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Press Contacts
4732 North Oracle Road, Suite 217
Tucson, AZ 85705-1674
Telephone: 520.888.2838
Fax: 520.888.2621
E-mail: mmcconk@WestEd.org
730 Harrison Street
San Francisco, CA 94107-1242
Telephone: 415.615.3219
Fax: 415.512.2024
E-mail: lcardin@WestEd.org
WestEd in the News
Standard of Excellence, Outstanding Achievement in Website Development
WestEd garnered a prestigious Standard of Excellence award for Outstanding Achievement in Website Development in the 2005 WebAward Competition, hosted by the Web Marketing Association. The agency website, WestEd.org, competed against more than 2,100 sites from 33 countries.
2006 California Student Survey Results Reveal Challenges
Painkiller Abuse on the Rise: Decline in Drug Use Slowing
Greg Austin, Director of WestEd's Health & Human Development Program, was interviewed for an article in the Pasadena Star News. The results of the 2005-06 California Student Survey indicate anti-drug and alcohol campaigns at schools have reached their maximum potential in reducing overall drug use, leaving officials with the task of concentrating on students who are heavy drug or alcohol users. The survey also revealed students are misusing painkillers such as OxyContin and Percodan at twice the reported rate of any other drug besides marijuana and alcohol.
Apprenticing Adolescents to Reading in Subject-Area Classrooms
Apprenticing Adolescents to Reading in Subject-Area Classrooms
"Despite the increasing pressure for content coverage in the current high-stakes testing environment, a small but growing number of middle and high school teachers across the country are taking the time to teach about reading in their disciplines." Ruth Schoenbach, Jane Braugner, Cynthia Greenleaf, and Cindy Litman of WestEd's Strategic Literacy Intitiative (SLI), explore this trend and their Reading Apprenticeship approach to literacy in their article published in the October 2003 issue of Phi Delta Kappan.
Three WestEd Publications Receive Honors
Three WestEd Publications Receive Honors
For the second consecutive year, the League of American Communications Professionals (LACP) presented WestEd with awards for excellence in the development of our publications. This year, the agency was honored with three awards in the LACP's 2003 Spotlight Awards Publicity Materials Competition. The WestEd newsletter, R&D Alert, won a Silver Award, a program brochure written and designed for the Comprehensive School Reform Facilitator Initiative won a Bronze Award, and WestEd's new series, Policy Perspectives, won a Bronze Award in the Best Debut category. WestEd is honored to have received these distinctions from the LACP.
Motivating Hard-to-Reach Students
Motivating Hard-to-Reach Students
Motivating some students to learn is challenging, if not daunting. Yet eagerness to learn is now viewed as an inherent capacity in all students when they have a positive view of themselves and a supportive learning environment. BethAnn Berliner, Senior Research Associate and Director of WestEd’s School-Community Laboratory project, details steps teachers and administrators can take to foster positive learning environments and engage hard-to-reach students in the National Association of Elementary School Principals' newsletter, Leadership Compass.
How Big a Barrier Is Language?
How Big a Barrier Is Language?
(registration required)
Learning English is important, but it isn't enough to ensure student success in school. Robert Linquanti, a senior researcher with WestEd, explains in an Orange Country Register article that examines the challenges of those labeled "English learners": "Obviously, language of instruction is not the whole story. It's not the whole solution. It's about teachers understanding what they need to know, how to appropriately communicate while instructing an academic subject matter."
2004 Distinguished Achievement Award
WestEd has been honored with the coveted Association of Educational Publishers (AEP) Distinguished Achievement Award (DAA) for Excellence in Educational Publishing. The agency’s Web site homepage, http://WestEd.org, received top acclaim nationwide in the DAA Web Site Design category on June 8th at the AEP’s annual awards gala in Washington, D.C.
Competition was particularly rigorous this year with judges for the 41st annual AEP Awards considering more than 1,400 entries from which 119 winners were selected.
WestEd joins an elite cadre of companies in the supplemental publishing field who have been honored for excellence in their products. An AEP award, earned after thorough analysis by a national panel of experts, confers upon the winner the right to display the Lamp of Learning logo on its products and Web site. This "seal of approval" signifies that a product or resource has met the highest standard of excellence.
In addition to receiving the Distinguished Achievement Award for Excellence, four other WestEd resources were selected as finalists by the AEP judges:Visit EdPress.org for a complete list of award recipients.
- Resiliency: What We Have Learned by Bonnie Benard, WestEd Senior Program Associate, in the Books: Whole Publication category;
- WestEd 2002 Annual Report in the Annual Report category;
- WestEd.org in the Web Sites: Informational/Organization category; and
- WestEd.org Products & Resources page in the Web Site/Marketing category.
For Teens, Phonics Isn't Enough
For Teens, Phonics Isn't Enough
America's teens lag behind much of the world when it comes to reading skills—jeopardizing their academic performance, college success, and civic engagement. Most efforts to boost reading achievement take place in the early elementary grades. But Caitlin Johnson reports that some middle and high schools are taking on the more complex challenge of improving teen literacy. One of the programs she explores is the Reading Apprenticeship Framework, developed by the WestEd Strategic Literacy Initiative (SLI).
2004 Distinguished Achievement and Beacon Awards Finalist
WestEd was selected as a finalist in three categories of the Association of Educational Publishers’ (AEPs') 2004 Distinguished Achievement Awards program for outstanding education products. Judged by peers and experts, the awards provide an objective, authoritative evaluation of submitted work. The WestEd finalists are:
WestEd also has been selected as a finalist in two categories of AEP’s 2004 Beacon Awards, recognizing outstanding education marketing. The WestEd finalists are:
- The book, Resiliency: What We Have Learned, by Bonnie Benard, in the Whole Publication: Professional Development category;
- The redesigned agency Web site, WestEd.org, in the Web Sites: Informational – Organizations category; and
- The agency Web site home page, WestEd.org, in the Web Sites: Design – Home Page category.
Winners in each category will be announced at two awards ceremonies June 8, 2004, during the AEP Annual Educational Publishing Summit in Washington D.C. Visit EdPress.org for complete lists of award finalists.
- The WestEd 2002 Annual Report in the Annual Report category; and
- The WestEd Products & Resources page in the Web Site: Marketing category.
Spotlight 2003 Awards Publicity Materials Competition
Silver Award: WestEd R&D Alert newsletter
Bronze Award, Best Debut: WestEd series Policy Perspectives
Bronze Award: Program brochure for the Comprehensive School Reform Facilitator Initiative
For the second consecutive year, the League of American Communications Professionals (LACP) presented WestEd with awards for excellence in the development of our publications. Our agency won three awards in the LACP's 2003 Spotlight Awards Publicity Materials Competition:
- WestEd’s agency newsletter, R&D Alert, won a Silver Award.
- A program brochure written and designed for the Comprehensive School Reform Facilitator Initiative won a Bronze Award.
- WestEd's new series, Policy Perspectives, won a Bronze Award in the Best Debut category.
2002 Vision Awards Annual Report Competition
Bronze: WestEd 2002 Annual Report
WestEd's 2002 Annual Report garnered a bronze medal in the educational/nonprofit category of the League of American Communications Professionals' (LACP) 2002 Vision Awards Annual Report Competition. The competition with over 900 entries was judged by a field of communications professionals affiliated with LACP. Their expertise spans a broad spectrum of public relations functions ranging from corporate, executive, and internal communications for Fortune 500 organizations to product, service, and nonprofit publicity expertise.
2003 Vision Awards Annual Report Competition
Bronze: WestEd 2003 Annual Report
WestEd's 2003 Annual Report garnered a bronze medal in the educational/nonprofit category of the League of American Communications Professionals' (LACP) 2003 Vision Awards Annual Report Competition. The competition with over 1,200 entries was judged by a field of communications professionals affiliated with LACP. Their expertise spans a broad spectrum of public relations functions ranging from corporate, executive, and internal communications for Fortune 500 organizations to product, service, and nonprofit publicity expertise.
Model Initiative
The National Center for Children in Poverty named WestEd’s Program for Infant/Toddler Caregivers (PITC) a model initiative to support infants, toddlers, and their families.
2002 Distinguished Achievement Award
Best Newsletter: WestEd R&D Alert
WestEd's thrice-yearly newsletter, R&D Alert, won the Association of Educational Publishers' (EdPress) coveted 2002 Distinguished Achievement Award for "Best Newsletter." R&D Alert provides substantive information and balanced perspectives based on WestEd knowledge and research in education and healthy development. Each issue focuses on a current topic relevant to schools and communities and combines insightful content with lively design. The winning 2001 issues of R&D Alert explore Assessment for Education Improvement, Help for Low-Performing Schools, and Evaluation Research.
Innovative Teaching Education Resources A+
WestEd’s Distance Learning Resource Network (DLRN) was featured on the Innovative Teaching Education Resources Web site as one of the best online resources to augment classroom instructional materials. The DLRN received the A+ designation after its rigorous evaluation based on substance, applicability, timeliness, usefulness, depth, creativity, and originality.
2002 Partner in Excellence Award
The Office of Federal Contract and Compliance Programs Pacific Region honored WestEd with the 2002 Partner in Excellence Award in recognition of the agency’s continued commitment to equal employment opportunities and service to the community.
Outstanding Leadership Award
WestEd received the Outstanding Leadership Award from the California Department of Education for its unwavering support of the California Regional Environmental Education Community (CREEC) Network, which connects teachers with high quality environmental education resources.
Busy Educator Award
WestEd’s Distance Learning Resource Network (DLRN) received commendation from the Busy Educator's Newsletter, an online newsletter that keeps educators informed on useful Web sites, news releases, book and e-book reviews, and software reviews.
Outstanding Staff Development Book of the Year
Joyce Kaser, Susan Mundry, Katherine Stiles, and the late Susan Loucks-Horsley’s book, Leading Every Day: 124 Actions for Effective Leadership, received the 2003 Outstanding Staff National Staff Development Book of the Year from the National Staff Development Council.
WestEd 2003 Annual Report Wins Bronze
WestEd 2003 Annual Report Wins Bronze
WestEd's 2003 Annual Report garnered a bronze medal in the educational/nonprofit category of the League of American Communications Professionals' (LACP) 2003 Vision Awards Annual Report Competition. The competition with over 1,200 entries was judged by a field of communications professionals affiliated with LACP. Their expertise spans a broad spectrum of public relations functions ranging from corporate, executive, and internal communications for Fortune 500 organizations to product, service, and nonprofit publicity expertise.
Cal Alive! Educator of the Year
Kathy DiRanna, Director of WestEd’s K-12 Alliance, was named Cal Alive! Educator of the Year by the California Institute for Biodiversity (CIB). CIB is dedicated to improving science literacy, environmental education, and the appropriate use of technology in classrooms throughout California.
Leadership in Interagency Collaboration at the State Level
Virginia Reynolds, Director of WestEd’s Center for Prevention & Early Intervention, received the Leadership in Interagency Collaboration at the State Level award from the Special Education Early Childhood Administrators Project (SEECAP). SEECAP is a professional development project of the California Department of Education, Special Education Division in support of research findings that indicate a direct relationship between quality early intervention programs and the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of the administrators who run those programs.
2002 AERA Professional Service Award
Judith Shulman, Director of WestEd’s Institute for Case Development and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) Support Network, received the 2002 AERA Professional Service Award, "in recognition of an outstanding contribution relating research to practice."
Margaret Nicholson Distinguished Service Award
The Margaret Nicholson Distinguished Service Award was presented to Art Sussman, Director of the Eisenhower Regional Consortium at WestEd, in recognition of his substantial contributions to science education, leadership and service, and positive impacts on science education in California.
Outstanding Science Trade Book Award and Reviewer’s Choice Award
The celebrated Dr. Art's Guide to Planet Earth: For Earthlings Ages 12 to 120 by Art Sussman, Director of the Eisenhower Regional Consortium at WestEd, was honored with both the Outstanding Science Trade Book and Reviewer’s Choice Awards by the Children’s Book Council in partnership with the National Science Teachers Association. Dr. Art's Guide to Planet Earth’s goal is to enhance Earth systems science and environmental science education nationally.
WestEd Garners Platinum and Gold Honors
Three WestEd resources placed in the top 100 in the League of American Communications Professionals’ (LACP) 2004 Spotlight Awards Publicity Materials Competition. The WestEd Products & Services Catalog placed 4th; the WestEd 2003 Annual Report placed 41st; and WestEd.org placed 87th. The agency also received seven awards for excellence in the development of print and Web public relations materials:
Competition was exceptionally rigorous this year with more than 850 entries submitted from nearly a dozen countries. Christine Kennedy, LACP’s Competition Director, says, “Winners in this year’s competition demonstrated an outstanding focus on communicating through creativity, passion, and vibrance, which ultimately helped target audiences understand and appreciate the relevance and importance of these organizations’ messages.” WestEd is honored to have received these distinctions from the LACP.
- The WestEd Products & Services Catalog won two awards: a Platinum Award in the overall Best Narrative category and a Gold Award in the Toolkits, Mailers, and Related category.
- The 2003 Annual Report won two Gold Awards — for overall Best Narrative category and Annual Report category.
- WestEd.org won two awards: a Gold Award in the Web Site/Intranet Site category and a Bronze Award in the overall Best Debut category.
- WestEd’s R&D Alert, Vol. 5, No. 2, won a Bronze Award in the Web Newsletter/Magazine category.
Gold Disk Award
Kurt Larsen, Director of the Regional Technology in Education Consortium (RTEC), was honored with a Gold Disk Award, the oldest recognition program of Computing Using Educators (CUE). As a member of CUE, Kurt received this award in recognition of his significant and long-term commitment and contributions to the organization and to technology in learning.
Honorable Mention: California Early Start Annual Report
The California Early Start Annual Report, produced by Patricia Winget, Sandra Cosner, and Elissa Provance of WestEd’s Center for Prevention & Early Intervention, received an Honorable Mention from the Sacramento Public Relations Association.
Advocates for Justice Award
Leonard Beckum, Director of WestEd's Equity Assistance Center, received the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education’s 2000 Advocates for Justice Award for his exemplary work in research and practice. The award honors "individuals who have firmly supported and have contributed in a meaningful way to the equity agenda of teaching and teacher education."
WestEd Helps Jack O'Connell Honor California Distinguished Schools
WestEd Helps Jack O'Connell Honor California Distinguished Schools
WestEd’s Chief Development Officer, Srijata Ananda, accepts a plaque of recognition for the agency from Jack O'Connell, California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, at an awards ceremony honoring the 302 California elementary schools selected by the California Department of Education as 2004 California Distinguished Schools. The prestigious California Distinguished Schools award is considered the state’s predominant recognition of a school’s total education program, including high expectations for all students, the implementation of state-adopted standards, and visionary and collaborative leadership. WestEd is proud to support the California School Recognition Program.
WestEd Wins AEP 2004 Distinguished Achievement Award
WestEd Wins AEP 2004 Distinguished Achievement Award
WestEd has been honored with the coveted Association of Educational Publishers (AEP) Distinguished Achievement Award (DAA) for Excellence in Educational Publishing. The agency’s Web site homepage, http://WestEd.org, received top acclaim nationwide in the DAA Web Site Design category on June 8th at the AEP’s annual awards gala in Washington, D.C.
Competition was particularly rigorous this year with judges for the 41st annual AEP Awards considering more than 1,400 entries from which 119 winners were selected.
WestEd joins an elite cadre of companies in the supplemental publishing field who have been honored for excellence in their products. An AEP award, earned after thorough analysis by a national panel of experts, confers upon the winner the right to display the Lamp of Learning logo on its products and Web site. This "seal of approval" signifies that a product or resource has met the highest standard of excellence.
In addition to receiving the Distinguished Achievement Award for Excellence, four other WestEd resources were selected as finalists by the AEP judges:
- Resiliency: What We Have Learned by Bonnie Benard, WestEd Senior Program Associate, in the Books: Whole Publication category;
- WestEd 2002 Annual Report in the Annual Report category;
- WestEd.org in the Web Sites: Informational/Organization category; and
- WestEd.org Products & Resources page in the Web Site/Marketing category. Visit EdPress.org for a complete list of award recipients.
WestEd Garners Platinum and Gold Honors
WestEd Garners Platinum and Gold Honors
Three WestEd resources placed in the top 100 in the League of American Communications Professionals’ (LACP) 2004 Spotlight Awards Publicity Materials Competition. The WestEd Products & Services Catalog placed 4th; the WestEd 2003 Annual Report placed 41st; and WestEd.org placed 87th. The agency also received seven awards for excellence in the development of print and Web public relations materials:
Competition was exceptionally rigorous this year with more than 850 entries submitted from nearly a dozen countries. Christine Kennedy, LACP’s Competition Director, says, “Winners in this year’s competition demonstrated an outstanding focus on communicating through creativity, passion, and vibrance, which ultimately helped target audiences understand and appreciate the relevance and importance of these organizations’ messages.” WestEd is honored to have received these distinctions from the LACP.
- The WestEd Products & Services Catalog won two awards: a Platinum Award in the overall Best Narrative category and a Gold Award in the Toolkits, Mailers, and Related category.
- The 2003 Annual Report won two Gold Awards — for overall Best Narrative category and Annual Report category.
- WestEd.org won two awards: a Gold Award in the Web Site/Intranet Site category and a Bronze Award in the overall Best Debut category.
- WestEd’s R&D Alert, Vol. 5, No. 2, won a Bronze Award in the Web Newsletter/Magazine category.
WestEd Named One of the Best Places to Work in Bay Area
WestEd has been selected as one of the top 100 Best Places to Work in the Greater Bay Area in 2005 by the San Francisco Business Times, the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, and Deloitte. This is the second consecutive year that WestEd has been so honored. The prestigious award recognizes that the agency attracts, retains, and engages high-quality employees through positive working conditions, benefits, and corporate culture.
This year’s awards program for the Bay Area attracted about 400 entries. Nonprofit organizations contended with for-profit corporations in this year's competition, making WestEd's high ranking an even more significant achievement. moreWestEd Named One of the Best Places to Work in Bay Area
WestEd Named One of the Best Places to Work in Bay Area
WestEd has been selected as one of the top 100 Best Places to Work in the Greater Bay Area in 2005 by the San Francisco Business Times, the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, and Deloitte. This is the second consecutive year that WestEd has been so honored. The prestigious award recognizes that the agency attracts, retains, and engages high-quality employees through positive working conditions, benefits, and corporate culture. more
WestEd's SLI Improves Student Reading Skills
WestEd's SLI Improves Student Reading Skills
Dixon High School (CA) students "talk" to their books to better comprehend the text. This is one of several methods WestEd's Strategic Literacy Initiative (SLI) Reading Apprenticeship® Program uses to help engage students in reading and ensure that they learn and retain information. "It makes you think about what you are reading about," says 10th-grader Jessica Rodriguez. "It helps you remember what you just read." Jessica is not alone: Many students throughout Sacramento Valley schools have become better readers with the help of SLI, say members of the Dixon Teachers Association.
WestEd Publications Win Top National Accolades from Association of Educational Publishers
WestEd, a nonprofit research, development, and service agency, was honored with several coveted awards by the Association of Educational Publishers (AEP) at a gala ceremony in Washington, D.C. on June 8, 2005.
In a stiff nationwide competition, the agency's Web site, www.WestEd.org, was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Award (DAA) for best organizational site. WestEd's 2003 Annual Report also took the top prize in its category, winning the superior Beacon Award.
Two additional WestEd publications won the top trophies in their categories. Innovations in Education: Successful Charter Schools, a guide published under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Innovation and Improvement, garnered the DAA for best interior design. Rethinking High School: Five Profiles of Innovative Models for Student Success, a study by WestEd for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, took the DAA prize for best illustrations and graphics.
Upon hearing news of the multiple awards, Glen Harvey, CEO of WestEd, praised the agency's staff, stating, "I am pleased that WestEd's publications once again have been honored as best in class. We are proud of our time-honored tradition of upholding the highest standards of excellence in research, development, and service."
The highly competitive annual AEP awards are the result of a rigorous two-tiered screening process. Entries are first reviewed by screening judges, who narrow the field, followed by the final certifying committee that reviews and certifies finalists and winners in all categories. The judging panel comprises experts from the nation's leading education magazines and newspapers, publishers, and nonprofit institutions.
Several WestEd products garnered additional honors as finalists in other categories:
- WestEd.org for best interface usability;
- Rethinking High Schools: Five Profiles of Innovative Models for Student Success for best whole publication; and
- Ensuring That No Child Is Left Behind: How Are Student Health Risks & Resilience Related to the Academic Progress of Schools? for best booklet.
WestEd Publications Win Top National Accolades from Association of Educational Publishers
WestEd Publications Win Top National Accolades from Association of Educational Publishers
WestEd was honored with several coveted awards by the Association of Educational Publishers on June 8, 2005. In a stiff nationwide competition, the agency's website, www.WestEd.org, was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Award (DAA) for best organizational site. WestEd's 2003 Annual Report also took the top prize in its category, winning the superior Beacon Award.
Two additional WestEd publications won the top trophies in their categories. Innovations in Education: Successful Charter Schools, a guide published under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Innovation and Improvement, garnered the DAA for best interior design. Rethinking High School: Five Profiles of Innovative Models for Student Success, a study by WestEd for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, took the DAA prize for best illustrations and graphics.WestEd Wins International Awards
WestEd took high honors in the annual League of American Communications Professionals (LACP) Vision Awards competition. In a rigorous international competition, WestEd's 2004 Annual Report garnered the gold award in the education category and the silver in the nonprofit category.
This year's contest drew an unprecedented number of submissions, with more than 1,400 entries representing 17 countries. LACP's announcement follows on the heels of last month's news that the Association of Educational Publishers awarded several coveted top prizes to WestEd publications. WestEd CEO Glen Harvey emphasized the agency's commitment to quality. "These most recent awards offer further evidence that WestEd upholds the highest standards of excellence in research, development, and service. We are proud to join an elite cadre of organizations with an exceptional commitment to superior, effective publishing." The Vision Awards involve several hundred hours of judging on areas such as first impression, cover, creativity, message clarity, and information accessibility. The judging panel comprises communications and public relations experts practicing in the nation's leading companies and nonprofit organizations.WestEd Wins International Awards
WestEd Wins International Awards
WestEd took high honors in the annual League of American Communications Professionals (LACP) Vision Awards competition. In a rigorous international competition, WestEd's 2004 Annual Report garnered the gold award in the education category and the silver in the nonprofit category. This year's contest drew an unprecedented number of submissions, with more than 1,400 entries representing 17 countries. LACP's announcement follows on the heels of last month's news that the Association of Educational Publishers awarded several coveted top prizes to WestEd publications.
The Vision Awards involve several hundred hours of judging on areas such as first impression, cover, creativity, message clarity, and information accessibility. The judging panel comprises communications and public relations experts practicing in the nation's leading companies and nonprofit organizations.Outstanding Achievement in Website Development
Standard of Excellence
WestEd garnered a prestigious Standard of Excellence award for Outstanding Achievement in Website Development in the 2005 WebAward Competition, hosted by the Web Marketing Association. The agency website, WestEd.org, competed against more than 2,100 sites from 33 countries.
Malcolm X Academy Makes the Grade
Malcolm X Academy Makes the Grade
Prospects are improving for kids in the San Francisco Bayview Hunter's Point area, thanks to hard work at the Malcolm X Academy by teachers, parents, and students, and to assistance from WestEd. This year's vastly improved test scores paint a rosier future for the neighborhood children. The improvements are largely the result of a turn-around process that began in 2002 when the school partnered with San Francisco-based WestEd and its School Assistance and Intervention Team (SAIT).
WestEd Report:
Funding Preschool May Help Solve Budget, Social Woes
Investing immediately in a national preschool program would yield high returns – including possibly shoring up an ailing Social Security system – says a new WestEd report. Economist Robert G. Lynch looks 50 years into the future, calculating the impact on federal, state, and local government budgets, the economy, and crime if such a program were implemented now for all low-income 3- and 4-year-old children across the country. The full report, the latest in WestEd's Policy Perspectives series, is available as a free PDF download: Early Childhood Investment Yields Big Payoff.
WestEd's Arts-Integration Research Helps Teachers
U.S. Department of Education, Teacher-to-Teacher Workshops
WestEd's evaluation research of Opening Minds Through The Arts (OMA) was included in summer teacher workshops presented by the U.S. Department of Education's Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative. The evaluation revealed that OMA's arts-integration approach yields significant academic gains for a diverse student population and enhances teacher effectiveness.
WestEd Book, Resiliency, Receives Rave Review
WestEd Book, Resiliency, Receives Rave Review
Resiliency: What We Have Learned by Bonnie Benard received praise from the Education Review. The reviewer noted, "I recommend this book to anyone searching for a positive approach to working with youth," and praises the book for condensing an entire field of research into a readable, usable, and understandable synthesis for educators.
Data Driven Decision Making Helps Schools Succeed
School Pilot Program to Boost State Test Scores (registration required)
In October 2004, WestEd piloted training on the Data Driven Decision-Making Toolkit, a product developed by WestEd's Western Regional Educational Laboratory (WREL), with the Beaumont Unified School Change Team. They used the activities as part of their Data Mentoring series with a focus on Chavez Elementary. Chavez's scores soared and the staff are anxious to dig into their test data again this year. The toolkit includes activities on identifying critical needs, creating a plan to address the needs, and then monitoring progress.
Garden Project Teaches Low-Income Teens About Nutrition
Teen Corps Tends School's Kitchen Garden (registration required)
Next to Riverview Middle School, an organic garden grows corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, and healthier teenagers in this low-income, gang-involved neighborhood. BethAnn Berliner and Tenley Harrison from WestEd's Western Regional Educational Laboratory (WREL) partnered with the school district and other agencies to create the model Teen Garden Corps, which provides curriculum enrichment, economic opportunity, and nutritional education.
WestEd's California Healthy Kids Survey
Report: Santa Cruz County Teens' Drug, Alcohol Use Up (registration required)
The biannual California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS), a partnership between the California Department of Education and WestEd's Health & Human Development Program (HHDP), shows that alcohol and other drug use is increasing among Santa Cruz County's 7th, 9th, and 11th grades. The survey is the nation's most comprehensive assessment of adolescent behavior and school climate.
WestEd's Comprehensive Solution for Modesto City Schools
Parents Taking Government's Offer for Kids to Switch Schools (registration required)
Five schools in the Modesto City Schools district have selected WestEd's Comprehensive School Assistance Program (CSAP) to help improve student achievement under No Child Left Behind requirements. WestEd is addressing the district's needs on several fronts, including help for English learners, as well as for administrators in creating and implementing a research-based assessment and accountability system. WestEd is offering a coordinated approach to help the schools assess and address factors that impede student achievement.
WestEd's Policy Center Weighs in on State's Education Reform
Arizona Students Lag on National Test (registration required)
Results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress tests show that Arizona's students are performing below their peers in all categories. Paul Koehler, Director of WestEd's Policy Center, recommends a number of reforms to help raise student achievement in the state. For example, Koehler suggests implementing longer school days along with an extended school year, and increasing the number of academic opportunities available for low-income students.
WestEd's English Learner Research at the Forefront
Steady Progress Wins the ELL Proficiency Prize
Nationally recognized expert Robert Linquanti led the SchoolsMovingUp webinar offering tips on helping English learners achieve ambitious learning goals. This archived online event includes information on accountability systems, goal setting, and data analysis. Linquanti is Project Director for English Learner Evaluation and Accountability Support services in WestEd’s Comprehensive School Assistance Program.
Student Alcohol and Other Drug Program Created in Response to WestEd's California Healthy Kids Survey
Survey Results Call for New Drug Education Program
In response to WestEd's California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) administered earlier this year to Torrey Pines High School students, the San Dieguito Union High School District has created a new program to decrease student alcohol and other drug use. Under the direction of Greg Austin, CHKS is administered annually to California students statewide. It is the only such mandated survey in the country, with the most comprehensive network of adolescent survey data of any state.
WestEd Technology Assists The LegiSchool Project with Online Dialogue
Web Conference to Discuss Anti-Gang Policies
A two-week online dialogue about gang activity and California schools is being produced by WestEd's Laurie Maak using the agency's breakthrough technology, Web Dialogues. Participants in the online event include high school students, law enforcement professionals, religious leaders, policymakers, educators, and government representatives. The Web Dialogue is sponsored by The LegiSchool Project, a civic education collaboration between California State University, Sacramento, and the California State Legislature, administered by the Center for California Studies. To join the discussion and receive discussion summaries by email, register at www.webdialogues.net/legischool/gangs.
WestEd's Policy Brief on Full-Day Kindergarten Assists Utah Board of Education in Creating Statewide Programs
All-Day Kindergarten: Longer Hours Help Kids Adjust to School
The Utah Board of Education is considering several proposals to institute a statewide full-day kindergarten program. Board members are using WestEd's Policy Brief on Full-Day Kindergarten as a source for understanding the issues. Policy Briefs, produced by WestEd's Policy Center, help to bridge the gap between researchers and public policymakers by translating research for the general public.
Experts Disagree Over What to Include in Revised NAEP
Senta Raizen, Director of WestEd's National Center for Improving Science Education, was interviewed in an article covering the development of National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Science Framework and Specifications. WestEd is developing the new science framework for the congressionally mandated exam, in partnership with the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), a national nonprofit organization of public officials who head state departments of elementary and secondary education. The initiative will lead to NAEP science assessments administered nationally to students in grades 4, 8, and 12 beginning in 2009.
WestEd Releases Evaluation Report to Utah Board of Education and
State Legislature
Utah's Early Reading Program Paying Off
WestEd released a report evaluating Utah's new K-3 reading program to the Utah Board of Education showing that many districts and charter schools are making "really good progress," in the words of Paul Koehler, Director of WestEd's Policy Center. Koehler also presented the findings to the state legislature's Education Interim Committee later this week.
2005 Spotlight Awards
WestEd took several honors in the League of American Communications Professionals (LACP) 2005 Spotlight Awards competition for print, video, and web communications. In the rigorous international competition, the agency's website, WestEd.org, was thrice honored, receiving the top Platinum Award for best-in-class website, a Bronze Award for best agency materials, and a coveted spot on the "Top 100 Communications Materials of 2005" list. The agency's electronic newsletter, WestEd E-Bulletin, won a Silver Award in the e-mail-based feature, newsletter, or magazine category.
WestEd's print materials also fared well. The WestEd 2004 Annual Report garnered a Silver Award in its class, while a postcard announcing a new free WestEd product, the English Language Development Student Report Card, garnered a Bronze Award. Two additional products received honorable mention: Rethinking High School: Five Profiles of Innovative Models for Student Success, developed by WestEd for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; and, Inside High School Reform: Making the Changes That Matter, developed in conjunction with the California Academic Partnership Program (CAPP).
In winning the LACP awards, WestEd joins an elite class of global organizations - among them Fortune 100 companies and charitable service agencies - honored for an uncompromising commitment to high-quality communications. The annual competition is judged by professionals with expertise in corporate, executive, and internal communications. Judges are screened to ensure there are no conflicts of interest. The highly competitive Spotlight Awards involve several hundred hours of judging on areas such as first impression, graphic design, cover, creativity, message clarity, and information accessibility.WestEd Garners International Communications Awards
LACP 2005 Spotlight Awards Announced
WestEd took several honors in the League of American Communications Professionals (LACP) 2005 Spotlight Awards competition for print, video, and web communications. In the rigorous international competition, the agency's website, WestEd.org, was thrice honored, receiving the top Platinum Award for best-in-class website, a Bronze Award for best agency materials, and a coveted spot on the "Top 100 Communications Materials of 2005" list. The agency's electronic newsletter, WestEd E-Bulletin, won a Silver Award in the e-mail-based feature, newsletter, or magazine category. Several printed materials also won awards, including WestEd's newest book, Inside High School Reform: Making the Changes That Matter, developed in conjunction with the California Academic Partnership Program (CAPP).
Bonnie Benard's Research on Resiliency in the Spotlight
Resiliency and Achievement: Meeting the Needs of At-Risk Kids
Bonnie Benard's groundbreaking research on resiliency was featured in the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development's (ASCD) October newsletter, Education Update. According to the article entitled, "Resiliency and Achievement," Benard identifies three ways teachers can nurture resiliency in their students:
Benard's contribution to the newsletter was picked up by ASCD's blog, Conference on Teaching and Learning. Benard is Senior Program Associate with WestEd's Health & Human Development Program (HHDP) and the author of the top selling Resiliency: What We Have Learned, which presents overwhelming evidence that resiliency prevails in most cases of prevention and education — even in extreme situations, such as those caused by poverty, troubled families, and violent neighborhoods.
- establish caring relationships by connecting with each student;
- deliver high-expectation messages to show students that teachers truly believe in their capacity to learn and be successful; and,
- provide each student opportunities for active participation and contribution, including fostering collaboration through cooperative learning strategies.
Stanley Rabinowitz Comments on Arizona School Reform
When AIMS Is for Real: The Hopes and Risks
In a story about the statewide impact of Arizona's Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS), The Arizona Republic interviewed Stanley Rabinowitz, Director of WestEd's Assessment & Standards Development Services. According to Rabinowitz, reform efforts should start where students are currently performing, and then goals for future student achievement should align with efforts to improve teaching skills, methods, and quality. AIMS, a standards-based test, provides educators and the public with information regarding the progress of Arizona's students toward mastering the state's reading, writing, and mathematics standards. Arizona is 1 of 25 states now requiring a high school exit exam based on standardized testing.
Isolation Is the Enemy of Improvement
Renewing the Energy to Teach
In an article detailing how high-quality professional development can result in increased student achievement, UCLA School Management Program staff member Jeanie Riddell highlights WestEd's publication, Isolation Is the Enemy of Improvement: Instructional Leadership to Support Standards-Based Practice. Riddell praises the book's emphasis on fostering collaboration among teaching staff. She notes that teacher collaboration could include working together on curriculum, pacing, and assessment work; visiting each other’s classrooms; or forming groups to examine student work.
Bonnie Benard's Resiliency Research Featured in TV Special
Emmy-Award Winning Connect With Kids Series Airs Nationally
WestEd Senior Program Associate Bonnie Benard, renowned expert and the author of Resiliency: What We Have Learned, is featured in a television episode from the Emmy award-winning Connect with Kids series. The segment, Against All Odds, explores why some children succeed despite the tremendous odds against them. What do these "resilient kids" have in common, and what do their stories teach us about parenting, educating, and succeeding? The Connect with Kids television series features real kids, true stories, experts, and educators. It provides a way to help parents and their children start a conversation about the tough topics kids face every day. Catch a screening on your local TV station (see WestEd's calendar for cities, dates, and times).
Expert Advice on Responding to Charges of Racism
A Lesson in Race: Changes Follow Accusations at Weston Ranch High
In an article about ongoing allegations of racism in the Manteca (CA) Unified School District, Leonard Beckum, Director of WestEd's Center for Educational Equity, was interviewed about appropriate responses district administrators can take when faced with racially sensitive accusations. According to Beckum, administrators should supplement legal remedies with responses that prove the administrators are serious about the charges against them. "The basic question is: Are these efforts satisfying the people who brought up these issues? Because if they don't feel it's being addressed, then the problem is still there."
WestEd Hosts Japanese Scholars
English Learner Literacy Research in the Spotlight
Four scholars from Japan visited WestEd's San Francisco office to learn more about the current American research on literacy, especially related to English learners (ELs), which is an area of expertise for the agency. The scholars received a three-year research grant from Japan’s National Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology to study adult education, workforce education, and literacy. Nanette Koelsch, Senior Research Associate in the Teacher Professional Development Program, provided an overview of WestEd's philosophy regarding EL literacy, as well as a demonstration of the agency's related professional development in the New York City Public Schools.
WestEd's National Center for Improving Science Education
Takes Center Stage
NAGB Approves Final Science Assessment Framework
The National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB), the oversight agency for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), has approved the final draft of the framework portion of the NAEP Science Framework and Specifications. WestEd's National Center for Improving Science Education (NCISE) is creating the new science assessment for the congressionally mandated exam. According to Education Daily, NAGB was faced with competing suggestions regarding the framework's allocations to applied science and engineering concepts, core science concepts, and principles of scientific inquiry. In the article, Senta Raizen, Director of NCISE, explains that the next step is to develop test specifications based on the revised framework.
WestEd Attends CERA Conference
Jordan Horowitz Signs Copies of Inside High School Reform
WestEd was represented in full force at the 84th annual conference of the California Educational Research Association (CERA) in Long Beach, California. Several sessions featured research or professional development conducted by WestEd staff, including:
WestEd's Evaluation Research program was particularly visible at CERA, with Jordan Horowitz signing copies of his recently published evaluation study of the California Academic Partnership Program, Inside High School Reform: Making the Changes That Matter.
- Do Students Learn from the Arts? by Naida Tushnet, Sandy Sobolew-Shubin, and Treseen McCormick
- Inside High School Reform: Making Changes That Matter by Jordan Horowitz
- Data Mentoring: Building Capacity for Data-Driven Decision Making by Darrell Brown of the Beaumont (CA) Unified School District, with WestEd's Lori Van Houten
WestEd Technology Assists The LegiSchool Project with Online Dialogue
Web Conference Discusses California High Schools
An online dialogue about improving California high schools was produced by WestEd's Laurie Maak using the agency's breakthrough technology, WebDialogues. Participants in the online event included high school students, teachers, parents, policymakers, educators, and government representatives. The web dialogue was sponsored by The LegiSchool Project, a civic education collaboration between California State University, Sacramento, and the California State Legislature, administered by the Center for California Studies. It featured WestEd's Jordan Horowitz, the author of Inside High School Reform: Making the Changes That Matter, and several other experts. To receive the event summary, register at www.webdialogues.net/legischool/highschool.
WestEd's English Learner Research Has International Impact
Aida Walqui Keynotes at New Zealand Conference
Aida Walqui, Director of WestEd's Teacher Professional Development Program, gave a keynote speech at Learning Media’s 2005 National Literacy Symposium in Wellington, New Zealand. Jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Education and Learning Media, Walqui drew from her years of experience and research in her discussion of the impact of oral language on English language learners.
WestEd Attends NSDC Conference
Karen Kearney Signs Copies of Leadership Book
Karen Kearney, Director of WestEd’s Leadership Initiative, signed copies of Moving Leadership Standards Into Everyday Work: Descriptions of Practice at the National Staff Development Council’s (NSDC’s) annual conference in Philadelphia. Kearney is a member of NSDC’s Conference Planning Committee. Several NSDC sessions featured WestEd staff, including:
- “The Role of Change Agents in Schools” by Cheryl Williams
- “Developing Culturally Proficient Schools” by Laraine Roberts
- “Leadership for Learning” by Susan Mundry
WestEd's WREL Cosponsors Lecture Series
Wrestling with High School Assessment & Accountability
More than 50 education leaders recently participated in the annual Edward F. Reidy Jr. Interactive Lecture Series, cosponsored by WestEd’s Western Regional Educational Laboratory and the Center for Assessment. This year's topic, “Wrestling with High School Assessment and Accountability,” focused on the challenges of developing meaningful and valid high school accountability systems. Series presenters examined some of the most important aspects of student performance measurement in high school and how to incorporate those results in high school accountability systems. Presentations included:
Stanley Rabinowitz, Director for WestEd’s Assessment and Standards Development Services, provided panel facilitation and responses.
- Mark Musick, former Executive Director of the Southern Regional Educational Board: "Building the Foundation: Establishing Our Goals for High Schools"
- Lauress Wise, President of Human Resources Research Organization: "Assessment Approaches: Which Options Are Best for What Purposes?"
- Scott Marion, Associate Director of the Center for Assessment, and Brian Gong, Executive Director of the Center for Assessment: "Accountability at the High School Level: Emerging Recommendations for a Multilevel Set of Issues"
WestEd Assists U.S. Chamber of Commerce
New Work Readiness Credential
Rachel Lagunoff, Research Associate for WestEd's Assessment and Standards Development Services program, led the development of a guide for preparing job seekers to succeed on a new assessment offered by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Center for Workforce Preparation. The Work Readiness Credential will be used to provide certification demonstrating that entry-level job seekers have communication, interpersonal, decisionmaking, and lifelong learning skills.
WestEd Embarks on International Science Assessment Collaboration
U.S.-European Collaboration Begins with German Researchers
Science assessment experts from WestEd's Center for Assessment and Evaluation of Student Learning (CAESL) recently met at WestEd headquarters in San Francisco with researchers from three German universities in Munich, Berlin, and Muenster. The group of researchers are developing assessment instruments to measure the use of evidence in science classrooms. Mike Timms, CAESL's Managing Director, says, "We are delighted to be working with science colleagues across the globe to improve education for children everywhere." The collaboration will result in a series of research papers and a symposium providing insight into how students and teachers can increase the use of evidence in science classrooms. CAESL is a collaboration of WestEd; University of California, Berkley; University of California, Los Angeles; and Stanford University.
How Kids Develop Resiliency
Stronger Than Their Struggles
WestEd's Bonnie Benard was interviewed for an article about fostering resiliency in children. Benard, the author of Resiliency: What We Have Learned, emphasized the importance of children developing strong connections to people who care about them. Family, school, and community are key components for sustaining the caring relationships that create resiliency.
WestEd Partners With Ohio Organizations
Infant and Toddler Guidelines Unveiled
The Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association announced new guidelines for parents, child care providers, and policymakers covering children from birth to age three. WestEd's Center for Child and Family Studies, led by Peter Mangione and Ron Lally, partnered with a team of private and public organizations to create the guidelines, which also link to Ohio's Early Learning Content Standards to create a seamless path from birth to school. Other partners include Build Ohio and Ohio's Department of Education, Department of Health, and Department of Job and Family Services.
WestEd's California Healthy Kids Survey
Long Beach Students Afraid of Violence
WestEd's biannual California Healthy Kids Survey revealed that many Long Beach, California students are afraid of being targeted for violence on school campuses, and many also reported participating in fights. Data from this year's survey also confirmed a trend in decreasing alcohol, marijuana, and other drug use first noticed in 2001. The statewide survey, which can only be administered with parental permission, is required for all schools receiving federal and state anti-drug and anti-tobacco funds.
WestEd's California Healthy Kids Survey
Drugs at Home: Adolescent Addicts Common in Tehachapi
This article about increasing rates of adolescent drug use in the Tehachapi community cites evidence from WestEd's California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS). In Kern County, the survey showed that 68 percent of 11-graders have tried alcohol. The same survey showed that 32 percent of Kern County 11-graders report having been high in the last 30 days. WestEd's CHKS diagnostic survey is designed to provide reliable data to parents, schools, and communities about youth risk behaviors.
NCLB/IDEA Conference a Success
"Joining Forces: High Achievement for Each and Every Student"
WestEd's Northeast Regional Resource Center (NERRC) hosted an invitational conference for state policy makers, leaders of state organizations, and parents on how to best leverage No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to improve achievement for all students. The event, cosponsored by several technical assistance providers in the northeast, included a keynote speech by Ray McNulty, senior consultant for the International Center for Leadership in Education.
WestEd at the California Association for the Education of Young Children Conference
Staff from WestEd's Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC) presented seven workshops at the California Association for the Education of Young Children 2007 annual conference in San Jose. Topics included infant attachment, culture, program management, social and emotional learning, and group care.
Improving Education for Students with Disabilities
WestEd Webcast Reaches National Audience
WestEd's SchoolsMovingUp hosted a national webcast on how to improve achievement for all students by leveraging the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). WestEd's Kristin Myers Reedy and Vicki Hornus from WestEd's Northeast Regional Resource Center (NERRC) shared information and strategies with nearly 200 participants, including leaders from state departments of education, school principals, district administrators, staff development trainers, parents, and district technology coordinators. Participant feedback was positive, including one person who said, "Networking through the webcast with participants from different states was very beneficial." The free archive is available at www.SchoolsMovingUp.net/IDEA.
Aida Walqui Selected for Keynote Address
NABE 2006 Convention
Aida Walqui, Director of WestEd's Teacher Professional Development Program, has been invited to address attendees at the National Association for Bilingual Education 2006 annual conference in Phoenix, Arizona. Her keynote presentation, "Quality Teaching with Second Language Learners," will present current research on successful approaches to teaching English learners. Other speakers include the Honorable Mike Honda, Member of Congress, and Peterson Zah, former President, Navajo Nation. WestEd will be at Booth #326 in the convention exhibit hall.
Curriculum Review Interviews Jordan Horowitz
Going Inside High School Reform
The January 2006 issue of Curriculum Review includes an in-depth interview with Jordan Horowitz, Senior Project Director with WestEd's Evaluation Research Program, entitled "Sustaining Successful School Reform." Horowitz, the lead author of Inside High School Reform: Making the Changes That Matter, discusses critical lessons and compelling successes of the 28 high schools in the California Academic Partnership Program.
WestEd Report Helps Spark Substance Abuse Programs
Continuation Schools Get Grant to Tackle Alcohol Abuse
Five San Diego county continuation high schools have received federal grants to operate classes that address student alcohol and other drug use, along with issues such as self-esteem and peer pressure. The grants were spurred by a WestEd report authored by Greg Austin, Director of the Health & Human Development Program, showing the need for programs with such classes. Austin’s quantitative study for the California Department of Justice detailed that continuation high school students are at high risk for substance abuse, including alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, and other drugs. Regarding the new classes' impact, one student said, "I've learned a lot. It's made me think, 'Do I really want to do those things?'"
Report on Differentiated Teacher Compensation
