From Our CEO, Glen Harvey
With the pandemic persisting, a constantly shifting landscape seems to have become the new normal. Throughout the highs and lows of 2021, our staff were nimble in responding to the evolving needs of the field and never wavered in their commitment to support learners of all ages so they can be successful in achieving their dreams.
Knowing that vulnerable populations are often impacted the most by COVID, WestEd staff provided a range of targeted services and guidance to help accelerate equitable learning opportunities and better outcomes, as reflected in the extensive resources provided on our COVID-19: Accelerate Learning Recovery webpage. And, with unprecedented federal relief aid available for K–12 education, our experts produced a series of timely briefs and podcasts to support leaders in ensuring those funds are allocated wisely so that students facing the highest barriers to learning receive the support they need to succeed. We also launched important new services—Serving the Whole Person and Safe and Supportive Learning Environments—that support well-rounded approaches to enabling students to thrive in all facets of their development and learning.
WestEd continued to evolve in our organizational culture as we work toward a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. For instance, we formed a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Council; expanded our DEI Action Plan for Recruitment, Retention, and Promotion; launched in-depth diversity and equity training for all WestEd managers; and rolled out an agencywide professional learning initiative to support research and evaluation staff in developing a data equity toolkit. And our employee-led resource groups—Asian Pacific Islander Desi American, Black Diaspora Network (BDN), BDN Allies, Council for Indigenous Relations, Comunidad Latina, and PRIDE Alliance—continued to expand, fostering connections and sharing valuable resources and insights across the agency.
While I am truly proud of how much we accomplished in 2021, much remains to be done to achieve our agency’s ambitious mission of success for every learner. We will continue to focus on learning from all our efforts in order to make the kind of transformational changes needed to address inequities and systemic barriers so all learners can thrive.
2021 Agency Highlights
January
- WestEd Justice and Prevention Research Center co-hosts conversation series on mitigating racial and ethnic disparities in the criminal justice system.
- National Research and Development Center to Improve Education for Secondary English Learners shares free learning modules, research, and actionable resources through new website.
February
- Report explores how five counties in California addressed the needs of students experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Thousands participate in conversation series on pursuing equity for Black students in K–12 education: Exploring the Intersection of Race and Disability.
- COVID-19: Accelerate Learning Recovery webpage provides timely resources and services to accelerate equitable learning opportunities and outcomes.
March
April
- Dozens of WestEd researchers share findings and innovations at the 2021 American Educational Research Association Virtual Annual Meeting.
- WestEd technical assistance centers collaborate to produce Reimagining Excellence: A Blueprint for Integrating Social and Emotional Well-Being and Academic Excellence in Schools.
May
- Leading scholars and practitioners offer insights in conversation series on providing culturally responsive and individualized infant and toddler care.
- Through the National Charter School Resource Center, WestEd helps produce studies, webinars, and a toolkit on identifying indicators of distress in charter schools.
June
- New brief, Making Decisions Using Assessment Data in the Time of COVID-19, provides timely guidance on using assessment data to inform decisions about teaching and learning during the pandemic.
- Schools on the Move podcast series from the National Center for Systemic Improvement highlights innovative practices that enhance outcomes for students with disabilities.
- Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC) releases new curriculum to help practitioners enrich early childhood learning.
July
August
September
- WestEd releases new study: Understanding the Experiences of LGBTQ High School Students in California by Race/Ethnicity.
- New webpage shares extensive resources and services for enhancing learning for English Learners, multilingual learners, and migratory students.
- To help educators equitably serve the whole-person needs of their communities, WestEd launches Beyond SEL audio gallery.
October
- WestEd facilitates development of major new California-wide longitudinal data system that links data across multiple sectors to help improve student outcomes.
- New publication summarizes research base and functionality of several popular math and science ed tech products.
- Formative Insights spotlights unique model of formative assessment that helps amplify student agency and improve learning.
December
Top 5 Most Downloaded New Resources of 2021
- What Are Social and Emotional Learning and Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Education — and What Do They Have to Do with Critical Race Theory? A Primer
- Anti-Racist Evaluation Strategies: A Guide for Evaluation Teams
- California State Special Education Funding System Study, Part 2: Findings, Implications, and Considerations for Improving Special Education Funding in California
- Serving the Whole Person: An Alignment and Coherence Guide for Local Education Agencies
- Serving the Whole Person: An Alignment and Coherence Guide for State Education Agencies
Most Viewed Videos of 2021
- Can Racial and Ethnic Disparities Be Mitigated Through Police Training?
- Addressing the Impact of COVID-19 Through Summer Learning and Enrichment
- Program Overview: Quality Matters Stipend Program 2021–22
- The Power of Culturally Consistent Care in Home-Based Settings
- A Place for Me: Diverse, Engaging Environments for Infants and Toddlers