The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) promotes the use of evidence-based practices in schools and districts and requires their use under certain federal programs, including school improvement. This presentation will provide participants with a detailed overview of the literature related to the implementation of evidence-based practices as a decision making framework. Participants will learn about the Weiss typography of research use before reviewing the three pronged approach deployed by the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE). This approach includes:

     1. Increasing access to research
     2. Building capacity for research use
     3. Modeling appropriate research use

Throughout the presentation, participants will learn about the existing literature and see concrete examples exploring how the KDE used this literature to inform the development of its support mechanisms. The presentation will also discuss ways that the model can be replicated in other states and districts.