Outcomes
From 2002-2008, Chicago Public Schools undertook an effort to reform mathematics and science teaching and learning in grades K-12. Teaching and learning in many CPS math and science classrooms, K-12, changed because of the systemic reform efforts made changes in terms of the use of instructional materials, instructional approaches, and the use of assessments to inform and improve instruction. This section describes the outcomes as described in studies completed by the end of 2009.
Preceding sections described the various activities of CMSI organized along 5 strands (professional development, in-school support, university courses for teacher mathematics and science content knowledge, standards based instructional materials, student assessment and program evaluation), the context and research related to these activities, and the implementation, adaption and sustainability efforts of these activities. This section attempts to address what every reform effort wants to know—what difference those activities made to the core of teaching and student learning.
Measuring and analyzing the outcomes of complex, multi-faceted reforms such as the Chicago Math & Science Initiative (CMSI) is challenging, especially given on-going changes in context (see Figure 1). Outcomes for the initiative can be organized into three broad areas: student outcomes, teacher outcomes, and system outcomes. Many evaluation reports related to the CMSI can be found on-line cite . The long-term effects of CMSI are still unfolding.
The included sections focus on student outcomes. Teacher and systems outcome sections are under construction.
