The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 articulates the value of research and scientific evidence in education. Evidence-based education is a model in which educational practices are expected to be evaluated and results disseminated, so that empirical data informs decision making and educational intervention selection. Interventions for which there [Page 635]is reliable evidence confirming their effectiveness to bring about behavior change/desired results are referred to as evidence-based interventions (EBIs). Such interventions have been evaluated and, based on strong resulting evidence, determined to be capable of achieving specific outcomes. This entry first provides a brief history of the development of EBIs, then describes the planning process, the evaluation of evidence, locating EBIs, and the role of treatment fidelity in implementation.

Historically, the concept of EBI can ...