Message from the IES Director: A More Systematic Approach to Replicating Research
The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Director Mark Schneider stated in a recent Message from the IES Director that IES is considering a different approach to replication to help expand knowledge about what works for whom under what conditions. This approach focuses on the systematic replication of interventions that already have strong evidence of impact.
The message describes how IES is considering a new grant competition that supports sets of replications that will implement and evaluate interventions with evidence of impact in venues that systematically vary in important characteristics such as student demographics, geographic locations, implementation, or technology.
IES is considering a grant competition that will support a maximum of five replication studies per intervention, in which the recipients of these grants will carry out one or more replications.
IES further envisions replications that
- Evaluate IES-identified interventions that fall within one of these topic areas: (1) literacy, (2) STEM, (3) social skills and behavior that support learning, and (4) college and career readiness.
- Focus on interventions developed and/or tested with IES funding that have demonstrated positive impacts and are ready to be implemented.
- Use rigorous research designs that will meet What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) standards with or without reservations and the new Standards for Excellence in Education Research (SEER).
- Include education agencies as partners on the project.
Read the complete Message from the IES Director.
