National Implementation Research Network (NIRN)

http://nirn.fmhi.usf.edu/

The mission of the National Implementation Research Network (NIRN) is to close the gap between science and service by improving the science and practice of implementation (methods to assure the use of evidence-based programs and other innovations with fidelity and benefit to consumers) in relation to evidence-based programs and practices.

UCLA Center for Mental Health in Schools

http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/

The Center is a mecca for  consideration of the culture and climate of schools and how they impact students and student achievement.  The Center’s website provides many resources including links to publications and newsletters, as well as the Net Exchange that connects those with similar concerns to provide a community of practice.

 

Standards of Proof for Evidence Based Practice

The Wing Institute has developed a comprehensive tutorial on evidence based practice that is thorough and easy to understand.  It includes an executive summary that gives a thumbnail for the different sections.

Evidence Based Practice

The Colorado Department of Education has produced this two page Fast Facts document that describes the criteria for evidence basis and the “Gold Standard for Evidence Based Practice Determination”

Identifying and Implementing Educational Practice Supported By Rigorous Evidence: A User Friendly Guide

This document from the U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance provides a clear and usable guide.

Online Training in Progress Monitoring

The Center for Progress Monitoring offers free webinars on critical elements of progress monitoring, including: Using Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM) for Student Progress Monitoring, Using Student Progress Monitoring in a Response to Intervention Model, What the National Center on Student Progress Monitoring Can Do for You, Progress Monitoring in Mathematics, the ABCs of Progress Monitoring in Reading, and Monitoring Student Progress in the Classroom to Enhance Teacher Planning and Student Learning.

Tools for School Improvement 

This website, home of the North Central Regional Education Laboratory, provides a tool box for school improvement, including resources for understanding and using data. 

A Researcher’s Toolkit:  Using Different Methods to Shed Light on Critical  Questions

 A report from the Mosaic series by The Educational Development Center Report, this report reads like a journal and provides some thought provoking questions about how research can inform education.

The Center for Comprehensive School Reform 

This site provides extensive resources for planning and implementing school improvement, including research briefs and pod casts.

Kentucky Standards for School Improvement

Developed by the Kentucky Department of Education, this site provides a rubric by which to evaluate a school's progress on standards for school improvement.  These are standards for the conduct of the organization; the state has analyzed several years of data in order to determine which standards are most crucial to provide an effective education for all students.