Selecting Evidence-based Materials

Selecting researched based interventions to achieve program goals is a critical step that cannot be overlooked. This means looking for interventions that have been scientifically studied and have strong evidence supporting their effectiveness. Finding best practice resources can become a bit confusing, often because endorsers of products claim that their interventions are research based.

To help cut through the confusion consider the following resource sites that have collected, analyzed, and deemed certain interventions as having evidence of effectiveness:

• Research briefs from the Center for School Counseling Outcome Research & Evaluation
• The What Works Clearinghouse publishes reports on the evidence of effectiveness of education programs and practices in reading, math, early childhood education, English language learners, character education, and dropout prevention.
• The National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP) is a searchable online registry of mental health and substance abuse interventions that have been reviewed and rated by independent reviewers.
  
• The Centers for Disease Control has a collection of registries containing expert opinion and evidence based practices. Topics include, but are not limited to drug/alcohol/tobacco use, at-risk behavior, HIV education.  

  Indiana Department of Education: Best Practice/Researched-Based Prevention and Intervention Resources