Ask A REL Reference Desk
Ask A REL is a collaborative reference desk service provided by the ten Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs) and functions much in the same way as a technical reference library. It provides references, referrals, and brief responses in the form of citations on research-based education questions.
Featured Responses to Questions from the Region
Other Available Responses Sorted by Topic
Below is a list of other readily available responses sorted by topic that Jennifer Klump, REL Northwest's reference librarian, will email you upon request. You can also email your specific question and she will conduct a literature search for the best available research and send you a personalized response.
American Indians
- Chronic attendance and American Indian students
Beating the Odds
- Student mobility
Charter Schools
- School vouchers, charter schools, and federally-funded scholarships
College and Career Readiness
- College aspirations and the effect on achievement
- Support for students in advanced courses
- Grouping in high school science classes
- High school special education services
- College and career advisors and coaches
- Career education in elementary school
- Exit exams
- Mastery learning
- Grade promotion/acceleration
Curriculum and Instruction
- Class size
- Integrating gifted programming in general education classes
- Character education
- Standards-based grading
- Looping
- Block schedules
- Combined classrooms
- Grade-span configuration
- Physical activity in elementary classrooms
Data Use
- Elementary grading
- SAT and ACT exam data
- Assessment systems and practices
Discipline
- Restorative justice
- Social skills interventions for students with autism spectrum disorders
- Drug and alcohol interventions
- Teen youth court
- Sexual harassment
Early Childhood
- Early childhood program evaluation tools
- Interdisciplinary integration in primary grades
- Effectiveness of preschool/prekindergarten programs
- Pre-first grade classes
- Social and emotional development in early childhood
Early Warning Systems
- High school credit requirements for graduation
- Chronic absenteeism
- Transition to high school
Educator Effectiveness
- Teacher induction
- Collective teacher efficacy
- Job-embedded professional development
English Learners
- English learner teachers and special education
- Universal screening for students with dyslexia and English learners
Literacy
- Fluency
- Sight word instruction
- Dual-credit writing courses
- Summer slide of reading skills
Math
- Middle school math
- Developmental math courses in college
- Increasing STEM Access for girls and students of color
- Girls-only STEM programs
Online Courses
- Factors for online learning success
- Online higher education instruction
Postsecondary
- Merging university programs
- Adult high school diploma programs
- Developmental mathematics courses in college
Principals
- School leadership and student achievement
Rural
- School consolidation
- Four-day school week
Teacher Preparation
- Teacher certification
- "Grow Your Own" teachers
Teacher Workforce
- Bilingual and diverse teacher recruitment
- Parent-teacher conferences
Other
- Student agency
- Family/parent involvement
- School-based health centers
- Middle school start times
- Unsupervised time at home
- Superintendent turnover
- Learned helplessness
- Business partnerships
REL Northwest's Reference Librarian
Jennifer Klump
To request assistance, research, or to obtain additional information, contact our reference librarian, Jennifer Klump, 800.547.6339, ext. 454, or via email.