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McREL: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning, delivering research and practical guidance to educators
Areas of Expertise

Our Work: Regional Educational Laboratory Contract

REL Central conducts short-term research and development projects. REL Central serves a seven-state region: Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

McREL administers The Central Region Educational Laboratory (REL Central) through a competitive contract awarded from the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences (IES). REL Central conducts a broad portfolio of short-term research and development projects, studying such issues as rural education, special student populations, assessment and accountability, and high schools. In addition, REL Central is conducting three long-term rigorous research studies in the areas of classroom assessment, English language learners, and school improvement.

REL Central serves the seven-state region of Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. It is directed by Dr. Louis Cicchinelli, Executive Vice President of McREL, who is responsible for overseeing, coordinating, and ensuring the quality of the Laboratory's research, technical assistance, and evaluation work.

Subcontractors/Partners:
- ASPEN Associates
- Borealis Consulting
- Inverness Research Associates
- Magnolia Consulting
- Rosenblum Brigham Associates

McREL, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization based in Denver, Colorado, has successfully competed, every five years, for the regional laboratory program for more than 40 years: since the inception of the program in 1966.

The focus of the Regional Laboratories has changed over the years as the needs of states, districts, and schools have changed and the thinking about how to address them matured. The laboratories are currently tasked with conducting scientifically based research and developing research-based solutions to state and local needs to help schools and districts implement the provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act.

For more information about the Central Region Educational Laboratory administered at McREL, contact Dr. Cicchinelli at 303.632.5509, or send a message.

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RCT studies

REL Central is conducting three multi-year, scientifically based research studies involving randomized control trials (RCTs):

The purpose of these studies is to provide objective, quantitative data regarding the effectiveness of these programs, which can in turn guide educators in selecting appropriate professional development and school improvement plans for their schools

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Fast Response Studies

In addition to conducting scientifically based research studies, REL Central is also conducting several “fast response” studies. These studies are twelve months or less in duration, and rely on existing research or data sets in order to provide educators and policymakers with research-based guidance on pressing problems and issues. The studies underway at REL Central are:

Access to Supplemental Services in the Central Region. This descriptive study on supplemental education services (SES) programs within REL Central’s seven-state Central Region service area describes the number and characteristics of eligible Title I schools — that is, schools required to offer SES to their low-income students — and the number and participation rates of eligible students.  In addition, this study provides descriptive information to state policymakers and technical assistance providers about recruitment, certification, and monitoring of providers of supplemental services. Expected release date: June 2007

Classroom (Formative) Assessment and NCLB. The passage of NCLB has led to increased testing, increased use of assessment results for educational decision making, and increased stakes associated with the results. NCLB has increased the emphasis on summative assessments, assessments used to measure what students have learned at the end of instruction. The prevalence of all forms of assessment in education, however, brings into focus a need for a better understanding of the relationship between assessments in the classroom and the high-stakes summative assessments required by NCLB. This report centers on assessments that are used to measure and support learning while it is happening the classroom, often referred to as formative assessment.

Factors Associated with High-Performing High Schools. This study will identify factors related to the success of high-needs high schools. The project will employ a non-experimental, quantitative study design, using data from the national Schools and Staffing Survey.

Helping Struggling High School Students Succeed. Within the seven states served by REL Central, educators have requested access to scientifically valid research on practices and policies for teaching diverse groups of students at the high school level. The purpose of this study is to identify such evidence-based practices; specifically, those intended to help high school teachers teach struggling readers, including disabled students and students reading at least two levels below grade level.

High School Standards and Expectations for College and the Workplace. REL Central set out to ask whether the seven states in its region (Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming) expect all high school students to obtain the knowledge and skills identified as important for success in college and the workplace. Click here to download the resulting report, High School Standards and Expectations for College and the Workplace.

Preparing Teachers to Teach in Rural Schools. This project examines how regional teacher preparation programs prepare students for service in rural locations. This is a descriptive study that will be based on data collected from the websites of rural teacher preparation programs and follow-up interviews with program representatives.

Preparing Teachers to Teach Linguistically Diverse Students. This project examines how states in the Central Region are preparing pre-service teachers to teach English Language Learners (ELLs). This descriptive study is based on data collected from documents of regional colleges and universities.

Regional High School Dropout and Completion Rates. This project uses national formulas to identify the rates of high school dropout and completion in the Central Region, as well as the characteristics of students who drop out. This descriptive study is based on data collected from the Common Core of Data and education literature databases.

Standards for Learning in the 21st Century. This study will identify which non-academic skills are commonly valued and how these skills can be implemented within standards-based education. This descriptive study is based on national and international standards documents that identify expectations held for graduating high school students.

State Assessment Systems: What States Need to Know. This project identifies challenging components of state assessment systems for the Central Region states. The project describes NCLB requirements as they influence state assessment systems and identifies topics for guiding SEA discussions.

Strategies for Native American Parental Involvement. This study is intended to address the achievement gap between Native American and other students by examining school strategies that have encouraged Native American families to get involved in their children’s education as well as by identifying barriers to involvement. This project will primarily use focus groups to determine how Native American parents view involvement and identify the barriers to involvement.

Strategies for Recruitment and Retention of Rural Secondary Teachers. This study compares the recruitment and retention practices of secondary-level rural schools that have been successful in recruiting and retaining teachers with those that have not. For this  descriptive study, REL Central staff will analyze extant data and interview school personnel to highlight ways in which rural districts in the Central Region have been able to recruit teachers to teach in their schools and to keep those teachers in the district.

As each of these projects is completed, reports detailing the Laboratory’s findings will be posted on the Regional Educational Laboratory Network site, http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/

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National Laboratory Network

REL Central and nine other Regional Educational Laboratories form the National Laboratory Network. As part of this network, REL Central continually works with other laboratories in the spirit of cooperation, collaboration, and coordination. To this end, REL Central coordinates applied research and development projects when opportunities arise, conducts joint training and other initiatives, shares materials, and collaborates with other laboratories on issues of common interest. Members of this network also combine resources for mutually beneficial efforts when appropriate, and work together on broad-based Laboratory dissemination efforts.

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Reference Desk

  • Do you have a question about education research?
  • Do you need help finding research on a particular topic?
  • Do you need to locate a federal service provider that can help your state, district, or school address an education challenge?

If so, the REL Central’s Reference Desk is here to help.

Our knowledgeable reference librarians assist educators and policymakers in the Central Region states of Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming identify and acquire appropriate research and research-based guidance on a whole array of topics.

If you’re from a state outside of the REL Central region, we’ll be happy to help you contact the appropriate regional laboratory for your state.

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Contact our reference desk

1-800-781-0156

RELCentral@mcrel.org