As a leading national research organization, we are at the forefront of addressing the most difficult and deeply entrenched systemic challenges in education and human development.
Based on our rigorous standards for excellence and commitment to high-quality research and evaluation, we create pioneering solutions that transform how practitioners use and apply evidence.
Our work informs the critical decisions of policymakers, practitioners, and the public in educational, health, justice, and workforce systems at all levels. We equip clients with empirical, actionable knowledge and cutting-edge insights.
Our broad base of clients and partners include federal and state agencies, philanthropic foundations, universities, and school districts, as well as businesses that use technology to advance learning and whole-person well-being.
We operate federally funded research and development centers that develop actionable, research-based tools and guidance and refine solutions in collaboration with practitioners.
Our Approach
“WestEd team members are skilled researchers in all aspects of program evaluation. They are innovative and insightful and bring so much value to what we do.”
—Adriana Cervantes-González
EdD, Tulare County Office of Education
When you work with us, you gain a partner with deep expertise in research methods and an understanding of your specific contexts and needs in a wide range of fields including education, justice and prevention, and human development.
Partners trust our collaborative approach, our commitment to protecting confidentiality and data using advanced security and privacy systems, and our interdisciplinary, unbiased, and equitable research methodologies that draw upon culturally responsive principles and practices.
We work with our partners to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the products and services that advance best practices in teaching, learning, and community well-being.
We conduct research and evaluation studies that meet the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) review standards and the highest Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) evidence levels.
Connecting Research and Practice
WestEd connects research and practice across many domains and stages of our work, from building evidence to offering services that apply our research and evaluating the effectiveness of programs and interventions.
We lead premier Research Practice Partnerships with educators—from state and local decision-makers to district and school practitioners—to provide research and analytic support.
We combine our research and evaluation skills with our knowledge of professional learning, leadership, and organizational change to provide accurate, relevant, and useful evidence-based insights for clients.
Our research generates new knowledge and evidence for the field using a broad range of methodologies—including mixed-methods studies, randomized controlled trials, efficacy and replication studies, quasi-experimental designs, case studies, and systematic reviews.
Our experts help partners leverage nonpartisan research findings to inform decision-making and improve systems, policies, and practices that advance equity and excellence on various topics across K–12, early learning, health, human development, and other systems.
We conduct independent, high-quality evaluations tailored to our clients’ needs and contexts. Our collaborative, equity-focused approach ensures that clients receive relevant recommendations and useful insights related to programs, policies, and initiatives.
How We Help
Explore the following resources that demonstrate our areas of expertise and see the full library of our research and evaluation portfolio.
We work with clients to formulate questions, identify relevant research, conduct reviews, and make recommendations for practice based on findings.
We conduct research studies ranging from descriptive to impact studies—including case studies and quantitative analyses—to provide educators with a detailed analysis of current conditions that can help determine how best to address a problem.
Our impact studies range from large, school-based trials to more rapid, small-scale studies and use state-of-the-art techniques to make practical contributions to professional practice and advance theoretical understanding of what works and how.
We partner with developers and educational agencies to conduct research and development (R&D) cycles that draw on our expertise in cognitive and learning sciences, technology, and classroom teaching experience through our partnerships. We design and execute research studies that provide feedback during the development cycle and meet funder requirements for evidence of usability, feasibility, fidelity of implementation, and promise.
To equip you in making informed decisions about policy development or program enhancement, expansion, and sustainability, we conduct independent, third-party evaluations of implementation and outcomes using methods—summative, formative, or mixed—appropriate to the local context.
To support evidence-based decision-making, we offer tools and learning opportunities—including interactive workshops, ongoing technical assistance, and customized coaching.
We facilitate learning networks for organizations to learn with and from each other, whether as a set of schools or as a complex, collective impact network of social service and educational agencies.
Among other approaches, we use Improvement Science methods that incorporate rapid cycles of inquiry to help members define shared goals, establish measurement systems, collect and analyze data, select and implement interventions, and reflect on progress over time.
Who We Work With
Community organizations
Ed-tech companies and other businesses
Foundations
State agencies
Nonprofit organizations
Schools and districtsInsights & Impact
