Overview: Building Stakeholder Capacity
Along with the other nine Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs), REL Central conducts technical support and applied research to promote a more evidence-based education system. In other words, our work centers on building stakeholder capacity to use data and research to improve academic outcomes for students. This mission would not be feasible without forging meaningful partnerships with policymakers and practitioners to determine and address their needs, priorities, and interests. Thus, REL Central closely collaborates with educators throughout our region—Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming—to discover, develop, and deliver the support they need to achieve their goals.
Establishing a Governing Board
An initial step in this collaborative effort involves establishing a Governing Board. REL Central's Governing Board consists of a diverse group of local and state education leaders from across our region. The board convenes three times a year to offer input on current REL Central work and brainstorm further support relevant to each state and to the region as a whole. In this way, our Governing Board plays an integral part in planning and continuing the work we do to build stakeholder capacity.
Creating and Maintaining Partnerships
The feedback from Governing Board members aids REL Central in creating and maintaining researcher-practitioner partnerships throughout our region. Currently, we have nine partnerships, each of which takes one of two forms. A research partnership involves stakeholders from a single state, who cooperate in addressing a particular issue in that state. A research alliance, on the other hand, comprises stakeholders from several states, who work together to respond to an issue spanning the region.
Through these partnerships, we strive to understand the work in its local contexts and adapt our support as needs and priorities evolve. We continually look to engage additional stakeholders in our existing partnerships, while also forming new partnerships as new needs arise.
Offering Training, Coaching, and Technical Support
Thus, partnerships inform REL Central's efforts to build stakeholder capacity. Projects that involve training, coaching, and technical support (TCTS) for research use are generally intensive, sustained, and tailored to the needs of particular stakeholders at local and state education agencies in our region. Examples of activities that fall under TCTS include the following:
- Providing in-person or virtual consultation or training on research design, data collection or analysis, or approaches for selecting or adapting research-based interventions.
- Acting as a thought partner when developing plans to evaluate a program or initiative.
- Developing research-based technical support products and tools for a variety of audiences.
- Searching for references and resources in response to questions submitted through the Ask A REL service.
Through such activities, REL Central seeks to build capacity in our region so that stakeholders can better use research to inform decision-making and thereby improve outcomes for students.
Conducting Applied Research Studies
In addition to TCTS projects, REL Central's applied research studies help stakeholders advance their understanding of education issues and processes and find practical solutions.
When we receive requests for research from partners, we first assist them in formulating meaningful research questions, after which we design studies, collect and analyze data, and compose reports that provide those partners with evidence and insights. All of REL Central's applied research projects undergo a rigorous review process to ensure that they are methodologically sound and well adapted to the needs of our stakeholders. All resulting publications are also peer reviewed for cohesiveness, readability, and relevance to the concerns of education policymakers and practitioners. Through applied research, REL Central aims to provide our partners with the data and evidence they need to improve instructional practice.
Disseminating the Work
Finally, to ensure that our work with partnerships reaches the widest possible audience, REL Central also concentrates our efforts on disseminating information and updates about events, projects, products, and publications. For example, we create videos, infographics, and webinars that make the topics and concerns related to our TCTS and applied research projects more accessible for our stakeholders as well as the general public. We also distribute newsletters, post blog articles, and utilize social media to involve more stakeholders and increase awareness of the education issues that define our work and region. We always welcome further comments, questions, and other input regarding our overarching mission and specific services.
To become more involved, follow us on Twitter at @RELCentral, and sign up for our newsletter.
