WestEd staff will lead, present, chair, or serve as discussants in 34 sessions and meetings at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting, April 8–12, 2026, in Los Angeles, California. This year, with more than 2,500 sessions, AERA will provide opportunities to learn from scholars and connect with research professionals working in myriad areas, including literacy learning, artificial intelligence, and mathematics. This year’s theme is “Unforgetting Histories and Imagining Futures: Constructing a New Vision for Education Research.”
WestEd staff will participate in 4 sessions at the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME), which meets concurrently with AERA. The NCME conference theme is “Moving Measurement Forward.” In-person sessions will take place April 8–11, 2026.
View a comprehensive list of WestEd’s activities below, join us for our annual reception, and visit us in the exhibition hall at Booth #247 to chat with our staff and learn about emerging research and career opportunities.
AERA and NCME Presentations
Wednesday, April 8
AERA Virtual Presentation: Program Evaluation in Schools Virtual Poster Session
Time: Available April 8 through April 12
Location: Virtual Posters Exhibit Hall, Virtual Poster Hall
Paper: Reimagining ELA for Equity: Evaluating Educative Materials for English Learners Across States
Authors: Zahava Nickell (Empirical Education Inc.), Adam Schellinger (Empirical Education Inc.), Andrew P. Jaciw (Empirical Education Inc.), Aída Walqui (WestEd), and Jenna L. Zacamy (Empirical Education Inc.)
AERA Structured Poster Session: Supporting Teachers to Engage in Meaningful Data Literacy and Data Science Practices Across Disciplines
Time: 7:45–9:15 a.m.
Location: Los Angeles Convention Center, Floor: Level Two, Room 515A
Paper: Data Doulas: Supporting Educators to Cultivate Data-Rich Instruction in STEM Classrooms
Authors: Nicole Wong (WestEd), Leticia Perez (WestEd), and Kirsten Daehler (WestEd)
AERA Structured Poster Session: Advancing the Teaching and Learning of Collaborative Continuous Improvement in Education
Time: 9:45–11:15 a.m.
Location: Los Angeles Convention Center, Floor: Level Two, Room 515B
Paper: Tensioning in Continuous Improvement
Authors: Carlos Sandoval (Clemson University), Jon Dolle (WestEd), and Rebecca Colina Neri (Stemuli Studios, Inc.)
AERA Paper Session: Imagining Futures: Themes of Decolonization, Empowerment, and Mentorship Within Indigenous Contexts in Education
Time: 11:45 a.m.–1:15 p.m.
Location: JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, Floor: 4th Floor, Diamond 3
Discussant: Sharon Nelson-Barber (WestEd)
AERA Symposium: Unforgetting, Designing, Reimagining: Equitable Futures in Math EdTech for Teachers and Learners
Time: 1:45–3:15 p.m.
Location: JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, Floor: 4th Floor, Diamond 1
Organizer: Saroja Warner (WestEd)
Paper: Unforgetting the Roots: Defining Essential Characteristics of Culturally Responsive Math Education for EdTech Design
Authors: Saroja Warner (WestEd) and Aleata Hubbard Cheuoua (WestEd)
AERA Roundtable Session: Empowered Voices: Rethinking and Reclaiming Pedagogy in Indigenous Contexts
Time: 1:45–3:15 p.m.
Location: JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, Floor: Ground Floor, Gold 2
Paper: Reducing Inequality in STEM Through Broadened Participation
Author: Sharon Nelson-Barber (WestEd)
AERA Poster Session: Supporting Sense-Making in Science Teaching and Learning
Time: 1:45–3:15 p.m.
Location: Los Angeles Convention Center, Floor: Level Two, Poster Hall – Exhibit Hall A
Paper: Building Pathways to Success: Effective Interventions for Undergraduate STEM Student Persistence
Authors: Marisa E. Castellano (WestEd), Andrew Grillo-Hill (WestEd), and Pai-Rou Chen (WestEd)
AERA Ed Talk Session 4, Stage 3 at 2:35 p.m.
AERA Paper Session: Student Learning and Engagement in Community Colleges and Beyond
Time: 3:45–5:15 p.m.
Location: JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, Floor: 2nd Floor, Platinum F
Paper: Evaluating the Impact of an Innovative Statistics Corequisite Course on Community College Student Math Outcomes
Authors: Kirk Walters (WestEd), Chun-Wei Kevin Huang (WestEd), Karon Klipple (Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching), Kathleen D’Silva (WestEd), Min Huang (WestEd), and Danielle Raymond (Université de Sherbrooke)
AERA Poster Session: Bridging Worlds With Technology in Science Education
Time: 3:45–5:15 p.m.
Location: Los Angeles Convention Center, Floor: Level Two, Poster Hall – Exhibit Hall A
Paper: Classroom Implementation of an Online Science Modeling Environment That Provides AI-Driven Feedback to Student Drawings
Authors: Natalie Brezack, Wynnie Chan (WestEd), Jenna Grady (WestEd), and Mingyu Feng (WestEd)
AERA Roundtable Session: Curricular Resources for Mathematics: Friends or Foes?
Time: 3:45–5:15 p.m.
Location: JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, Floor: Ground Floor, Gold 2
Paper: The Impact of the Illustrative Math Curriculum on Middle School Math Achievement
Authors: Noman Khanani (WestEd), Kirk Walters (WestEd), and Rebecca R. Perry (WestEd)
AERA Roundtable Session: From Partnership to Practice: RPPs, Pathways, and Program Innovation
Time: 3:45–5:15 p.m.
Location: JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, Floor: Gold Level, Gold 1
Paper: Educator Development Research–Practice Partnerships: Developing a Measurement Tool for Collective Learning, Investigation, and Liberation
Authors: Conra D. Gist (University of Houston) and Maggie Hannan (WestEd)
Thursday, April 9
AERA Roundtable Session: Situated, Sustained, and Transformative: Innovations in Teacher Apprenticeship and Preparation
Time: 7:45–9:15 a.m.
Location: JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, Floor: Gold Level, Gold 1
Discussant: Saroja Warner (WestEd)
AERA Roundtable Session: Healing, Sovereignty, and Relational Justice in Higher Education
Time: 7:45–9:15 a.m.
Location: JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, Floor: Ground Floor, Gold 2
Paper: The Role of Puente’s Instructional Component in Student Success and Faculty Transformation of Their Practice
Authors: Marisa E. Castellano (WestEd), Laura Lara-Brady (WestEd), Ravinder Singh (WestEd), Brenda Hernandez (WestEd), and Ayanna Smith (WestEd)
AERA Poster Session: Higher Education and Student Learning Outcomes
Time: 9:45–11:15 a.m.
Location: Los Angeles Convention Center, Floor: Level Two, Poster Hall – Exhibit Hall A
Paper: Exploring Relationships Between Implementation Activities, Usage, and Student Learning Outcomes in an Online Math Program
Authors: Chun-Wei Kevin Huang (WestEd), Natalie Brezack, Mingyu Feng (WestEd), and Linlin Li (WestEd)
NCME Coordinated Paper Session: Using AI for Aligning Standards
Time: 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
Location: InterContinental Downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood Ballroom II
Presentation: AI-Supported Standard Setting Using SMART Methodology With NAEP Items
Author: Sarah Quesen (WestEd)
NCME Individual Paper Session: Designing a Dyscalculia Screener for K–3
Time: 3:45–5:15 p.m.
Location: InterContinental Downtown Los Angeles, Westwood
Authors: Sarah Quesen (WestEd) and Sandra Pappas (Amplify)
Friday, April 10
AERA Paper Session: Global Perspectives on Preparation for Diversity: Enacting Antibias Pedagogies for Transformative Multicultural Education
Time: 7:45–9:15 a.m.
Location: JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, Floor: 4th Floor, Diamond 9
Chair: Saroja Warner (WestEd)
AERA Roundtable Session: Digital Technology in Career and Technical Education & Workplace Learning
Time: 7:45–9:15 a.m.
Location: JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, Floor: Gold Level, Gold 3
Paper: CE Teach: Online Professional Development for CTE Faculty Coming Into Teaching From Industry
Authors: Svetlana Darche (WestEd) and Joy Lewis (WestEd)
AERA Poster Session and e-Lightning Ed-Talk Session: STEM Education and Computational Learning Innovations
Time: 9:45–11:15 a.m.
Location: Los Angeles Convention Center, Floor: Level Two, Poster Hall – Exhibit Hall A
Paper: Digital Tools, Real Classrooms: Investigating Barriers to Mathematics Digital Curriculum Platforms
Authors: Erica Askew (WestEd) and Kiley McKee
AERA Ed-Talk Session 11 Time & Location: 9:59 a.m. on Stage 1
AERA Poster Session: Student Learning in Mathematics Education
Time: 9:45–11:15 a.m.
Location: Los Angeles Convention Center, Floor: Level Two, Poster Hall – Exhibit Hall A
Paper: Impact of a Personalized Math Program on Kindergarteners’ Math Learning
Authors: Chun-Wei Kevin Huang (WestEd), I. Yelee Jo (WestEd), Natalie Brezack, Linlin Li (WestEd), Mingyu Feng (WestEd), and Hee Jin Bang (Age of Learning)
AERA Symposium: A Rallying Cry: Sustaining Equity-Centered Teacher Preparation in Light of TQP Grant Terminations
Time: 11:45 a.m.–1:15 p.m.
Location: JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, Floor: 4th Floor, Diamond 2
Paper: Evaluating Teacher Quality Partnerships: The Importance of Teacher Workforce Data in Advancing Educator Preparation and Policy
Authors: Jaclyn J. Tejwani (WestEd) and Selena Cartznes (WestEd)
AERA Paper Session: Student Learning, Reasoning, and Understanding in Mathematics Education
Time: 11:45 a.m.–1:15 p.m.
Location: Westin Bonaventure, Floor: Level 3, Avalon
Paper: Leveraging Technology to Improve 2nd Graders’ Understanding of Equivalence
Authors: Vivian Hsu (WestEd), Anna N. Bartel (WestEd), Jacklyn Powers (WestEd), Amy Lynn Miyahara (University of Notre Dame), Drew Barrett (WestEd), Jodi Davenport (WestEd), Yvonne Kao (WestEd), and Nicole M. McNeil (University of Notre Dame)
AERA Ed-Talk Session 12 – Stage 1
Time: 11:45 a.m.–1:15 p.m.
Location: Los Angeles Convention Center, Floor: Level One, Exhibit Hall A – Stage 1
Paper: Teacher Professional Learning to Support Multilingual Learners in Engineering Education (Stage 1, 11:50 a.m.)
Authors: Meghan Macias (WestEd), Ashley Iveland (WestEd), and Ruchita Patel (WestEd)
AERA Roundtable Session: Using AI to Learn in Multilingual Contexts
Time: 1:45–3:15 p.m.
Location: JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, Floor: Ground Floor, Gold 4
Paper: Integrating AI Literacy Into Math Education: A Study on AI Self-Efficacy and Math Motivation
Authors: Linlin Li (WestEd), Jie Chao (The Concord Consortium), Trudi Lord (The Concord Consortium), Rebecca Ellis (The Concord Consortium), Kelly Collins (WestEd), Wanli Xing (University of Florida), Yuanlin Zhang (Texas Tech University), and April Fleetwood (Florida Virtual School)
AERA Paper Session: Building Teacher Capacity for AI: Self-Efficacy, Pedagogy, and Professional Development
Time: 1:45–3:15 p.m.
Location: Westin Bonaventure, Floor: Level 3, Santa Monica B
Paper: How Science Teachers’ Pedagogical Orientations and School Contexts Shape GenAI Use
Authors: Sarah Rainier(WestEd) and Drew Nucci (WestEd)
AERA Structured Poster Session: Innovating K–12 Teaching and Learning with Generative AI: Insights From IES-funded National R&D Centers
Time: 3:45–5:15 p.m.
Location: Los Angeles Convention Center, Floor: Level Two, Room 515A
Paper: Understanding Teachers’ Use of Generative AI in Math and Science Instruction
Authors: Shawon Sarkar (University of Washington), Lief Esbenshade (University of Washington), Drew Nucci (WestEd), Sarah Nielsen (WestEd), Ann R. Edwards (WestEd), Joshua Rosenberg (University of Tennessee), Alex Liu (University of Washington), Zewei Tian (University of Washington), Zewei Tian (University of Washington), Zachary Zhang (Colleague.ai), Kevin He (Colleague.ai), and Min Sun (University of Washington)
Saturday, April 11
AERA Paper Session: Advancing Mathematics Teaching and Learning Through Targeted Professional Learning and Digital Supports
Time: 7:45–9:15 a.m.
Location: Westin Bonaventure, Floor: Lobby Level, Beaudry B
Paper: Rural Impact: An Online Math Platform Augmented With Virtual Professional Learning
Authors: Mingyu Feng (WestEd), Linlin Li (WestEd), and Megan Schneider (WestEd)
AERA Structured Poster Session: Reimagining K–12 Disciplinary Literacy: Access, Engagement, and Innovation Across Subjects
Time: 7:45–9:15 a.m.
Location: Los Angeles Convention Center, Floor: Level Two, Room 515B
Organizer and Chair: Misty Sailors (WestEd)
Paper: Writing Apprenticeship: A Framework for Equitable, Disciplinary Writing Instruction
Authors: Jenell Krishnan (WestEd) and Menya Cole (WestEd)
Paper: State Policy Approaches to Disciplinary Literacy: Learning From Colorado, Michigan, and Oregon
Authors: Rachel Grimes Tripathy (WestEd), Amanda Nabors (WestEd), and Edrick Willie Borja Sabalburo (WestEd)
Paper: A Both/And Approach: Supporting Students With Reading Disabilities in Disciplinary Literacy
Author: Elizabeth Zagata (WestEd)
Paper: Piloting a Disciplinary Literacy–Focused Curriculum for Striving Readers: Reading Apprenticeship for Academic Literacy Learning
Authors: Misty Sailors (WestEd) and Heather Howlett (WestEd)
Paper: Mapping the Evidence Base: A Scoping Review of Disciplinary Literacy Research in K–12 Education
Authors: Aaron Soo Ping Chow (WestEd), Thomas Torre Gibney (WestEd), and Jazmin T. Cruz (WestEd)
AERA Structured Poster Session: Learning to Use Science to Build Just and Sustainable Futures
Time: 9:45–11:15 a.m.
Location: Los Angeles Convention Center, Floor: Level Two, Room 515A
Paper: Learning Biodiversity, Living Sustainably: CASE Project Impacts on Biodiversity Understanding and Actions
Authors: Katherine Joy Nilsen (WestEd), Aaron Soo Ping Chow (WestEd), Sara Salisbury (WestEd), and Ashley Iveland (WestEd)
Paper: The CASE for Community-Centered Science Education
Authors: Katherine Joy Nilsen (WestEd), Aaron Soo Ping Chow (WestEd), Sara Salisbury (WestEd), and Ashley Iveland (WestEd)
NCME Coordinated Paper Session: Communicating Technical Results and Concepts to Public Audiences
Time: 11:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m.
Location: InterContinental Downtown Los Angeles, Boyle Heights
Discussant: Priya Kannan (WestEd)
AERA Invited Speaker Session: The Art of the Possible: Remembering Lee Shulman
Time: 11:45 a.m.–1:15 p.m.
Location: JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, Floor: 2nd Floor, Platinum C
Speaker: Steven A. Schneider (WestEd)
AERA Symposium: Methodological Pluralism for Comprehensive Evaluation of the Implementation and Impacts of School Security Equipment
Time: 1:45–3:15 p.m.
Location: InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown, Floor: 5th Floor, Los Feliz
Paper: Understanding School Security Equipment Decision-Making: A Mixed-Methods Process Evaluation Design
Author: Trevor Fronius (WestEd)
NCME Individual Paper Session: Exploring Justice-Oriented Frameworks for Evaluating LLM Parameter-Induced Bias Patterns
Time: 1:45–3:15 p.m.
Location: InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown, Roosevelt B
Authors: Lauren White (Pearson), Michael Chajewski (Pearson), and Sarah Quesen (WestEd)
AERA Structured Poster Session: AI as a Copilot in Science Education: Reimagining Instructional Practice
Time: 3:45–5:15 p.m.
Location: Los Angeles Convention Center, Floor: Level Two, Room 515B
Paper: Realizing the Potential of Automatically Scored Three-Dimensional Assessment
Authors: Joseph S. Krajcik (Michigan State University), Namsoo Shin (Michigan State University), Ehsan Latif (University of Georgia), Xiaoming Zhai (University of Georgia), Christopher J. Harris (WestEd), and David McKinney (WestEd)
AERA Division H VP Paper Session: From Policy to Practice—A Multisector Approach to Responsible AI Integration in Education
Time: 3:45–5:15 p.m.
Location: InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown, Floor: 5th Floor, Hancock Park West
Discussant: Jodi Davenport (WestEd)
Paper: Navigating AI Implementation in Public Agencies: Regulatory Compliance, Readiness Assessment, and Strategic Deployment
Author: Baron Rodriguez (WestEd)
Paper: Developing Standards-Aligned Assessment Content With AI: Challenges and Early Lessons
Author: Sarah Quesen (WestEd)
Paper: Supporting Teachers in Their AI Adoption for Instructional Improvement: Lessons From the AmplifyGAIN AI R&D Center
Author: Ann Edwards (WestEd)
Paper: Enhancing Cross-Sector Alignment With AI: Mapping Math Skills Across Education and Workforce
Author: Ann Edwards (WestEd)
AERA Paper Session: Examining Mathematics Teaching Practices
Time: 3:45–5:15 p.m.
Location: Westin Bonaventure, Floor: Lobby Level, Beaudry B
Paper: Scaling Cognitive Principles to Large-Scale Educational Contexts: Feasibility and Lessons Learned
Authors: Drew Barrett (WestEd) and Bryan Matlen (WestEd)
Sunday, April 12
AERA Roundtable Session: Strengthening Latine Bilingual Teaching Pathways Through Inter-Institutional Partnerships: Lessons From a Federally Funded HSI Grant
Time: 7:45–9:15 a.m.
Location: Los Angeles Convention Center, Floor: Level One, Petree D
Paper: Applying “Servingness” to Evaluating a Bilingual Teacher Education Partnership Pathway in Hispanic-Serving Institutions
Authors: Saul I. Maldonado (San Diego State University) and Alberto Heredia (WestEd)
AERA Paper Session: From Certification to Retention: How Pathways and Supports Shape the Teaching Workforce (U.S., China, and Chile)
Time: 11:45 a.m.–1:15 p.m.
Location: JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, Floor: 3rd Floor, Atrium II
Paper: Teacher Pathways Research–Practice Partnership (RPP) in Arizona and Utah
Authors: Reino Makkonen (WestEd) and Alicia J. Wyche Okpareke (WestEd)
AERA Roundtable Session: Curriculum as Policy, Curriculum as Power: Whose Knowledge Counts?
Time: 1:45–3:15 p.m.
Location: JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, Floor: Gold Level, Gold 1
Paper: Holocaust and Genocide Education in California: A Study of Statewide Context and Local Implementation
Author: Bryan Hemberg (WestEd)