Upper Midwest Regional Educational Laboratory (Organization)

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of April 1965 (Public Law 89-10) authorized the establishment of regional facilities to address educational problems and issues. The act did not define any regions, thus states were left to themselves to define regions and instigate planning and development.

O. Meredith Wilson, President of the University of Minnesota, directed Vice President Donald K. Smith to head a faculty committee to draft a plan for a regional center at the University of Minnesota. In September 1965 the University invited sixty representatives of Minnesota educational, cultural, business, labor, and agricultural groups to discuss the University's plans. The Prospectus Advisory Committee was formed to develop and submit plans for approval and funding by the United States Office of Education (USOE).

Soon after, the Upper Midwest Region, consisting of North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois, was defined. The Upper Midwest Regional Educational Laboratory (UMREL) was created from the plans begun by the University of Minnesota. The agency was to coordinate communication and cooperation between existing educational agencies and endeavored to promote and encourage "a continuous process of innovation, evaluation, and renewal" in the region's schools. In addition, the laboratory was to focus on educational training, research, and development. In the scope of this collection, it appears that UMREL's primary focus was teacher preparation and experimental curriculum for the K-12 classroom. UMREL staff authored many papers on contingency-based classroom management and behaviorally engineered curriculum and learning environments. UMREL contracted Biomedical Computer Services, Inc. (St. Paul, Minn.) to design and manage computerized data collection and analysis in an effort to monitor student achievement.

On February 9, 1966, a 75-day planning contract between USOE and the University of Minnesota was signed. UMREL was incorporated on April 26, 1966 in Hennepin County, Minnesota. Stanley B. Kegler was chosen as the first project director and Donald K. Smith as UMREL's first chairman of the board. UMREL representatives signed a six-month contract with USOE on May 15, 1966 and the laboratory began operations on June 15 of that year. USOE, as the funding agency, received annual reports and established review panels to monitor UMREL programs and progress.

UMREL's intent to be a coordinating agency was discouraged by USOE, which advised repeatedly that UMREL establish a more focused, interrelated long term plan. In response, UMREL developed a program directed toward "continuing education for teacher competence." Relations between UMREL and USOE remained strained; they could not agree on program goals or research. Review panels determined that UMREL had not made significant progress in either area. When the national education budget was cut, regional laboratories with unsatisfactory reviews lost their funding. On November 5, 1970, USOE notified UMREL that its federal funding had been terminated. The lab operated with federal funding until June 30, 1971.

Information was taken from the collection. A synopsis of UMREL's affairs, History of UMREL 1965-1971, was written by John Mihelic per request of the board of trustees. The paper can be found in box 1 of the collection.

From the guide to the Organizational records., 1965-1971., (Minnesota Historical Society)