Principles for Effective Knowledge Use
in School Improvement
Knowledge Alliance believes that the effective use of education knowledge can significantly enhance and accelerate the nationwide efforts to improve academic performance and close achievement gaps in k-12 education. Education knowledge can and should be an essential factor in shaping policy and practice at all levels. We present four principles upon which approaches to effective knowledge use should be based.
Principle #1 Usable Knowledge
Knowledge that is used to shape policy and practice should be derived from the best available empirical evidence and informed by sound professional judgment.
Principle #2 Key Stakeholders
The effective use of knowledge in education requires the active participation of and the on-going collaboration among five key stakeholder groups
Practitioners should be involved in all phases of the knowledge development and utilization process, not just as recipients of research
Policymakers need to develop the capacity for integrating knowledge into the policy making apparatus.
Researchers should focus on rigor, relevance, and replication in addressing practical questions of effectiveness based on the needs of practitioners and policy makers.
Developers and Providers need to use the best available knowledge in developing and delivering their products and services.
Intermediaries are needed to facilitate productive collaborations and relationships among stakeholders, help interpret and disseminate findings, conduct applied research, and provide capacity-building assistance.
Principle #3 Cumulative Process
Effective knowledge use depends upon dynamic on-going exchanges of data and information among the stakeholders and involves a continuous process of research, application and adaptation. As knowledge is used and adapted, new knowledge is created and applied in a cumulative, iterative fashion.
Principle #4 High Priority Policy
School improvement policies at the federal, state and local levels should focus priority attention on the effective use of knowledge and create incentives to stimulate greater demand for and increased supply of knowledge-based solutions.
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