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Recent WERA Awards Recipients

WERA Product Award 

Cultivate Learning, at University of Washington College of Education
Product: Implementation Development Map (IDM)
Summary: The Implementation Development Map (IDM) is a process-oriented tool designed to help state leaders implement high-quality equitable prekindergarten (pre-k) systems and practices that produce equitable early learning opportunities for every child. The IDM can be used to describe, assess, prioritize, plan, and measure implementation of state pre-k policies and infrastructure along seven Elements essential to equitable high-quality pre-k: professional development, research-based curriculum, formative child assessment, high-quality teaching, data-driven decision-making, instructional leadership, and political leadership. Learn more here. 

 

WERA Research Award

Dr. Randi Freeman
Research Project: Using the Danielson Framework to evaluate the teachers of English language learners in Washington State: A mixed methods study.
Summary: By using questionnaires, textual analysis and live interviews with administrators, Dr. Freeman’s research highlights the shortcomings of using the Danielson Framework for Teaching to accurately assess the quality of ELL Teachers.

 

WERA Distinguished Paper Award 

Soojin Oh Park and Nail Hassairi
Paper Title: What predicts legislative success of early care and education policies?: Applications of machine learning and Natural Language Processing in a cross-state early childhood policy analysis (2021)
Summary: We all know that early childhood educational programs are the best investment this country can make in education.  There is a large body of research supporting this claim; however, what good are quality early learning programs if the legislature will not fund them?  These two researchers address this important question and demonstrate how we may be able to use big data to predict which early childhood state legislation will be most likely to pass into law. Read the entire paper here.

 

Art Maser Service Award 
Paul Stern
Paul has been an active member of WERA for 21 years.  In that time, he has served four years on the WERA board as a member at large and a cycle as president. He launched and currently manages the WERA-Connect listserv, served on conference planning committees, and presented at many conferences. Paul has worked as a “Data Strategist” on the research, evaluation, and assessment team for eleven years in Vancouver, Washington.  Among other tasks, he enjoys developing predictive models to facilitate the design of strategic interventions. 

 

Gordon B. Ensign, Jr. Service Award 

Greg Lobdell
In 2000 Greg co-founded the Center for Educational Effectiveness (CEE) which works with countless districts in WA (including mine) and focuses on improving student outcomes through organizational effectiveness and improving the professional culture of schools and districts. Greg served many roles at CEE where he is currently the Chief Research Officer.  However, starting this year, he will begin to enjoy his retirement.  Congratulations on reaching this next amazing chapter of life, Greg!