1. Readiness to Implement Evidence-Based Practices in Public Elementary Schools: Findings from a National Survey of Teachers. Research Report. RR-A168-8
- Author
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RAND Education and Labor, RAND Social and Economic Well-Being, Dopp, Alex R., Bongard, Michelle, Phillips, Andrea, Kilburn, M. Rebecca, and Johnston, William R.
- Abstract
There is an increasing emphasis on the use of evidence-based practices (EBPs) by public elementary school teachers, yet little is known about how teachers and other education stakeholders (e.g., administrators, policymakers) can best support the successful implementation of such practices. The authors of this report sought to understand teachers' perspectives on their readiness to implement EBPs by surveying a nationally representative panel of 1,065 public elementary school teachers. The survey, fielded from January 20, 2020, to February 24, 2020, covered three domains related to EBP adoption and implementation: (1) innovation characteristics (EBP appropriateness); (2) characteristics of individuals (openness to EBPs, burnout); and (3) inner setting characteristics (EBP implementation climate, management support). Teachers' responses suggest that they view EBPs favorably, but they do not consistently see their workloads and school environments as conducive to using EBPs. Survey findings suggest that it is essential to understand teachers' perceptions of working conditions at their schools (e.g., inner setting characteristics, burnout), because those measures showed the most variability in survey response data. Indeed, a school's ability to assess readiness for EBPs is an important first step toward cultivating the conditions for successful EBP implementation, and too often teachers are not able to give input into assessing readiness.
- Published
- 2022
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