newsletter
about the program
WestEd's Policy Center assists policymakers in the Regional Educational Laboratory West's (REL West) four-state region — Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah. The Center provides research-based policy analyses of current trends in education reform, and highlights research developments benefiting children and families.
In addition, the Policy Center keeps members of the U.S. Congress and other key leaders informed of research developments. The Center brings clarity to complex, emerging issues by examining all sides of the debate and presenting objective, research-based views. The Policy Center also communicates research results to members of the media, as needed. Subjects addressed include accountability, class-size reduction, charter schools, and vouchers.
Principal Objectives
- Influence state and national policymakers regarding specific education reform policies and their impact on children and families.
- Conduct policy research, synthesize information, and analyze it along with other related research, focusing on policy implications important to the region. This research culminates in Policy Briefs and research reports, accessible on our resources page.
- Publish and disseminate Policy Perspectives, a series of papers that present external authors' own views and/or research on issues relevant to schools and communities nationwide.
- Respond to direct requests from policymakers for specific, topic-related policy analyses.
- Become a vital and reliable source of information for policymakers and the press.