ESSA Evidence Based Practices
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) has consistently directed educators to implement interventions grounded in research. Under ESSA law, there was a shift to “evidence-based interventions”. This change was designed to help increase the impact of educational investments and effectively implement evidence-based interventions, which lead to desired outcomes, specifically an increase in academic achievement.
Overview
Evidence-based interventions are practices or programs that have evidence to show they are effective at producing results and improving outcomes when implemented. The kind of evidence described in ESSA has generally been produced through formal studies and research. Under ESSA, there are four tiers, or levels, of evidence:
❖ Tier 1 – Strong Evidence: highest level of evidence
- supported by one or more well-designed and well-implemented randomized control experimental studies
- intervention leads to favorable results
❖ Tier 2 – Moderate Evidence:
- supported by one or more well-designed and well-implemented quasi-experimental studies
- controlled experiment was conducted with a treatment group
- intervention shows statistically significant and positive effect on the outcome
❖ Tier 3 – Promising Evidence: not as strong as evidence in an experiment
- supported by one or more well-designed and well-implemented correlational studies (with statistical controls for selection bias).
- formal study if a relationship exists between intervention and a given outcome
- intervention shows a statistically significant and positive effect on the outcome
❖ Tier 4 – Demonstrates a Rationale:
- practices that have a well-defined logic model or theory of action
- supported by research in the field
- some efforts are underway by a state, district, or outside research organization to determine the effectiveness
- no formal evidence exists to prove interventions are successful
Interventions applied under Title I, Section 1003 (School Improvement) are required to have strong, moderate, or promising evidence (Tiers 1–3) to support them. All other programs under Titles I–IV can rely on Tiers 1–4.
Steps to Strengthening the Effectiveness of ESEA Investments
Evidence-based interventions/practices are implemented within a larger cycle to help ensure the effectiveness of ESEA investments.
It is imperative that local educational agencies (LEAs) identify their need prior to conducting research and identifying/selecting the most relevant evidence-based interventions.
Resources
- WWC | Find What Works!
- What Works Clearinghouse- Practice Guides
- Home - Evidence for ESSA
- ERIC - Education Resources Information Center
- IRIS Center- Evidence Based Practice Summaries
- American Institute for Research (AIR), ESSA Action Guide: Selecting Evidence-Based Practices for Low Performing Schools, April 2019
- ESSA Key Resources: Selecting the Right Evidence-Based Practices
Technical Assistance and Guidance
- 2024 Spring Conference Evidence Based Practices Presentation
- 2024 Spring Conference Evidence Based Practices Handout
- Using Evidence Based Practices in Title IV, Part A Presentation
- Evidence Based Practices- ELA
- What Works Clearinghouse: Guides to Evidence-Based Practices for Educators in Secondary Schools
- WestEd: Evidence-Based Improvement
- Title IV, Part A: Examining Levels of Evidence Presentation
- Title IV, Part A: Assisting LEA's with Evidence Based Practices
- Title IV, Part A: Selecting Evidence Based Programs
For questions related to evidence-based practices, please reach out to your specific ESEA title program contact.