Research, Evaluation, and Assessment

The Florida Institute of Education (FIE) Research, Evaluation, and Assessment teams address critical educational issues in Florida by using systematic approaches to improve practice and inform policy. FIE’s work is characterized by collaborations with state, local, and community agencies; developing, testing, refining and disseminating evidenced-based tools and strategies; commitment to data-informed decision making; and improving the quality of and access to learning opportunities provided for historically underserved children.

FIE provides statewide leadership to improve educational outcomes, address critical educational needs, supporting innovation, and increasing access to and use of evidence-based knowledge and skills. To carry out this work, FIE works collaboratively with Florida’s universities, state colleges, public schools, school readiness agencies and communities.

FIE works to bridge the research-to-practice gap by drawing on models and methodologies from four complementary domains – traditional research, design-based research, implementation science, and evaluation research – using community-based participatory research and collective impact approaches.

Investigations, designed to provide insight into educational processes and student learning, use state- and locally-collected data. Researchers at FIE develop and evaluate educational programs and tools that address practitioner-identified pressing problems, serve as assessors and evaluators for partners’ projects, work as research and development consultants, and investigate the results of educational policy.   

Research and Evaluation Methodologies: 

The FIE Research Team draws upon well-known research methods such as regression, multivariate, analysis of variance, and design-based research; quasi-experimental methods such as propensity score matching, time series, and regression discontinuity; and methods that recently are more easily accessed such as hierarchical linear modeling, structural equation modeling, and data mining. 

Assessment:

The FIE Assessment Team can directly conduct assessments or train others to so. The Assessment Team consists of trained assessors with extensive experience in individually assessing young children’s school readiness abilities.

Additionally, FIE researchers are certified to rate the quality of the learning environments, instruction, and interactions in young children’s classrooms using the Early Language & Literacy Classroom Observation (CLASS): the Classroom Assessment Scoring System: PreK (CLASS), 2013, and the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS): K-3: 2012.  

How We Work – A systems approach:

FIE Collaboration

• FIE is charged with addressing critical educational issues in Florida and uses a systematic approach to achieve its mission to improve education at all levels by working collaboratively with a diverse set of stakeholders.
• FIE’s work is embedded in a diverse set of collaborative partnerships that currently includes
  • state and local governmental agencies (e.g., FLDOE Division of Early Learning, Early Learning Coalition of Duval, Big Ben Early Learning Coalition, Jacksonville Kids Hope Alliance)
  • community agencies (e.g., United Way of Northeast Florida, Lutheran Family Services Head Start, Sulzbacher Village for Children and Families)
  • public and charter schools (e.g., Duval County Public Schools, Greenwood School, school districts KIPP Jacksonville, Somerset in Jefferson County)
  • early learning centers, public libraries, and community child advocates, (e.g., Crawford Early Learning Center, Brentwood Head Start, All About Kids, Inc., Jacksonville Public Library, R.J. Public Library, Jefferson County)