December 19, 2025
Educational and local government leaders often face complex challenges that require thoughtful, evidence-based solutions. Whether it pertains to evaluating community programs or supporting English Learners, success depends on centering the voices of those most impacted, using data effectively, and forging strong partnerships. WestEd is there to support educational leaders as they navigate these challenges and put evidence into practice.
WestEd serves as a trusted partner for educational agencies and communities to improve outcomes for all learners. In this Spotlight, learn more about three areas: community-driven program evaluation, research–practice partnerships, and data-informed strategies for English Learner success.
Prioritize Community Voices When Evaluating Programs
Local municipalities are increasingly investing taxpayer dollars in programs for children and youth, and communities expect to see evidence of impact. The Richmond Fund for Children and Youth (RFCY) demonstrates how comprehensive, place-based evaluation can drive meaningful improvement while honoring community needs.
Since 2021, the RFCY has invested over $9.1 million in programs supporting Richmond’s children, youth, and families. WestEd’s evaluation of this grant program provides a model for assessing program reach, quality, and outcomes in ways that support capacity building and guide future investments.
The results speak to the power of community-centered approaches. WestEd’s comprehensive assessment revealed that RFCY programs created more than 58,000 children and youth encounters across 120 sites throughout Richmond, with high representation from areas of greatest need. Programs successfully reached diverse groups with many embedding trauma-informed and culturally responsive practices.
Perhaps most importantly, the evaluation captured what matters most: youth experiences. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction, belonging, and connection with caring adults, with positive outcomes in leadership, self-confidence, college and career readiness, and mental health support.
WestEd’s evaluation approach goes beyond measuring outcomes—it provides actionable recommendations that help communities strengthen programs, eliminate access barriers, and ensure that investments deliver lasting results for the young people who need them most.
Learn more about WestEd’s evaluation of the Richmond Fund for Children and Youth.
Build Strategic Partnerships to Turn Evidence Into Action
Transforming research into meaningful action requires sustained collaboration between researchers and practitioners. WestEd’s Research–Practice Partnership (RPP) Network offers educational agencies a powerful solution for tackling their most pressing regional challenges.
Research–practice partnerships create long-term collaborations designed to meet local needs through codeveloped research agendas. This collaborative approach ensures that evidence-based strategies are not just theoretical—they’re practical, contextualized, and ready for implementation.
Through the RPP Network, educational agencies gain access to WestEd researchers who partner with them to codevelop tailored research agendas, secure additional funding when needed, and translate research insights into actionable practices. Partners also receive initial technical assistance for research agenda development, access to WestEd experts, free webinars on relevant topics, and opportunities to join WestEd projects aligned with their priorities.
The RPP Network’s approach ensures that research doesn’t sit on a shelf but rather becomes a living resource that evolves with community needs and drives measurable progress for every learner.
Partner with WestEd’s Research–Practice Partnership Network.
Use Data to Drive Continuous Improvement for English Learners
English Learners represent 18 percent of California’s student population, yet multilingual instructional programs are available in only 13 percent of schools. Closing this gap requires understanding both the economic challenges and systemic conditions that shape English Learner education.
In 2024, WestEd, in partnership with Sobrato Philanthropies, conducted a comprehensive strategic and economic analysis of English Learner programs in California. This multipart analysis examines the barriers to providing high-quality multilingual education and offers a roadmap for meaningful, long-term improvements.
The analysis provides research-based recommendations across three critical areas: improving program design, expanding access to integrated student support, and building a multilingual educator workforce. These recommendations address the core challenges preventing multilingual programs from reaching scale—offering practical strategies for targeted investments and collaborative efforts among policymakers, practitioners, advocates, and philanthropic organizations.
As WestEd researchers note, this work ensures that “multilingual programs can be brought to scale and that all English Learners have access to the educational opportunities they deserve.”
By addressing outlined recommendations through coordinated action, California can work toward scaling effective multilingual programs that benefit English Learners across the state.
Explore Strategic Solutions for English Learner Success.
How WestEd Supports Educational Excellence
Educational and community challenges require comprehensive solutions that are grounded in research, driven by data, and responsive to community needs. Whether evaluating local programs, building research–practice partnerships, or developing strategic solutions for English Learners, WestEd’s experts provide the technical assistance and evidence-based strategies that turn challenges into opportunities for lasting change.
Ready to partner with WestEd? Connect with our experts to explore how research and collaboration can drive continuous improvement in your community.
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