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Intensive Technical Assistance- February 2009 #2

Technical Assistance (TA) is designed to build the capacity of individuals and organizations to achieve desired outcomes. During the past decade technical assistance, like many educational initiatives, has been reconceptualized as a multi-tiered approach along a continuum from basic to intensive. (SISEP_Brief_2_Intensive_TA_2009.pdf)

Implementation Brief

There is a great deal of discussion about the need to revitalize the nation’s infrastructure. New roads, bridges, schools, and public buildings need to be built using the latest in green technology. Current infrastructure needs to be repaired and retrofitted. This brief makes the case that our human services infrastructure for effective implementation requires a similar investment so that effective programs and practices can be widely adopted and used to produce socially significant outcomes. In the United States, the federal government spends over $95 billion a year to fund research to help create new interventions and over $1.6 trillion a year to support services to citizens (Clancy, 2006). However, research results are not being used with sufficient quantity and quality to impact human services and have not provided the intended benefits to consumers and communities. (NIRN_brief_1_2009.pdf)

Readiness For Change- February 2009 #3

The purpose of this Brief is to define the variables a state or large district leadership team may wish to consider as they determine if they are “ready” to invest in the scaling-up of an innovation in education. As defined here, “scaling up” means that at least 60% of the students who could benefit from an innovation have access to that innovation in schools across a State. Creating benefits to students on a comprehensive scale requires considerable change by teachers, building staff, district staff, and state leaders. “Readiness” is defined as a developmental point at which a person, organization, or system has the capacity and willingness to engage in a particular activity. Creating readiness for change is a critical component of both initiating and scaling up the use of evidence-based practices and other innovations in education. (SISEP_Brief_3_Readiness_2009.pdf)

Scaling-Up Evidence-Based Practices in Education- February 2009 #1

Students cannot benefit from education practices they do not experience. While this seems obvious (and it is), education systems have yet to develop the capacity to help all teachers learn to make good use of evidence-based practices that enhance the quality of education for all students. The purpose of this Brief is to provide a framework that state leadership teams and others can use to develop the capacity to make effective, statewide, and sustained use of evidence-based practices and other innovations. (SISEP_Brief_1_ScalingUp_2009.pdf)