An evaluation of a standards-based mathematics program (Math Trailblazers) in Delaware's Caesar Rodney School District.

摘要

This evaluation examines the effect of the implementation of a NSF approved standards-based mathematics program, Math Trailblazers, on student achievement as measured by achievement on the mathematics portion of the Delaware State Testing Program. The study used a repeated measure two group approach. The comparison group consisted of all regular education students in the State of Delaware who took the third grade mathematics DSTP test in the Spring of 2000. The treatment or district group consisted of all regular education students, from the Caesar Rodney School District, who took the third grade mathematics DSTP test in the Spring of 2000. The study was completed over a two-year period. Fifth grade data were collected for the state and district students. The evaluation involved 6,961 students in the comparison group and 302 students in the treatment group.; First, students who participated in the NSF standards-based approved Math Trailblazers program in Delaware's Caesar Rodney School District outperformed the state comparison, in terms of increasing student achievement, over the same time period. Second, the descriptive data show that, as a whole, students at the state level slightly out performed the third grade students from the Caesar Rodney School District in 2000. However, the data reveal that from the 1999–2000 school year to the 2001–2002 school year, not only did student achievement in the area of mathematics increase significantly in the Caesar Rodney School District, but the fifth grade students out performed the state average on the mathematics portion of the DSTP in 2002.; It is important to note that there was no significant difference in student achievement due to the school the student attends in the Caesar Rodney School District. It is also important to note that the factors of gender and ethnicity did not have a statistically significant role in student achievement in the Caesar Rodney School District as measured by achievement on the mathematics portion of the DSTP with the program, Math Trailblazers.