McREL International Professional Development

McREL International has been at the forefront of education research and professional development since its founding in 1966 as one of the United States' original nonprofit, nonpartisan Regional Educational Laboratories. For nearly six decades, McREL has helped teachers, principals, and school leaders improve instruction and student outcomes through evidence-based professional learning, coaching, and consulting. The organisation's research-to-practice approach is exemplified by publications such as 'The New Classroom Instruction That Works,' which synthesises the best research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. McREL's professional development offerings centre on their collaborative, asset-based approach to school and system improvement, including their Balanced Leadership framework that identifies the specific leadership actions research shows support teacher efficacy, student achievement, and schoolwide improvement. In 2025, McREL evolved its operations, merging research and programme evaluation capabilities into NORC at the University of Chicago and integrating professional learning programmes, resources, and school improvement consulting into Education Service Center Region 13 in Austin, Texas—ensuring that McREL's decades of research-based practice continues to reach educators nationwide.