As we initiated relationships with stakeholders, REL Southeast met with the Chief State School Officer and/or the designated representative in each of the southeastern states to explore the needs of the state. In addition, we met with key education stakeholder groups to explore needs of their clients and to identify additional groups that could offer input. These meetings provided information about priority needs and current educational initiatives in each of the southeastern states. Comparisons of the stakeholder information to recent state data, reports by the regional educational laboratories and the Southern Regional Educational Board, led to identification of common needs across states. This information guides the research REL Southeast conducts and also guides the methods of how to provide information about the research to education and public stakeholders in the southeast.
Needs:
While the primary need in all states is to improve student achievement toward meeting high academic standards and preparation for college and careers, four priority areas emerged. These are:
- Improving Low-Performing Schools
- Implementing Rigorous Academic Standards
- Assessing and Improving the Quality of Charter Schools
- Improving Literacy