Achievement Effects of Four Early Elementary School Math Curricula: Findings for First and Second Graders (Issue Brief)

Achievement Effects of Four Early Elementary School Math Curricula: Findings for First and Second Graders (Issue Brief)

NCEE Study Snapshot
Published: Oct 30, 2010
Publisher: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance

Associated Project

Evaluation of Mathematics Curricula

Time frame: 2005–2013

Prepared for:

U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences

Authors

Roberto Agodini

Barbara Harris

Melissa Thomas

Robert Murphy

Lawrence Gallagher

National achievement data show that elementary school students in the United States, particularly those from low socioeconomic backgrounds, have weak math skills (National Center for Education Statistics 2009). This study examines whether some early elementary school math curricula are more effective than others at improving math achievement in schools serving a high percentage of disadvantaged students. Understanding the relative effects of math curricula is important because curricula tend to be aligned with particular strategies for teaching math, yet little rigorous evidence exists to support one approach over another.

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