The Triumph of Hope Over Experience in the Search for “What Works”: A Response to Slavin

Slavin’s call for evidence-based research on the effectiveness of treatments is criticized for its unreflective concept of a “treatment.” It is argued that treatments cannot be defined objectively but only relative to the beliefs, goals, and intentions of those supposedly affected by the treatments. An alternative approach to the study of schooling in terms of the entitlements and obligations of those involved at all levels of the system is suggested.