ABSTRACT
The environment for professional practice in today’s public schools increasingly is one characterized, and sometimes dominated, by discus sion of accountability, data-based decision making, and program effec tiveness. Administrators, educators, parents, students, and other commu nity members all are interested in a positive return on their varying forms of educational investment. Professional organizations across ar eas of education and psychology also emphasize these themes. For ex ample, the National Association of School Psychologists has endorsed among its top priorities for professional training and practice, databased decision making and accountability, effective instruction, pre vention, wellness promotion, and program evaluation (Ysseldyke et al., 1997). Similarly, the American Psychological Association emphasizes evidence-based intervention strategies in professional training and practice (Kratochwill & Stoiber, 2000; Stoiber & Kratochwill, 2000), and the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, 2001) standards for personnel preparation emphasize knowledge and skill de velopment with a focus on student learning. As such, instructional and curricular programs of all types are the focus of increasing scrutiny, with an eye toward the provision of continued support for what works to improve child/student outcomes and the discontinuation of support for what does not work.
