A Systematic Review of Studies Addressing the Implementation of the Evidence-Based Whole-School Reform Success for All (ECNU Review of Education 2021, Vol. 4(1)) - Abstract

Oct 15, 2026

Purpose: Evaluate the effectiveness of the 14-component evidence-based whole-school reform “Success for All” (SfA), while addressing the underexplored area of how SfA is implemented, noting that implementation fidelity is crucial. Design/Approach/Methods: Conduct a systematic literature review summarizing qualitative and quantitative aspects of SfA implementation in primary schools and identifying facilitating and hindering factors; 16 U.S. and U.K. studies are included. Findings: Implementation occurred at minimal (48%), advanced (45%), and insufficient (7%) levels; information on each component was rare, and hindering factors dominated. Value: Evidence-based success depends on systematically addressing implementation fidelity.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages36

Reading Time1 h 31 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Purpose

Design/Approach/Methods

Findings

Originality/Value

Introduction

A Systematic Review of Studies Addressing the Implementation of the Evidence-Based Whole-School Reform “Success for All” ECNU Review of Education 2021, Vol. 4(1) 128–163 ª The Author(s) 2021 Article reuse guidelines: [sagepub.com/journals-permissions](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[ ](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[DOI: 10.1177/2096531120961521](DOI: 10.1177/2096531120961521)[ ](DOI: 10.1177/2096531120961521)[journals.sagepub.com/home/roe](journals.sagepub.com/home/roe) Mechteld van Kuijk Research Group Learning in Professional Learning Communities, Hanze University of Applied Sciences Marijke Mullender-Wijnsma and Roel Bosker GION Education/Research, University of Groningen Abstract Purpose: The effectiveness of the 14-component evidence-based whole-school reform Success for All (SfA) has been well established, but research on its implementation is limited although fidelity of implementation is vital for the effectiveness of such a program. This review sheds light on this issue. Design/Approach/Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted to acquire an overview of qualitative and quantitative aspects of SfA’s implementation in primary schools as well as to identify stimulating and hindering factors when implementing SfA. Sixteen studies, conducted in the United States and the United Kingdom, were included in this review. Findings: Results indicate that 48% of schools implemented SfA at the minimal level, 45% at amore advanced level, and 7% at an insufficient level. Information on the implementation for each of the 14 components was rare. Most of the factors that affected implementation were hindering factors rather than stimulating ones. For successful implementation of this evidence-based Corresponding author: Roel Bosker, GION Education/Research, University of Groningen, Grote Rozenstraat 3, Groningen 9700 AB, the Netherlands. Email: [r.j.bosker@rug.nl](r.j.bosker@rug.nl) Creative Commons Non Commercial CC BY-NC: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License ([https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages ([https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage](https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage)). program, the crucial factors appear to be leadership, fulfilling organizational conditions, staff development, and relentlessly implementing all 14 components together. Originality/Value: This review shows that for an evidence-based program to be effective, implementation fidelity is a very serious concern, which needs to be addressed systematically. Keywords Evidence-based education, implementation, Success for All, whole-school reform Date received: 19 March 2020; accepted: 16 August 2020 Introduction Internationally, the demands for evidence-based education are increasing (e.g., CERI, 2007) . Yet the educational field is known to adopt instructional programs and practices based on ideology, faddism, and marketing rather than evidence (Klingner et al., 2003; Slavin, 2008) . For schools that are implementing evidence-based programs, it is a complicated process (e.g., Harn et al., 2013; Klingner et al., 2003) due to school contexts changing over time, high-stakes accountability pressures or mismatches between teacher styles and promoted practices. Success for All (SfA) is an evidence-based, whole-school reform model that contains (among other things) a reading program employing cross-grade ability grouping and cooperative learning, tutoring, on-site continuous professional development, a leadership program, and a home involvement program. It has consistently demonstrated high levels of reading performance in schools serving large numbers of underprivilege

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the review on Success for All (SfA)?

The review examines SfA’s effectiveness and focuses on implementation, emphasizing that fidelity of implementation is vital for achieving expected program impact.

How was the review conducted and how many studies were included?

A systematic literature review was conducted to cover qualitative and quantitative aspects of SfA implementation in primary schools, including 16 studies from the United States and the United Kingdom.

What do the review findings indicate about implementation levels?

Results show 48% of schools implemented SfA at the minimal level, 45% at a more advanced level, and 7% at an insufficient level, with most influencing factors being hindering rather than stimulating.

Oct 15, 2026

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