Focus on Evidence-based Education

In recent years more and more attention has been devoted to improving the quality of research and evaluation on education programs and practices. The results are encouraging; but while having better empirical evidence is a necessary condition for promoting better evidence-based decision making, it is not a sufficient condition to insure that education policy and decisions are informed by research evidence, that research evidence guides practice, nor that appropriate research and evaluation strategies are used in assessing the impacts of policies and decisions.

REL-NEI’s mission is to help preK–16 educators — at the state, district, and school levels — use the best available evidence to make decisions leading to improved student achievement and reduced performance gaps. Our charge is to conduct rigorous research that is relevant for our regional stakeholders and responsive to their needs. But the additional value we can add to this work lies in the connections between this research and the policies and practices that are being considered or implemented in the field and across our region.

How do you know if you are using the “best available research”?

As you consider proposing or implementing policy that will influence practice, you need to know whether there is any supporting evidence upon which to base these decisions. The interventions (educational practices, strategies, curricula or programs) you consider should be supported by the best available research. Indeed, the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and many federal K–12 grant programs, call on educational practitioners to use “scientifically-based research”(SBR) to guide decisions about which interventions to implement. Phrases such as “evidence-based decisions” or “scientifically-based research” occur 111 times in the NCLB document.

Click here for NCLB’s definition of “scientifically-based research.”

For more information on evidence-based education

The following web sites can be useful in finding evidence-based educational interventions. These sites use varying criteria for determining which interventions are supported by evidence, but all distinguish between randomized controlled trials and other types of supporting evidence. We recommend that, in navigating these web sites, you consider whether the listed interventions are supported by “strong” evidence, “possible” evidence, or neither. (from Identifying and Implementing Educational Practices Supported by Rigorous Evidence: A User Friendly Guide. US Department of Education Institute for Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance )

The What Works Clearinghouse established by the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences to provide educators, policymakers, and the public with a central, independent, and trusted source of scientific evidence of what works in education.

Doing What Works, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, is a companion to the WWC aimed at helping educators identify and make use of effective teaching practices.

The Promising Practices Network highlights programs and practices that credible research indicates are effective in improving outcomes for children, youth, and families.

The International Campbell Collaboration offers a registry of systematic reviews of evidence on the effects of interventions in the social, behavioral, and educational arenas.

Social Programs That Work offers a series of papers developed by the Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy on social programs that are backed by rigorous evidence of effectiveness.

Identifying and Implementing Educational Practices Supported by Rigorous Evidence: A User Friendly Guide. US Department of Education Institute for Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance.

Society for Research on Education Effectiveness

The U.S. Department of Education houses and supports organizations that provide research, evaluation and statistics including:

Institute of Education Sciences — research, evaluation, and statistics on evidence-based policy and practice.

National Center for Education Statistics — the main federal organization for collecting and analyzing education data.

National Assessment of Educational Progress — what America’s students know and can do in academic subjects.

Policy and Program Studies Service — analyzes education policy and evaluates education programs.

Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education — innovative projects for improving postsecondary education.

National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research — research on inclusion, social integration, employment, and independent living of disabled individuals.

National Research and Dissemination Centers for Career and Technical Education — career and technical education information.