archived information
Publications
REL Central partners with policymakers and practitioners to conduct applied research studies and develop tools that address high-leverage needs in our region. This work culminates in published reports that are rigorously peer reviewed for technical soundness, readability, and relevance to the concerns of stakeholders. Our publications below are categorized by topic area and ordered by date.
In addition to our rigorously reviewed publications, REL Central also offers quick-response documents below. These documents offer information and resources addressing emerging needs in the education community.
REL Central Covid-19 Resources
COVID-19
- FAQ: How can districts and schools improve efforts to engage American Indian/Alaska Native families and support the social-emotional wellness of their students during COVID-19 school disruptions? (2020)
- FAQ: How can districts and schools strategically respond to budget shortfalls related to COVID-19? (2020)
- FAQ: How can districts conduct teacher evaluations during remote learning? (2020)
- FAQ: What does remote learning mean for student assessments? (2020)
- Resources Memo: COVID-19 How can educators make online instruction accessible to students with disabilities? (2020)
- Resources Memo: COVID-19 How are state education agencies and districts tracking student attendance during remote learning? (2020)
- Resources Memo: COVID-19 How can states support the teacher certification process when student teachers cannot complete onsite activities? (2020)
- Resources Memo: COVID-19 What adjustments are being made to support high school students in earning diplomas, receiving credits for advanced coursework, and completing college admissions testing during school closures? (2020)
- Resources Memo: COVID-19 What are considerations and strategies for implementing continued learning during school closures? (2020)
- Resources Memo: COVID-19 What are developmentally appropriate ways to use technology and media with young children? (2020)
- Strategies to Support Learning Along a Continuum of Internet Access (2020)
- Webinar: Personalizing Instruction to Address COVID-19 Learning Gaps (2020)
- Webinar Handout: Using Assessments to Identify and Address COVID-19 Learning Gaps (2020)
REL Central Publications Sorted by Topic
American Indians
- Integrating an American Indian Student Needs Assessment Survey Into Your Current or New Initiatives (REL Central Infographic 2021)
- Guide to Conducting a Needs Assessment for American Indian Students (2020)
- Where American Indian Students Go to School: Enrollment in Seven Central Region States (2016)
- Partnerships Between Tribal Education Departments and Local Education Agencies (2012)
- Examining American Indian Perspectives in the Central Region on Parent Involvement in Children's Education (2008)
College and Career Readiness
- Examining the Impact of Career and Technical Education (REL Central Infographic 2021)
- The Impact of Career and Technical Education on Postsecondary Outcomes in Nebraska and South Dakota (2021)
- Measuring Civic Readiness: A Review of Survey Scales (2021)
- Steps to Develop a Model to Estimate School- and District-Level Postsecondary Success (2021)
- Foundational Knowledge and Skills for Success in Algebra I (REL Central Infographic 2020)
- What Foundational Skills Matter for Algebra I Success? (2020)
- How Legacy High School Students Use Their Flexible Time (2020)
- Measuring Student Progress and Teachers' Assessment of Student Knowledge in a Competency-Based Education System (2017)
- High School Dropout and Graduation Rates in the Central Region (2008)
- High School Standards and Expectations for College and the Workplace (2008)
- Access to Supplemental Educational Services in the Central Region States (2007)
Data Use
- Four Steps to Build Data Use Skills in Early Childhood Education Programs (REL Central Infographic 2021)
- Early Childhood Data Use Assessment Tool (2021)
- How Nebraska Teachers Use and Perceive Summative, Interim, and Formative Data (2021)
- South Dakota Department of Education Snapshot: 2017/2018 Academic Year Statewide Data (REL Central Infographic 2019)
- Instructional Improvement Cycle: A Teacher's Toolkit for Collecting and Analyzing Data on Instructional Strategies (2015)
Educator Effectiveness
- Evaluation of the Retired Mentors for New Teachers Program (2017)
- Teachers’ Responses to Feedback from Evaluators: What Feedback Characteristics Matter? (2016)
- How Do School Districts Mentor New Teachers? (2016)
- The Examining Evaluator Feedback Survey (2015)
- A Guide for Monitoring District Implementation of Educator Evaluation Systems (2015)
- A Study of the Effectiveness of a School Improvement Intervention (Success in Sight) (2012)
English Learners
Literacy
Math
- Foundational Knowledge and Skills for Success in Algebra I (REL Central Infographic 2020)
- What Foundational Skills Matter for Algebra I Success? (2020)
- Associations Between the Qualifications of Middle School Algebra I Teachers and Student Math Achievement (2019)
- Formative Assessment and Elementary School Student Academic Achievement: A Review of the Evidence (2017)
- Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Impact on Elementary School Mathematics in the Central Region: Final Report (2011)
Online Courses
Principals
- Understanding Retention, Mobility, and Attrition of School and District Leaders in Three States (2020)
- Overview of Selected State Policies and Supports Related to K-12 Competency-Based Education (2017)
- State Policies for Intervening in Chronically Low-Performing Schools: A 50-State Scan (2016)
- Summary of Research on the Association Between State Interventions in Chronically Low-Performing Schools and Student Achievement (2016)
- What States Can Learn About State Standards and Assessment Systems from No Child Left Behind Documents and Interviews with Central Region Assessment Directors (2008)
Rural
- Snapshot of Dual Enrollment in the REL Central States (REL Central Infographic 2021)
- Variations in District Strategies for Remote Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic (2021)
- Understanding Access to and Participation in Dual Enrollment by Locale and Income Level (2021)
- Internet Connectivity Across the Central States: Colorado (REL Central Infographic 2020)
- Internet Connectivity Across the Central States: Kansas (REL Central Infographic 2020)
- Internet Connectivity Across the Central States: Missouri (REL Central Infographic 2020)
- Internet Connectivity Across the Central States: Nebraska (REL Central Infographic 2020)
- Internet Connectivity Across the Central States: South Dakota (REL Central Infographic 2020)
- Internet Connectivity Across the Central States: Wyoming (REL Central Infographic 2020)
- Decision Points and Considerations for Identifying Rural Districts That Have Closed Student Achievement Gaps (2016)
- Student Mobility in Rural and Nonrural Districts in Five Central Region States (2010)
- Preparing Teachers to Teach in Rural Schools (2008)
Research Tools
- Program Evaluation Toolkit (2021)
- Program Evaluation Toolkit: Quick Start Guide (2021)
- A Guide to Identifying Similar Schools to Support School Improvement (2021)
- Measuring Civic Readiness: A Review of Survey Scales (2021)
- Steps to Develop a Model to Estimate School- and District-Level Postsecondary Success (2021)
- Early Childhood Data Use Assessment Tool (2021)
- An Educator's Guide to Questionnaire Development (2016)
- The Examining Evaluator Feedback Survey (2015)
- Instructional Improvement Cycle: A Teacher's Toolkit for Collecting and Analyzing Data on Instructional Strategies (2015)
- A Guide for Monitoring District Implementation of Educator Evaluation Systems (2015)
School Improvement
- A Guide to Identifying Similar Schools to Support School Improvement (2021)
- Legacy High School Student Flex-Time Usage (REL Central Infographic 2020)
- How Legacy High School Students Use Their Flexible Time (2020)
- Colorado Department of Education Crosswalk: 2018 State and Federal School Identifications (REL Central Infographic 2019)
Teacher Preparation
- Examination of the Reliability and Validity of the Kansas Clinical Assessment Tool (2021)
- Understanding Field Experiences in Traditional Teacher Preparation Programs in Missouri (2016)
- Approaches to Evaluating Teacher Preparation Programs in Seven States (2014)
- Preparing Teachers to Teach in Rural Schools (2008)
Teacher Workforce
- An Approach to Using Student and Teacher Data to Understand and Predict Teacher Shortages (2020)
- Understanding Retention, Mobility, and Attrition of School and District Leaders in Three States (2020)
- Associations Between the Qualifications of Middle School Algebra I Teachers and Student Math Achievement (2019)
- Grow Your Own: Fostering a Diverse Teacher Workforce in Missouri (REL Central Infographic 2019)
- Teacher Mobility in Rural Settings (REL Central Infographic 2019)
- Teacher Retention, Mobility, and Attrition in Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota (2019)
- Factors Related to Teacher Mobility and Attrition in Colorado, Missouri, and South Dakota (2019)
- What Influences Teacher Attrition (REL Central Infographic 2019)