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US Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences (IES): Achievement Effects of Four Early Elementary School Math Curricula: Finding for First and Second Graders (Year 2)

At a glance

  • Strong Evidence
  • Program: Math Expressions
  • Subject: Math
  • Report Type: Efficacy Study, Publication from External Organization, Study Conducted by Third Party
  • Grade Level: Elementary
  • District Urbanicity: Urban, Suburban
  • Participants: N=110 Schools
  • Outcome Measure: Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Class 1998–99 (ECLS-K Math Assessment)
  • Evaluation Period: 2006–2008
  • Study Conducted by: Mathematica Policy Research & SRI International

Abstract

This experimental randomized control trial (RCT) was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences (IES), and was conducted by Mathematica Policy Research and a main subcontractor, SRI International (SRI). This Grade 1 and 2 RCT included 110 schools and random assignment of one of four math curricula (Math Expressions, Saxon Math™, Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley (SFAW), & Investigations in Numbers, Data, and Space). HLM results indicated that students participating in Math Expressions classrooms had significantly greater math achievement as measured by the ECLS-K math assessment. In Grade 1 classrooms, average math achievement of Math Expressions students was 0.11 standard deviations higher than that of both Investigations and SFAW students; in Grade 2 classrooms, average math achievement of Math Expressions and Saxon students was 0.12 and 0.17 standard deviations higher than that of SFAW students, respectively.