State planning strategies to implement the Scientific Based Research components of the NCLB Act

The recent shift toward favoring the scientific paradigm and evidence-based practice has resulted in the comprehensive use of the term Scientific Based Research (SBR) in the No Child Left Behind Act. This shift to economically introduce scientifically based interventions to nationally raise student achievement has taken on greater significance. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships among a state's capacity to implement the SBR components, its contextual environment, its implementation strategy and the comprehensiveness of its planned policy implementation. The data for Capacity to implement, Context and Strategy were gathered through a 66-item survey sent to State Program Directors for the Title IA, Comprehensive School Reform, and Reading First programs in each of the fifty states. The response rate was 70%. The data for Comprehensiveness came from content analysis of the SBR components found in federally approved state plans. Correlational analysis and multiple regressions were used to elucidate the nature of the relationships among the variables. The study resulted in three major conclusions. First, based on the assumptions of the evaluative literature, the study expected to find that the presence of certain Capacity, Contextual or Strategic factors would favor higher Comprehensiveness of implementation in state plans. However, this study found that some factors: Horizontal Linkages, Amount of Knowledge, Internal and External Technical Assistance, Partnership and Coordination, and Political Support were less useful than expected in producing a comprehensive state plan. Second, policy makers and implementation planners can allocate resources to the following practically significant factors to plan implementation of federal mandates more efficiently: Cross Functional Linkage, Finances, and Negotiation. They can also minimize efforts to utilize Partnerships, Coordination and Horizontal Linkages which though statistically and practically significant, were negatively related factors. ...