The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) provides users with the information they need to be effective consumers of education research. Please view the Frequently Asked Questions using the navigation menu to the left or visit WWC Help to navigate the WWC’s resources.
General
Q: What is the WWC?
A: The WWC was established in 2002 by the Institute of Education Sciences at the U.S. Department of Education to provide educators, policymakers, researchers, and the public with a central and trusted source of scientific evidence about "what works" in education. Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., administers the WWC under contract to the Department.
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Q: Why is the WWC useful?
A: To help all students and schools meet high standards, educators need more evidence of what works in education. Currently, few resources help education decision makers separate high quality research from weaker research and promotional claims. Through systematic reviews to identify rigorous research, the WWC provides educators with credible and reliable evidence that they can use to make informed decisions.
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Q: How does the WWC define "topic" and "intervention"?
A: A topic is a general area of educational focus. It can be defined by its intended outcome (such as improving reading skills, improving math skills, or reducing the dropout rate), the intended population (such as elementary school students), and the types of interventions (programs, products, practices, or policies) that may improve outcomes. For a complete list of topics, click here.
Interventions are programs (such as whole school reform), products (such as a textbook or curriculum), practices (such as mixed-age grouping), or policies (such as class size reduction).
For more WWC definitions, see the
Glossary of Terms.
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Q: What topics has the WWC reviewed?
A: The WWC has reviewed research on seven topics: Beginning Reading, Character Education, Dropout Prevention, Early Childhood Education, Elementary School Math, English Language Learners, and Middle School Math. Indicated below is the status of these topic areas. Active topics are those with studies currently being reviewed by WWC. Inactive topics may be revisited periodically.
- Beginning Reading (Active)
Reading interventions for students in grades K-3 (or ages 5-8) that are intended to increase skills in alphabetics (phonemic awareness, phonological awareness, print awareness, and phonics), reading fluency, comprehension (vocabulary and reading comprehension), or general reading achievement.
- Character Education (Inactive)
Interventions that focus on developing character traits and providing comprehensive character education.
- Dropout Prevention (Active)
Interventions designed for middle school, junior high school, or high school that aim to increase high school completion.
- Early Childhood Education (Active)
Curricula and practices designed for use in center-based settings with 3- to 5-year-old children who are not yet in kindergarten, with a primary focus on cognitive and language competencies associated with school readiness (language, literacy, math, and cognition).
- Elementary School Mathematics (Active)
Math interventions that focus on math curricula for students in grades K-5 and are designed to increase student outcomes related to mathematics achievement.
- English Language Learners (Active)
Curriculum-based interventions designed to improve the English language literacy or academic achievement of elementary school students who are English Language Learners.
- Middle School Mathematics (Active)
Math interventions that focus on math curricula for students in grades 6-9 and are designed to increase student outcomes related to mathematics achievement.
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Q: What programs (interventions) has the WWC reviewed?
A: For a list of alll interventions reviewed in a topic area, please view the pages below.
- Beginning Reading
- Character Education
- Dropout Prevention
- Early Childhood Education
- Elementary School Math
- English Language Learners
- Middle School Math
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Q: Does the WWC recommend interventions?
A: The WWC assesses evidence on the effectiveness of educational interventions. It does not endorse interventions. A WWC rating of "positive" for an intervention, for example, means there are at least two studies of the intervention that met evidence standards, and the studies found positive effects on student outcomes. It does not mean that the WWC recommends that users implement that intervention. Consideration of other factors, such as target population, cost, and feasibility may also be necessary. It is also important to note that for some educational interventions there exists little or no research meeting WWC Evidence Standards.
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Q: Does the WWC offer printed materials?
A: The WWC offers publications in electronic format on our website. If you have difficulty downloading documents from our website, please contact WWC for assistance.
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Q: Does the U.S. Department of Education recommend particular
programs with scientifically based evidence?
A: The U.S. Department of Education (ED) does not maintain a list of programs that have scientifically based evidence, nor does it endorse specific programs.
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Q: Where should I go for information on a topic or intervention if the WWC has not reviewed it?
A: An additional resource from IES, the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Program, may be able to offer you further assistance. The program is a network of 10 laboratories that provides access to high quality, scientifically valid education research and offers technical assistance. To contact the REL in your region, please visit http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/ and look at the map provided to identify your region’s REL. Below the map, you’ll see a list of the regions with each REL’s email address and phone number. If you would like assistance in identifying the REL that serves your state, please contact WWC. You can also suggest a topic area that you would like to see covered by the WWC.
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Q: How can I stay up-to-date on the latest additions to the WWC website?
A: There are several options:
- Subscribe to the IES NewsFlash, an e-mail-based alert service designed to inform you about all new content posted to the WWC website. Click here to sign-up today.
- Subscribe to the RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feature for updates on What’s New on the WWC website. Click here to subscribe.
- Visit the What’s New page on the WWC website by clicking here.
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Q: Where can I find more information about the WWC?
A: To request information about the WWC, its reports, or its services, contact the WWC.
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Q: How can I contact the WWC?
A. You may contact the WWC by submitting the Contact Us form or via phone at (866) 503-6114. If you have specific questions about the WWC or its reviews, please submit the Contact Us form, describing your questions. Certain types of inquiries, such as author or developer concerns regarding WWC reviews, are handled only in writing (which includes email).
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|Institute of Education Sciences