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Overview
Purpose
The purpose of the Pacific Regional Educational Laboratory is to
support the efforts of Pacific region entities, districts, schools,
communities, institutions of higher education, and others to develop
high-performing learning communities in the Region that are characterized
by the following principles:
- Shared Vision that links student learning
to high standards;
- Supportive Organizational Structure that organizes
space, time, and resources to maximize student learning;
- Challenging Curriculum and Engaged Student
Learning that reflects high standards in all content areas and
high expectations for all students' learning;
- Learning Communities that promote a culture
that is supportive of continuous improvement by students, teachers
and other adults; and
- Proactive Community Relations that encourage
schools to become not only a community resource, but a place where
parents and community members are active participants in student
learning and in the life of the school.
Approach and Design
Two problems that are perceived as major issues to educators in
the Pacific region will be specifically addressed through the REL
contract:
- Problem 1: In the Pacific, significant numbers
of students are not reading independently in either English or
their home language by the end of third grade.
- Problem 2: Low-performing schools in the Region
have difficulty improving student learning in part because they
lack adequate or appropriate assessment systems and accountability
processes.
PREL will work intensively
with a small group of school communities to support them in addressing
these problems. Thirteen Co-Development Partner Schools, at least
one elementary school in each entity, will be identified to serve
as research and development sites for the project. PREL will work
collaboratively with these schools to address specific needs and
generate site-based solutions to enable the schools to become high-performing
learning communities. Over a five-year period—from December
1, 2001 to November 30, 2005—school and classroom products
and procedures related to reading and language mastery, assessment
and accountability systems, professional development, and school
renewal will be developed, tested, revised as needed, and disseminated.
Approximately 25 Collaborative Partner Schools will also be identified
to serve as pilot sites to determine the efficacy of the strategies,
practices, and materials that are developed at the Co-Development
Partner School sites.
Impact
The following outcomes are expected as a result of the REL contract:
- The schools serving as Co-Development Partner
Schools will make evident and significant progress towards becoming
high-performing learning communities. In particular, student achievement
in the area of reading will improve at these sites;
- Schools designated as Collaborative Partner
Schools will demonstrate increased capacity to make progress towards
becoming high-performing learning communities;
- Content and pedagogical skills and expertise
possessed by teachers will increase substantially;
- Educators and community members in the Region
will have access to substantial amounts and kinds of information
about the nature of high-performing learning communities;
- Significant work will be accomplished throughout
the Region in establishing policy and accountability systems to
support the development and maintenance of high-performing learning
communities; and
- Appropriate assessment systems and accountability
processes will have been established in Co-Development and Collaborative
Partner Schools.
National Leadership Area
While each laboratory will conduct program development, applied
research, and dissemination and technical assistance focusing on
specific regional challenges, each will also develop a "national
leadership" area that focuses on a particular education policy
issue. PREL's national leadership area is Curriculum and Instruction
Related to Reading and Language Mastery.
Contact Information
The Regional Educational Laboratory is under the leadership of Dr.
Tom Barlow, Program Director. For information about REL activities,
contact:
Pacific Resources for Education and Learning
REL
900 Fort Street Mall, Suite 1300
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: (808) 441-1300
Fax: (808) 441-1385
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Last updated June 6, 2005
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