The Council has initiated a new project to assist states in improving evaluations of the quality of professional development for teachers, and especially evaluations for programs and activities aimed toward improving teaching of K-12 mathematics and science. The current policy emphasis on improving the quality of professional development for teachers is driven by the demand for highly qualified teachers in every classroom and the need to upgrade knowledge and skills of teachers for standards-based instruction. States have strongly expressed a need for effective evaluation designs that will measure impact as well as inform program developers about effective practices. CCSSO is studying current professional development programs for teachers across the states in relation to research-based characteristics of high quality, effective activities and methods of evaluation. States will receive practical guidance, tools, and recommendations from our review of best practices and studies of program impact using scientifically based evidence.
Meta-Analysis Study of the Effects of Teacher Professional Development
CCSSO was awarded a two-year grant by the National Science Foundation to conduct a meta-analysis study of teacher professional development programs in mathematics and science. The project synthesized findings from professional development programs that have effects on student learning and improved teaching as demonstrated by scientifically-designed research and evaluation. In particular, the study addressed two questions important to education leaders:
- What are the effects of content-focused professional development for on improving teacher knowledge and skills and on improving student achievement?
- What professional development program characteristics explain the degree of effectiveness, and are the findings consistent with existing research on effective professional development, e.g., content focus, duration, coherence, active learning, and collective participation of teachers)?
Findings from the report “Effects of Teacher Professional Development on Gains in Student Achievement: How Meta Analysis Provides Scientific Evidence Useful to Education Leaders” show important cross-study evidence that teacher professional development in mathematics does have significant positive effects on student achievement. The analysis results also confirm the positive relationship to student outcomes of key characteristics of design of professional development programs, particularly on duration and frequency of professional development activities. Education leaders, especially those involved in designing and selecting professional development for teachers, can benefit from the study’s identification of the kinds of evaluation designs that can be applied in their professional development programs and identifying which programs have measurable effects. The complete report is available here.
Cross-State Study of Quality Math and Science Professional Development
The CCSSO work on this project is initially supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation. The study objectives are to: identify high-quality professional development programs that meet criteria established by research, and then, report on the effects of the identified programs on improving teaching and learning in math and science. To help guide the project, CCSSO has involved leaders of math and science professional development from 15 states as well as specialists in professional development research and evaluation. Year 2 results from the study are now available —
Current Models for Evaluating Effectiveness of Teacher Professional Development: Recommendations to State Leaders from Leading Experts
This summary report provides an overview of the proceedings and links to the presentations made at the Workshop for State Leader and Evaluators of Teacher Professional Development held in Washington, DC, April 24-25, 2008.
Cross-State Analysis of Evaluations of Professional Development for Mathematics and Science Teachers
This final report covers the review of 41 evaluation studies from a sample of 25 professional development initiatives across the U.S. The report primarily addresses evaluation findings from professional development activities conducted during the period 2004 through 2007. Among the key findings are
- One-third of evaluation studies reported measurable effects of teacher professional development;
- Significant effects of professional development programs for teachers of math and science were found when the programs include focus on content knowledge in the math and science subject areas plus training and follow-up pedagogical content knowledge;
- One-third of the programs reviewed did have well-developed evaluations that produced findings with measurable effects on student achievement or change in instructional practices;
- Smaller programs typically had to choose a few measures and methods of evaluation; and
- Measurement of change in teaching practices in the classroom is a promising outcome worthy of further use and expansion to other PD studies.
Other findings and recommendations to states education leaders can be found in the complete report, available here.
For previous reports click here.
Related Resources:
Workshop for State Leader and Evaluators of Teacher Professional Development - Washington, DC, April 24-25, 2008
The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) has designed the workshop for state education staff responsible for managing evaluation studies of teacher professional development initiatives in math and science. The workshop will feature several leading research and evaluation experts to provide current information on implementing evaluation models that measure program effects on key outcomes. We will provide training for the state leaders of evaluations on use of a research-based rubric developed by CCSSO (supported by NSF REC grant 2005-07) for analyzing and rating the quality of programs. The participants will receive specific information about new tools and designs for evaluation of effects of professional development, e.g., use of longitudinal data systems, and we will provide sessions on how tools can be applied to evaluation of a variety of program designs.
Presentations
- Findings from Recent Research on Teacher Professional Development
- Cross-State Analysis of Program Evaluation Findings
- Table Excerpts (see full report for details)
- School-based Learning & Development
- Using Experimental Designs to Evaluate Impact of PD
- Improving State Management of Evaluations for Teacher PD
- Analyzing State Achievement Data and Measuring PD Effects
- Using SEC to Measure Changes in Teacher Practice
- Development & Use of Teacher Content Knowledge Assessments
- Using Longitudinal Data Systems for Evaluating School Improvement
- Discussion Questions
Resources for State Leaders and Evaluators
- Research on High-Quality Professional Development and Effective Evaluation – Annotated Bibliography (updated April 2008)
- Exemplary Projects
- State Funding: Title II-A and Title II-B State Allocations
- Weblinks
Rolf K. Blank, CCSSO Director of Education Indicators, rolfb@ccsso.org
Nina de las Alas, Associate, ninaa@ccsso.org
Carlise Smith, Research Assistant, carlises@ccsso.org