Areas of Expertise
McREL’s research, product development, and services offer a wide selection of solutions on timely education issues. Our broad expertise allows us to offer clients a comprehensive array of services designed to improve schools and increase student achievement.
Afterschool
programs
As a partner on a three-year, $9.6 million federal project to study
and promote improvement in more than 1,600 federally funded after-school
programs, McREL provides training and technical assistance to afterschool
program staff in a 14-state region. In addition, we offer technical
assistance and professional development to afterschool staff from across
the country.
Education
and public outreach
McREL integrates expertise in standards-based education
and effective classrooms to develop multi-media classroom curricula.
We help a broad range of clients—including NASA, Lockheed Martin, and PBS—translate
complex content into engaging, innovative materials that are aligned
with standards and reflect rigorous research on teaching and learning. In
addition, we help our clients implement creative public outreach strategies
to disseminate their curricula to students, teachers, and the general
public.
Future of education
Through presentations across the country and the release of a 2005
publication titled, The Future of Schooling: Educating America
in 2014, McREL is helping educators and policymakers engage in
strategic planning using an innovative and proven process called “scenario
planning.”
Instruction
McREL is a nationally recognized leader in the field of instruction,
using research findings to create best-selling manuals, such as Classroom
Instruction that Works. In 2006, we published through our partner,
the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD),
a new book in this series, titled Classroom Instruction that Works
for English Language Learners. Drawing upon this knowledge base
around the unique needs of these students, our experts lead workshops
and provide technical assistance to help educators create more effective
classrooms.
Leadership
McREL has become a nationally recognized leader in the area of school
leadership. In 2005, we published, through ASCD, findings from a major
research study on effective principals as School Leadership that
Works: From Research to Results. In 2006, we added to this knowledge
base with the release of a research report titled, School District Leadership
that Works: The Effect of Superintendent Leadership on Student Achievement. McREL
provides professional development based on these findings for school
leaders from across the nation.
Literacy
Since 1998, McREL has distributed more than 300,000 copies of our Teaching
Reading in the Content Areas series of manuals through
our partner, ASCD, and offered related workshops to schools and
districts across the nation. McREL has also developed early literacy
measurement and teaching techniques built on 30 years of the best
research in the field. Our Scaffolding
Early Literacy Program is used in early childhood programs
across the nation, including programs funded by the highly competitive
federal Early Reading First grant program.
Mathematics & science
McREL’s
mathematics and science education experts provide research-based, practical
tools designed to improve teaching and learning in mathematics and science
classrooms. Our Mathematics
Leadership Institute program supports district-wide efforts
to improve mathematics teaching and learning, while our Designing
Effective Science Lessons workshops and manuals provide educators
with research-based strategies for increasing student engagement and
achievement in science.
Research & evaluation
McREL offers comprehensive research and evaluation services that
help our clients examine program implementation, guide mid-course corrections,
and analyze overall program effectiveness. Our researchers and evaluators
have experience in conducting scientifically based research and evaluation
studies on education programs, products, and policies in many areas.
School improvement
In 2005, McREL finalized development of Success in Sight,
a focused, yet comprehensive approach to school improvement that is
based on 40 years of research on effective schools. We are currently
providing this program to schools in Missouri, North Carolina, and
Tennessee.
Standards
analysis & development
McREL is well-known for its work in standards development, starting
with our nationally
recognized database of K–12 content standards and related tools.
McREL consultants also work with educators across the nation and the
world to review, revise, or develop new standards; prioritize standards
to ensure balanced and realistic curricula; and integrate performance
standards into classroom instruction.
Technology integration
McREL helps schools maximize their technology resources to support
effective instruction and improved student learning. The McREL
Technology Solutions program helps schools and districts take
a systemic approach to using technology to improve student outcomes.
Our Online Learning Communities program
provides educators with ongoing, intensive, Web-based professional
development to help them improve their instruction and use of technology
in the classroom. And, our technology
audit services help school leaders ensure that their technology
investments have a positive effect on student learning.