Evaluation of the Regional Educational Laboratories

Contractors: Westat and Policy Studies Associates

Background/Research Questions

The Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs) are a network of ten organizations that serve the educational needs of designated regions across the United States. The mission of the REL program is to support the goals of educational improvement at the state, district, and school levels. With the reauthorization of the RELs in the Education Sciences Reform Act (ESRA) of 2002, the current priority of the RELs is to provide policymakers and practitioners with expert advice, training, and technical assistance on how to interpret the latest findings from scientifically valid research pertaining to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The Department awarded five-year contracts in FY 2006 to ten RELs. The FY11 appropriation for the REL program was $57.535 million.

The national evaluation of the RELs is mandated under ESRA of 2002 and will address the following evaluation questions for each REL and for the REL program as a whole:

• How have the RELs provided technical assistance?
• How have the RELs collaborated and coordinated technical assistance services with other entities funded by ED and with one another?
• What is the technical quality of the REL technical assistance products?
• How relevant and useful are the REL technical assistance products to the needs of the states, localities, and policymakers in their regions?
• To what extent has the work of each REL aligned with the needs of its region?

Design:

This descriptive study is relying on a combination of extant data, interviews with REL directors, and surveys of potential REL customers from state and local educational agencies. Panels of experts are rating the quality and relevance/usefulness of REL Fast Response Project proposals and final reports and REL impact study proposals and final reports.

Cost/Duration: $2,982,765 over 44 months (July 2009 to March 2013)

Current Status:

An interim report based on interviews with REL directors and expert reviews of REL Fast Response Projects is expected to be released in spring 2012. Surveys of REL customers and expert reviews of REL impact studies are occurring in late 2011 and early 2012, and a final report is expected to be released in early 2013. Reports from this study will be announced on http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/.