Follow the Science to School: Evidence-based Practices for Elementary Education

“Follow the science.”

How often have you picked up an education book to read how, according to the authors, the system is broken, failing, and flailing―but their ideas for fixing it will bring about a miraculous transformation?

That’s not the approach of this volume.

Sure, the editors believe that our system of education could achieve significantly better results. But they also recognize that schools have gotten better over time. One explanation is the progress schools have made in “following the science.” Especially in early reading and math instruction, scholars know more now about what works than we did in the past, and more schools are putting that knowledge into practice.

Now, in the wake of a horrific pandemic, even the best elementary schools are struggling to help their students get their momentum back again.

In this book, the editors share high-quality syntheses of evidence and insights from leading educators, academics, and other experts. And they communicate those findings in user-friendly language, with an understanding of the real-world complexities of schools and classrooms

Mike Petrilli is president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, research fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution, executive editor of Education Next, and a Distinguished Senior Fellow for Education Commission of the States. An award-winning writer and appears frequently on television and radio.

Petrilli helped to create the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Innovation and Improvement, the Policy Innovators in Education Network and Young Education Professionals. He serves on the advisory boards of the Association of American Educators, MDRC, and National Association of Charter School Authorizers.

He lives with his family in Bethesda, Maryland.

Barbara Davidson is an education industry executive with deep hands-on experience in K-12 education policy, practice, and operations. She started her career in education as a teacher of learning-disabled students in Norfolk, Virginia, has trained teachers on behalf of two educational publishing companies, as well as serving in key leadership positions at the U.S. Department of Education under two secretaries of education.

Barbara is the former Senior Vice President for Strategic Initiatives at the National Council for Teacher Quality (NCTQ) and has led StandardsWork in executing high-profile projects on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education, the National Assessment Governing Board, the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence, the Indiana Higher Education Commission, the District of Columbia Public Schools, National Endowment for the Humanities, Texas Education Agency, the Center for Education Reform, and others.

She lives in Barnesville, MD with her son Aidan.

Kathleen Carroll is owner of Kathleen Carroll Communications, a full-service editorial company founded in 2014. Prior, she had a 14-year career in daily newspapers and was the founding Publications Editor for TNTP, a national non-profit education management firm.

Kathleen has won top prizes for long-form education and investigative reporting, as well as a dozen national and regional awards for narrative, commentary, and public service journalism, from organizations including Investigative Reporters and Editors, Education Writers Association, Society of Silurians, Livingston Awards, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Newswomen's Club of New York, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the New Jersey Press Association.