Evidence-Based Practices (EBP)
| Level 1: Strong Evidence |
Level 2: Moderate Evidence |
Level 3: Promising Evidence |
Level 4: Demonstrates a Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Well-designed and implemented Experimental* study | Well-designed and implemented Quasi-experimental* study without High Attrition* | Well-designed and implemented Correlational* study, or a well-designed and implemented quasi-experimental study without a large/multisite sample (at least 350 students and at least 2 districts) | Well-specified logic model: - How is the intervention likely to improve outcomes? - Based on previous research An effort to study the effects is currently or will be underway |
| Statistically Significant Positive Effect* on relevant outcome; no overriding negative effects from Causal Studies* | Statistically Significant Positive Effect* on relevant outcome; no overriding negative effects from Causal Studies* | Statistical controls for Selection Bias*. Statistically Significant Positive Effect* on relevant outcome; no overriding negative effects from Causal Studies* | Demonstrates a rationale based on high-quality research findings or positive evaluation that such activity, strategy, or intervention is likely to improve student outcomes or other relevant outcomes; and includes ongoing efforts to examine the effects of such activity, strategy, or intervention. |
| Large, multisite sample (at least 350 students and at least 2 districts); overlaps with population of interest | Large, multisite sample (at least 350 students and at least 2 districts); overlaps with population of interest |
From: Non-Regulatory Guidance: Using Evidence to Strengthen Education Investments
ESSA Definitions:
Experimental: (RCT: randomized controlled trial)
An experiment is a study in which the researcher manipulates the level of some independent variable and then measures the outcome. Participants are randomly assigned to either the treatment or the control group. (Researchconnections.org)
Quasi-experimental: (QED: quasi-experimental design) Research in which individuals cannot be assigned randomly to two groups, but some environmental factor influences who belongs to each group. (Researchconnections.org)
High Attrition: a reduction or decrease in numbers, size, or strength (Dictionary.com) - tendency for some participants to drop out, thus threatening the validity of the study
Significant positive effect: The probability that a relationship observed in statistical analyses were actually due to chance. The significance level is established before the statistical analysis is undertaken. If the statistical tests indicate that the chances of finding the observed results are higher than the set significance level, the results are "not significant." Significance levels are usually set at .05, which means that significant results may actually be due to chance 5 out of 100 times. (Researchconnections.org)
Causal Study: An analysis that seeks to establish the cause and effect relationships between variables. (Researchconnections.org)
Correlational: The degree to which two variables are associated. Variables are positively correlated if they both tend to increase at the same time. (Researchconnections.org)
Selection Bias: Error due to systematic differences in the characteristics of those who are selected for a study and those who are not. (Researchconnections.org)