State Education Agencies and Policymakers Resources Menu

State R&D

State Education R & D Playbook: : This interactive playbook, developed through the work of the Alliance for Learning Innovation, is informed by more than 100 stakeholders across the education sector and beyond. It is designed for four core audiences that play a unique role in advancing education innovation and strategic R&D in states: state leaders, local system leaders, policy influencers, and philanthropy.

Literacy

Effective Reading Instruction in Low- and Middle-Income Countries—What the Evidence Shows: This report from Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel highlights the evidence from across the world, multiple languages and cultures clearly pointing to the most effective practices.

Science of Reading Implementation Briefs from North Carolina: North Carolina has made historic gains in reading. These briefs guide a state through what it takes beyond training to cause sustainable change.

NCTQ State Teacher Policy Database: NCTQ provides access to information on state policies, laws, and regulations annually.

NCTQ Policy Actions to Strengthen Implementation of the Science of Reading: Provides five policy action recommendations for prioritizing and implementing efforts to improve student reading outcomes.

ExcelinEd Comprehensive Literacy Policy Solutions: This resource is an excellent guide to support states when facing common challenges to implementing comprehensive early literacy policies. Scroll down to the 18 Comprehensive Early Literacy Fundamental Principles. Also valuable are the Comprehensive Early Literacy Policy document and the Comprehensive How-To Guide.

ExcelinEd Literacy Policy Map: This map and website describes how states stand in implementing full model literacy policies and provides descriptions of selected states that are models in designated policy areas.

State of Dyslexia From the National Center on Improving Literacy: This new website is the source for enacted dyslexia-focused laws.

The Reading League Compass for Policymakers and State Education Agencies: This website from The Reading League includes resources for policymakers and state departments of education to support the science of reading.

Bellwether-On the Same Page: This landmark report published in January 2024 is a Primer on the Science of Reading and its future for Policymakers, School Leaders and Advocates. It includes recommendations, lessons learned and key takeaways.

EAC Report of Selected States with Model Literacy Policies: This report assembled by Louise Dechovitz of the Evidence Advocacy Center, highlights 5 states with strong literacy policies that include implementation plans.

Improving Literacy: Four Guidance Reports from the Education Endowment Foundation provide recommendations for improving language, reading, and writing for three to five year olds, five to seven year olds, seven to eleven year olds, and for secondary students.

National Center on Improving Literacy: This page from the National Center includes resources for state agencies focusing on understanding reading science, screening, essential features for literacy development and much more.

Writing Guidance from The Australian Education Research Organisation: This report summarizes available research evidence on writing and writing instruction and is useful for state policies.

Math

ExcelinEd Math Policy Playbook: This policy playbook lays out fundamental principles for policies to improve math.

Model Math Policy: This resource, also by ExcelinEd, provides language for a comprehensive state policy for K-8 math.

Archimedes Math Standards PreK–12: A comprehensive set of model preK–12 mathematics standards designed to restore academic rigor, intellectual honesty, and instructional clarity to America’s classrooms.

State of the States: Five Policy Levers to Improve Math Instruction: This June 2025 report from NCTQ identifies specific actions states can take to improve math instruction and provides snapshots of effective states and also identifies states with challenges in relation to the 5 recommendations.

Final Report of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel: This report published in 2008 was commissioned by then President Bush and operated in the same manner as the National Reading Panel from 2000. The report was the result of analysis of research for teaching mathematics and brought together cognitive scientists, mathematicians, math educators and practitioners to review and synthesize findings from scientific research. The key findings included the need for a coherent progression with the emphasis on proficiency, particularly automaticity with math facts and automatic execution of standard algorithms leading to a clear concept of school algebra with identification of major topics.  Sadly, the findings were not implemented, despite the fact that they are aligned to research and grounded in cognitive science.

Behavioral Health/Wellness

OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS): This website provides (a) descriptions of Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier3 behavior supports in schools, (b) examples of elementary, middle and high schools that have implemented PBIS well, and (c) summary of research examining both the fidelity of PBIS implementation, and the effects of PBIS on student outcomes.

PBIS State Systems Fidelity Inventory (SSFI): TThis self-assessment is designed to assist State Leadership Teams and similar organizational units with (a) initial assessments of the extent to which there is the capacity to implement Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS); (b) action planning to guide resource allocation during the process of PBIS implementation; and (c) periodic assessments of the capacity of a state or region to sustain PBIS implementation and expansion.

Policies for Teacher Retention

ExcelinEd Teachers and Leaders Policy Playbook: This resource provides states with strategies to address teacher shortages through recruitment and retention.

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

Center on Multi-Tiered System of Supports: This website developed by AIR and funded by the USDOE provides resources and explanations for the components of a multi-tiered system of supports.

International MTSS Association: The International MTSS Association (IMA) unites educators, leaders, and agencies from across the globe to turn evidence into action so that every student has the best first teaching and supports needed to succeed.

National Center on Intensive Intervention: : This website targets Tier 2 and Tier 3 supports with tools and procedures for conducting academic and functional behavioral assessments, providing academic intervention resources, and designing individualized behavior support plans, and protocols for collecting data to monitor and improve behavior support.

Comprehensive, Integrated, Three-Tiered (Ci3T) Model of Prevention: : This website focuses on an approach to multi-tiered systems of support that include academic, behavioral, and social/emotional outcomes. Tools and procedures are provided for assessment, fidelity, implementation and improvement.

Integrated Multi-Tiered System of Supports: : This site describes research and development on implementation of multi-tiered academic and behavior supports. A key takeaway is that the organizational systems needed for effective implementation are similar for academic and behavior supports. Also the Learning Hub provides explanation and guidance.

Alabama Multi-Tier System of Supports: This resource demonstrates one state’s comprehensive approach to a multi-tier system to support all learners.

Implementation and Use of Evidence

NIRN State Capacity Assessment: The National Implementation Research Network provides resources and tools for states to use to support capacity and implementation of evidence-based practices. This resource is a Brief on State Capacity Assessment and the actual State Capacity Assessment is available from NIRN’s Active Implementation Hub.

EdResearch for Action: This organization equips education leaders with timely and relevant research to make evidence matter.

EAC Implementation Guide — State: EAC has developed Implementation Guides to support the use of research- based practices (RBRs) throughout the education system. Specifically, the guides provide step-by-step guidance on the key actions needed and how to identify the conditions and supports that are in place for the effective use of the RBRs.

The Education Endowment Foundation: This organization is dedicated to breaking the link between family income and educational achievement by supporting schools, colleges, and early years settings to improve teaching and learning through better use of evidence. They include resources and toolkit summarizing the best available research evidence and impact of specific practices.

Using Research Evidence: This page from the Education Endowment Foundation centered in the UK provides resources to help those working in education – within and outside of schools – with tools for accessing, critiquing, and applying evidence from research to practice. Downloads of guides are available.

Building a Robust State Education Research and Development Infrastructure: This policy brief from Alliance for Learning Innovation describes conditions and infrastructure necessary to drive continuous improvement and innovation within a state’s own R & D structure. The full report, Seizing the Opportunity for State Education R&D: Findings and Recommendations for Action, can be downloaded within this brief.

Multiple Education Policies

ExcelinEd Policy Summaries: These briefs reflect some of ExcelinEd’s important policies in many areas important to the transformation of education to ensure student success.

Implementation of Evidence-Based Practice Resources

Institute for Education Sciences Practice Guides These publications present recommendations for educators to address challenges in their classrooms and schools. They are based on reviews of research, the experiences of practitioners, and the expert opinions of a panel of nationally recognized experts.

Preparing Young Children for School: Developed in conjunction with an expert panel, distills contemporary early childhood and preschool education research into seven easily comprehensible and practical recommendations. The guidance will help to prepare young children to benefit from the learning opportunities they will encounter in school.

Foundational Skills to Support Reading for Understanding in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade: Developed in 2016, and updated in 2019, provides four recommendations for teaching foundational reading skills to students in kindergarten through 3rd grade. Each recommendation includes implementation steps and solutions for common obstacles. This guide is a companion to the practice guide, Improving Reading Comprehension in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade.

Improving Reading Comprehension in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade: Recommends five specific steps that teachers, reading coaches, and principals can take to successfully improve reading comprehension for young readers.

Providing Reading Interventions for Students in Grades 4–9: Provides four evidence-based recommendations that teachers can use to deliver reading interventions to meet the needs of their students. Also included is the Providing Reading Interventions for Students in Middle School Toolkit that includes learning modules to accompany this guide.

Teaching Math to Young Children: Provides five recommendations for teaching math to children in preschool, prekindergarten, and kindergarten. Each recommendation includes implementation steps and solutions for common roadblocks.

Developing Effective Fractions Instruction for Kindergarten Through 8th Grade: Presents five recommendations intended to help educators improve students’ understanding of fractions. Recommendations include strategies to develop young children’s understanding of early fraction concepts and ideas for helping older children understand the meaning of fractions and the computations involved. The guide also highlights ways to build on students’ existing strategies to solve problems involving ratios, rates, and proportions.

Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: Intervention in the Elementary Grades: Provides evidence-based practices that can help teachers tailor their instructional approaches and/or their mathematics intervention programs to meet the needs of their students.

Improving Mathematical Problem Solving in Grades 4 through 8: Developed in 2012, and updated in 2018, this focuses on evidence-based recommendations for teaching problem solving to students in the upper elementary and middle grades.

Teaching Strategies for Improving Algebra Knowledge in Middle and High School Students: Developed in 2015, and updated in 2019, provides three recommendations for teaching algebra to students in middle school and high school. Each recommendation includes implementation steps and solutions for common roadblocks.

Teaching Elementary School Students to Be Effective Writers: Provides four recommendations for improving elementary students’ writing. Each recommendation includes implementation steps and solutions for common roadblocks.

Teaching Secondary Students to Write Effectively:  Developed in 2016, and updated in 2019, this presents three evidence-based recommendations for helping students in grades 6–12 develop effective writing skills. The guide also summarizes and rates the evidence supporting each recommendation, describes examples to use in class, and offers the panel’s advice on how to overcome potential implementation obstacles.

Teaching Academic Content and Literacy to English Learners in Elementary and Middle School:  Provides four recommendations that address what works for English learners during reading and content area instruction. Each recommendation includes extensive examples of activities that can be used to support students as they build the language and literacy skills needed to be successful in school, including examples of how the recommendations align with Common Core and other contemporary state standards.

Reducing Behavior Problems in Elementary Classrooms:  Summarizes the research on reducing problem behavior in classrooms.

Clinical Practice Resources

NCTQ Clinical Practice Action Guide: Details six areas of clinical practice – backed by research and supported by the field – that lead to a strong clinical practice experience.

Science of Reading Resources

Science of Reading Professional Learning Rubric:This rubric, developed by ExcelinEd, is designed to assist state, district, and school leaders to use in their evaluation and selection of a professional learning grounded in the science of reading. This rubric is intended for use by team or committee members who have completed in-depth professional learning in the science of reading and have experience applying this knowledge in the classroom. As a result, team and committee members can make an informed decision about which professional learning provider is a best fit.

State Reading Policy Action Guide: This document provides states with actions to create cohesive plans for ensuring teachers are prepared to deliver evidence-based reading instruction.

The Path Forward: Empowering Teachers Through Evidence-based Literacy Instruction: The Path Forward at the Hunt Institute utilizes a cohort model to support states in their efforts to transform teacher preparation and teacher licensure programs to include the science of reading,

ExcelinEd Early Literacy Coaching Modules: To help support their efforts, ExcelinEd, in partnership with the Florida Center for Reading Research, has developed a new professional learning resource: Fundamentals of Literacy Coaching.

Florida Center for Reading Research Academy: FCRR along with colleagues worldwide worked to develop evidence-based tools and resources for implementing best practices in reading. Most of the resources are free and can be accessed through this website.

Mathematics Resources

What is the Science of Math: This website provides an overview of the Science of Math movement that focuses on using objective evidence about how students learn math. The resources on this website are provided to inform educational practice and policy.

ExcelinEd Math Policy: This resource provides ExcelinEd’s math policy and how to ensure all students are prepared for Algebra and future careers. It emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive K-8 math strategy that includes daily instruction with high-quality content.

Deans for Impact Modules for Selecting High Quality Instructional Materials: DFI created four modules that prepare educators to evaluate whether materials are high-quality, use them to deliver consistent, standards-aligned instruction, and explain why they’re important in fostering equitable and inclusive learning environments.

Science of Learning

Deans for Impact on the Science of Learning: According to DFI, brilliance is equally distributed, but quality instruction is not. DFI provides support to educators, leaders, and policymakers to make instructional quality a priority in the way teachers are prepared. DFI provides specific resources, including a document in both English and Spanish on the principles of the Science of Learning.

Deans for Impact Tools and Resources: DFI’s Tools and Resources link provides reports, videos, podcasts, and publications promote evidence-based practices in teacher education.

Deans for Impact: Science of Learning: This organization and website provide resources to improve educator preparation but also for educators at all levels. Leaders who understand the science of learning will be better positioned to support effective instruction in the classroom.

Think Forward: This website from Australia is a community of educators committed to improving education through the science of learning

Inner Drive: This website, based in the UK, has been illuminating cognitive science and its contributions to effective teaching and learning. They include a summary of 4 of Dr. Paul Kirschner’s important influential studies especially contrasting explicit instruction and types of minimally guided instruction.

Teaching for How Students Learn: This website from Australian Education Research Organisation builds model of teaching practices aligned with how students learn. In addition, Teaching for How Students Learn Best provides an overview of evidence‑based teaching practices found to enhance educational outcomes for all students. The paper connects the understanding of how students learn best with practical implications for teachers.

Behavioral Wellness

Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Blueprints: The PBIS website provides an Implementation Blueprint for states and districts to use to support interventions for behavior using PBIS.

CEEDAR Center Course Enhancement Modules for Classroom and Behavior Management: This resource can be used to support inservice as well as preservice educators and is designed to build knowledge and capacity in behavior management. It is targeted to be used in professional development.

10 Key Policies and Practices for Schoolwide and Classroom-Based Behavioral Supports: This resource from The Meadows Center distills the latest research findings into 10 easy-to follow recommendations that states, school districts and schools can use to improve schoolwide and classroom behavioral support.

Reviews of Reading Instructional Materials for IHEs: Reviews of textbooks and educational materials used in teacher preparation programs that will allow states to provide guidance to educator preparation programs.

Model Policy to hold state educator preparation providers accountable: This policy model from ExcelinEd is designed to serve as model legislation for states to monitor and evaluate their educator preparation programs to ensure they are successfully putting students on a path to success. It establishes an annual report card that evaluates the extent to which educators are prepared in important subjects, especially reading and numeracy.

The Reading League Compass for Administrator Preparation: Administrators need to have a solid understanding of the science of reading to make informed decisions about curriculum, instruction, and assessment. This resource discusses the importance of administrators in the process and how they can support their teachers.

The Reading League Compass for Teacher Preparation: This resource discusses the importance of teacher education programs and provides resources to ensure pre-service teachers receive the best instruction in the Science of Reading.

The Path Forward at the Hunt Institute:  The Path Forward utilizes a cohort model to support states in their efforts to transform teacher preparation and teacher licensure programs to include the science of reading. 

EAC Curated Resource Menu for Institutes of Higher Education/Educator Preparation Programs — Literacy and Math: The EAC’s IHE team elevates the work of trusted organizations and individuals by curating and sharing resources. The resources are organized around major action areas related to preparing educators to know and use scientific evidence and proven practices.

Diagnostic Tools for States:  The framework is accompanied by a diagnostic tool, allowing policymakers to determine which policies their states are already doing or not doing and providing additional resources to learn more.

ExcelinEd Policy Funding Playbook: Provides policymakers with funding resources to ensure equitable, student-centered education funding.

State Evidence-Based Budgeting Guide: Provides a policymaker guide to evidence-based budgeting.

IDA Fact Sheet–K-2 Dyslexia Screening: The International Dyslexia Association recommends specific guidelines for selecting screening measures for the early identification of students with characteristics of dyslexia.

Ohio Dyslexia and MTSS Resources: The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce has curated resources for effective implementation of MTSS supports particularly for students with dyslexia. The Dyslexia Guidebook linked on this site provides resources for screening and implementation of evidence-based reading instruction.

EAC Curated Assessment Menu: The Assessment team curates and shares resources from trusted organizations and individuals with anyone interested in improving educational outcomes through enhancing data-based decision-making so that instruction and intervention are based on student needs, student contexts, and equitable assessment practices, and student outcomes are closely monitored. On this menu, resources are organized by educational purpose.

Alabama Literacy Act Student Reading Improvement Plan: This template contains elements of the Alabama Literacy Act and supports a Problem-Solving Process for Reading, Mathematics and/or Behavior.

National Center on Intensive Intervention: This website funded by the USDOE provides tools for intervention and assessment, data-based individualization and policy implementation. In particular the State and Local Leaders page provides guidance to build capacity statewide for intervention, for the use of academic and behavioral intervention tools and assessments. 

Alabama Reading Initiative Guidance for Summer Programs 2025: This document is an example of one state’s approach to summer learning to support numeracy and literacy.