHKS data, this report underscores the importance to academic achievement of key risk and youth development factors. Hanson and his colleagues also have written a number of brief research reports based on CHKS data. These reports, disseminated to policymakers and other key leaders statewide, focus on topics such as health risks, resilience, and the Academic Performance Index; academic performance and school-related well-being in California schools; Tobacco Use Prevention Education and student tobacco use; and school racial/ethnic composition and student risk behavior.
Prior to joining WestEd, Hanson's work centered on family and child well-being, health socialization, child support reform, poverty, and research methods. Much of this work focused on the consequences of traumatic family events, such as parental divorce and income loss, for children's well-being.
In 2004, Hanson received the Annual Award for Exceptional Contribution to the WestEd Community for strengthening the rigor of WestEd's research designs and methodologies and his embodiment of teamwork. In 2000, Hanson and his CHKS colleagues received the WestEd Paul D. Hood Award for Distinguished Contribution to the Profession.
He received a BA in sociology from Old Dominion University and an MS and PhD in sociology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Tel: 562.799.5170 562.799.5151
Email: thanson@wested.org
Mailing Address:
4665 Lampson Avenue
Los Alamitos, California 90720-5139
Resource Involvement:
What Characteristics of Bullying, Bullying Victims, and Schools Are Associated with Increased Reporting of Bullying to School Officials?
Effects of Problem Based Economics on High School Economics Instruction: Final Report
Measuring Resilience and Youth Development: The Psychometric Properties of the Healthy Kids Survey
Ensuring That No Child Is Left Behind: How Are Student Health Risks & Resilience Related to the Academic Progress of Schools?
Related Press Releases:
Study Finds Most Bullying Not Reported; Reporting More Likely When Physical Harm Involved
WestEd Selected for National Reading Research Initiative
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