Regional Needs  |  Projects

Appalachia: Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, & West Virginia

The REL Appalachia is directed by Sarah L. Friedman (Director) and Donald Cymrot (Deputy Director). The laboratory is composed of a team of nationally recognized educational research scientists employed by The CNA Corporation (CNAC) in Alexandria, Virginia as well by research scientists and other education experts in partner organizations located in the REL Appalachia region. CNAC is a 63 year-old non-profit organization with a tradition of providing high quality research, analysis and technical assistance to federal, state and local agencies. CNAC and its partner organizations provide a robust mechanism for serving the educational research needs of the region's state education agencies (SEAs), local education agencies (LEAs), school districts and schools.

REL Appalachia's mission is to provide high-quality research, analysis and technical assistance that help state and local education systems in the region achieve higher educational standards and close the achievement gap. REL Appalachia will:

• Identify the region's ongoing research, training and technical assistance needs, including the effective dissemination of information (needs, research findings, etc.) to its prescribed audience
• Conduct research to address the needs of low-performing schools and student groups
• Strengthen the capacity of state and local education agencies in the region to identify and implement educational policies and practices that are supported by rigorous evidence

REL Appalachia achieves its mission through the following five core activities:

• Assessment of regional education needs involves a thorough, on-going analysis of research, technical assistance and information needs of state and local education policymakers and education practitioners.
• Applied research involves conducting studies designed to address educational challenges faced by educational policy makers and practitioners in the region. Support is provided for two types of research.
• Fast response projects designed to provide timely response to state and local education decision-makers; and
• Long-term studies that evaluate the efficacy of educational interventions through the use of randomized controlled research methods.
• Training and technical assistance includes supporting internships to state and local educational agencies designed to help state and local educators in the region to plan and implement programs under the No Child Left Behind Act and to meet other state education goals.
• Coordination with other RELs includes communication about research plans and information sharing across the national REL network.
• Dissemination of scientifically valid research findings to schools, districts, institutions of higher education, educators, parents, policymakers, and others.

Lab Director:
Dr. Sarah L. Friedman
Governing Board