A fourth-grade teacher adjusts the next day’s lesson plan based on his students’ exit ticket answers. He relies in part on a What Works Clearinghouse practice guide, a federal synthesis of evidence-based approaches, to correct a common misunderstanding about comparing fractions within his class.

A middle school principal leads her leadership team through a mid-year data cycle, with a focus on examining progress among specific groups of students. They rely on a data dashboard that pulls together information on each student from all parts of the school, from academics to attendance to behavior to out-of-school time supports. The team makes adjustments to their current approaches, including incorporating some evidence-based techniques their district suggested during a recent school walkthrough. They conclude the meeting by planning how to track progress and when to reconvene to consider further changes.

A school district operations team analyzes data to design more efficient bus routes, which increases students’ on-time attendance.

The state department of education co-develops a learning agenda — an evidence-building plan that systematically identifies and seeks to answer priority short- and long-term questions—with a diverse set of stakeholders and then partners with a local university to implement it. They design both impact and implementation studies that match the authentic questions being asked by practitioners and community members.

During a monitoring cycle, a Title II program officer at the U.S. Department of Education confirms critical compliance matters and then focuses her questions to grantees on inviting them to share what data/evidence they have built, what they have learned and what they will do differently in the future to improve.

A community-based organization partners with a company that is developing a game-based math program that aligns with the organization’s after school tutoring program. Together, they pilot and iterate on the program, including making changes based on student feedback.

A philanthropy funds a fellowship through which PhD students at a nearby university conduct collaborative, applied research in partnership with the local school district.

After auditing their curriculum against the current evidence base including data on the placement and tenure of its graduates, a teacher preparation program revises aspects of its pedagogical coursework to align with the science of learning and development. The program also launches a new course in navigating the evidence base and data-informed decision making.