All the evidence that’s fit to print.
The R4S team has decades of combined experience studying the use of data and research evidence by schools and school leaders. Explore their featured work below and in our publication archive. Looking for something shorter? Try our Resource Center.

Using Research at the Classroom, School, District & State Levels: Results from the Knowledge Utilization R&D Centers
From the work of the NCRPP, there is now data on how do school and district leaders use research in making decisions. View the presentation given at the 2018 IES Principal Investigators’ meeting.Continue reading Using Research at the Classroom, School, District & State Levels: Results from the Knowledge Utilization R&D Centers →
The Institute of Education Sciences: A Model for Federal Research Offices
Research offices of cabinet-level departments in the federal government are crucial in maintaining and promoting evidence-based policy. Grover J. Whitehurst uses the Institute of Education Sciences as a model for addressing the challenges and recommendations for improving the functioning of federal government research offices. Continue reading The Institute of Education Sciences: A Model for Federal Research Offices →
Types of Problems and Decisions Occurring in Schools
This Data Point provides insight into the types of problems school-based educators commonly face, and the types of decisions that are made to address those problems.Continue reading Types of Problems and Decisions Occurring in Schools →
Mapping the field: Use of research evidence in policy and practice
This article discusses the map of the URE landscape and networks. A list of funding sources and a bibliography of the field are included.Continue reading Mapping the field: Use of research evidence in policy and practice →

Local Knowledge, Research Knowledge, and Educational Change: a Case Study of Early Spanish Reading Improvement
Reforming schools depends on the interplay between research and local knowledge. This article uses examples from a multiyear project to improve reading achievement of Spanish-speaking children. Continue reading Local Knowledge, Research Knowledge, and Educational Change: A Case Study of Early Spanish Reading Improvement →
How Principals and Peers Influence Teaching and Learning
This paper examines the effects of principal leadership and peer teacher influence on teachers’ instructional practice and student learning. Continue reading How Principals and Peers Influence Teaching and Learning →
Reading Recovery: An Evaluation of the Four Year i3 Scale-Up
This study included an in-depth analysis of the Reading Recovery literacy intervention program implementation, a collaboration between CPRE and the Center for Research on Education and Social Policy (CRESP) at the University of Delaware. Continue reading Reading Recovery: An Evaluation of the Four-Year i3 Scale-Up →
Making Statistics More Meaningful for Policy Research and Program Evaluation
This article focuses on the use of statistics in policy and evaluation research and the need to present statistical information in a form that is meaningful to mixed audiences. Continue reading Making Statistics More Meaningful for Policy Research and Program Evaluation →

Unlocking the Potential of the “What Works” Approach to Policymaking and Practice: Improving Impact Evaluations
This paper suggests three ways to make impact evaluations more relevant to policy and practice in an effort to improve the fundamental understanding of social problems, while also generating practical guidance for mitigating those problems. Continue reading Unlocking the Potential of the “What Works” Approach to Policymaking and Practice: Improving Impact Evaluations →