Beginning Reading, High School Math, Study of Knowledge is Power Program, and Charter School Evaluation

Ω

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) has released four new reports this week that review the research on education programs, curriculums, and strategies.

Beginning Reading

Sound Partners is a phonics-based tutoring program that provides supplemental reading instruction to elementary school students in grades K–3 with below average reading skills. The WWC reviewed 18 studies that investigated the effects of Sound Partners on beginning readers. Based on seven studies that meet WWC evidence standards with or without reservations, the WWC found Sound Partners to have positive effects for alphabetics, fluency, and comprehension and no discernible effects for general reading achievement for beginning readers.

Read the full report.


High School Math

Core-Plus Mathematics is a four-year curriculum meant to replace the traditional mathematics program. Courses integrate strands of algebra and functions, statistics and probability, geometry and trigonometry, and discrete mathematics. The WWC reviewed 17 studies that investigated the effects of Core-Plus Mathematics on high school students. Based on one study that meets WWC evidence standards with reservations, the WWC found Core-Plus Mathematics to have potentially positive effects on mathematics achievement for high school students.

Read the full report.


Quick Reviews

These reviews give timely guidance about whether education research in the news meets WWC standards. See how the WWC rated the research design used in the following studies:

Student Characteristics and Achievement in 22 KIPP Middle Schools — This study examined the effects of charter schools that are part of the the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) network on the reading and math achievement of 5th- through 8th-grade students. The study analyzed scores on state assessments for more than 5,600 students who attended 22 KIPP charter middle schools in nine states and Washington, DC, in the 2000s.

See how WWC rated this study at:
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications/quickreviews/QRReport.aspx?QRId=159


The Evaluation of Charter School Impacts: Final Report — This study examined the effect of being offered enrollment at a charter middle school on student achievement and behaviors. The study analyzed data from two cohorts of more than 2,100 students in 29 sites across 15 states between 2005 and 2008. Enrollment offers at each charter school were granted by lottery.

Read the full report

Ω