What

1
Whats Next for the What Works Clearinghouse

• Mark Dynarski
• 2008 IES Research Conference
• June 2008

2
A brief history

• Launched in 2002 to be a central and trusted
  source of scientific evidence
• Identifies topic areas, develops standards,
  begins reviewing research literature
• To date, reviewed over 1,600 studies of almost
  400 interventions
• Released 90 intervention reports, 5 topic
  reports, 4 practice guides, 5 quick reviews

3
Themes

• Objective Bring answers to educators
• Focus groups Educators want clear information
  quickly
• Practice guides seen as useful and pitched at the
  right level

4
Current review activities

• Four active areas
• Beginning reading, middle school math, early
  childhood education, dropout prevention
• New areas
• Adolescent literacy, high school math and
  science, writing, professional development,
  out-of-school time
• Special education topics dyslexia, ADHD,
  behavior, autism

5
Practice Guides

• Four released
• Two nearing release (adolescent literacy and
  dropout prevention)
• Two being prepared
• Response to intervention (reading)
• Behavior in the classroom
• More underway
• Response to intervention (math)
• Preparing low-income students for college
• Out of school time
• Data-driven decision making

6
Quick Reviews

• Purpose assess whether recent high-visibility
  research is consistent with WWC standards
• Five released, more in progress, wide range of
  topics
• After-school programs
• Student drug testing
• Computer-based instruction in pre-algebra
• Financial incentives for AP grades
• Sixth grade in middle or elementary school

7
Example of Quick Review
8
Under development

• Standards for Single-Subject and Regression
  Discontinuity Designs
• Enhancements to existing standards
• Attrition
• Equivalence in quasi-experimental designs
• Extent of evidence
• Registry of Randomized Trials

9
Suggestions or comments?
E-mail to info_at_whatworks.ed.gov or
Go to Contact on whatworks.ed.gov