Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) provide the best setting for building collective teacher efficacy (CTE). CTE has been identified as having the highest positive effect on student achievement. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore perceptions of teachers and administrators regarding the effectiveness of PLCs for building…

Educational innovations continue to improve schools' abilities to implement up-to-date, effective, efficient evidence-based practices. Across education, it is important to understand the implementation and contextual elements that are critical to educator acceptability, feasibility, and usability. This preliminary qualitative study seeks to better…

This publication shares data from the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) about its three Student Access Programs, as well as participation and migration statistics for each program, shared in aggregate and by each WICHE-region state and eligible Pacific Island jurisdiction. The report also includes data summaries that…

The majority of school-age children with or displaying characteristics of a mental health disorder do not independently seek help, often go undiagnosed or undetected, and fail to receive treatment or intervention leaving them susceptible to and at risk for poor school and life outcomes. In response to these concerns and in an effort to improve the…

NGSS Early Implementers is a six-year initiative created to help eight California school districts and two charter management organizations, supported by WestEd's K-12 Alliance, implement the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Administrators need learning opportunities if they are to adequately understand the substantial shifts of the Next…

This research explores the systemic and structural barriers affecting the effectiveness of community schools, particularly in providing mental health services and support, with a specific focus on how principals have responded to these needs in the post-COVID-19 era. Employing qualitative methods, including focus groups with principals from…

The purpose of the study was to investigate the level of practice, challenges, and prospects of SBM in Ethiopian schools. A holistic multiple-case study was utilized. In addition to document review, the researcher collected data via semi-structured interviews with maximum diversity sampling from eight participants. Thematic analysis was employed…

Over the course of six years, a diverse group of school districts and charter management organizations in California ran a substantial experiment in implementing the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in elementary and middle grades. WestEd led an extensive evaluation of that effort, the California K-8 NGSS Early Implementers Initiative,…

Within Massachusetts alone, 23,000 students are experiencing homelessness. And, with the expiration of COVID-era protections like an eviction moratorium and rental assistance, many experts predict that number will increase. Child and family homelessness is associated with a host of negative outcomes including poor physical and mental health, lower…

This book explores the role of the teacher in dual language bilingual education (DLBE) implementation in a time of nationwide program expansion, in large part due to new and unprecedented top-down initiatives at state and district level. The book provides case studies of DLBE teachers who: (a) implemented the DLBE model with fidelity; (b)…

Implementation is making, and acting on, evidence-informed decisions. Yet awareness of evidence does not necessarily result in improved outcomes: implementation is critical for turning engagement with research into tangible changes in school practices and pupil outcomes, including, crucially, for pupils experiencing socio-economic disadvantage.…

Efforts to strengthen the pipeline to college degree completion have focused on improving college access and providing academic, social, and financial supports to students post-enrollment. This paper explores one facet of postsecondary education that has served as a barrier to both college access and success--developmental education--which has…

Just because a school has adopted a social and emotional learning (SEL) program does not mean it will work. This book explores the conditions needed to implement, strengthen, and sustain effective SEL, and identifies paths that schools, districts, and states have taken to create those conditions. Major themes include equity of access to…

This interactive guide is designed to help preservice early childhood educators use self-compassion to mitigate the stress of teaching. Barry argues that learning healthy stress-management strategies while enrolled in teacher education programs will equip students with the resilience needed to manage stress when they enter their own classrooms.…

Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) invited 10 districts to participate in a community of practice designed to increase understanding of how to braid and blend federal funds. District teams composed of principals, superintendents, business managers, and other district leaders participated in four 90-minute virtual sessions. The purpose of…