This document summarizes two half-day events held in December 2009, sponsored by Regional Educational Laboratory West (REL West) in partnership with the California Comprehensive Center, that focused on issues related to understanding evidence-based strategies for improving adolescent literacy.

Audiences for the December 3rd event included attendees at the Secondary Literacy Summit IX, an annual conference for administrators, teachers, literacy coaches, and others concerned with improving the literacy levels of middle and high school students.

The December 4th event was hosted for California Department of Education staff who met to expand their knowledge and understanding of evidence-based strategies for improving adolescent literacy.

Part of a U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences (IES) initiative to bring evidence to practice, the event focused on the four recommended practices featured in Adolescent Literacy: Effective Classroom and Intervention Practices, one in a series of practice guides published by IES, and on related resources on the Doing What Works website.

Participants had multiple opportunities to discuss research findings and website resources and to consider how they could be applied to their work with districts and schools.

The event proceedings report includes background context, summaries of the presentations at each event, key ideas and examples shared by participants, common concerns and next steps that emerged, and additional resources related to the event topic.

Information about the REL system and other REL publications can be found at the National Regional Educational Laboratory Program website.