Regional Education Laboratory (REL) — Appalachia

Our REL Appalachia team of experts collaborates with schools, local and state departments of education, and other education agencies in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia to improve teaching practices and student outcomes.

Educators, leaders, and policymakers in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia turn to the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Appalachia as a partner in addressing high-leverage needs in education. Our partnerships combine rigorous research with responsive training, coaching, and technical support with practitioner-focused dissemination to ensure that evidence informs practice in a timely manner to benefit students.

Our REL Appalachia experts partner with schools, local and state departments of education, and other education agencies to improve teaching practices and student outcomes by co-designing and conducting:

Applied research studies that address critical questions from the field.
Training, coaching, and technical support, such as workshops and coaching that support the use of data and research to address priorities for teaching and learning.
Dissemination and events that support the understanding and reach of existing research.

REL Appalachia is 1 of 10 RELs funded by the Institute of Education Sciences to support a more evidence-based education system.

Examples of REL Appalachia’s partnerships in each state:

Kentucky

Educators need proven strategies that encourage and support students’ successful transition from high school to postsecondary education programs and careers, particularly for rural students and other historically underserved populations. REL Appalachia is partnering with four rural high schools in eastern Kentucky to select and implement strategies to promote student engagement, achievement, and postsecondary readiness using a continuous improvement process. The collaborative work has enabled school leaders and educators to reflect on their practice and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their strategies.

Tennessee

Educators across the country are discovering the most effective methods for delivering online instruction to students in Grades K through 12. To support these efforts, REL Appalachia is partnering with education leaders in 29 districts in eastern Tennessee to deliver a series of train-the-trainer workshops focused on supporting student engagement in a virtual environment, monitoring student progress and providing feedback, and designing instruction for hybrid models.

Virginia

Mastery of Algebra I is a critical milestone on the path toward graduating from high school with the skills needed for college and careers. REL Appalachia and our partners in Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, and Staunton are committed to improving students’ mathematics outcomes by Grade 9—particularly students of diverse socioeconomic and ethnic/racial backgrounds—so that they are prepared for the higher-level math and science courses needed to graduate from high school and transition successfully to college and careers. Through our partnership, the participating Virginia divisions have built professional learning models for mathematics educators that provide comprehensive support for the use of evidence-based and equity-focused classroom practices.

West Virginia

West Virginia’s statewide Simulated Workplace initiative is designed to expand students’ access to rigorous coursework while also meeting industry needs. REL Appalachia, the West Virginia Department of Education, and school and district stakeholders are partnering to use data to align Simulated Workplace programs with postsecondary and workforce opportunities so that graduates earn well-paying jobs and high-wage employers are encouraged to move to or grow in the state.