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Regional Educational Laboratories

For nearly 60 years, Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs) have collaborated with school districts, state departments of education, and other education partners to help generate and apply evidence to improve learner outcomes. REL work is change-oriented, rigorous, and high leverage—supporting consequential local, regional, or statewide decisions about education policies, programs, and practices. RELs contribute to the growing body of research on how experiences within the nation’s education system differ by context and student group, thereby impacting outcomes and identifying potential solutions.

WestEd operates REL Northwest and REL West. The RELs are funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and help address unique needs and challenges in education. By leveraging research-based practices and evidence, WestEd’s RELs aim to improve education outcomes and promote equitable opportunities for all students in the regions they serve.

REL Northwest

WestEd operates REL Northwest in partnership with Marzano Research. REL Northwest works with educators and policymakers in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington to develop evidence that can inform consequential decisions about policy, programs, and practice.
Key partners include organizations with decision-making authority and the ability to inform education policy and practice, such as state and local education agencies; school boards; institutions of higher education; and student, family, and community organizations.

REL Northwest focal areas include the following:

  • literacy
  • rural educator retention/recruitment
  • trauma-engaged educational practices
  • kindergarten readiness
  • racial equity
  • high school graduation
  • blended learning

REL West

REL West serves Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah—providing research, analytic support, and resources that increase the use of high-quality data and evidence in education decision-making. REL West work is carried out in collaboration with educators and other partners at the state and local levels from preschool through college. Download the REL West overview handout that provides examples of how REL West works in partnership to address high-leverage needs.

REL West focal areas include the following:

  • supporting English language learners
  • utilizing research-based practices for early learning
  • using evidence in education
  • reducing chronic absence
  • increasing equity
  • improving and increasing postsecondary pathways
  • supporting teachers and leaders