A conference announcement for WestEd at AERA & NCME 2026. Includes logos for AERA, NCME, and WestEd. Located in Los Angeles, California, from April 8–12, 2026, with a city skyline and mountains illustration in the background.

WestEd is looking forward to connecting with some of our nation's leading education researchers, scholars, and practitioners next week at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) meetings.

Our #AERA2026 sessions: bit.ly/41KnVsp

The image promotes the NURTURES program benefits, highlighting improvements in student achievement in science and teacher confidence. It features a child engaging in a science activity. The NURTURES logo, depicting a tree with colorful icons, is included. A link to more information is provided: nurturesprogram.com/eir.

NURTURES at the University of Toledo, an award-winning STEM-focused research-based program, is raising the bar on children’s achievement in science, math and reading. Learn more about how we’re partnering with 2nd and 3rd classrooms in Georgia here: nurturesprogram.com/eir/
#Science #EarlyEd

Promotional graphic for the Nurtures impact study. Text reads: "Calling all Georgia 2nd–3rd grade teachers! Join the 2026–2028 Nurtures impact study. Join an info session!

NURTURES at the University of Toledo is an award-winning STEM-focused research-based program that is raising the bar on children’s achievement in science, math and reading.

➡️ Learn more about how we’re partnering with 2nd and 3rd classrooms in Georgia here: nurturesprogram.com/eir/

E-Bulletin A group of people having a discussion around a table, with the WestEd logo and the words "60 Years" in the bottom left corner. To the right is a thumbnail image of the digital PDF bulletin.

Leaders: Ready to drive school and district transformation? The latest @wested.org E-Bulletin highlights effective strategies to lead sustainable, systemwide change.

📖 Subscribe and read it here: bit.ly/4bCXquN

Mary Schmida and Erica Silva standing in front of the CABE 2026 Conference banner, which features the Golden Gate Bridge and a cable car illustration.

Sharon Saez, Gabriela Uro, and Annette Gregg are standing in front of a WestEd banner at a CABE. They are smiling and wearing ID badges. The banner includes phrases about transforming learning and practice for the future.

Jose Franco smiling in front of a WestEd banner that reads "Thriving Learners, Empowered Communities."

Erica Silva and partners standing in front of a presentation screen displaying the text: "Partnering for Multilingual Learner Excellence: Alisal Union and WestEd’s VITAL.” They are in a conference meeting room.

We've had a wonderful time at the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) Annual Conference, connecting with educators and leaders dedicated to supporting multilingual learners!

Heading to @sxswedu.com 2026? 🚀 Join @wested.org experts on March 9 for a hands-on workshop on designing inclusive #math #EdTech that centers identity, culture, and belonging. Participate in a collaborative design challenge and earn CPE credit for attending! bit.ly/4u2svzg

To fix student absenteeism, schools must support families first | Youth Today With chronic absenteeism still 50% above pre-pandemic levels, schools are using ineffective punitive or reward-based strategies instead of family supports.

“Families are the backbone of student success. When they have real support, students are more likely to show up [and] engage in learning,” WestEd experts Jonathan Nakamoto and Ashley Boal wrote in a new Youth Today article. Read more about an innovative approach to improve attendance: bit.ly/4rcpkSW

Join WestEd at the 2026 SXSW EDU Conference & Festival, March 9–12, in Austin, Texas Join WestEd at SXSW EDU 2026 in Austin for a hands-on workshop on designing inclusive math EdTech that centers identity, culture, and belonging.

Heading to #SXSWEDU2026? Join WestEd experts on March 9 for a hands-on workshop on designing inclusive math EdTech that centers identity, culture, and belonging. ✨ Participants can earn CPE credit for attending.

➡️ Workshop details: bit.ly/4b3Wluw

Kudos to all who shared their research and deepened their knowledge to bring back to their communities. 🤩 Interested in building or strengthening computer science education programs? Learn how WestEd partners with leaders and educators to advance CS learning: bit.ly/4cgD7UT

Aleata also discussed creating and sustaining research–practice partnerships (RPPs) in computer science education.

Elysse Caballero and Portia Morrell, Research & Innovation Program Manager at CSTA, in conversation.

Aleata Hubbard Cheuoua, Senior Research Scientist, alongside our Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) partners Linnea Logan and Bryan Twarek, led a session focused on developing peer mentoring programs for K–12 CS teachers.

Elysse Caballero, Research Assistant, presented her poster, "Informal Learning in Computer Science," highlighting after-school programs and summer camp environments that help broaden participation in computing.

Elysse Caballero stands smiling next to a large poster titled "Informal Learning in Computer Science" at a conference. The poster is mounted on a display board in a convention center hall.

Aleata Hubbard Cheuoua, Linnea Logan, and Bryan Twarek sit at a round table, engaged in a card game. They are smiling and appear to be enjoying the activity.

Elysse Caballero and Portia Morrell are standing in front of a research poster at a conference. Portia is gesturing towards the poster, while the other listens attentively. The room is filled with other attendees and posters in the background.

Aleata Hubbard Cheuoua and participants sitting around a circular table in a conference room. One person has a laptop open in front of them. The room has plain beige walls and patterned carpeting.

WestEd's Learning and Technology team members enjoyed sharing and connecting with peers at the Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE) 2026 Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education!

Weekend Listen 🎧 Tune into the @educateall.bsky.social podcast featuring Dr. Molly Faulkner-Bond who discusses the research and work of centering multilingual learners with the most complex language and learning profiles.

Are you an educator looking for research-backed strategies to deliver high-quality #STEM instruction to every learner? 🔭 To learn more, join @wested.org and Northern Arizona University experts for this interactive webinar *tomorrow* at 12:00pm PT/3:00 pm ET. Register here: bit.ly/40linUz

Three individuals are standing together in front of a display banner for WestEd, which includes the slogan "Thriving Learners, Empowered Futures." They are in a professional setting, wearing conference badges, and smiling at the camera.

This image shows two people standing together and smiling in front of a large poster. The poster is for the National ESEA Distinguished Schools, selected for 2025. It displays logos and the words "Congratulations" and "National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators." The setting appears to be a conference room.

Four people are smiling and standing together at a WestEd booth in a convention center. The booth features a display with educational materials and a blue backdrop with the WestEd logo and tagline. Various brochures are visible on tables around them.

Leslie Hamburger stands at a podium presenting a slideshow titled "Domains of Teacher Expertise" with a diagram labeled "Domains of Teacher Expertise" at a WestEd event. Another person is seated at a table on the stage.

It’s been a busy and energizing few days at the National ESEA Conference! Kudos to the WestEd teams and copresenters for sharing research and insights connected to this year’s theme, Cultivating Communities for Student Success ✨

The image features the words "Teaching Math" repeated twice in bold letters. A blue plus sign replaces the "T" in "Teaching," and a red triangle replaces the "A" in "Math." A vertical yellow ruler is incorporated into the design.

Drew Nucci, @wested.org #MathEd and AI researcher, explores social connections to math and using Generative AI to solve problems that we care about. Hear more on the Teaching Math Teaching Podcast: bit.ly/3OssLHp

Peter Mangione stands at a podium speaking to a seated audience in a conference room. Four panelists sit to the left of the podium.

A panel of six individuals sits on a stage engaged in discussion at the PITC conference, with people seated and listening in the foreground. The room has white walls and a decorated mirror. The setting is formal, with microphones and notes visible.

Catherine Goins is speaking at a podium with a sign that reads "PITC 40." The audience is seated and listening. The room has mirrors and elegant decor, with flowers near the stage.

Arlene Paxton is addressing a seated audience at an indoor event. A large screen displays the "PITC: Program for Infant-Toddler Care 40 years" logo. The room is well-lit and guests are seated at round tables.

What an inspiring celebration! 🎉 The PITC 40th Anniversary Conference brought together passionate early childhood professionals to honor 40 years of relationship-based, responsive care for children ages 0–3.

Huge thanks to everyone who attended to honor PITC's legacy and look toward the future!

Promotional image for WestEd at Head Start California's 2026 Annual Conference, detailing the event dates, February 9-13, 2026, in Ontario, California. Nine portraits of conference participants are displayed. The WestEd logo is visible at the bottom right.

Join WestEd at Head Start California’s 2026 Annual Conference, Feb 9–13!

@wested.org presenters will lead sessions on the Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC), AI, assessment, and family engagement.

👋 Come visit us at Booth #36!

New CA Healthy Kids Survey data show a statewide decline in student suicidality since 2018.

Register for a virtual session on Feb 5 from 9:30–10:30 am PT to explore trends and promising strategies for supporting student mental health with San Diego County Office of Education: bit.ly/4bRHHqj

We talk a lot about problem-solving with AI in education. But what about problem-finding? 💭 Our latest blog explores why problem-finding matters for learning with AI and what early research says about how to teach this foundational skill: bit.ly/4rp6F7c

Data shows that 1 in 4 children have their own smartphones by age 8. Check out this @edweek.org article about how one district is centering extracurricular activities, some of which include using technology, to help students connect and feel a sense of belonging at their school site.

Considering how to use technology to support postsecondary student learning? Join a 30-min virtual info session about a new REL Northwest Toolkit designed to help #HigherEd institutions use tech intentionally on January 29 @ 12:00pm PT: bit.ly/4beDWNq

We are proud to share a new case study on how states can support highly mobile students, the result of a rich collaboration with the UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools.

🔎 Explore the case study and let us know in the comments what resonates most with you!

💡 How can we ensure that students with disabilities in reading thrive in content-area classrooms? In this @wested.org Leading Together webinar, WestEd experts share practical strategies for educators to ensure literacy success across the disciplines: bit.ly/4iWlIC1

#Reading #InclusiveClassrooms

Friction by Design: Centering Learning in the Age of AI In this webinar, WestEd experts introduce Friction by Design, a framework for using AI intentionally to enhance learning. Drawing on research and classroom experience, presenters will share ways to ba...

Join @wested.org digital fluency experts to explore how thoughtful integration of AI can amplify students’ agency, collaboration, and sense-making without diminishing the essential struggle that makes learning stick.

⭐ Register for this upcoming webinar on 12/11 at 12pm PT: bit.ly/49W8jri

Promotional banner for Stronger Connections Virtual Events featuring a group of students and a teacher around a laptop, with text about building safe, supportive school communities in California. Includes logos for WestEd and the California Department of Education. A 'Register Now' button is also visible.

What does authentic engagement look, sound, and feel like in middle school classrooms? 🎒

Attend the "The Heart of Learning: Shifting Engagement Practices for Middle School Success" webinar on 12/11 to find out! bit.ly/4pjVQlT

#SchoolClimate #MiddleSchool #StudentVoice

As we mark 40 years of providing responsive, relationship-based care, we invite you to celebrate with us at our upcoming event “Celebrating the Early Years: PITC 40th Anniversary Conference,” Feb. 2–4, 2026. 🎉 View conference speakers, activities, and save your spot today! bit.ly/4pAAxgp

Questions We Answer: How Can Education Leaders Choose High-Quality Online Professional Learning for Math Teaching and Learning? What makes online professional development for math teachers effective? Math education expert Ashli-Ann Douglas offers practical guidance for education leaders.

How can education leaders choose high-quality online professional learning for math teaching and learning? 💭 @wested.org Research Associate Ashli-Ann Douglas shares key ingredients and six practical considerations in a new "Questions We Answer" blog post: bit.ly/3XuWp0b

#MathEd #Curriculum