Use of the Survey

This survey is not intended to constitute an evaluation of the OERI programs or of other providers. It was carried out with limited resources and does not, for example, contain information about the effects or benefits from school district use of R&D resources. The results, themselves, have limitations given that the respondents (school districts' superintendents or their designees) were expressing their perceptions rather than undertaking a scientific verification, for example, on resource receipt. Despite these limitations, the survey does constitute the first examination, using a national database, of receipt and use of educational R&D resources by school districts. As such, the findings should contribute to policy discussions on the following types of issues:

• Is the extent to which R&D resources from the OERI programs are received, used, and valued by school district personnel commensurate with reasonable expectations, given the program budget levels and operating policies?
• Should the R&D programs consider changes in the nature or content of services or products to make them more effective?
• Do school districts have needs that could be met through R&D-based assistance?