Overview
Through our work, we support educators in achieving equitable literacy outcomes for learners of all ages.
Valuing the contributions of both practice and research in improving literacy learning, we collaborate with districts, schools, and colleges to consistently realize equitable, measurable impacts on teacher practice and student outcomes.
- We provide high-quality, evidence-based professional learning for secondary and college educators through our flagship service, Reading Apprenticeship.
- We specialize in conducting rigorous research and evaluation about the impacts of literacy policies, programs, and interventions.
Let us help you cultivate the conditions essential for student success through literacy-focused services and research.
Adolescents entering the adult world in the 21st century will read and write more than at any other time in human history. They will need advanced levels of literacy to perform their jobs, run their households, act as citizens, and conduct their personal lives.
Richard Vaca, Content Area Reading: Literacy and Learning Across the Curriculum
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Featured Experts
Linda FriedrichLinda Friedrich is the Director of Literacy at WestEd. She is responsible for developing, refining, and scaling evidence-based professional learning and resources aimed at improving adolescent reading and writing. She also leads research and evaluation efforts focused on literacy and literacy professional learning from Kindergarten through College. For three decades, Friedrich has worked at the intersection of practice and research to engage educators in collaboratively improving teaching and learning, with a strong focus on literacy.View Full Bio
Katie DrummondAs the Director of Regional Educational Lab (REL) Northwest, Katie brings more than 20 years of experience in education research, research-based technical assistance, and practitioner partnerships to improve learner outcomes, especially for underserved populations.View Full Bio
Katie GroganKatie Grogan is a Senior Research Associate who designs and directs research and evaluation projects with a focus on early literacy and helping SEAs, LEAs and other partners inform policy and implementation. Katie is currently responsible for co-leading an evaluation of the state of Colorado’s READ Act, a statewide initiative to improve literacy outcomes for K-3 students.View Full Bio
Mary StumpMary Stump is an Associate Director with the Reading Apprenticeship team at WestEd. She manages large projects and partnerships with teachers, researchers, and districts that support the improvement and dissemination of professional learning for secondary educators. View Full Bio
Rachel TripathyAs a Senior Research Associate, Rachel Tripathy leads evaluations of educational policies and programs in the early literacy space, with a focus on research to inform policy-making decisions. Rachel also specializes in design-based research to support program improvement. She currently leads an IES Phase II SBIR study of an early literacy assessment that uses voice recognition to evaluate oral reading fluency and other foundational reading skills. View Full Bio
Dennis CiancioAs a Senior Researcher and Project Director with WestEd’s Research-Practice Partnerships team, Dennis leads large-scale studies of programs intended to improve academic outcomes for children in elementary grades. He is currently leading four rigorous evaluations of literacy programs. In addition, he works in partnership with key stakeholders to improve outcomes for learners, especially underserved populations, by developing formative assessments of reading skills, instructional materials, tools, and strategies for educators to improve practice. View Full Bio
Misty SailorsAs a Research Director, Sailors leads the research for Reading Apprenticeship and grows WestEd’s research portfolio and eminence in adolescent literacy. Sailors has written two practitioner-oriented books and edited three more, including one of the longest-running books in literacy. View Full Bio
WestEd Bulletin
Stay up to date with the latest WestEd news, events, research, and leading voices to support your commitment to improving learning, healthy development, and equity in schools and communities.
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WestEd's Leading Together Series: Cultivating Classroom Community Through Literacy
Events / October 15, 2024
This webinar is designed to empower educators with practical ideas for cultivating a sense of community within their classrooms and through authentically engaging students in literacy activities.
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Education Innovation and Research Expository Reading and Writing Curriculum Study
Events / August 1, 2024
Join the Expository Reading and Writing grant study and gain free access to a curriculum that has been proven to improve students’ academic achievement in English language arts.
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WestEd at the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness 2024 Conference, September 19-21
Events / September 18, 2024
WestEd research experts will be presenting on a range of salient topics at the 2024 Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness (SREE) conference, held on September 18–21, 2024, at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront hotel in Baltimore, Maryland.
Our Work in Action
We pursue new ideas, conduct research, and create solutions that help all students succeed in literacy. Randomized controlled studies show that students whose teachers had participated in WestEd’s Reading Apprenticeship professional development were more than a year ahead of their peers on standardized tests in reading comprehension, biology, U.S. history, and English language arts.
