The How Do We Know Initiative

What is the evidence aligned to the Student Opportunity Act (SOA)?

The Student Opportunity Act (SOA) requires each district to create an evidence-based plan for reducing persistent disparities in achievement across student groups, which must be submitted for the commissioner's review on a three-year cycle.

In 2023, DESE engaged in a process to update our Educational Vision and identify Strategic Objectives to guide our support to districts, focusing on recommended state-supported strategies that are grounded in evidence. With this in mind, DESE has embedded the Evidence-Based Programs (EBPs) that districts must identify in their SOA plans within the larger context of DESE's Strategic Objectives.

The table below notes some of the evidence that supports programming and strategies aligned to the DESE's Strategic Objectives and Focus Areas. The How Do We Know web pages provide other resources to support identifying specific programs and strategies that are evidence-based and more likely to have the greatest impact on students.

Evidence-Based Programs Aligned to SOA

The Evidence-Based Programs table below can also be downloaded as a separate document .

Strategic Objective Focus Area	Focus Area Evidence-Base
1.1 Promote students' physical and mental health and wellness in welcoming, affirming, and safe spaces	2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee Scientific Report The Association Between School-Based Physical Activity, including Physical Education, and Academic Performance. The Effectiveness of School-Based Mental Health Services for Elementary-Aged Children: A Meta-Analysis Schools As a Vital Component of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health System School Culture and Climate Assessments Fact Sheet A Culture of Success — Examining School Culture and Student Outcomes via a Performance Framework
1.2 Implement a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) that helps all students progress both academically and in their social, emotional, and behavioral development	State-wide Social and Emotional Learning Embedded within Equity-based MTSS: Impact on Student Academic Outcomes A Brief Review of MTSS Evaluation Measures and Empirical Support for MTSS Implementation The Impact of Enhancing Students' Social and Emotional Learning: a Meta-Analysis of School-based Universal interventions.
1.3 Develop authentic partnerships with students and families that elevate their voices and leadership in decision-making and connect them to their communities	A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement Effects of student participation in decision making at school. A systematic review and synthesis of empirical research
2.1 Select and skillfully implement high-quality and engaging instructional materials that support culturally and linguistically sustaining practices and foster deeper learning	Curriculum Research: What We Know and Where We Need to Go How States Are Creating Conditions for Use of High-Quality Instructional Materials in K-12 Classrooms: Findings from the 2021 American Instructional Resources Survey (rand.org)
2.2 Use the MTSS process to implement academic supports and interventions that provide all students, particularly students with disabilities and multilingual learners, equitable access to deeper learning	A Brief Review of MTSS Evaluation Measures and Empirical Support for MTSS Implementation
2.3 Reimagine the high school experience so that all students are engaged and prepared for post-secondary success	Early College, Early Success: Early College High School Initiative Impact Study Using Evidence to Create Next Generation High Schools
2.4 Develop a coherent and holistic range of programming that is responsive to the needs and interests of diverse learners	School Practices to Address Student Learning Loss Leveraging community partnerships for integrated student supports
3.1 Develop an increased and robust pipeline of diverse and well-prepared educators and leaders	Impact of Same-Race Teacher Match on Student Outcomes Teachers of Color, Culturally Responsive Teaching, and Student Outcomes: Experimental Evidence from the Random Assignment of Teachers to Classes.
3.2 Create the conditions to sustain and retain diverse and effective staff, particularly those who entered the field through alternative pathways	The Impact of Induction and Mentoring Programs for Beginning Teachers: A critical Review of the Research Diversifying the Teaching Profession: How to Recruit and Retain Teachers of Color
3.3 Implement opportunities for all staff to engage in a cycle of continuous improvement, utilizing effective teaming structures	Lessons from Networks for School Improvement: School Year 2020-2021 Continuous Improvement in Education (carnegiefoundation.org)

Last Updated: November 29, 2023