High Quality Teaching of Foundational Skills in Mathematics & Reading

University Of Maryland, College Park, College Park MD

Investigators

Abstract

This project focuses on high quality teaching of foundational skills in the areas of reading and mathematics in grades 4 and 5. This is an observational study and through a longitudinal study will develop and test multilevel models of how schools and teachers affect student achievement in reading and mathematics. A primary goal of the study is to understand how schools and teachers scale up and sustain effective pedagogy over time for multiple student populations. 20 schools in Montgomery County, Maryland will be studied - 10 from high poverty areas and 10 from moderate poverty areas. Data will be collected using standardized data collection instruments through 8 classroom observations/year over a period of three years in a total of 120 classrooms. The data will track changes in school policy/practices, teacher pedagogy, and student learning. The final year of the project will be devoted to data analysis and dissemination.