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SHARED ACCOUNTABILITY > ABOUT US > PROGRAM EVALUATION > CURRENT PROJECTS
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DSA is conducting an evaluation of the A&S PGS, a comprehensive system for attracting, recruiting, mentoring, developing, evaluating, and recognizing school-based and central services administrators. The evaluation strategies include interviews with a sample of stakeholders, a survey of all school-based and central services administrators, and review of documents pertaining to the evaluation process. An advisory group assists DSA staff in refining data collection instruments to be relevant to the target population, and accessing stakeholders for data collection activities. For additional information, contact Suzanne Merchlinsky.
The Collaborative Action Process (CAP) is a schoolwide, problem solving process focusing on prevention, intervention, and collaboration that serves the needs of the school community. Currently, 61 schools are implementing CAP. Initially, the evaluation will focus on the extent of CAP's implementation, the fidelity of implementation, and the factors that influence the fidelity of implementation. Data collection activities for spring 2007 include interviews with principals, surveys of all CAP team members and teachers, and examination of school documents related to CAP. CAP's impact on students and schools will also be studied. For additional information, contact Elizabeth Cooper-Martin.
Conquista Tus Sueños (Realize Your Dreams) is a parent intervention program, delivered in Spanish, for Hispanic parents whose children are enrolled in the MCPS. This self-empowering program highlights the importance of parents advocating for the educational needs of their children and also enhances the understanding of the school system's organization and procedures, as well as the academic and behavioral expectations for students. The ultimate goal of the program is to narrow the achievement gap among Hispanic students. The purpose of this evaluation is to examine the impact of the program on parents and schools. For additional information, please contact Kecia Addison-Scott.
At the beginning of the 2002-2003 school year, supplemental ESOL teachers were assigned to Title I schools based on the number of beginning ESOL students in each school. This additional staffing allows beginning ESOL students to receive additional support. To be consistent with Goal 2 of MCPS strategic plan-to provide effective instructional programs-this staffing model continues to be studied to determine the extent to which it improves students' academic outcomes. The goals of the study are to assess how the program is being implemented, assess extent to which the project is impacting ESOL students' progress toward English language proficiency, and achievement of ESOL students in mathematics and reading, and identify areas needing improvement. Data collection activities include Web-based ESOL services log, and survey of administrators, ESOL and classroom teachers. A stakeholder advisory group provides input into the development of the evaluation tools and ensures that the evaluation is relevant to the needs of MCPS. For additional information, please contact Nyambura Susan Maina.
MCPS began implementing a standards-based grading and reporting policy during the 2005-2006 school year. All schools are implementing procedures for reteaching and reassessing students, reporting the academic meaning of the grade, and assigning and grading homework. Staff from the Department of Shared Accountability (DSA) is conducting an evaluation to determine the extent and consistency of implementation across and within schools. Evaluation activities include document reviews, stakeholder interviews, and surveys to school staff, parents, and secondary students. A stakeholder advisory group provides input into the development of the evaluation tools, guidance in collecting data from relevant stakeholders-especially those who might be under-represented in data collection activities. The inclusion of the stakeholder groups has promoted the utilization of evaluation findings. For additional information, please contact Kecia Addison-Scott, (elementary school evaluation) or Suzanne Merchlinsky (secondary school evaluation).
DSA is conducting an evaluation to assess the pilot implementation of High School Plus (HSP) during the 2006-2007 school year and examine student outcomes. Beginning in the fall of 2006, HSP is being piloted in the following four high schools: Wheaton, Einstein, Rockville, and Kennedy. HSP is targeted for students who have failed required courses related to the High School Assessments (HSA), failed courses required for graduation, or those who have failed the HSA, but have passed the corresponding course. The goal of this program is for students to master course content. For additional information, please contact Kecia Addison-Scott
All Title I schools are staffed with .5 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) math content coaches positions beginning 2003-2004 school year. The purpose of the math content coach position is to positively impact student achievement in mathematics through support, training, coaching, and mentoring which builds school and teacher capacity to increase achievement in mathematics. The evaluation of the math content coach initiative is both an implementation and outcome study. The goal of the study is to examine how schools use the positions, measure progress toward program goals, and identify areas needing improvement. In addition, the impact of the position on teacher capacity to provide a rigorous curriculum in mathematics and on mathematics achievement of all students will be assessed. Ongoing data collection activities include a Web-based math content coach monthly logs and survey of math content coaches and classroom teachers. For additional information, please contact Nyambura Susan Maina.
As MCPS launches a comprehensive, reform effort aimed at middle schools, DSA is working to develop an evaluation plan for this multi-year initiative. As a first step, an evaluation advisory group of stakeholders was formed to ensure that the evaluation meets the needs of MCPS. Next steps are to identify the major evaluation questions and to determine priorities for evaluation efforts. For additional information on this evaluation, contact Elizabeth Cooper-Martin.
Supplemented by a $7.2 million federal Magnet Schools Assistance Program grant, MCPS opened three whole-school magnets in 2005-2006, that provide countywide students in Grades 6-8 the opportunity to engage in highly rigorous instructional programs focusing on information technology (Argyle), the performing and creative arts (A. Mario Loiederman), or aerospace technologies (Parkland). As the program is phased in over three years, approximately 720 seats in Grades 6-8 will be available for out-of-area students to enroll in the three middle schools. This infusion of students from surrounding areas is designed to reduce the concentration of students from low socioeconomic families (as indicated by Free and Reduced-price Meals System (FARMS) program participation) at the three schools. The overarching goal of the MSMC is to improve student achievement. Contact Suzanne Raber, DSA Evaluation Specialist, for more information about the three-year evaluation of the MSMC.
Reading First is a grant-funded program designed to ensure all children read by the end of Grade 3. Reading First requires changes in curriculum, staffing, assessment procedures, and professional development. The goal of the evaluation is to describe how well these changes were made and whether they are associated with student achievement. Four MCPS schools were selected to implement Reading First in Grades K-3 and four as comparison schools. These schools have high proportions of students receiving FARMS assistance and/or performing below grade level in reading. The Reading First schools were Highland, Rosemont, Summit Hall, and Wheaton Woods and the comparison schools were Glen Haven, Kemp Mill, Twinbrook, and Weller Road. The evaluation addresses the next questions: 1) To what extent was the Reading First program implemented in schools as designed? 2) To what extent is the Reading First program perceived to be effective by teachers, Reading First coaches, principals, and parents/guardians? 3) How are the students performing in reading in participating schools and how does this performance vary by student subgroups, such as ethnicity, receipt of ESOL, FARMS, and special education services? 4) How effective is Reading First in improving reading achievement at participating schools?
The goal of the Reading Recovery is to reduce the number of first grade students who have extreme difficulty learning to read and write and to reduce the cost of these learners to educational systems. The objective of this evaluation is to examine longitudinal data on Reading Recovery children during and beyond the first-grade year using district and state tests given to all children in Grades 1, 2, and 3. These data will be examined in two groups; a) Children who successfully complete Reading Recovery and b) random sample of their grade level peers. The study will seek to determine if the children's achievement approximates that of their peers. In addition, the study will compare the progress of various student subgroups to determine the degree that Reading Recovery closes the achievement gap. The measures used to gauge this will be the Grade 1 MCPSAP, second grade TerraNova Second Edition (TN/2), and third grade MSA and MAP-R scores. For additional information, please contact Nyambura Susan Maina.
The SSPGS is a collaborative process that promotes workforce excellence by applying a core competency model to encourage personal and systemic growth on performance through continuous improvement. Supporting services includes all employees within MCPS who are not administrators or teacher/specialists. The evaluation of the SSPGS will examine the extent to which the SSPGS has been implemented consistently and as intended, the impact of the SSPGS on supporting services employees, and revisions that should be made to currently implemented components or considered when implementing new components. For additional information, contact Elizabeth Cooper-Martin.
Beginning in fall 2006, two Title I funded special education instructional specialists started collaborating with administrators, the school leadership team, and instructional staff to provide staff development opportunities to address identified needs of special education students and other struggling students. The goal of this Title I funded special education program is to initiate access to rigorous mathematics and reading curriculum for special education students in the least restrictive environment through; 1) use of data to differentiate instruction, 2) strategic, long range instructional planning, 3) increased capacity of school based instructional staff to integrate content and pedagogy knowledge to meet unique needs of special education students, 4) effective collaboration and co-teaching, and 5) shared belief in providing rigorous instructional opportunities for all students. The program is being implemented in 8 of the 21 Title I schools in 2006-2007. The purpose of the evaluation is to assess whether the program is being implemented as designed, assess extent to which the project is impacting teachers and students, and identify areas needing improvement. Data collection activities include (but will not be limited to) classroom observations, case studies, special education specialists' logs, and teacher surveys. A stakeholder advisory team oversees implementation of the project, provides input into the development of the evaluation tools, and ensures the evaluation is relevant to the needs of MCPS. For additional information, please contact Nyambura Susan Maina.
The ELO SAIL Program provides summer learning services to all students from Title I schools. Twenty-three schools receive Title I funds for high percentage of students who qualify for the FARMS Program during 2007-2008. The evaluation gathers information related to satisfaction of stakeholders and program fidelity through surveys as well as classroom observations. A focus of the evaluation is to examine whether the summer program is effective in alleviating summer learning loss in reading and math. The academic outcomes are measured on standardized and local assessments and pre-and post-math assessments especially developed for the summer program. The assessments will be administered in spring and fall of 2007.
All MCPS Title I schools are required to staff a .5 FTE GT teacher, who works in collaboration with school administrators, staff, and parents to identify and provide accelerated and enriched curriculum to gifted and talented students and students with emerging potential. The evaluation looks at the extent to which the GT initiative is implemented as designed through data collected with instruments of School Action Plan of GT Initiative, GT Teacher Contact log, Teacher Training Inventory, and Student Service Grid. The impacts of the GT initiative on student academic performance over standardized and local assessments will also be evaluated. For more information, contact Helen Y. Wang.
The Scaling up Curriculum for Achievement, Learning, and Equity
Project (SCALE-uP), is a collaborative effort between The George
Washington University (GWU) and MCPS funded by the National
Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education, and the
National Institute of Health under the Interagency Education
Research Initiative. The SCALE-uP research is designed to understand
how science curriculum materials, aligned with reform goals
outlined by the Project 2061 Instructional Analysis to improve
educational outcomes for diverse student populations on a large
scale. SCALE-uP is designed to implement three different middle
school science curriculum units over a six-year period. The
unit being studied in the 2006-2007 school year is the Grade
6 unit, ARIES: Exploring Motion and Forces (Harvard-Smithsonian
Center for Astrophysics). DSA staff participates in SCALE-uP
by recruiting and training classroom observers, conducting classroom
observations, administering pre-unit assessments, and providing
logistical support for assessment distribution and collection.
For additional information, please contact Suzanne Merchlinsky,
or visit the SCALE-uP Web site:
www.gwu.edu/~scale-up/
MCPS has received three federal grants from the Office of Vocational and Adult Education to support the development of Smaller Learning Community (SLC) programs in eight high schools: Blair, Einstein, Kennedy, and Wheaton from 2002-2003 through 2004-2005, Gaithersburg and Seneca Valley from 2003-2004 through 2005-2006, and Blake and Paint Branch from 2005-2006 through 2009-2010. These grants have supported smaller learning communities within high schools to improve student achievement. SLCs provide different supports to students, such as freshman academies and the Connections course to ease transition to high school; and themed career academies, student advisories, and student/teacher teams to better engage students in their learning environments. Contact Suzanne Raber, DSA Evaluation Specialist, for more information about these SLC grant evaluations.
The MCPS Study Circles Program was developed to complement ongoing initiatives aimed to closing the achievement gap by providing schools with a process for addressing racial and ethnic barriers affecting student achievement and parent involvement. DSA staff in the Program Evaluation Unit is conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the Study Circles Program, examining implementation, participation, and impact. Surveys and interviews are used to examine implementation and short-term outcomes, documenting the study circle process and assessing participants' attitudes and understanding. Long-term outcomes are evaluated with measures of student engagement, school climate, and follow-up reports.
DSA staff in the Program Evaluation Unit also conducts evaluations of a number of grant-funded programs in MCPS including the "Strategies for Success" program at Rockville High School, an arts and recreation program for elementary students in Title I schools, and a systemwide technology program. Each of these programs is supported by federal funds administered by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). DSA staff evaluates the implementation and impact of these programs, using observations, interviews, surveys, and student assessment data, as appropriate. Evaluators provide data to the funding agency and to program administrators, and prepare reports to inform the school system. For additional information, contact Shahpar Modarresi.
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