The Regional Educational Laboratory West (REL West) at WestEd — serving Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah — is part of a national network of 10 RELs whose purpose is to provide research, analytic support, and resources that increase the use of high‑quality data and evidence in education decision-making, and link research with practice.
REL West work is carried out in partnership with educators from preschool through college, and other local partners. The work through partnerships is focused on high-leverage problems, defined as those that are priorities for regional educators and policymakers, and that could result in substantial improvements in education outcomes for many students or for key subgroups of students. Each partnership focuses on one or more of four priority topics:
Educator Development
Ensuring that teachers and leaders get the support they need to grow in the profession and meet challenging goals for students.
Early Learning
Improving early childhood programming and outcomes (e.g., kindergarten readiness and early literacy) through research-based practices.
Postsecondary Pathways
Increasing students’ preparation for, access to, and completion of postsecondary education in order to meet the region’s current and projected employment needs.
Support of the Whole Child
Strengthening cross-sector collaboration to improve student outcomes that support academic learning, including social and emotional learning, physical and mental health, and family engagement and support.
Teachers and leaders across Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah are provided access to REL research, and technical assistance on the use of evidence, through webinars, infographics, videos, a research digest, e-newsletters; as well as events that bring together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to learn deeply about an issue and consider approaches to education improvements.
Visit the REL West website on the Institute of Education Sciences platform for more information.
