Today, as we call upon our schools to prepare all children for life success, the need has never been greater for research-based school improvement solutions.
Our mission
Making a difference in the quality of education and learning for all through excellence in applied research, product development, and service.
Our principles
Significance
At McREL, we address "questions that matter," leading to deep and broad positive impact on learning and practice.
Quality
Our work and our approach exemplify the highest professional standards, withstanding critical scrutiny, and exhibiting state-of-the-art practice.
Responsibility
We operate for the public good and are accountable for our work, the way in which we conduct it, and our interactions with clients.
Integrity
We treat our clients with fairness and respect.
Ethics
Our work and our approach reflect fair, just, and compassionate understanding and insight.
Openness
To expand the base of knowledge in education, we regularly communicate key knowledge and learning to external audiences.
At Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL), we draw upon the best of more than four decades of education research to create practical, user-friendly products that help educators create classrooms that provide all students with opportunities for success.
Based in Denver, Colorado, McREL was incorporated in 1966 as Mid-continent
Regional Educational Laboratory, a nonprofit organization created
to help educators in the nation’s heartland bridge the gap between
research and practice.
McREL continues to serve as the Regional Education Laboratory for the Central Region (serving Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming). Through its most recent five-year, $26 million competitive contract, awarded in early 2006, the laboratory will conduct and disseminate research related to the needs of schools in the Central Region. The results of this work are expected to help these schools meet the challenges of the No Child Left Behind Act.
McREL also holds the federal contract for the North Central Comprehensive Center, serving the states of Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
However, our work, funding & clients, and impact now extend well beyond these states. Today, our 100-plus staff members provide a comprehensive package of top-quality school improvement products and services to educators from across the nation, and around the world.
We invite you to explore the pages of this Web site, which offer hundreds of free, downloadable resources and tools.
Our research and development work provides teachers and administrators with valuable information about proven, effective approaches to the challenges in education today. By building on research to solve specific problems, McREL develops widely acclaimed PreK-16 educational products that are used in classrooms nationally and internationally to help educators maximize student learning. Download the McREL 2008 Products and Services Catalogs in PDF format (organized in sections) or view all products online and all services online.
You can view our annual report here.