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About the REL Program

REL Midwest is part of a network of ten regional educational laboratories funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences (IES). Each REL serves a designated region of the country and focuses on the national priority of helping states and districts use data and analysis to address important policy and practice issues with the goal of improving student outcomes. REL Midwest serves the educational needs of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. American Institutes for Research (AIR) administers REL Midwest.

What We Do

REL Midwest helps districts and schools systematically use their data systems; conducts and supports high-quality research and evaluation; and assists educational practitioners and policymakers to incorporate data-based inquiry practices into their decision making. Four priority areas emerged from a variety of needs-sensing activities across the Midwest. Underlying all of them is the need for better understanding and use of the application of data. Our work focuses on the following areas:

  • College and career readiness
  • Early childhood education
  • Educator effectiveness
  • Low-performing schools and school improvement

Adding a new dimension to REL work are research alliances that are intended to drive research, evaluation, technical assistance, and dissemination strategies.

Resources

Publications, technical assistance, and events are all part of REL Midwest’s service menu. If what you need is outside our scope of work or area of expertise, we’ll put you in touch with an appropriate provider. Here are some of the federally funded resources available to you now or coming soon: