Better Evidence, Better Choices
9/21/2016
Better Evidence, Better Choices, Better Schools | Center for American Progress
Be丧er Evidence, Be丧er Choices, Be丧er Schools State Supports for Evidence‑Based School Improvement and the Every Student Succeeds Act
There are eight key ways that states can help school districts make decisions based on evidence and improve their lowest‐ performing schools. https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education/report/2016/08/31/143223/betterevidencebetterchoicesbetterschools/
1/4
9/21/2016
Better Evidence, Better Choices, Better Schools | Center for American Progress
By Steve Fleischman, Caitlin Sco , Sco Sargrad | Wednesday, August 31, 2016 The Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA, renews America’s na㉆onal commitment to public educa㉆on and to the belief that all children and youth in the United States deserve a high‐quality educa㉆on regardless of their background or circumstances. Signed into law in December 2015, ESSA offers state educa㉆on agencies significant opportuni㉆es to use evidence to support the improvement of schools and ensure be警쎨er outcomes for all students. Much will change in prac㉆ce and policy as ESSA replaces the law, regula㉆ons, and guidance established through the 2001 No Child Leꢵᚢ Behind Act, or NCLB, but two elements of the new legisla㉆on stand out: the shiꢵᚢ away from federal mandates toward greater state and local authority and the emphasis on evidence‐based school improvement prac㉆ces. This report addresses this second element by clarifying the defini㉆on of “evidence‐based” that ESSA uses, dis㉆nguishing it from the “scien㉆fically based research” provisions of NCLB and providing a framework for how state educa㉆on agencies can maximize collabora㉆ve efforts to implement evidence‐based school improvement prac㉆ces. Briefly, the evidence‐based approach encourages state and district leaders to consider mul㉆ple ㉆ers of evidence and examine the strength of the evidence in making decisions. On the other hand, scien㉆fically based research sets a very specific, narrow standard for acceptable evidence. These two terms will be examined in greater detail later in the report. Most of the early media a警쎨en㉆on given to ESSA has focused on its clear a警쎨empt to address the cri㉆cisms leveled at NCLB, including perceived federal overreach. Unlike NCLB, ESSA does not mandate par㉆cular school improvement ac㉆vi㉆es. Furthermore, there is no separate so‐called school improvement funding stream within Title I. Instead, states must now set aside 7 percent of their Title I funds—or the amount the state previously received under Sec㉆ons 1003(a) and 1003(g) of NCLB, whichever is greater—to support school improvement, and they have significant flexibility in terms of how these dollars are used. States may also set aside 3 percent of Title I funds for direct student services, such as tutoring and credit recovery. These provisions offer new opportuni㉆es and new challenges for states. States must now plan the use of Title I funds in a way that balances an ongoing commitment to a statewide system of improvement for low‐performing schools, including high schools, with other iden㉆fied needs. Unlike previous versions of the law, ESSA does not specify the school improvement strategies that a state must pursue in support of district, or local educa㉆on agency, efforts to improve low‐performing schools. However, it does require states to approve and monitor local educa㉆on agency plans for these schools to ensure that they include evidence‐based approaches. Veteran educators and policymakers will recall that NCLB introduced the requirement that improvement policy and prac㉆ce should be grounded in “scien㉆fically based research.” This standard brought both advances and frustra㉆on to the field. It seemed over the past decade that decision‐makers were constantly hearing from researchers and experts that almost nothing works, while at the same ㉆me product and service providers were all saying that their offerings worked and were supported by scien㉆fically based research. It was hard for policymakers and educators to make the best choices in this environment. https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education/report/2016/08/31/143223/betterevidencebetterchoicesbetterschools/
2/4
9/21/2016
Better Evidence, Better Choices, Better Schools | Center for American Progress
Entering the era of evidence‐based school improvement, state educa㉆on agencies are asking: Will the evidence‐based policy elements of ESSA be any different, or will educa㉆on product and service providers simply replace “scien㉆fically based” with “evidence based” in their promo㉆onal materials? Will anything change for the be警쎨er? The Center for American Progress and Knowledge Alliance believe that the evidence‐based provisions of ESSA are a significant advancement in promo㉆ng the use of evidence to support schools in need of improvement and to achieve be警쎨er student outcomes. CAP and Knowledge Alliance also believe that the shiꢵᚢ away from federal mandates and toward greater state and local autonomy is a move in the right direc㉆on. Together, these changes have the poten㉆al to drive a new era of school improvement in the United States. Steve Fleischman is the CEO of Educa on Northwest. Caitlin Sco is a prac ce expert on educa on policy, research, and evalua on at Educa on Northwest. Sco Sargrad is the Managing Director of K‐12 Educa on Policy at the Center for American Progress.
To speak with our experts on this topic, please contact: Print: Liz Bartolomeo (poverty, health care) 202.481.8151 or [email protected] Print: Tom Caiazza (foreign policy, energy and environment, LGBT issues, gun‐violence preven㉆on) 202.481.7141 or [email protected] Print: Allison Preiss (economy, educa㉆on) 202.478.6331 or [email protected] Print: Tanya Ardi㉆ (immigra㉆on, Progress 2050, race issues, demographics, criminal jus㉆ce, Legal Progress) 202.741.6258 or tardi㉆@americanprogress.org Print: Chelsea Kiene (women's issues, TalkPoverty.org, faith) 202.478.5328 or [email protected] Print: Beatriz Lopez (Center for American Progress Ac㉆on Fund) 202.741.6255 or [email protected] Spanish‐language and ethnic media: Rafael Medina 202.478.5313 or [email protected]
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education/report/2016/08/31/143223/betterevidencebetterchoicesbetterschools/
3/4
9/21/2016
Better Evidence, Better Choices, Better Schools | Center for American Progress
TV: Rachel Rosen 202.483.2675 or [email protected] Radio: Sally Tucker 202.481.8103 or [email protected]
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education/report/2016/08/31/143223/betterevidencebetterchoicesbetterschools/
4/4
Better Evidence, Better Choices, Better Schools | Center for American Progress
Be丧er Evidence, Be丧er Choices, Be丧er Schools State Supports for Evidence‑Based School Improvement and the Every Student Succeeds Act
There are eight key ways that states can help school districts make decisions based on evidence and improve their lowest‐ performing schools. https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education/report/2016/08/31/143223/betterevidencebetterchoicesbetterschools/
1/4
9/21/2016
Better Evidence, Better Choices, Better Schools | Center for American Progress
By Steve Fleischman, Caitlin Sco , Sco Sargrad | Wednesday, August 31, 2016 The Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA, renews America’s na㉆onal commitment to public educa㉆on and to the belief that all children and youth in the United States deserve a high‐quality educa㉆on regardless of their background or circumstances. Signed into law in December 2015, ESSA offers state educa㉆on agencies significant opportuni㉆es to use evidence to support the improvement of schools and ensure be警쎨er outcomes for all students. Much will change in prac㉆ce and policy as ESSA replaces the law, regula㉆ons, and guidance established through the 2001 No Child Leꢵᚢ Behind Act, or NCLB, but two elements of the new legisla㉆on stand out: the shiꢵᚢ away from federal mandates toward greater state and local authority and the emphasis on evidence‐based school improvement prac㉆ces. This report addresses this second element by clarifying the defini㉆on of “evidence‐based” that ESSA uses, dis㉆nguishing it from the “scien㉆fically based research” provisions of NCLB and providing a framework for how state educa㉆on agencies can maximize collabora㉆ve efforts to implement evidence‐based school improvement prac㉆ces. Briefly, the evidence‐based approach encourages state and district leaders to consider mul㉆ple ㉆ers of evidence and examine the strength of the evidence in making decisions. On the other hand, scien㉆fically based research sets a very specific, narrow standard for acceptable evidence. These two terms will be examined in greater detail later in the report. Most of the early media a警쎨en㉆on given to ESSA has focused on its clear a警쎨empt to address the cri㉆cisms leveled at NCLB, including perceived federal overreach. Unlike NCLB, ESSA does not mandate par㉆cular school improvement ac㉆vi㉆es. Furthermore, there is no separate so‐called school improvement funding stream within Title I. Instead, states must now set aside 7 percent of their Title I funds—or the amount the state previously received under Sec㉆ons 1003(a) and 1003(g) of NCLB, whichever is greater—to support school improvement, and they have significant flexibility in terms of how these dollars are used. States may also set aside 3 percent of Title I funds for direct student services, such as tutoring and credit recovery. These provisions offer new opportuni㉆es and new challenges for states. States must now plan the use of Title I funds in a way that balances an ongoing commitment to a statewide system of improvement for low‐performing schools, including high schools, with other iden㉆fied needs. Unlike previous versions of the law, ESSA does not specify the school improvement strategies that a state must pursue in support of district, or local educa㉆on agency, efforts to improve low‐performing schools. However, it does require states to approve and monitor local educa㉆on agency plans for these schools to ensure that they include evidence‐based approaches. Veteran educators and policymakers will recall that NCLB introduced the requirement that improvement policy and prac㉆ce should be grounded in “scien㉆fically based research.” This standard brought both advances and frustra㉆on to the field. It seemed over the past decade that decision‐makers were constantly hearing from researchers and experts that almost nothing works, while at the same ㉆me product and service providers were all saying that their offerings worked and were supported by scien㉆fically based research. It was hard for policymakers and educators to make the best choices in this environment. https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education/report/2016/08/31/143223/betterevidencebetterchoicesbetterschools/
2/4
9/21/2016
Better Evidence, Better Choices, Better Schools | Center for American Progress
Entering the era of evidence‐based school improvement, state educa㉆on agencies are asking: Will the evidence‐based policy elements of ESSA be any different, or will educa㉆on product and service providers simply replace “scien㉆fically based” with “evidence based” in their promo㉆onal materials? Will anything change for the be警쎨er? The Center for American Progress and Knowledge Alliance believe that the evidence‐based provisions of ESSA are a significant advancement in promo㉆ng the use of evidence to support schools in need of improvement and to achieve be警쎨er student outcomes. CAP and Knowledge Alliance also believe that the shiꢵᚢ away from federal mandates and toward greater state and local autonomy is a move in the right direc㉆on. Together, these changes have the poten㉆al to drive a new era of school improvement in the United States. Steve Fleischman is the CEO of Educa on Northwest. Caitlin Sco is a prac ce expert on educa on policy, research, and evalua on at Educa on Northwest. Sco Sargrad is the Managing Director of K‐12 Educa on Policy at the Center for American Progress.
To speak with our experts on this topic, please contact: Print: Liz Bartolomeo (poverty, health care) 202.481.8151 or [email protected] Print: Tom Caiazza (foreign policy, energy and environment, LGBT issues, gun‐violence preven㉆on) 202.481.7141 or [email protected] Print: Allison Preiss (economy, educa㉆on) 202.478.6331 or [email protected] Print: Tanya Ardi㉆ (immigra㉆on, Progress 2050, race issues, demographics, criminal jus㉆ce, Legal Progress) 202.741.6258 or tardi㉆@americanprogress.org Print: Chelsea Kiene (women's issues, TalkPoverty.org, faith) 202.478.5328 or [email protected] Print: Beatriz Lopez (Center for American Progress Ac㉆on Fund) 202.741.6255 or [email protected] Spanish‐language and ethnic media: Rafael Medina 202.478.5313 or [email protected]
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education/report/2016/08/31/143223/betterevidencebetterchoicesbetterschools/
3/4
9/21/2016
Better Evidence, Better Choices, Better Schools | Center for American Progress
TV: Rachel Rosen 202.483.2675 or [email protected] Radio: Sally Tucker 202.481.8103 or [email protected]
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education/report/2016/08/31/143223/betterevidencebetterchoicesbetterschools/
4/4
