WestEd News
Spotlight: Research-Informed Resources to Improve Learning for All Students
View the latest WestEd E-Bulletin, Effective, Research-Based Resources to Boost Teaching and Learning Now.
Now, more than ever, educators require effective strategies that work. This month, WestEd spotlights research-based approaches and current studies that may be used to support teachers and leaders in efforts to boost learning and keep all students engaged during this challenging time and beyond. Check out the following resources.
How to Choose Based on ESSA Evidence Requirements
REL West, in collaboration with the other regional educational laboratories around the country, offers two downloadable tools to support state and local education leaders who are tasked with choosing evidence-based programs to support the needs of schools and districts.
Accessing & Assessing Research and Evidence provides a curated list of resources related to accessing and assessing evidence and research. Organized around six questions (such as “How can I use the What Works Clearinghouse to determine ESSA evidence tiers of an intervention?”), the document links to lists of related resources for each question. It is intended to provide a one-stop-shop for state education agency staff and technical assistance providers to build their knowledge and understanding about the ESSA evidence provisions and in turn support districts with their ESSA-related needs.
Applicability of Evidence-Based Information provides a set of seven considerations to determine if an intervention is suited to one’s local context. It will help those tasked with selecting evidence-based programs or strategies, especially those serving rural, small, and Native-serving schools that historically have not been included in education research, to screen research and determine applicability to their settings. It encourages educators to look more deeply at research evidence and interventions that could meet their needs.
Addressing Equity Issues Through Continuous Improvement
The term “continuous improvement” describes an organized, inquiry-based method of improving student achievement and outcomes. Find out whether education leaders view the approach as a potential tool for equity and how a continuous improvement model is helping one school district make significant gains.
Getting Better at Getting More Equitable: Opportunities and Barriers for Using Continuous Improvement to Advance Educational Equity examines how education leaders think about and use continuous improvement to address equity issues. Key finding: Although many leaders understand the great value and potential of continuous improvement, few educational organizations have embraced the concept as an important strategy for creating equity.
We Shake Hands at the Door: How a Focus on Relationships Is Driving Improvement in Chula Vista. Consistently strong student performance, ongoing improvement, and innovative practices have earned San Diego’s Chula Vista Elementary School District (CVESD) recognition from the California Department of Education and other organizations. This paper describes some of the ways in which the district has been so effective in improving student outcomes and examines several key strategies that have contributed to CVESD’s success.
Supporting the Needs of English Learner Students
The new National Research & Development Center to Improve Education for Secondary English Learners at WestEd works to identify, describe, and address systemic barriers that impede the progress and success of English Learners in school, career, and life. Two lines of inquiry guide the Center’s four principal studies:
- What policies, practices, and courses are associated with English Learners’ access to the general curriculum?
- How can curriculum resources strengthen the learning opportunities and experiences of both teachers and English Learners as they engage in disciplinary practices?
Learn about each specific study.
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Posted on March 11, 2021