News from WCER

Spencer Foundation offers new grant-writing guide

February 8, 2024   |   By WCER Communications

The guide includes chapters about addressing power dynamics, utilizing a strengths-based perspective, articulating rapport, and deciding which Spencer programs are best suited for proposals involving youth and/or community-based collaborations.


Wisconsin teachers and librarians to help create astrophysics learning game

February 5, 2024   |   By WCER Communications

The game development project is a collaboration of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, the Field Day Learning Games Lab in the Wisconsin Center for Education Research at the UW–Madison, and the Wisconsin IceCube Particle Astrophysics Center (WIPAC). This new game will be based on current WIPAC research.


Researcher training opportunity in Chicago on meta-analyses, large-scale syntheses

January 23, 2024   |   By WCER Communications

The deadline to apply for the weeklong summer program is March 31.


New $1.25M Wei LAB project seeks to warm ‘chilly climate’ in STEM for underrepresented

January 10, 2024   |   By Karen Rivedal, WCER Communications

Driven by the goal of improving the country’s ability to solve complex problems, a partnership led by UW–Madison’s Wei LAB will help professional engineering societies apply a newly released international standard on diversity and inclusion. The standard aims to foster STEM disciplinary excellence by supporting fuller engagement of women and racially/ethnically minoritized people in the STEM workforce and academic settings.


Five with School of Education ties named in Madison365’s list of influential Black leaders

January 9, 2024   |   By School of Education Communications

Two WCER honorees are among the five with SoE ties on influential Black leaders' list: Wei LAB's Shawn Anthony Robinson and MSAN Executive Director Latoya Holiday.


WIDA Collaborates to Make English Proficiency Scores Compatible with International Standard

December 12, 2023   |   By WIDA Communications

WIDA MODEL Online, an English language proficiency assessment for students in grades 1–12, can now be understood on a scale used by educators around the world.


Odle Discusses Rise of Direct Admissions on WPR Show

December 5, 2023   |   By WCER Communications

Direct admissions is a practice in which colleges and universities proactively offer admission to students based on existing, readily available data, such as grade point average or standardized test score, rather than requiring formal applications.


MSAN Student Conference Seeks to Create Rich Connections, Seed Equitable School Change

November 8, 2023   |   By Karen Rivedal, WCER Communications

Nearly 200 high school students and their chaperones/advisors from 19 U.S. school districts were in Madison Nov. 1–4 for the 24th annual MSAN Student Conference, presented by the UW–Madison School of Education (SoE) to develop youth leaders focused on ending racial disparities in achievement and opportunity.


Multilingualism is a Superpower: 10 Years of the WIDA Annual Conference

October 27, 2023   |   By WIDA Communications

The WIDA Annual Conference is always a special time because it’s a conference by teachers, for teachers, but this year, it was extra special. It was the 10th WIDA Annual Conference and WIDA’s 20th birthday. More than 1,300 people joined us in Milwaukee to celebrate.


Data In Action: Submit Your Research Bazaar Proposal

October 12, 2023   |   By WCER Communications

The UW–Madison Research Bazaar seeks submissions for lightning talks, posters, interactive discussions, workshops, and an art-meets-science exhibit for its 5th annual event, February 7–8 at the Discovery Building. Proposals are due November 10.


UW–Madison to Lead New National Center Addressing Lack of School Mental Health Providers

September 29, 2023   |   By Karen Rivedal, WCER Communications

Education researchers at UW–Madison will receive $10.4 million in federal funding to create a first-of-its-kind national center to support nearly 300 grants awarded to states, school districts and universities across the country. The grants represent a federal investment of more than $188 million in funded proposals to increase and improve the school mental health workforce amid a national crisis in child and adolescent mental health.



Thomas A. Romberg, Professor Emeritus and Internationally Recognized Leader in Mathematics Education, Dies

September 28, 2023   |   By School of Education Communications

Romberg joined the UW–Madison faculty in 1966 and retired in 2005. Through his almost 40 years on the faculty he became an internationally recognized leader in mathematics education.


WIDA Welcomes Meg Van Voorhis as Chief Educator Learning Officer

September 25, 2023   |   By WIDA Communications

Meg’s appointment to the CELO role marks a significant step forward for WIDA. In creating the CELO position, WIDA elevates the critical importance of professional learning and research in support of educators as the population of multilingual learners continues to grow.


WEC Article Describing Kimball-Arrigoni Study of School Principal Evaluations Published

September 15, 2023   |   By WCER Communications

Wisconsin has required school districts to develop an evaluation system measuring the performance of teachers and principals since 2014.


Applications Open for Academic Staff Professional Development Grants

September 14, 2023   |   By WCER Communications

Applications are now being accepted for the Fall 2023 Academic Staff Professional Development Grant Program. The program is offered to academic staff members who meet the eligibility requirements and hold at least a 50 percent appointment. Grants are for activities between January 1, 2024 and June 30, 2024.