Focus on ESSA Evidence ESSA Directors Institute Federal

Focus on ESSA Evidence ESSA Directors Institute Federal Programs and Oversight Janet Michelle Mansfield and Henry La. Follette

Objectives

Objectives § By the end of this session participants will be able to: Ø differentiate between research-based vs. evidencebased evidence, Ø identify tiered levels of evidence, and Ø determine the impact of evidence on district-level and school-level administration. 3

Historical Overview of ESSA Evidence

scientifically -based research Vague - Open to interpretation ESSA programs grounded in research NCLB ESEA How did we get to “evidence-based” evidence in the first place? evidencebased 5

ESSA Opportunity - ESSA provides the opportunity for states and local education agencies to determine the needs of their students and work to meet them. 6

ESSA Flexibility - ESSA offers the flexibility for states and local education agencies to choose the best evidence-based programs to support student achievement and growth. . 7

ESSA Responsibility - ESSA entrusts the responsibility for state and local education agencies to select appropriate and relevant supports with the strongest evidence base possible to ensure student achievement and growth. 8

Research-Based vs. Evidence-Based

Two Different Kinds of Evidence § Research-Based: – Good feedback and supportive arguments – Similar to testimonials and case studies that schools rely on for making purchasing decisions – Does not provide evidence the program works § Evidence-Based: – Requires testing and systemic evaluation – Demonstrates significantly higher levels of program effectiveness – Proven evidence the program works 10

What issue is John facing? § Let’s imagine a student, John, who struggles with finding restaurants that he and his family can go to that cater to his specific nutritional needs and allergies. § His parents are planning a big family reunion but are torn on where to have it. They thought about having it at the house due to John’s food restrictions, but they don’t have the room to entertain everyone. A restaurant or catering venue is the best option. § John decides to help his family out by doing research. He visits Yelp!® to find restaurants in his local area that are recommended by others and are assumed will cater to his special needs. John sees a lot of great recommendations for restaurants that he knows his family will love, but whether or not they could actually cater to his needs is up for debate. Despite the great research, there’s no evidence stating they can meet John’s needs. 11

What are the types of evidence presented? § Research-based vs Evidence-based § How does John’s situation compare to district’s and school’s when evaluating programs? § John’s challenge of determining food needs and family needs. § School’s challenge of determining program needs and student needs. 12

What is the best evidence for solving the issue? § John can do all the research he wants on restaurants, but how does he know that a particular restaurant meets his dietary needs without evidence? – Testing the menus of each restaurant several times – Researching various dishes – Using actual evidence to pick a venue § Schools have special needs: – Demographics, structure, location – Cost-effectiveness vs student needs – Successful implementation of programs for specified results 13

ESSA: Evidence of Effectiveness

ESSA: Evidence of Effectiveness § Tier 1 = Strong: – At least one randomized, well-conducted study showing significant positive student outcomes § Tier 2 = Moderate: – At least one quasi-experimental (i. e. , matched), wellconducted study showing significant positive student outcomes § Tier 3 = Promising: – At least one correlational, well-conducted study with controls for inputs showing significant positive student outcomes § Tier 4 = Demonstrates a Rationale: – Practices that have a well-defined logic method or theory of action, are supported by research and have some effort underway by an SEA, LEA, or outside research organization to determine their effectiveness 15

Gallery Walk Activity

What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) is an investment of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) within the U. S. Department of Education that was established in 2002. The work of the WWC is managed by a team of staff at IES and conducted under a set of contracts held by several leading firms with expertise in education, research methodology, and the dissemination of education research. For more than a decade, the WWC has been a central and trusted source of scientific evidence on education programs, products, practices, and policies. The team reviews research, determines which studies meet rigorous standards, and summarizes the findings. WWC focuses on high-quality research to answer the question “what works in education? ” 17

Gallery Walk Directions Participants will divide into 4 groups. Each group will review and discuss the provided scenario. Each scenario will be assigned into one evidence tier – Tier 1, Tier 2, etc. Discuss the basis and reasons for the tier assigned. Switch after 4 minutes to each scenario until you have completed all four. § Scenario 1 § Scenario 2 § Scenario 3 § Scenario 4 18

ESSA Evidence Tier 2 Moderate Tier I Strong ESSA Evidence Tier 3 Promising Tier 4 Demonstrates a rationale (Under investigation) 19

The Evidence Provisions of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) A key aspect of ESSA is its commitment to the use of evidence to drive better outcomes for students. If implemented well, the evidence-based provisions can both improve student outcomes and increase the return on education investments, as more resources are spent on programs and practices likely to have a positive impact student achievement and growth. 20

The Evidence Provisions of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) 21

Basis of Use § If it works for one district or school, will it work for you? – – District to district School to school Urban to rural Private to public § How can you compare? – Program needs – Student needs – Root Causes 22

Evidence Impact on District-level and School- Level Administration

Strengthening Investments 1. Identify Local Needs 2. 5. Select Relevant, Evidence-Based Programs Examine and Reflect 3. 4. Implement Plan for Implementation 24

Strengthening Investments Ø 1. Identify local needs - districts and schools should engage in timely and meaningful consultation with a broad range of stakeholders (families, students, educators, community partners) and examine data to understand pressing needs and their root causes. Ø 2. Select Relevant, Evidence-Based Programs – districts, schools, and stakeholders should consider all relevant evidence provided. Ø 3. Plan for Implementation – districts and schools should include a model with well-defined, measureable goals; clearly outlined roles and responsibilities; timelines; resources, and strategies to monitor the performance and continuous improvement with data collection, analysis, and evaluation. 25

Strengthening Investments Ø 4. Implement – districts and schools should collect information about how the implementation is working and make necessary changes as needed along the way. Ø 5. Examine and Reflect – districts and schools should examine how the programs are working through performance monitoring and evaluations of effectiveness. 26

Fitting it Together? 27

Compliance or Best Practice § How to decide: Compliance or Best Practice Ø Regulations Ø Law Ø Policies Ø Rules Ø Transparency Ø Governance Ø Requirements Ø Standards 28

District-level Impact § ESSA being the law of the land – This means it is mandatory to implement. § Title I-A funding requirements – Programs funded by Title I, Section 1003 (school improvement) have to meet one of the top Tiers (1 -3). – All other programs under Title I-IV can rely on Tiers (1 -4). § Save the school money – Statistically speaking, the lower the tier of evidence the higher the academic returns. (Tier I - Strong vs. Tier IV – Demonstrates a Rationale - Under Investigation) § Grants – Requirements sometimes call for you to use evidence-based research at the strongest tier to compete for grants. 29

School-Level Impact § School planning § Programs bought with federal money – Must be tied to identified root causes that are addressed in school plan goals, strategies, and action steps – Must meet one of the top Tiers (1 -3) of evidence for Title I – Data-driven § Politically advantageous – The stronger the Tier the easier it is to defend due to the amount of evidence provided – Stakeholder buy-in § Title I-A Parent and Family Engagement provisions 30

FAQ & Resources

FAQ 32

Resources Department of Education Non-Regulatory Guidance: Using Evidence to Strengthen Education Investments: https: //www 2. ed. gov/policy/elsec/leg/essa/guidanceuseseinv estment. pdf REL Midwest Regional Education Laboratory: https: //ies. ed. gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/midwest/pdf/eventha ndout/ESSA-Clearinghouse-Crosswalk-Jan 2018 -508. pdf 33

Contacts

Contacts § Deborah Thompson – Asst. Commissioner Deborah. Thompson@tn. gov § Regional Coordinators of ESSA – – Heather Farley – Heather. Farley@tn. gov Dr. Jim Ray – Jim. Ray@tn. gov Selena Buress – Salena. Buress@tn. gov Lynn Dotson – Lynn. Dotson@tn. gov § Regional Coordinators of IDEA – – Trudy Hughes – Trudy. Hughes@tn. gov Henry La. Follette – Henry. La. Follette@tn. gov John Stults – John. Stults@tn. gov Janet Michelle Mansfield – Janet. Mansfield@tn. gov 35

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