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WestEd.org

@wested.org
211 followers 460 following 265 posts

Helping schools and communities meet the most demanding and enduring challenges in education and human development. Subscribe the WestEd E-Bulletin for timely updates, research, and resources: www.wested.org/subscribe

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WestEd.org @wested.org · 11/07/2026
4/4 WestEd helps states navigate that shift. Read more: www.wested.org/blog/insight... #EducationFinance #StatePolicy 🧵
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What Indiana’s Funding Waiver Means for State Education Finance
Indiana’s ESEA waiver creates new opportunities for state and district leaders to align federal funding with local priorities while maintaining transparency and accountability.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 11/07/2026
3/4 It also brings new questions about keeping funding visibly connected to the students it's meant for. WestEd's Betsy Garcia and Kelsey Krausen cover what this means for state finance leaders.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 11/07/2026
2/4 That flexibility gives leaders more room to direct dollars toward their own priorities, instead of managing each program separately.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 11/07/2026
1/4 More states are gaining approval to pool separate education funding programs into flexible pots. Indiana is the latest, with a new waiver that combines five funding programs into one and pilots similar flexibility for some districts. Thread below 🧵
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 10/07/2026
5/5 What would it look like if your team spent less time on compliance paperwork and more time supporting students? WestEd works with districts and states to help make that shift. Read the full Q&A: www.wested.org/blog/insight... #LCAP #EducationCompliance 🧵
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Local Control, Rising Requirements: What Policymakers Need to Know About the California Public Education Regulatory Environment Now
Learn how California's education regulations have grown over the past decade, what that means for school districts, and how policymakers can reduce compliance burdens.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 10/07/2026
4/5 That gap shows the LCAP isn't reaching the families it was built for. This isn't unique to California either, similar patterns show up in states like New Mexico, Texas, and Utah.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 10/07/2026
3/5 A decade of added rules changed that. The document grew longer and harder to use. Willis found a clear sign of this: people search Google for basic school budget info more often than they search for the LCAP itself.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 10/07/2026
2/5 The result: more time spent on paperwork, less time spent on the work that paperwork was meant to support. The LCAP was designed to be simple, a way for districts to show families how school funding supports students.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 10/07/2026
1/5 WestEd helps districts and states manage complex funding, reporting, and policy requirements. That work led WestEd's Jason Willis to a notable finding: the instructions for California's LCAP grew 800% in word count over the past decade. Thread below 🧵
This image is a promotional graphic for a Q&A with WestEd's Jason Willis. The background is a gradient of blue and green. On the left, text reads: "What Policymakers Need to Know About the California Public Education Regulatory Environment Now." The WestEd logo, featuring "60 YEARS," is at the bottom left. On the right, there is a circular photo of Jason Willis, identified as a Senior Policy Fellow.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 09/07/2026
4/4 The Calculus Project pairs access with support: summer academies, tutoring, and attention to identity and belonging for students of color and students from low-income households. Read the full post: www.wested.org/blog/insight... #MathPathways #AlgebraAccess 🧵
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Questions We Answer: “How can we help more students enter, stay in, and succeed in Calculus?”
Discover three strategies to help more students access and succeed in high school Calculus and open doors to STEM careers.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 09/07/2026
3/4 Texas and North Carolina now auto-enroll students in advanced math based on test scores, so more students start on the advanced path by default, while families still have the choice to select something different.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 09/07/2026
2/4 Utah simplified its high school math sequence into three integrated courses instead of four, giving students more chances to opt into the advanced track along the way.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 09/07/2026
1/4 Getting to high school Calculus usually depends on one thing: whether a student took Algebra 1 in 8th grade. Miss that on-ramp, and the path narrows fast. WestEd's Dr. Drew Nucci looked at what's working to change that. Thread below 🧵
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 08/07/2026
Across all five, WestEd connects research to practice so every reader gets what they need. See all five sessions and register: www.wested.org/event/k-5-la... #ScienceOfReading #ReadingComprehension 🧵
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K–5 Language, Literacy, and Learning Leading Together Webinar Series
Join WestEd’s K–5 Language, Literacy, and Learning Webinar Series for five engaging 30-minute sessions that explore some of the essential building blocks of comprehension.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 08/07/2026
6/6 Aug 20: Beyond Grade Level. Research-backed ways to keep advanced readers growing instead of coasting. With Elizabeth Zagata and Menya Cole.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 08/07/2026
5/6 Aug 6: Reading Comprehension Is More Than Decoding. What comprehension really asks of readers once they can already read the words: background knowledge, vocabulary, inference. With Misty Sailors and Annette Gregg.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 08/07/2026
4/6 Aug 4: Language at the Center. How oral language and vocabulary depth shape a reader's ability to make meaning from complex texts. With Annette Gregg and Rebecca Bates.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 08/07/2026
3/6 July 31: Comprehension Without Compromise. Tiered supports and accommodations that keep rigor in place while removing barriers, so high expectations reach every reader. With Elizabeth Zagata and Menya Cole.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 08/07/2026
2/6 July 23: Language at Work. See how having students write in their own voices builds the academic language skills comprehension depends on. With Dr. Jenell Krishnan and Casey McAlduff.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 08/07/2026
1/6 A student can read a passage fluently and still be developing comprehension. WestEd's summer Leading Together series was built to close that gap, five free 30-minute webinars for teachers, coaches, and literacy leaders. Thread below 🧵
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 07/07/2026
Explore the full suite: www.wested.org/support/lang... #LiteracyLeadership #EdLeadership #LanguageLiteracyLearning
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 07/07/2026
and this suite connects them into one set of services, from needs assessment and plan development to classroom coaching, professional learning, and leadership support. To talk through what this could look like for your district, reach out to Misty Sailors: msailor@WestEd.org.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 07/07/2026
Literacy outcomes depend on more than one kind of support, and WestEd just brought those kinds of support together in one new suite for TK–5 literacy: Language, Literacy, and Learning. Curriculum, coaching, professional learning, and leadership each play a part in how well students learn to read,
A person is sitting on a red bean bag chair, reading a book to a group of children seated on colorful bean bags. Text on the image reads, "Ready to Build a Coherent, Sustainable Literacy System? Work With Us." The logo at the bottom says "WestEd 60 Years.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 07/07/2026
5/5 Elsewhere, a group of young people from across the state is helping guide decisions about mental health support for their peers. Read the full post: bit.ly/4f0ljx1 #SchoolClimate #StudentWellBeing 🧵
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How a Structural Lens Can Help Schools Cultivate Well-Being and Belonging for Students
WestEd experts share practical frameworks and real-world examples to help education leaders cultivate the conditions for student learning and well-being.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 07/07/2026
4/5 One district took a close look at its discipline data, noticed the patterns varied significantly across student groups, and responded by training staff in new approaches that focus on repairing relationships rather than just issuing consequences.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 07/07/2026
3/5 Four conditions for learning: belonging, well-being, safety from harm, and regularly checking what's working. The shift is moving from focusing on the student to focusing on what surrounds them.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 07/07/2026
2/5 The post features insights from Rebeca Cerna, Krystal Wu, and Theresa Pfister, Ph.D., of WestEd's Resilient and Healthy Schools and Communities team. Their approach: focus on the conditions around a student, not just the student.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 07/07/2026
1/5 What makes a school feel like a place where students can actually thrive? WestEd's latest blog post points to four conditions, and none of them start with fixing the student. Thread below 🧵
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 06/07/2026
5/5 Learn more about WestEd's Special Education System Review service: www.wested.org/support/spec... #SpecialEducation #MTSS 🧵
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 06/07/2026
4/5 If your district is seeing signs like stagnant achievement, rising out-of-district placements, or inconsistent practices across schools, WestEd's system reviews help identify the root causes.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 06/07/2026
3/5 That connective work, linking the pieces of a system so they support one another, is at the center of how WestEd approaches lasting improvement.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 06/07/2026
2/5 In a new Q&A, Ballew explains how a special education system review differs from a compliance audit. It asks whether policies, staffing, data, and instruction are working together, not just whether requirements are met.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 06/07/2026
1/5 Persistent challenges are often signs of larger system issues, not isolated problems. That's how Tori Ballew, Program Manager at the Center for Education Systems at WestEd, describes what shows up when schools face things like high rates of restrictive placements or ongoing staffing gaps. 🧵
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 29/06/2026
Both free & virtual. The cohort series requires an application and spots are limited—apply now. Info & registration 👉 bit.ly/4nJevYz #CaliforniaEducation #SchoolClimate #StrongerConnections #CAEducators
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California Stronger Connections Upcoming Events
Explore free 2026 virtual events from WestEd and California Department of Education supporting safe, healthy, and supportive school environments aligned to California Stronger Connections Technical…
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 29/06/2026
Starting Sept 29—Attendance & Connections Network: a 5-part cohort series for teams of 2–3 from CA LEAs, focused on school climate data—collecting & analyzing it in genuine partnership with communities to capture what belonging really looks like.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 29/06/2026
Sept 9 — Wellness Mini-Session: explore Neurographic Art, a meditative drawing practice that uses flowing lines & organic shapes to move from stress into calm. No art experience needed—just time to reconnect before the year ramps up.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 29/06/2026
WestEd & the California Department of Education support that work through the California Stronger Connections Technical Assistance Center (SCTAC). This fall, two free virtual opportunities for California LEAs go deeper.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 29/06/2026
California educators are building something meaningful—schools where students feel safe, connected, and ready to learn. 🧵👇
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 26/06/2026
5/5 Thank you to the partners, state leaders & colleagues who shaped these sessions #StudentAssessment #K12Assessment #Psychometrics #EdMeasurement
A group of six people stands in front of a display banner featuring the WestEd logo and slogan about transforming learning. They are all wearing conference name badges and are standing indoors, with others visible in the background. Lenay Dunn, Lauren White, Sarah Quesen, Jessica Arnold, Bryan Hemberg Matt Silberglitt the WestEd Exhibit Booth
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 26/06/2026
4/5 WestEd's assessment team partners with state & district leaders to develop better supports, systems & tools. If that's work you're navigating, we'd welcome the conversation: bit.ly/4thHdRA
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 26/06/2026
3/4 One theme ran through it all: assessment works best when it generates real insights that inform and improve practice. Turning assessment data into better decisions for student learning is some of the most complex work in education right now.
A group of fifteen people posing together inside a restaurant with a modern interior and large windows. The group stands under hanging lights, and everyone is smiling toward the camera. They appear to be attending a professional gathering or event. Full WestEd Team (missing Danny Torres and Amy Washburn).
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 26/06/2026
2/4 Our experts covered a range of topics, including: ▪️ State leaders from Indiana, California & Arkansas on early literacy screening ▪️ Links between accountability design & school improvement ▪️ AI in assessment—from item-difficulty prediction to generative AI in item development
The image shows Matt Brunetti speaking at a podium during the "National Conference on Student Assessment." A large screen displays the title of a symposium: "From Policy to Practice: A Multi-State Symposium on Early Literacy Screener Implementation," scheduled for June 22, 2026. The screen lists speakers from various educational departments. A logo for CCSSO is visible.Sarah Quesen stands beside a presentation slide at the NCTSA 2026 event. The slide is titled "Responsible AI in Education, Another update" by Sarah Quesen, PhD, MPH, Senior Director of Assessment. The slide features abstract circular designs and the WestEd logo.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 26/06/2026
At #NCSA2026, WestEd led and co-led sessions on strengthening assessment systems, improving the instructional use of data, and how emerging tools are shaping the future of K–12 assessment. As a Gold Sponsor of the event hosted by @CCSSO, here's what we explored 🧵
Mel Wylen, Mitch Herz, both with WestEd, and Benjamin Boer with EdSystems.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 26/06/2026
Read the story → bit.ly/44hCk0u Dig into the full brief → bit.ly/4v4elx7 #YouthHomelessness #EdPolicy
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The Myth Of The Service-Resistant Youth
A new report finds that homeless, migrant, and justice-involved youth are being failed by the systems that are supposed to help them.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 26/06/2026
How can states do a better job connecting kids that are facing homelessness, foster care, migrant moves & the justice system with support? A new WestEd + UCLA brief looks at Colorado & Washington: what's working, and six ways to build on it.
A digital cover image of a report titled, "Highly Mobile Youth: How State Policy and Local Implementation Can Work Together to Support Youth." The cover includes a map with a highlighted central region and smiling children in small circular frames. Logos for American Institutes for Research, WestEd, and UCLA Center for Transformation of Schools are at the bottom.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 25/06/2026
Read the story → bit.ly/44hCk0u Dig into the full brief → bit.ly/4v4elx7 #HighlyMobileYouth #EducationPolicy #SystemsChange
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The Myth Of The Service-Resistant Youth
A new report finds that homeless, migrant, and justice-involved youth are being failed by the systems that are supposed to help them.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 25/06/2026
The brief closes with six practical steps for state leaders—like aligning data definitions and bringing young people into the conversation.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 25/06/2026
Two states, two paths: Colorado builds from local ideas up; Washington leads with state policy. Both are getting things right—and both show where better coordination could reach more students, especially youth who are migrant or justice-involved.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 25/06/2026
That's the question behind a new WestEd & UCLA research brief, "Highly Mobile Youth: How State Policy and Local Implementation Can Work Together to Support Youth." The team talked with 22 leaders and practitioners across Colorado and Washington.
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WestEd.org @wested.org · 25/06/2026
What if young people aren't avoiding services—but navigating systems that make support hard to reach? 🧵👇
A digital cover image of a report titled, "Highly Mobile Youth: How State Policy and Local Implementation Can Work Together to Support Youth." The cover includes a map with a highlighted central region and smiling children in small circular frames. Logos for American Institutes for Research, WestEd, and UCLA Center for Transformation of Schools are at the bottom.
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