Curriculm Policy Effects on Math and Science Coursetaking, Achievement, and Preparation for College In Chicago Public High Schools

University Of Chicago, Chicago IL

Investigators

Abstract

Some of the most prominent efforts to improve math and science learning today focus simply on students' exposure to curriculum--getting more students to take college preparatory coursework, while also increasing the rigor of such coursework. Yet, it is not known if just changing and expanding the courses in which students are enrolled will have a substantial effect on learning in science and math, particularly as participation expands to students who have traditionally not been enrolled in such courses, and whether there are potential costs to this approach. The efficacy of such reforms will likely depend upon the ways in which they are implemented, the capacity of schools to enact more rigorous coursework without sacrificing quality, the degree to which students actually receive more challenging and engaging instruction, and the capacity of students to respond to increased rigor. Extant research does not tell us the degree to which such curricular reforms improve student outcomes, nor what kinds of students or schools are best served by such changes in course requirements and offerings. The proposed research rigorously evaluates the efficacy of large-scale curricular reform in a large, urban mostly-minority school district, Chicago. Since 1997, Chicago has enacted a number of curricular reforms aimed at increasing students' exposure to rigorous coursework, including raising graduation requirements for all students, expanding AP courses in neighborhood high schools, and requiring double algebra courses for students with low skills. The researchers already have access to administrative records, elementary and high school standardized test scores, high school course transcripts, and college records on the population of students attending Chicago Public Schools since 1991. This allows for a rigorous, longitudinal analysis of the effects of large-scale curricular reforms on student outcomes, including ACT scores, course grades, high school graduation, and college outcomes. The data allow for examination of growth over time of individual students, and comparisons of this growth across pre- and post-reform cohorts of students. The four investigators on the research team all have substantial expertise conducting research on high schools and working with schools to make use of their research. All have very strong statistical skills and substantial experience using the longitudinal data required for this work. This study will help guide urban schools as they make decisions about investing resources into particular courses to enhance student achievement and educational attainment. increased opportunities for advanced coursework may improve outcomes across the board, but it is likely that the findings will be more nuanced and complex. This study will also show the obstacles and costs to implementing rigorous curriculum in schools that have not traditionally offered such courses. The results will be published in multiple outlets to reach different types audiences. Reports will be aimed at practitioners, showing the effects of the different types of curricular reform on student outcomes for different types of students in schools with different levels of structural capacity, as well as the barriers to implementation. Scholarly articles will be written to explain the methodology for studying large-scale curricular reforms, and to discuss the implications for theories on learning and on the effects of school organizational structure. Members of the research team have a long history of working with the Chicago Public Schools to incorporate research results into policy and practice. They actively try to present their work in ways that are accessible to practitioners as well as scholars. The members of this research team will also share this work with the many organizations and individuals who are working on issues of high school reform around the country.