Merging the accountability and scientific research requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act: using cohort control groups

This article shows how assessment data such as that mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act can be used to examine the effectiveness of educational interventions and meet the Act’s mandate for “scientifically based research.” Based on the classic research design literature a cohort control group and a cohort control group with historical comparisons design are suggested as internally valid analyses. The logic of the “grounded theory of generalized causal inference” is used to develop externally valid results. The procedure is illustrated with published data regarding the Reading Mastery curriculum. Empirical results are comparable to those obtained in meta-analyses of the curriculum, with effect sizes surpassing the usual criterion for educational importance. Implications for school officials and policy makers are discussed.