[ GLOSSARY ]
What are the ESSA evidence tiers?
Definition
EvidenceESSA evidence tiers
ESSA, the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, defines "evidence-based" activities by the kind of study behind them: strong, moderate or promising evidence, or a rationale based on research.
Why it matters for schools
Strong evidence needs at least one well-designed experimental study; moderate, a quasi-experimental study; promising, a correlational study with statistical controls for selection bias. A rationale alone needs high-quality research suggesting the activity is likely to work, plus ongoing study. Read vendor claims against those definitions: SchoolAI's three ESSA Level III studies are correlational, and none measures test scores.
[ FAQ ]
Questions and answers
What are the four ESSA evidence levels?
Strong (experimental study), moderate (quasi-experimental), promising (correlational with controls for selection bias), and a research-based rationale with ongoing study.
Does an ESSA level prove a product improves learning?
Not by itself. Check which outcome was measured and how; correlational studies cannot show cause.
Where are the ESSA evidence tiers defined?
In the definition of evidence-based at 20 U.S.C. 7801(21).
[ SOURCES ]
Sources
Facts checked Oct 18, 2026.
- 120 U.S.C. 7801(21), definition of evidence-based (ESSA)Read Oct 19, 2026 · law.cornell.edu
- 2SchoolAI, Trust: ResearchRead Oct 18, 2026 · schoolai.com
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