The Northwest region comprises Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Of its 2.1 million public school students, 48 percent are concentrated in the five largest metropolitan areas, while the number of small, rural schools is about 25 percent more than the national average. The student population is diverse—with a rapid growth in Hispanic enrollment and a Native American enrollment that's more than three times the national average. Sixty percent of the schools are Title I-eligible.
Research Alliances
In 2012 REL Northwest will work with the following research alliances:
- Alaska State Policy Research Alliance (ASPRA): Policymakers and researchers from Alaska's higher education system are focused on creating a shared research agenda to improve education and build awareness of research evidence about key education policy issues.
- Idaho Statewide System of Support: State education agency staff, technical assistance providers, and stakeholders from local education agencies are using evidence related to school improvement to improve the support provided to low-performing schools.
- Montana AA District Network: Representatives from districts with high schools that have more than 1,000 students are helping districts and principals use data to improve high school graduation rates and evaluate dropout prevention initiatives.
- Oregon Leadership Network (OLN): Representatives from Oregon school districts are focused on collecting and analyzing data about policies and programs that promote equity in high school graduation and discipline practices.
- Rural Schools Network (RSN): Administrators from 22 Oregon GEAR UP rural districts with more than 50 percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch are using data and conducting research to better understand what helps their students reach and succeed at college.
- Washington Educational Service Districts (ESDs): Representatives from Washington's nine ESDs are using state and local data to support more effective school improvement decisionmaking by teachers and principals.
- Road Map for Education Results: Part of a larger cradle-to-college initiative involving seven districts in Washington's South Seattle and South King County, this alliance is focused on helping districts identify indicators of ELL students' academic success and language development, and using evidence to better support ELL students.
- Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) Schools: Representatives from BIE high schools in Oregon and Washington are working to improve data quality and use, particularly to inform efforts to increase graduation rates and prepare students for success in college and careers.
Corporate Experience
Education Northwest, through REL Northwest and thousands of other projects, has worked for more than four decades with educators, policymakers, parents, students, and community leaders to identify needs, evaluate programs, and develop new solutions to the challenges they face. More than 920 institutions are members of Education Northwest, including over 600 school districts and 77 institutions of higher education spread across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.
Lab Director:
Steve Fleischman
Governing Board
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Contractor: Education Northwest 101 SW Main St., Suite 500 Portland, Oregon 97204 Phone: (800) 547-6339, ext. 454 relnw@educationnorthwest.org http://educationnorthwest.org/rel-northwest |
Subcontractors/Partners:
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