Overview
Our Approach
A commitment to advancing teaching, learning, and equitable classroom practices drives our work to develop innovations and high-quality assessments that encourage and support achievement for all students.
Our approach builds leadership capacity, engages and convenes a wide variety of educational partners with diverse perspectives, and builds consensus to achieve purposeful solutions of the highest quality.
Bringing renowned expertise to our partnerships, our work advances learning and equity by creating assessment, teaching, and learning solutions that reflect rigorous research, innovative approaches, and practical assistance.
Advancing Learning and Equity through Assessment
Advancing Learning and Equity through Assessment
Innovative Approaches
- Develop innovative measures of student progress
- Introduce new item types and measurement models
- Create through-course assessment models
- Implement state-of-the-art science performance tasks
- Develop assessment models to strengthen teacher and student roles in learning
Practical Solutions
- Streamline processes for standard setting
- Conduct item writing workshops and other professional learning opportunities for teachers
- Improve assessment literacy
- Create lesson plans aligned to state standards and assessments
- Develop program quality measures for early childhood
Rigorous Research
- Conduct and apply research to enhance assessment
- Create research-based assessment frameworks
- Enhance scoring models based on new technology and research
- Advance equity through culturally responsive assessment research
Trusted Partner
- Serve as a thought partner to conceptualize and build comprehensive, balanced assessment systems
- Lead expert review, consensus, and revision related to NAEP frameworks
- Collaborate with partners and states to deliver professional learning opportunities
- Evaluate standards alignment for state adoptions
Key Outcomes of Our Work
- Expanded capacity for teachers and leaders to accurately gauge student performance and promote engaging classroom settings and standards-aligned curricula
- Clear understanding, using evidence-based strategies, of how students are performing as a whole and in groups across early childhood, K–12, postsecondary, and career technical education
- Research-informed policy guidance to support decision-makers
- Increased student agency and inclusive learning environments
Our partnership with WestEd provided multiple opportunities for authentic and pragmatic growth. The professional development we received was outstanding. The decision to partner with WestEd was an invaluable experience.
Dr. Rachel Kluth, Assistant to the Superintendent for Secondary Instruction, Brockport Central School District
It was critical for us to engage them as independent research partners and they were engaged, competent, and thoughtful partners.
Dr. Dan Farley, Director of Assessment, Oregon Department of Education
Our Work in Action
Maricopa County Education Service Agency (MCESA) in Arizona needed to transition to a self-sustaining assessment system. We worked closely with MCESA staff and district leaders to provide training on the development of instructional blueprints, assessment blueprints, and item specifications. Additional support included training teachers to write items, editing and fact checking items, and facilitating item and bias reviews.
Key outcome: WestEd helped MCESA expand assessments for elementary, middle, and high schools into areas not traditionally assessed by the state, including social studies, physical education, visual arts, music, band, choir, theatre, and dance.
A key element of our approach to outcomes-driven work is a commitment to meaningful partnerships. Leveraging our collaboration with the Region 14 Comprehensive Center, WestEd helped the Texas Education Agency (TEA) introduce innovation to its assessments and optimize their impact on instructional practice.
WestEd staff conducted focus groups with Texas leadership teams to identify new item types and provided related workshops to expand teacher understanding and enhance their instructional practice.