What Works Clearinghouse

In 2002 an act of Congress created the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) to provide for improvement of federal education research. The act stipulated that the IES provide to the public a database for dissemination of statistics, evaluation, and information. To meet this goal, the Institute established the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) to provide policymakers, educators, and researchers with scientific evidence of what works in educational interventions. The intent of the Clearinghouse was to provide an independent evaluation by analyzing and summarizing research on the effectiveness of instructional interventions in order for educators to know what and how to teach. The very act of establishing the WWC had a larger impact than just providing a public database as it also reformed the nature and opinion of educational research. Research would now have to be evaluated according to certain criteria in order to be considered effective.

Establishing “what works” by using scientifically based research in education is not without controversy. Initial controversy stemmed from the definition of scientifically based research, qualifications and bias of the evaluators, and ability to obtain all research on a given topic. When it was first established, the way to determine “what works” was to determine cause and effect through experimental studies. These studies had to develop evidence based on designs for intervention that randomly assigned treatment and control groups. The WWC has since developed and published a well-defined and systematic process to review studies of educational interventions. Current study designs that are considered to provide the strongest evidence for effects include randomized controlled trials and also regression discontinuity designs, quasi-experimental designs, and single-subject designs. Studies are also reviewed on the topic area definition, the time period set for the topic, the relevant outcome, adequate outcome measure, relevant sample for the topic, and adequate reporting. For each topic area, a principal investigator who is a well-known expert in the field oversees this process. Finally, topic areas can be nominated by the public through e-mail or are identified in meetings with leaders in various areas and educational organizations. Nominated topics are then reviewed for their potential to improve student outcomes, ability to apply to broad groups of students, importance to education, and availability of research-based studies.

The WWC reviewers evaluate all research, and based on the methodology and results establish whether the research “Meets Evidence Standards,” “Meets Evidence Standards with Reservations,” or “Does Not Meet Evidence Screens.” In order to evaluate all the research in the topic area, WWC trained staff conduct hand searches of journals for the past 20 years, review electronic and Web databases, incorporate independent submissions, search conference proceedings, and contact topic experts and organizations for relevant studies. Throughout the review process the original researchers are provided an opportunity to review coding, and the intervention developers are allowed to review the reports. Finally, all reports undergo extensive review, including external peer review.

To date the clearinghouse has conducted comprehensive research reviews of seven topical interventions. Beginning Reading included reading interventions for students in Grades K-3. Targeted interventions focused on skills in alphabetic, reading fluency, comprehension, or general reading achievement. English Language Learners in Grades K-6 concentrated on interventions to increase English language skills, development, reading achievement, or math achievement. Early Childhood Education was defined as curricula and practices for 3- to 5-year-olds designed to develop school readiness skills. Elementary School Math and Middle School Math focused on math curricula that increased achievement for students in Grades K-5 and Grades 6–9, respectively. Dropout Prevention featured both secondary school and community interventions designed to assist students to remain in school. The Character Education topic included any K-12 program designed to increase outcomes relative to social behavior and academic performance.

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