CSIAC Data Study

Wested, San Francisco CA

Investigators

Abstract

During the past decade, many states and districts, particularly National Science Foundation (NSF) funded systemic initiative (SI) programs, have made substantial efforts to reform their science eduation systems. these reform effortsare expected to lead to improved learning, which in turn will lead to high achievement in science by all students. But how do these statesand districts know that theirefforts are indded making such a difference? How can they determine if all students are learning the content recommended by national science statandards? The data and results collected by the California Systemic Initiatives Assessment Collaborative (CSIAC) can help answer those questions. Over the last four years, CSAIC has established a rich collection of student acheivement data, school and district profile data, and student and teacher opportunity-to-learn data from numerous SI programs. The CSIAC data study proposes to assemble a group of experts, including SI participants, to analyze and report on this collection of data in terms of the achievement of different subgroups of students, and to address questions andconcerns regarding the correlations between SI efforts and achievement in science by all students. The CSIAC data study will provide important new information to science educators who will use the study's findings and recommendation to better understand and use assessment data that described the achievement of subgroups of students. SIs and other science reform efforts will use the Study's results to inform and change curriculum, instruction and practice so that their efforts will lead to improved learning and high achievement in science by all students. This study will also extend current efforts in the field of measurement to explore the impact of standards-based assessments on differentn groups of students and educational practices.