The Far West Laboratory for Educational Research and Development (FWL) was established in 1966, as one of the 20 original Regional Educational Laboratories funded by the United States Congress and charged with "bridging the gap between research and practice." Between 1986 and 1995, FWL developed teacher cases to improve teacher education and effectiveness in the classroom. The lab's work in this area was on the cutting edge of what has been called a "quiet revolution in teacher education." In 1995 FWL merged with the Southwest Regional Educational Laboratory (SWRL) to form WestEd.