Blog Post
During the 2018–19 school year CORE provided professional development and technical assistance to elementary teachers and administrators in Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD) implementing, in addition to their broader English Language Arts instruction, the Systematic Instruction in Phonological Awareness, Phonics and Sight words (SIPPS) reading foundational skills program.
SEG Measurement, a third-party research firm, looked at the reading performance of approximately 450 second grade students in eight classrooms whose teachers participated in CORE professional development. These 450 students were matched based on multiple characteristics to an additional 450 students whose teachers did not learn from CORE to create a control group.
Students in classes with teachers participating in CORE professional development showed significantly greater growth in reading skills than did students in classes with teachers who did not receive CORE professional development.
SEG Measurement found an effect size for the CORE professional development of .17, or about a fifth of a standard deviation. This effect size, in the context of providing professional development is quite impressive. While other factors certainly contribute to student achievement, (e.g. curriculum and instruction) this study demonstrates that the professional development provided by CORE made a difference in student achievement.
SEG examined certain sub-groups of students and found that Hispanic students and students eligible for free and reduced lunch in classes with teachers receiving CORE professional learning achieved greater reading skills growth than their counterparts in classes with teachers not receiving CORE professional learning.
A similar study was done by SEG among third grade students in PVUSD. As with the second grade students, third grade students whose teachers who took part in CORE professional learning showed significantly greater growth in reading skills. Read more about the study of third grade students.
