WestEd

Join WestEd researchers and colleagues as they share insights and new research findings at the 2026 Artificial Intelligence in Measurement and Education (AIME) Conference, October 5–7 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Our sessions will examine such topics as reducing bias in Large Language Models (LLMs), AI literacy in assessment, and an integrated research and development agenda organized around three areas:

• Innovating measurement
• Tools to support educational leaders
• Datasets as a public good

👋 Connect with WestEd experts Lauren White, Sarah Quesen, Jodi Davenport, and Yvonne S. Kao and add our sessions to your conference calendar. See you soon! ➡️ https://bit.ly/47tpz4G

How does a school build the infrastructure to consolidate federal funds effectively?

Join WestEd's Tia Taylor and Sarah Love, PhD, MPH, CST tomorrow, September 30 at 11 a.m PT/2 p.m. ET for an ESEA Network webinar on schoolwide fund consolidation, including considerations for IDEA Part B funds.

Guests from the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) will share how they developed a process that helps schools use federal resources more flexibly to support their schoolwide plans.

🏫 Register here: https://bit.ly/4iVSfKO

We had a great time attending the annual SREE Conference and connecting with colleagues in person! 🥳 Here are moments from Day 3-4 of WestEd experts and co-presenters sharing research-driven insights:

Dr. Saroja Warner organized, chaired, and presented alongside Dr. Ebony Terrell Shockley (University of Maryland), Dr. Anita Crowder (Illustrative Mathematics), and Esther Gencheva (Baltimore City Public Schools) on translating culturally responsive research into edtech design decisions.

Nicolette Grasley-Boy shared "Developing the Caregiver Report of Early Language Interactions (CRELI) in English & Spanish."

Betsy Garcia joined panelists Elise Lenthe and Ashley Jordan from The Center for Outcomes Based Contracting to discuss using mutual accountability and evidence to build trust and lessons learned from outcomes based contracting.

Mingyu Feng chaired a paper session on "AI, Digital Tools, and Instructional Technology," and Linlin Li shared data from a randomized controlled trial of a technology- and game-based program for early math learning.

Nicholas Gage, WestEd alum and currently at the University of South Carolina, and Angela Penfold (Wilson Language Training) shared "Early Literacy at Scale: A Multi-District Quasi-Experimental Evaluation of Tier 1 Foundational Skills Instruction in Grades K–2."

Jose Blackorby and Katie Grogan (not pictured) discussed using evidence to help students move from decoding to meaning-making and strengthen reading comprehension.

Prentice Starkey participated in a symposium on "Scaling Effective Educational Interventions."

A huge thank you to the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness for hosting this thought-provoking, inspiring conference, and we're already looking forward to next year!

Congratulations to Quay Dorsey, Senior Program Manager at WestEd's Center for Economic Mobility, on being named California State University, Long Beach's recipient of the 2026-27 CSU Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement, the highest recognition of student achievement in the CSU system!

As a first-generation college student, Quay's own journey shaped his commitment to expanding educational opportunity and economic mobility for students and communities. At WestEd, he leads statewide efforts supporting the California College Access and Outreach Program (Cal-SOAP), helping high school students chart their path to higher education.

We're proud to work alongside you, Quay! 🎉

Read the full story: https://www.csulb.edu/news/article/why-csu-trustees-award-recipient-views-education-as-the-ultimate-equalizer

Why this CSU Trustees' Award recipient views education as the ultimate equalizer Quay Dorsey, a doctoral student in educational leadership, is CSULB's recipient of the 2026-27 CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement. The annual award is the CSU’s highest recognition of student achievement.

WestEd at the 2026 Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness (SREE) Conference! It's been inspiring to be among so many colleagues who share our commitment to connecting research, policy, and practice to improve outcomes for learners in a changing landscape.

📸 Here are some moments from Wednesday and Thursday's presentations and poster sessions. Pictured from left to right:

Jenna Terrell and Joanna Mathias presented on what happens when students fail a developmental education course, and the case for investing in support infrastructure for high-risk students.

Jodi Davenport and Patrick Moyle joined Thomas Brock and Susan Bickerstaff from the Community College Research Center to discuss RCT findings evaluating the efficacy of faculty professional development in community colleges.

Raifu Durodoye shared evidence-based insights from three RCTs on high-dosage tutoring and raising math achievement.

Noman Khanani, Ph.D. and Rachel Tripathy presented causal evidence from Alaska's Individualized Reading Improvement Plan policy.

Raifu Durodoye and George Lolashvili shared "From RCT to QED: Selecting a Matching Strategy When Experimental Data Fall Short."

Lauren White presented a justice-oriented rubric for evaluating structural bias in large language model output.

Mingyu Feng shared "Building Trust in AI-Enhanced Education Tools: A Feasibility Study of an AI-Powered Science Modeling Platform in Diverse Elementary Classrooms," a joint research effort between WestEd and North Carolina State University.

Erin Janulis and Karen Melchior shared "Beyond Fidelity: Using Observation Data to Examine the Potential for Unintended Instructional Impacts in Treatment Classrooms."

Linlin Li shared "Integrating AI Literacy Into Math Education: An Efficacy Study," a joint project between WestEd and The Concord Consortium.

Katie Drummond, with Alida Hudson and Patrick Steele from the American Institutes for Research, shared research on student engagement patterns in middle school social studies classes and their impact on classroom instruction.

Thank you to SREE, Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness for organizing this event!

We're looking forward to discussing key topics related to special education at the 2026 National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) Conference, in San Antonio, Texas, September 28–30.

WestEd experts Julia Hartwig, Susan Hayes, and Nicole Garcia will highlight how states can build durable infrastructure for inclusion and strengthen IDEA implementation.

We'll also be co-presenting with partners from the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, the New Mexico Public Education Department, and the Alabama State Department of Education.

🗓️ Add our sessions to your conference agenda to learn more about our work: https://bit.ly/4rrmbjT

📚 Are you interested in strengthening K–3 reading comprehension? We're excited to introduce you to the new Toolkit for Teaching K–3 Reading Comprehension on Sept 29 at 12 p.m. PT / 3 p.m. ET.

By the end of this upcoming webinar hosted by REL West, you will be able to:

- Understand the toolkit's key components
- Identify evidence-based comprehension practices
- Explore resources for teachers, coaches, and families
- Apply the toolkit in your own classroom

Featured Speakers: Dennis Ciancio (SignalPoint Research), Bejanae Kareem (REL West), and Nell Duke (Stand for Children / University of Michigan)

✅ Sign up here: https://bit.ly/4jkbCNt