Update on the Regional Educational Laboratories | Spotlight on Career and Technical Education | Gold Standard for Research Design

With rapid changes in the education landscape in 2025, it is more important than ever to ensure learners have access to high-quality, rigorous learning opportunities. WestEd remains committed to identifying evidence-based strategies to support thriving learners and empowered communities and using research to inform practice. We also will continue nurturing our partnerships in the field to help guide the implementation of effective interventions to improve learning outcomes.?

In this edition of WestEd 360°, we cover updates related to the cancellation of Regional Educational Laboratory contracts, shine a spotlight on Career and Technical Education (CTE), introduce a new WestEd Showcase page to improve special education policy and practice, and more. ?

WestEd News: CEO Jannelle Kubinec’s Statement on the Cancellation of Regional Educational Laboratory Contracts?

For nearly 60 years, the congressionally mandated Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs) partnered with state and local education agencies to address the issues those agencies identified as most pressing, such as math, literacy, student engagement, teacher retention, and career readiness. The RELs have a track record of helping these agencies improve student outcomes. They provided research, research-based tools, and technical support to improve teaching and learning and outcomes for students. That support was specifically tailored to local and state requests, priorities, and needs.?

The recent cancellation of federal contracts for the RELs has halted essential initiatives on student mental health, chronic absenteeism, literacy, and teacher retention. It is our hope that the important work of the RELs will be allowed to continue so that states, school districts, schools, teachers, and students will again be able to benefit from rigorous research and support.?

Read the full statement about the impact of the cancellation of the REL Northwest and REL West contracts.??

Randomized Controlled Trials Remain the Gold Standard for Ed Tech Research??

Ed tech is a fast-growing industry with no signs of slowing down. In 2024, districts used an average of 2,739 distinct ed tech tools annually and 1,436 tools monthly. With the increasing number of options, there is one central question educators and leaders must ask: does it work? ?

In a recent article published by The 74 Media , Kirk Walters , Vice President of Mathematics Education and Improvement Science at WestEd, discussed the importance of using research to evaluate the efficacy of ed tech products and tools. Specifically, he describes one tried-and-true research design: randomized controlled trials (RCTs). In an RCT, researchers can randomly assign an ed tech product to one group during a fixed period of time while a comparison group continues with its usual activities. This unique structure helps researchers determine whether a product’s impact is the result of the product itself or other factors.?

“[Randomized controlled trials] are simple and transparent … and can clearly show whether version A or B of a product works best for students.” —Kirk Walters??

Although RCTs require some time to complete due to their rigorous nature, Walters emphasized that this type of research study can provide the strongest evidence possible to support learning and academic success.??

. Read the full article.

Spotlight on Career and Technical Education at WestEd

Expanding Career and Technical Education (CTE) can help prepare learners for college and career success. Here are a few highlights from our partnerships to align CTE programming to local labor markets, help students deepen their career development skills, and strengthen economic mobility.?

Building Evidence to Improve the Alignment of CTE Programming to Local Labor Markets?

Community and technical colleges are increasingly required to demonstrate that their programs and credentials are relevant to the skills demanded by the labor market. WestEd and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, are collaborating with the Florida Department of Education to better understand how community and technical colleges align their CTE programming to the workforce.???

In a new Q&A blog celebrating CTE Month, Angela Estacion , Project Director and Research and Evaluation Director at WestEd’s Center for Economic Mobility, and Alisha Hyslop , Chief Policy, Research and Content Officer at the Association for Career and Technical Education , reflect on the state of CTE at community and technical colleges and look toward to the future of CTE. ?

“[CTE’s] connection to local labor markets is important to understand because that’s one way to build economic mobility pathways for students and families, right in the communities they already live in,” said Estacion. “But it’s not about employment in just any occupation—it’s about creating greater employability in learners to obtain positions that offer a living wage and career trajectories.”??

• Learn more about this work.??

Starting Early: Jump-Starting Career Exploration in Middle School?

Career development isn’t just about preparing students for specific careers—it’s about fostering a growth mindset. Research shows that student engagement peaks around the transition to middle school, making it an ideal time to start career readiness.?

Many districts are now introducing career exploration as early as sixth grade. WestEd researchers partnered with the Nebraska Department of Education to study ways to expand middle school CTE programs to better equip students with the skills needed for college and career success.??

Here are three key takeaways for educators and leaders from the recent report, The Landscape of Middle School Career and Technical Education in Nebraska, by Thomas Torre Gibney , Pamela Fong , Joy Lewis , David Maduli , and Marisa Castellano:?

1. Consider career-connected learning, which refers to the blending of CTE and gen-ed coursework, as a continuum starting in middle school.?
2. Support students in gaining career development skills by explicitly teaching and scaffolding these skills across subject areas and grade levels.??
3. Increase collaboration between middle and high school staff to provide students with opportunities for acceleration and to avoid duplication of content across grade levels.?

Read a new WestEd Perspectives piece for more insights on middle school CTE: Want “Career-Ready” Students? Start in Middle School.

Weaving Together Adult and Postsecondary Education, Workforce Development, and Economic Strategies

Economic mobility begins with education, but career pathways can be winding, and outcomes vary by discipline, opportunity, and regional economies. WestEd’s Center for Economic Mobility partners with education and workforce systems to create stronger pathways to economic mobility.??

• Explore a new data dashboard highlighting how enrollment and completion in Florida CTE programs were impacted by the pandemic, and how they have rebounded since.??

• Read about work-based learning as an instructional strategy that supports all students’ learning while preparing them for future careers.?

• Learn more about K–16 pathways, which can help students navigate from high school to college and careers on their own.?

New WestEd Showcase Page: Improving Special Education Policy and Practice??

We invite you to join this LinkedIn community to discover timely research, resources, and learning opportunities to help you build educational systems that advance opportunities for every student’s success.??

Upcoming Conferences, Events, and Learning Opportunities?

Conferences

March 4: WestEd’s Tanner Higgin, Ph.D. , Senior Research Associate, Learning and Technology, at SXSW EDU for an insightful panel discussion hosted by MindShift KQED . Learn more.??

March 23–26: WestEd researchers will present at the NARST 2025 Annual Conference in National Harbor, MD.??

?March 26–29: WestEd staff will present at the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) National Conference in Philadelphia, PA.????

?March 26–29: Join WestEd at the 50th Annual California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) Conference in Long Beach, CA.??

Professional Learning

Save the date for the 2025 Quality Teaching for English Learners (QTEL) Summer Institutes taking place in Oahu, HI and Santa Cruz, CA. Learn more and register early!??

Sign up for the 2025 Finance Training for State and Local Education Agencies designed to help you navigate regulatory dynamics shaping the current federal education funding landscape.???

The Program for Infant-Toddler Care Seminars for early care educators are running from January to May 2025.

The Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Network (IECMHC) will host a Community of Support Series starting this February.

Join WestEd virtually for comprehensive, free teacher trainings on the Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP), tailored for teachers, early childhood professionals, and community service providers. Join us!??

Register for the A-GAME Virtual Convening for charter school authorizers on March 18, 2025.???

Learn About Our Comprehensive Supports for School Improvement??

WestEd collaborates with schools, districts, and states on small- and large-scale improvement efforts. Our experts are practitioners and researchers with experience facilitating effective improvement across a wide range of content domains. Visit our website to find out how we can work together to promote school and district transformation.??

Thank you for reading and sharing the WestEd 360° newsletter with your network! We'll see you next month.