Whether you’re just starting with the 6+1 Trait ® model or want a refresher on scoring, our assessment experts are here to help. We can score writing samples from your own students to provide...
To help your teachers with online or face-to-face writing instruction, we provide on-site, virtual, and blended professional development for teachers at all levels of experience. Our training is...
The 6+1 Trait ® Writing Model of Instruction & Assessment comprises 6+1 key qualities that define quality writing. These are: Ideas —the main message Organization —the internal structure of the...
As schools and districts increasingly take a cross-curricular approach to improving student writing skills, it’s more important than ever that students get clear, consistent feedback from all their...
Evidence on the Importance of Writing Writing skills are important for an increasing number of jobs (National Commission on Writing 2004; Executive Office of the President 2009). Poor writing skills...
Need a starting point to make your teaching more inclusive of Latinx communities? See our list of resources for lesson plans, activities, documentaries, art, and more.
This infographic offers a checklist for making virtual conferences and meetings just as engaging and useful as in-person events. Learn how to level up your next online conference.
To help achieve Oregon’s high school and postsecondary education completion goals, the state has been expanding its investment in accelerated learning options that give high school students the...
To gather information about the field of out-of-school time science, technology, engineering, and math (OST STEM), Education Northwest recently conducted a national scan of OST STEM programs for the...
Lesson Study is a structured, collaborative professional development intervention with evidence showing that it improves mathematics instruction among K-12 teachers. Lesson Study provides a framework...
States are developing comprehensive educational data systems that contain a wealth of student data spanning the pre-K, K-12, and postsecondary education systems.
The Community College Research Center and Education Northwest are collaborating to adapt a pilot project at three community colleges in Oregon to test the usefulness of the lesson study professional development model in higher education.
Check out these studies and resources that can help math teachers employ solid teaching practices to support students who are struggling in math and students with learning disabilities.
Partners from CCSSO, AIR and Education Northwest adapted two widely used teacher evaluation and support systems into new resources for teachers with English learners in their classrooms.
This classic research synthesis by Researcher Kathleen Cotton cites classroom, school, and district practices that research has shown to foster positive student achievement, attitudes and social behavior.
This classic brief looks at the research on activities pursued by teachers to keep track of student learning for purposes of making instructional decisions and providing student feedback.
This classic brief reviews research on the relationship between teachers' classroom questioning behaviors and a variety of student outcomes, including achievement, retention and participation.
This classic 1989 brief from researchers Kathleen Cotton and Karen Reed Wikelund remains widely cited and circulated more than 20 years after original publication.
Placing students into small groups can be a powerful approach to stimulate learning. This resource serves educators looking to improve classroom instruction through small-group student learning.
This 2004 booklet presents some research-based ideas as a starting place for those who want to develop better policies and practices to support student attendance.
English Language Learner (ELL) students bring substantial assets such as bilingualism and biculturalism to communities and classrooms, yet their educational achievement is often lower than that of...
With a growing body of research showing the positive impact of diverse teachers on students outcomes, what does the research say on strategies for hiring more teachers of color?
Check out this collection of blog posts, videos, education research and websites to help teachers strengthen their relationships with all their students.
Intermediary organizations that serve as the hub or backbone of an education network can be integral to a network’s success. Use this checklist to assess whether a potential intermediary partner can...
Our librarians compiled this list of evidence-based resources containing information on what changes schools can make to create a more welcoming school climate and increase the engagement of American Indian and Alaska Native families in schools.
Cyberbullying, or electronic aggression, is unwanted behavior by a student or group of students that occurs through email, chat rooms, instant message, websites or social media. Like in-person...
Education Northwest has refined and updated the 6+1 Trait ® rubrics that that specify how to assess the quality of student writing and tailor instruction to students’ needs.
This list of available recent studies and articles on time to reclassification for English learners can help inform processes such as program planning and resource allocation.
Research shows that developing students' social and emotional skills can lead to better academic and life outcomes. Check out this collection of recent, readily available studies and articles.
An effective and evidence-based way to improve schools, nonprofits, and government agencies is to make decisions in partnership with those being served. This six-page resource provides an overview and tips for educators and youth workers.
English learners need to develop math and reading skills as well as their knowledge of social studies and science—even while learning English. Find out what the research says on this topic.
English learners benefit from the same approach to reading and writing as their peers but need additional supports. Find out what language arts teachers can do to support their English learners.
Math has its own language, and English learners often struggle to understand math concepts in this language. What can math teachers do to help their English learner students succeed?
The density and complexity of social science textbooks and other texts can be particularly challenging for English learners. What principles and strategies can social studies teachers employ?
Science inquiry poses particular linguistic challenges for English learners. Learn a few principles and strategies for effectively teaching science to students learning English.
Designed to help districts assess and optimize their English learner (EL) services, this research-based tool contains 71 items organized into eight sections that address key components of a district’s program for English learners.
When forming a professional learning network, how do you ensure your efforts are meaningful and sustainable? This resource will help you start your network with a clear purpose and solid direction.
Our librarians compiled this list of readily available, recent studies and articles that leaders can draw from when forming new collaboratives or enhancing existing ones.
According to a study, 10 to 20 percent of students who enroll in college do not end up attending in the fall. Summer melt is even more prevalent for low-income students, students in large urban districts, and community-college bound students—with attrition rates as high as 40 percent.
Our librarians recently compiled this list of the latest studies and resources that states, districts and schools can draw from to create and improve CTE programs.
Think through important decisions on why to measure SEL, how to use SEL data and which skills, mindsets and capacities are appropriate to measure with this informative two-page guide.
This brief provides educators with the background, rationale and evidence for implementing an uninterrupted, 90-minute literacy block as part of a comprehensive approach to teaching reading in elementary schools.
What difference does a teacher-mentoring program make on early career teachers in Alaska in terms of teacher retention, instructional practice and the academic performance of their students?
Raise your awareness on trauma in postsecondary education institutions and how trauma affects learning and development and learn strategies to work effectively with college students who have been exposed to trauma.
This report is the first external evaluation of Future Connect. It examines the program’s impact on college performance, progression, persistence, transfer, and completion.
This brief serves as a resource for K–12 districts, state education agencies, higher education institutions and district Title VI Indian education offices.
Education Northwest’s work across several research areas, including support for English language learners, college and career readiness, school improvement and equity in public education, will be...
Want to learn the basics of social and emotional learning? Download this primer to learn concepts you can use to help students develop “nonacademic skills” and reach their full potential.
Committing to Student Safety: A Call to Action in Uncertain Times The Oregon Leadership Network (OLN) offers institutes twice a year to participants from its member organizations. The program...
Ensure smooth transitions for all incoming kindergarten students and their families with recommendations in this white paper and "taking action" worksheet.
Find out about the progress community colleges in Oregon are making to support students who are traditionally required to take developmental education courses and face a high risk for not graduating from college.
The presence of traumatized children in our schools is nothing new, but research now shows us how we, as educators, can moderate the effects of trauma on students' ability to learn.
The presence of traumatized children in our schools is nothing new, but research now shows us how we, as educators, can moderate the effects of trauma on students' ability to learn.
Roughly one-third of students who did not file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly known as the FAFSA, would have been eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, which provides aid for low-...
Spearheaded by GEAR UP Hawai'i, the Step Up Scholars program was a statewide campaign and program that encouraged Hawai'i public school students in the graduating Classes of 2013, 2014, and 2015 to...
Registration Open October 17–18, 2016 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Education Northwest, Portland, Oregon Want to learn how to set the conditions required for effective discussion and collaboration focused on...
This guide provides basic information for families of English learners and helps you talk with your child’s school, ask the right questions, and support your child on their journey as an English learner. English and Spanish versions are available.
Addressing the unique needs of students from diverse backgrounds is one of the major challenges facing public education today because many teachers are inadequately prepared with the relevant content...
One form of bullying, harassment, or discrimination often can lead to another. This guide uncovers similarities in the causes, types and responses to different forms of bias and the legal aspects of this problem.
Findings and recommendations from a 10-state study Community colleges are the first point of access to higher education for millions of students looking for an affordable path to a bachelor’s degree...
Culturally Responsive Mathematics Instruction (Webinar 1) April 28, 2016 Presenter: Patrice Woods This webinar will provide action research-based models of culturally responsive mathematics...
Good Instruction for All (Webinar 1) April 19, 2016 Presenter: Jacob Williams In this webinar we’ll look at teaching practices that promote high-quality and equitable instruction for all students,...
New math pathways to address barriers students face in successfully completing college math requirements At community colleges, the majority of new students are considered underprepared for math and...
Elementary teachers are well-versed in English Language Arts shifts in the Common Core Standards—but are they equitable? That’s a matter of practice. In our Shifting Toward a Culturally Responsive...
This professional development opportunity is offered through a partnership between the Oregon Leadership Network (OLN) and the National Equity Project. The event is hosted by Northwest Regional ESD...
The Institute for Youth Success (IYS) at Education Northwest is a a lead organizer of the National Collaborative Webinar Series . Each month, we partner with MENTOR: The National Mentoring...
The Institute for Youth Success (IYS) has been supporting youth programs since our inception as the Oregon Mentoring Initiative in 2002. Today, as part of Education Northwest, we work with more than...
This professional development opportunity is offered through a partnership between the Oregon Leadership Network (OLN) and the National Equity Project. The event is hosted by the Northwest Regional...
This professional development opportunity is offered through a partnership between the Oregon Leadership Network (OLN) and the National Equity Project. The role of the instructional coach goes beyond...
On October 15, 2015 youth development staff from across Oregon attended a Youth Worker Symposium in Portland, Oregon hosted by the Institute for Youth Success at Education Northwest. The event was...
A Case Study of Dual-Credit Programs GEAR UP Hawai‘i is committed to improving low-income high school students’ access to college courses and, as a result, requested that Education Northwest, the...
Perspectives on the Scholarship and an Evaluation of Its Impact The Kaiser Permanente Health Care Career Scholarship Program began offering scholarships to students in the graduating class of 2009 to...
Helping Students Plan Through Personalized Learning Education Northwest's Rhonda Barton, Michelle Hodara , and Nora Ostler contributed this article on Oregon's online Personal Education Plan (PEP) to...
This brief outlines steps district and school leaders can take to expand science, technology, engineering and mathematics opportunities for students through school-community partnerships.
Idaho Association of School Administrators (IASA) Summer Leadership Conference is taking place place in Boise, Idaho on August 5–7, 2015. Researchers from Education Northwest are presenting two...
Our most experienced facilitators provide direct classroom modeling, observations, and other coaching and support to guarantee the highest levels of implementation of 6+1 Trait ® throughout a...
Education Northwest regularly presents at the Oregon Association of Bilingual Education (OABE) Summer Conference . These are the sessions presented in 2014-15. 2015 "Supporting Newcomer English...
Education Northwest’s work in equity, English learner instruction, postsecondary and career readiness, and school improvement were highlighted at the annual conference of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), April 16–20 in Chicago.
The Oregon Leadership Network (OLN) promotes the engagement of school and district staff to continually examine and discuss potential inequities. These conversations may address policy and procedural...
Findings from two large community college systems show that completing developmental education courses in reading and writing leads to an increase in earnings, suggesting that developmental education...
This paper looks at reading performance and the achievement gaps between Native Hawaiian students and their white peers with an eye toward informing policy.
This guide from REL Northwest provides implementation strategies based on the experiences and recommendations of early warning systems practitioners throughout the United States.
This Traits-Common Core State Standards crosswalk provides a side-by-side comparison between the content of the 6+1 Traits and the first three CCSS writing standards for grades 11–12.
Our schools exist because of our students. As educators we have the awesome responsibility and unique opportunity to reach, teach and prepare our students for tomorrow. To make sure we are doing the...
The transition from preschool or other early learning settings into kindergarten marks an important event in the lives of more than 3.5 million children and their families each year. This REL...
One approach to improve the college and career readiness of American students is to increase the rigor of the high school diploma requirements so that they align with the knowledge and skills...
This case study spotlights the promises and challenges of a high school-community college collaboration in Hawaii, the goal of which is to better prepare secondary students for postsecondary success.
Whether driven by inherent challenges affecting student performance or simply an aspiration to excel, schools want to do better. The challenge is finding a way to get there.
Creating and enforcing a clear and equitable discipline policy plays an important role in ensuring that all students are afforded the opportunity to reach their full potential. For more than three...
Resources from a REL Northwest webinar held June 17, 2014. In this webinar, Education Northwest staff members addressed requirements for rigorous evaluations for GEAR UP.
This document is organized to provide training and basic information for use of the Indigenous Culture-Based Education Rubrics, which were originally developed to measure culture-based education (CBE...
The promise of a public education is that all students will have access to high-quality learning opportunities. Accomplishing this requires collective and coherent action to increase system...
This publication features profiles of eight education-based collective impact efforts across the Northwest. It also describes lessons learned and identifies ongoing areas of need.
Our always-on digital world presents “both the greatest challenge and the greatest opportunity to reframe what learning can and should look like today,” according to the authors of this Lessons...
In the January 2014 issue of Principal’s Research Review , two Education Northwest authors discuss the research on how to better prepare students for college mathematics. Large numbers of students,...
Last fall, REL Northwest, joined with REL Central and REL Pacific to organize a convening of tribal representatives from across the country to examine how our education system can incorporate indigenous language and culture and what research can increase and improve those efforts.
Bringing together the latest research and the expertise of veteran Oregon grantees, this webinar explores promising practices for effectively promoting academic engagement. Veteran 21stCCLC grantees...
The use of research and data in decision making has become a popular mantra in education circles, but putting it into practice presents some real challenges. Often, educators and policymakers may not...
How the Common Core Must Ensure Equity by Fully Preparing Every Student for Postsecondary Success Recommendations from the Regional Equity Assistance Centers on Implementation of the Common Core...
School leadership is complex and requires wisdom, informed judgment, and choosing among multiple options. Should leaders push for fast results or incremental improvements over time? Do they focus on...
A major challenge facing students as they pursue a postsecondary degree is a lack of academic preparedness for college-level math, evident by high rates of referral to developmental math and low...
Our Evidence Blast series provides research, data, and resources to help practitioners and policymakers make important decisions about schools and students.
Improving college readiness rates, especially for young men of color, requires an understanding of the challenges they face, and of the levers that might serve to increase college readiness and...
This July 2013 NASSP Principal’s Research Review , written by Education Northwest’s Sarah Frazelle and Rhonda Barton, looks at the research on Early Warning Systems (EWS)
Our Evidence Blast series provides research, data, and resources to help practitioners and policymakers make important decisions about schools and students.
This April 2013 article in Principal Leadership , written by Rob Larson and Rhonda Barton, looks at lessons for school leaders on improving educational equity. It provides examples from OLN member...
External evaluation is a critical part of any program. It can tell you what elements are—or are not—working and whether the program is making a difference. A successful evaluation depends on a...
This April 2013 article in Principal Leadership, written by OLN alliance researcher Vicki Nishioka, examines the research on disparities in exclusionary discipline policies and practices.
Discipline disparity is a growing problem in our schools. Disproportionate rates of suspensions and expulsions for students of color result in substantial loss of instructional time for these students.
Bullying presents one of the greatest health risks to children, youth, and young adults in U.S. society. It is pernicious in its impact even if often less visible and less readily identifiable than...
A list of resources related to tutoring students in reading and more, including "Couldn't Put It Down! Captivating the Hearts and Minds of Adolescent Readers", "Motivating Reluctant Adolescent Readers", and "Learns Tutoring Videos".
The following resources, developed by our National Mentoring Center project (1998-2012) can help school administrators and staff, as well as their community partners, design and implement effective...
This January 2013 NASSP Principal’s Research Review , written by Education Northwest’s Diana Oxley, examines what the research says about the relationship between parent involvement and student achievement.
There’s growing recognition that communities of practice—peer-to-peer learning groups—offer an effective way to work together on a common problem, share strategies, and deepen members’ knowledge...
In recent years, youth mentoring has diversified in the types of youth populations being served and the settings for the delivery of program services. These resources, developed by our National...
This edition of NASSP's Principal’s Research Review , written by Education Northwest’s Rhonda Barton, explores both the difficulties and positive aspects of teaching in a rural community.
The following resources for planning, designing, and implementing a youth mentoring program were developed by our National Mentoring Center project. All are free to download. Please contact us if you...
In this report, Education Northwest researchers describe how it is possible to make a statistically significant difference in struggling readers’ achievement in just a single year.
In the May 2012 issue of NASSP's Principal's Research Review , the longtime topic of grade configuration is explored. The writers, Rhonda Barton and Jennifer Klump of Education Northwest, zero in on...
Issues and Answers is an ongoing series of reports from short-term Fast Response Projects conducted by the regional educational laboratories on current education issues of importance at local, state...
This collection of K–12 student papers and the accompanying annotations come from Appendix C: Samples of Student Writing of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in English Language Arts &...
This March 2012 NASSP Principal’s Research Review , written by Education Northwest’s Rhonda Barton and Rob Larson, looks at strategies for improving educational equity. With racial and economic...
Assessing Mathematical Understanding is a set of mathematics assessments for kindergarten and first-grade students that provides both cumulative data about students’ progress over time and in-depth...
State education agencies (SEAs) are required by federal policy to provide a statewide system of intensive and sustained support to Title I schools and districts identified as in need of improvement...
An introductory module that will assist teachers, administrators, and leaders of kindergarten through high school in building an understanding of the Common Core State Standards for mathematics.
The Ask A REL Reference Desk provides education stakeholders from the Northwest region with prompt, authoritative, and customized answers to research and policy questions. On a regular basis, we share our responses to questions from the field.
“How Small Schools Grew Up and Got Serious (But Didn’t Lose Their Spunk)” is in the December 2010/January 2011 issue of Kappan Magazine. Written by Education Northwest’s high school redesign experts...
Data-driven decision making has become a national education priority. But do educators have the capacity to understand the data and use them appropriately to make instructional improvements? What can...
In the Northwest region, 39 percent of schools are rural, compared to 31 percent nationally. While rural schools face many of the same challenges as those in urban settings, they also have unique...
School-based mentoring (SBM) is becoming increasingly popular as a way to help students in a number of academic and psychosocial domains. In this model, a K–12 student is paired with an adult from...
A series published by Education Northwest that distills and shares research and experience from the field. From Training Space to Any Place: Expanding Approaches to E-Learning Vol. 4, Issue 2 By...
The process of selecting a school turnaround provider can seem overwhelming, with so many choices and so little time and information. External and internal pressure to make the selection as quickly...
Small learning community and small school reform efforts have begun to falter in light of evaluations showing stalled implementation and limited impacts. However, this Lessons Learned brief gives...
This report describes how students increased their reading comprehension after one semester of tutoring with Read Right, a nationally used intervention program that supplements regular English language arts instruction.
When collaboration is embedded in teachers’ work and supported by leadership, meaningful professional learning and improved teaching follow. School redesign demands that practitioners make...
This booklet summarizes research on best practices for implementing successful small learning communities and career academies. When well implemented, improvements in instructional and...
In response to the challenges of collecting data on post secondary outcomes, this guide helps high schools identify efficient and cost-effective strategies to find out what happens to their students...
Many researchers and research funders want their work to be influential in educational policy and practice, but there is little systematic understanding of how policymakers and practitioners use...
Program evaluation is an increasingly important area of operations for all youth mentoring programs. These resources, developed by our National Mentoring Center project (1998-2012), can help youth...
The following resources, developed by our National Mentoring Center project (1998-2012), can help mentoring programs prepare both volunteer mentors and the youth they serve for their mentoring...
The following resources on recruiting and screening volunteer mentors were been developed by our National Mentoring Center project (1998-2012). These resources can help any mentoring program recruit...
Developed by master American Indian and Alaska Native educators, the inventory is designed to determine how and to what extent your school is supporting the needs of Native students. Nine key school...
This report presents the results of a study that examined the efficacy of professional development for teachers using the 6+1 Trait Writing model with respect to improving student writing skills. To...
The following resources, developed by our National Mentoring Center project (1998-2012), can help youth mentoring programs in both school and community settings plan for a sustainable future. These...
This September 2008 issue of the NASSP Principal's Research Review discusses how and why schools that build a coherent instructional program through common frameworks for curriculum, instruction,...
This resource examines the issue of trust within the context of school improvement, looking specifically at teacher-teacher and teacher-principal relationships.
One of the major tasks facing Native American communities is to create lifelong learning opportunities that allow all the members to improve their quality of life.
