Research-Practice Partnerships and ESSA Implementation: Convening and Resource Development

RPPs have the potential to play an important role in helping state and local authorities implement the evidence-based provisions of ESSA, but in order for this to happen they must first understand what the law requires, how requirements are interpreted by the state and local education agencies responsible for implementation, how to model their work in relation to ESSA’s context and goals, and which funding sources are available to support this work. With support from the William T. Grant Foundation, the Research Practice Collaboratory, National Network of Education Research-Practice Partnerships, Carnegie Foundation for Teaching will create three products to address these needs. First, they will produce an ESSA fact sheet for leaders of RPPs, which will detail ESSA’s provisions on the development, adoption, and implementation of evidence-based programs. They will also develop a framework for how RPPs can support ESSA. The third product will be a guide to the funding streams that states and districts are establishing to support educational innovation under ESSA. In order to generate ideas for these products, a convening of thirty participants was held on November 10-11 to develop a common understanding of ESSA and generate ideas for partnership work. Product development will also be informed by a policy analysis of state ESSA implementation plans. Additional support for the convening will come from the Research Practice Collaboratory’s funding from the National Science Foundation.