A recent report from Curriculum Associates discusses the Every Student Succeeds Act’s (ESSA) requirement that federal education funds be used for evidence-based programs, interventions, and products. “ESSA and Evidence Claims: A Practical Guide to Understanding What ‘Evidence-Based’ Really Means” provides a primer for educators in understanding the four levels of evidence recognized by ESSA (e.g., moderate evidence), the type of study that exemplifies each level (e.g., quasi-experimental), and the five questions educators should ask when evaluating research-based evidence (e.g., “When was the study conducted?”).
One of five questions for evaluating evidence, in particular, caught Learning List’s attention: “Was the study based on current content and standards?”
ESSA assumes that the evidence base for a product, program, or service is based on the state’s current standards, but it is possible that the research is grounded in prior state standards or another state’s standards, altogether. It is the district’s responsibility to vet information to ensure products purchased with federal funds and the evidence supporting the products’ effectiveness are based on the appropriate standards.
A tall order but Learning List can help.
Learning List’s alignment reports clarify which set of standards a product addresses, such as the Common Core State Standards or the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. Our alignment reports evaluate the product’s alignment, determining whether the material fully addresses the content, context, and cognitive demand of each of the relevant standards. Thus, Learning List’s alignment reports provide strong evidence about whether a product is grounded in the relevant standards. [Read more…]
In terms of establishing a product’s research base, Learning List invites publishers to submit a “Publisher Questionnaire” which contains a set of questions that commonly appear in district RFPs, including “Provide information about the research base supporting the product’s methods and effectiveness.” While not all publishers complete the Questionnaire, those who do generally provide an overview of the evidence supporting their product’s ability to improve student outcomes and provide links to the original research studies. Learning List does not verify the publisher’s research claims, but the Questionnaire helps educators find and evaluate the publisher’s research base for themselves.