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Overview
SFUSD strives to be an exemplary learning organization by using evidence to continually monitor and improve practice. This includes learning from existing evidence as well as generating new evidence. Our ongoing work in the Research, Evaluation, and Analytics Department (READ) is to support SFUSD's capacity to use and produce evidence to guide decision-making.
Use of Research & Evaluation
Why use evidence? |
Education policy and practice should be aligned with the best available evidence. School systems should engage in continuous learning and improvement. |
What counts as evidence? |
Evidence may come from expert knowledge, professional judgment, and stakeholder input, as well as inquiry from research, evaluation, and improvement. We recommend consulting these external research syntheses & repositories for reliable sources of existing research evidence. |
What counts as use of evidence? |
We recognize the value of both conceptual and instrumental use of evidence. Conceptual use influences thinking; instrumental use applies specific findings to policy and practice decisions. |
Who uses evidence? |
"Policymakers and practitioners" include staff across multiple roles at the central office, school, and classroom levels. Families, students, and community members are also important users of evidence. |
How should school systems use evidence? |
Evidence use is a process, not an event. It depends on social interaction and facilitation. System-wide supports include a culture of evidence use, reliable access to high-quality evidence, and routines for consulting and evaluating evidence skillfully. Please consult SFUSD's Continuous Improvement website for more resources. |
Production of Research & Evaluation
Why produce evidence? |
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What kinds of data and evidence are involved? |
Evidence may be produced using primary data (e.g., collected from observations, interviews, or surveys) and/or secondary data (often called administrative data, already stored in archived records). |
Who produces evidence? |
Depending on need and capacity, research and evaluation may be conducted internally within SFUSD or in collaboration with external partners. |
How is evidence produced? |
For SFUSD staff seeking an internal or external partner to conduct research or evaluation, please submit your request here to initiate a conversation. For researchers interested in collaborating with SFUSD on a potential project, please consult our external research and evaluation processes for more information. |
Resources on Evidence Use and Production
Research Engagement
Research use centers (IES-funded)
- National Center for Research in Policy and Practice
- Rethinking Research for Schools: Center for Research Use in Education
Inclusive access to evidence
Knowledge mobilization
- Research for Schools: Definitions of Knowledge Mobilization and Related Terms (2022)
Knowledge brokers
- Center for Research Use in Education: Understanding brokerage in education: Backward tracking from practice to research (2022)
- Policy and Politics: Does knowledge brokering facilitate evidence-based policy? (2020)
- Research to Action: Three ways that knowledge brokers can strengthen the impact of scientific research (2017)
- Evidence Policy: Knowledge brokering: The missing link in the evidence chain? (2009)
Stakeholder engagement
- Stakeholder engagement primer [2021; 10-post blog series]
- AIR: Engaging Stakeholders for Research Impact (2021)
- CEDIL: Engaging Stakeholders with Evidence and Uncertainty: Developing a Toolkit (2021)
- PCORI: The value of engagement (2018)
Research Production
Research-Practice Partnerships
- W. T. Grant Foundation's microsite on RPPs
- Research + Practice Collaboratory
- National Network for Education Research-Practice Partnerships
Participatory Research
- Participatory Action Research (PAR)
- Youth-led Participatory Action Research: YPAR Hub
- Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR)
Research Communication
Data biographies
- We All Count: Data Equity Framework
Data visualization
- Evergreen & Emery: Data Visualization Checklist
- PolicyViz: Core Principles of Data Visualization
- O'Reilly Media: Choose Appropriate Visual Encodings
- Flowing Data: Visualizing the Uncertainty in Data
- Storytelling with Data: Accessible Dataviz is Better Dataviz
- Urban Institute: Do No Harm Guide: Applying Equity Awareness in Data Visualization
Writing reports
- REL Program Writers Guide and Style Guide (2015)
- Going Public: Writing about research in everyday language (2014)
- How to Write a Plain Language Summary for a Campbell Review
- APA’s Inclusive Language Guidelines (2021)
- J-PAL’s Use of Inclusive Language to Communicate Research Results (2022)
- Checklist for Cochrane Reviews. Detailed explanations with examples of guidelines for writing reports.
- Cochrane Guide for Choosing Images
Presenting research
Research Dissemination
- Systematic review of strategies for disseminating to US policymakers (2020)
- Overview of dissemination & implementation science for public health (2018)
- Dissemination & Implementation Models (in health research & practice)
Equity in Research
- Selected readings and other resources about equity in research
This page was last updated on November 19, 2022