Longitudinal Trends in Math and Science Partnership-Related Changes in Student Achievement with Management Information System Data
Abstract
This study is one in a series of substudies for the National Science Foundation's Math and Science Partnership (MSP) Program Evaluation. The study examines student proficiency in math and science for the MSPs' schools in terms of changes across four years (2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06, and 2006/07) and relationships with MSP-related variables using MSP-Management Information System data from the Annual K-12 District Survey. First, changes in percentages of students at or above proficient on state assessments in math and science were investigated by gender, ethnicity, special education, and students with limited English proficiency across the targeted four-year period (2003/04 - 2006/07). The classification of MSP schools with and without focus on math or science during this time period also was taken into account. The results indicated that the MSP-related schools demonstrate a sustained increase in the percent of students at or above proficient in both math and science at all school levels. This trend was more clearly pronounced for schools with focus on math or science. Second, schools were examined by frequency and effect size of increase, decrease, or no change in student math and science proficiency. The schools with positive changes were in much higher numbers and higher mean effect size of change compared to schools with negative changes in student math and science proficiency. This trend was better pronounced for schools with focus on math at the elementary and middle school levels and for schools with focus on science at the middle and high school levels. Third, the relationship between the schools' targeted teacher participation in MSP-related activities over the four-year time period (2003/04-2006/07) and the students' math and science proficiency at the "end" year of this period (2006-07) also was investigated. This relationship was positive, yet relatively small, at elementary and high school levels for mathematics, and also positive, yet somewhat better pronounced, at the high school level for science. Fourth, longitudinal growth trajectories in math and science proficiency across the four years also were investigated. The results showed that the schools with MSP focus on math (or science) increase at a higher rate in math (or science) proficiency compared to those without MSP focus on math (or science) for the elementary and middle schools in math and for the elementary schools in science.
