More Resources What Works Clearinghouse

Washington, D.C. (June 30, 2004) -- After reviewing thousands of studies, the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) today released a series of user-friendly study reports reviewing the evidence of effectiveness on Middle School Math curricula and Peer-Assisted Learning interventions.

"This marks another important step in meeting the Department's goal to transform education into an evidence-based field," said U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige. "The What Works Clearinghouse will further support educators' efforts to implement No Child Left Behind."

The middle school math reports focused on studies of the effectiveness of semester-long mathematics curricula developed for grades six through nine. Of the hundreds of studies gathered, only a handful met the WWC Standards.

The first set of peer-assisted learning studies show positive effects for some peer- assisted learning strategies, but no effects for others.

An initiative of the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences, the WWC reviews the findings on the effectiveness of educational interventions (programs, products, practices, and policies) intended to improve student outcomes. The WWC evaluates the quality of research on educational programs. It does not endorse or rate the programs themselves.

"The first wave of study reports marks a significant milestone in educational research. For the first time, educators, policymakers, and the general public have available a trusted source on what research says about program effectiveness," said Grover "Russ" Whitehurst, director of the Institute of Education Sciences. "This will make it far easier to use research findings, will create new demand for research, and will set a clear quality standard for the next generation of research and evaluation studies in education."

The WWC has a three-tiered reporting system that generates reports on the study, intervention, and topic level. Study reports, which describe the characteristics and quality of individual studies on interventions, are available immediately to the public--in both a brief and a detailed version. Intervention reports build on individual study reports and summarize the strength of the evidence for all studies reviewed on a particular intervention and, when appropriate, provide statistical meta-analysis of the findings. Topic reports build on intervention reports, summarizing findings of all studies on all interventions relevant to a particular topic.

On a monthly basis through the summer, the WWC will release nearly 100 new study reports for middle school math and peer-assisted learning. Intervention reports will be released beginning September 2004. Topic level reports will follow. Those interested in particular interventions can search the WWC website for studies and learn their status in the WWC review system.

In later months, the WWC will begin to issue reports on other pressing topics in education, such as beginning reading, adult literacy, dropout prevention, English language learners, character education, and reducing delinquent, disorderly, and violent behavior. More information about the WWC is available at whatworks.ed.gov.

The What Works Clearinghouse was established in 2002 by the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences to provide educators, policymakers, researchers, and the public with a central and trusted source of scientific evidence of what works in education. The clearinghouse is administered by the U.S. Department of Education through a contract to a joint venture of the American Institutes for Research and the Campbell Collaboration.

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