REL Mid-Atlantic: Linking Research to Policy and Practice

1. REL Mid-Atlantic: Linking Research to Policy and Practice Vito Forlenza, PA State Coordinator John Wise, Associate Director

2. Session Goal-Matching • List 3 goals that you have for this session • Prioritize the goals, with “1” being the “Most Important” • Briefly Discuss your goals with your neighbor(s) • Report “Common Goals” and any “Most Important”

3. Our Goals • Session Attendees will have a good understanding of the following: • What the Labs can do • How Regional Assistance works • Who to contact, how, when and why • Partnership opportunities for research dissemination • Bringing research findings home

4. Session Outline • REL Mid-Atlantic Overview • Regional Need Sensing • Regional Assistance • REL Reference Desk • “Fast Response” Applied R & D • Rigorous Research Studies • Research Dissemination • Summary

5. Federal Network of Assistance Providers 15 ED Comprehensive Centers Technical Assistance 10 Regional Education Laboratories (Research) 5 ED Content Centers Research LEAs SEAs

6. REL Mid-Atlantic Overview • One of Ten Federally-Funded Research Laboratories • Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. • Promotes “Scientifically-Based Research” (ESEA, 2002)

7. Who Administers REL Mid-Atlantic? • The Pennsylvania State University • Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey • ICF International • Metiri Group • ANALYTICA

8. What Does REL Mid-Atlantic Do? • Regional Need Sensing • Everything is based on regional need • Regional Assistance • Fast Response” R & D Projects • REL Reference Desk • REL Lookup“ • “Ask a REL“ • Rigorous Research Studies • e.g. Randomized Control Trials • Dissemination

9. Identify Regional Needs Requests for Assistance News & Scholarly Articles Local and State Meetings Regional Education Specialists (RES) Laboratory Education Specialists (LES) Lab Governing Board Need Sensing Data

10. Possible Responses Need Sensing Data Reference Desk Response “Fast Response” Research Project Rigorous Research Project Regional Dissemination Forum

11. Regional Assistance Requests come to the lab through several channels: • Via Toll-Free Call to 1-866-RELMA-FYI • Via email to info@relmid-atlantic.org • Via the Internet at http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/midatlantic/ • Via “Ask A REL” • Via Laboratory Extension Specialist (LES) • Vito Forlenza, East • Al Glennon, South Central • John Seymour, Southwest • Jim Davis, North Central • Tom Fortin, Northwest

12. Possible Responses to Requests • REL Reference Desk • Refer for “Fast Response” • Refer for Rigorous Study

13. Resources for REL Reference Desk • Archive of Lab Responses • Organization Database • National Library of Education Resources • What Works Clearinghouse • ERIC (Education Resources Information Center) • Other Labs, Internal Experts, and Federally-Funded Centers

15. IES Standards of Evidence Used in WWC Practice Guides • Strong • Multiple RCTs, Single Multi-Site RCT, Systematic Review, No Contrary Findings • Moderate • Experiment or Quasi-Experiment, Comparison study with internal validity, Correlational Research with good controls • Low • Expert Opinion

16. REL Reference Desk • Limited to “Scientifically Valid” findings What does the research say about…. -Professional Development? -Response to Intervention? -English Language Learners? -Everyday Math?

17. “Fast Response” R & D Projects • Need-Based • Completed in Less than One Year • Tend to Use Existing Data • Written Products, Educational Events, Other Media

18. Completed “Fast Response” R & D Projects • Predictive Validity of Benchmark Assessments • Students with Disabilities and AYP in Mid-Atlantic Region Schools • NCLB Subgroups and AYP in Mid-Atlantic Region Schools 32 others at http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/projects/index.asp

19. “Fast Response” R & D Projects In Progress “Schools Like Mine” Online Performance Comparison Tool • Response to Intervention (RTI) • Literature Review • Curriculum Mapping

20. Educational Events • ELL Practice Guide Forum, November 17th, Mechanicsburg • Adolescent Literacy Practice Guide Forum, January 14th, Rutgers • ELL Practice Guide Forum, February 27th, NEIU 19, Scranton

21. Topics Under Consideration • Concept Clarification and Product Conceptualization • Getting from Topic to Useful Product

22. Rigorous Research Studies • Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT) • Need-Driven Topics • National Considerations

23. Research Dissemination • Written Reports • “Issues and Answers” • Technical Briefs • RCT Reports • Both Technical and Plain Language • Available Online and Electronically By Request • Notice of New Products • Via LISTSERV and Mailing List

24. Research Dissemination • Dissemination Forums • REL Mid-Atlantic “partners” with regional and local entities • Provide speakers, organization, and logistics • Various formats and solutions possible • Contact your Laboratory Extension Specialist or State Coordinator to Discuss Options

25. Research Dissemination • Identify and Use Effective Teaching Practices. • IES “Doing What Works” Website http://www.dww.ed.gov/ • Research-based Practice Guides

26. Summary • What the Lab Can Do • How Regional Assistance Works • Who to contact, how, when and why • Partnership Opportunities for Research Dissemination • Bringing Research Findings Home

27. Summary • Review of Your Goals • Review of Your Questions • REL Mid-Atlantic LISTSERV

28. Lab Contacts • Call 1-866-RELMAFYI • Email info@relmid-atlantic.org • Web http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/midatlantic/ • PA State Coordinator Vito Forlenza vforlenza@relmid-atlantic.org