GROUNDED IN RESEARCH

Meet our Research Team

We’re moving beyond traditional academic research to focus on edtech evidence that’s accessible, applicable, and scalable. Our team ensures the research behind our products isn’t just theoretical– it’s practical, transparent, and actionable for the educators and decision-makers we serve. Because we believe when it comes to evidence, it’s about both quality AND quantity.

Our frameworks

Instructure validates and conducts original research aligned to two different but equally rigorous rubrics–an Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) rubric and a broader Research Certification rubric. Both are based on multiple highly reputable regulatory and non-regulatory agency frameworks, including:

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) – statute and non-regulatory guidance
Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR)
Standards for Excellence in Education Research (SEER)
What Works Clearinghouse (WWC)
Australian Education Research Organization (AERO)
Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)
Clearinghouse for Labor and Evaluation Research

By combining these frameworks, we provide K12, Higher Ed, and workforce institutions in the United States and abroad with clear, evidence-based insights into product effectiveness. Our ESSA and Research Certification rubrics evaluate five key factors: sample, methodology, baseline equivalence, implementation & findings, and rational. These factors allow us to deliver transparent, rigorous, and consistent results.

Our people

Our research team brings deep expertise and nationally recognized credentials. We have multiple WWC-certified reviewers (Group Design Standards, Versions 4.1 and 5.0), ensuring our evaluations meet the highest levels of rigor in causal evidence:

Strong Impact (ESSA Level I)
Moderate Impact (ESSA Level II)
Early Evidence (ESSA Level III)
Foundational Evidence (ESSA Level IV)

Every study we validate is independently reviewed by at least three trained researchers, with at least one WWC-certified reviewer assigned. This multilayered approach ensures our findings are reliable, replicable, and grounded in the most trusted standards of education research.