WWC Registry

Until its most recent web update, the What Works Clearinghouse maintained a Registry of Randomized Controlled Trials in Education (WWC RCT Registry). The WWC RCT Registry is no longer active but the information for all studies that were registered is provided below. Studies with a star () indicate that they are also registered in REES.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#186. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Assessing the Impact of Principals' Professional Development: An Evaluation of the National Institute for School Leadership
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Jonathan Supovitz Associate Professor, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education & Senior Researcher, Consortium for Policy Research in Education jons@gse.upenn.edu
Other Key Staff:	Carol Barnes, Eric Camburn, Ellen Goldring, Henry May, James Spillane
Start Date:	January 1, 2004	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2009
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Education Leadership
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Goldring, E., Huff, J., May, H., & Camburn, E. (in press). School Context and Individual Characteristics: What Influences Principal Practice? Journal of Educational Administration. Spillane, J. P., Camburn, E. M., & Pareja, A. S. (2007). Taking a distributed perspective to the school principal's workday. Leadership & Policy in Schools, 6(1), 103-125.
Study Setting A large urban school district serving substantial numbers of students from low income families and diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds.
Intervention The current study is designed to address these gaps in the empirical literature by evaluating the National Institute for School Leadership (NISL) a district-level strategy for improving student achievement by developing principals' knowledge and skills. NISL is designed to develop principals' capacity to lead intensive instructional improvement efforts in their schools.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description Participants in this study are drawn from a large urban school district serving substantial numbers of students from low income families and diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds. A delayed-treatment experimental design is being used in which 30 primary school principals will be randomly assigned to begin participating in the NISL program while 30 others will be assigned to delay participation for a year. Principals will be followed for three years.
Additional Study Sample Information 60 primary school principals, teacher surveys, third and fourth grade students' performance on reading and mathematics.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A delayed-treatment experimental design is being used in which 30 primary school principals will be randomly assigned to begin participating in the NISL program while 30 others will be assigned to delay participation for a year. The study will also include surveys and qualitative data collection that are intended to complement the randomized trial by supporting the identification of factors that may be associated with the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of NISL. Observations, logs, interviews, and surveys will be used to examine how participation in the NISL program affects the knowledge and practice of participating school principals.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition 30 primary school principals will be assigned to delay participation in the NISL program for a year.
Data Analytic Strategy Teacher surveys will be used to examine how teachers' beliefs, practices, and opportunities for instructional improvement in schools with NISL participants differ from those of other teachers, using teacher surveys. Effects of principals' participation in NISL on changes in student achievement will be examined using third and fourth grade students' performance on reading and mathematics. The results of the evaluation will provide information on the direct impact of the NISL program on school principals, and how that impact in turn leads to changes in teacher practices and student learning.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The overall goal of this study is to increase understanding of how, and under what conditions, principal leadership development programs can work to create organizational conditions that ultimately support improvements in student achievement.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Principals can make important contributions to the quality of the opportunities to learn provided by schools. But while many programs offer training opportunities to strengthen the capacities of principals and other school leaders, strong empirical evidence about whether and how these programs contribute to improved school leadership practice is lacking. The purpose of this project is to evaluate impact of the National Institute for School Leadership on the knowledge and practice of principals, instructional practice in their schools, and student achievement. The overall goal of this study is to increase understanding of how, and under what conditions, principal leadership development programs can work to create organizational conditions that ultimately support improvements in student achievement.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#187. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Can Literacy Professional Development be Improved with Web-based Collaborative Learning Tools: A Randomized Field Trial
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Anthony Bryk President, Carnegie Foundation for Advancement bryk@carnegiefoundation.org
Other Key Staff:	Patricia Scharer, Louis Gomez, Gay Su Pinnell, Emily Rodgers
Start Date:	January 1, 2004	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2009
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Teacher Quality: Reading and Writing
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Kerbow, D., Bryk, A., Pinnell, G.S., Rodgers, E., Fountas, I., Hung, C., & Scharer, P (2006, July). Developing Language and Literacy Teaching Rubrics: Theoretical grounding and empirical assessment. Rubric Report. (2004) "Can Literacy Professional Development be Improved with Web-Based Collaborative Learning Tools?" Core Research Narrative for IES-Funded Project Institute for Educational Sciences Grant R305M040086. Biancarosa, G., Bryk, A., & Dexter, E (2008). Assessing the Value-Added Effects of Literacy Collaborative Professional Development on Student Learning. Paper presented at the 2008 Conference of the American Educational Research Association, New York, New York. Hough, H., Bryk, A., Pinnell, G.S., Kerbow, D., Fountas, I. & Scharer, P. (2008). Measuring Change in the Practice of Teachers Engaged in Literacy Collaborative Professional Development: Preliminary Results from a Four Year Study. Paper presented at the 2008 Conference of the American Educational Research Association, New York, New York.
Study Setting The field trial is being conducted in 18 public elementary schools with significant proportions of African-American, Latino and low-income students.
Intervention The goal of the current study is to examine the efficacy of an existent professional development program, the Literacy Collaborative (LC), and whether the efficacy of LC is enhanced through the addition of a web-based collaborative learning environment, the Literacy Coaching toolkit (LCtk). The study examines the efficacy of LC and the supplemental LCtk services on the work of school-based literacy coaches, the professional development of teachers whom these coaches support, and on kindergarten through third grade students' literacy learning. In addition to examining overall efficacy, possible mechanisms that might contribute to variability in LC and LCtk effects among schools and among classrooms within schools, and for different types of students categorized by race/ethnicity and family income, are being explored.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description The field trial is being conducted in 18 public elementary schools with significant proportions of African-American, Latino and low-income students.
Additional Study Sample Information The sample includes public elementary schools with significant proportions of African-American, Latino and low-income students. Students are in kindergarten through third grade.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The effects of adding LCtk to the standard LC program is being assessed with a randomized design in which the 18 schools are matched on the basis of selected student and school characteristics, and one of each pair of schools is randomly assigned to receive the standard LC program, while the second school receives the LC program combined with LCtk. Embedded in this study is also a second, quasi-experimental design for assessing the overall effects of LC programs on both changes in teacher practice and student learning. This aspect of the research employs a "value-added" design where the three-year trends in student learning gains and teacher practice in each classroom after the introduction of LC are compared to data from the same classroom during a non-treatment baseline period for this study.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition One of each pair of schools is randomly assigned to receive the standard LC program.
Data Analytic Strategy A "value-added" design is being used, where the three-year trends in student learning gains and teacher practice in each classroom after the introduction of LC are compared to data from the same classroom during a non-treatment baseline period for this study.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The goal of the current study is to examine the efficacy of an existent professional development program, the Literacy Collaborative (LC), and whether the efficacy of LC is enhanced through the addition of a web-based collaborative learning environment, the Literacy Coaching toolkit (LCtk).
Intended Secondary Outcomes The project will also advance the development of a new set of web-based tools to support teacher learning. If these tools prove successful, this research may affect the nature of the services that commercial firms provide to schools. In addition, through the process of designing these tools, the extant knowledge base about the professional work of coaching and its improvement will be deepened.
Summary of the Study / Abstract A large body of research has revealed that teacher training is a critical factor in making a difference in students' literacy learning. A widely used approach to improve teacher quality is professional development delivered through coaching. Districts are also investing heavily in web-based technologies to support teacher learning. Both of these strategies, while promising, lack rigorous evidence about their efficacy. The goal of the current study is to examine the efficacy of an existent professional development program, the Literacy Collaborative (LC), and whether the efficacy of LC is enhanced through the addition of a web-based collaborative learning environment, the Literacy Coaching toolkit (LCtk). The study examines the efficacy of LC and the supplemental LCtk services on the work of school-based literacy coaches, the professional development of teachers whom these coaches support, and on kindergarten through third grade students' literacy learning. In addition to examining overall efficacy, possible mechanisms that might contribute to variability in LC and LCtk effects among schools and among classrooms within schools, and for different types of students categorized by race/ethnicity and family income, are being explored.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#188. Updated June 2, 2014 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	A Randomized Controlled Study of the Efficacy of Reading Apprenticeship Professional Development for High School History and Science Teaching and Learning
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Cynthia Greenleaf Co-Director, Strategic Literacy Initiative, WestEd cgreenl@wested.org
Other Key Staff:	Tom Hanson, Cindy Litman, Steve Schneider at WestEd; Joan Herman, David Silver at UCLA CRESST Center
Start Date:	January 1, 2005	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Teacher Quality: Reading and Writing
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Spybrook, J. & Raudenbush, S. (2009). An Examination of the Precision and Technical Accuracy of the First Wave of Group-Randomized Trials Funded by the Institute of Education Sciences. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, Vol. 31, No. 3, 298-318. Spybrook, Jessaca. (2008). Are Power Analyses Reported With Adequate Detail? Evidence From the First Wave of Group Randomized Trials Funded by the Institute of Education Sciences. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness,1:3,215 - 235.
Study Setting 9th and 10th grade Biology and 11th grade U.S. History classrooms in 120 high schools from school districts in California and Arizona, serving populations of students historically underrepresented in higher education.
Intervention The treatment for this study was 10 days of professional development in Reading Apprenticeship specific to science and history prior to the study's data collection year (Greenleaf & Schoenbach, 2004; Greenleaf, et al., 2011). The professional development curriculum was designed to involve teachers in inquiry into their own science or history literacy practices and in close analysis of text and task demands, as well as inquiries into student literacy performances through videotapes of class and individual student reading activities, written case studies, and ongoing student assessment. Professional development was also designed to model target instructional approaches, engaging teachers in practicing metacognitive routines, modeling reading and reasoning processes, conducting small group work, engaging and supporting students in extended reading opportunities, and facilitating discussions that focus on how and why to read science or history texts as well as the content of these texts. During the professional development these instructional approaches were tightly integrated with core units of study in biology or US history to illustrate the integration of literacy and science and history learning. The days of professional development were spread throughout the year, with 5 days in the summer of one year, 2 days of follow-up in mid-year, and three days in the summer of the second year. Trained consultants who were certified through formal training and performance assessment, and have demonstrated expertise in science or history, conducted the professional development. There was ongoing support for treatment teachers via a list serve moderated by professional development coaches. In addition, both intervention and control teachers were provided with a subsidy to purchase classroom libraries linked to their curricula.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description A maximum of 200 teachers will be assigned to treatment and control groups (100 per condition). All teachers will be credentialed in their field and have taught for at least 3 years at the initiation of the study. Approximately, 6,000 students will be included in the study comprised of high numbers of English Language Learners, African American, and Latino students, and those from low-income groups.
Additional Study Sample Information A group randomized, experimental design was used to assess program impacts. A total of 219 teachers (108 history and 111 biology) were assigned to treatment and control groups. All teachers were credentialed in their field and had taught for at least 3 years at the initiation of the study. Approximately, 6,000 students were included in the study comprised of high numbers of English Language Learners, African American, and Latino students, and those from low-income groups.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study used a group-randomized, pretest/posttest control group design for 2 cohorts of teachers. 120 high schools were randomly assigned to the experimental or control groups with high schools matched on academic performance, African-American enrollment, and Latino enrollment. As an incentive for schools to participate in the study, schools with Biology classes in the experimental group had U.S. History classes in the control group, and vice versa. Additional recruitment was necessary to reach numbers required by the study design, so that not all schools had participating teachers in both Biology and U.S. History. The study tested interrelated hypotheses to see whether the intervention resulted in 1) changes in teacher knowledge and classroom practices, which would lead to 2) increased student opportunities to learn, engagement and achievement. Hierarchical linear modeling procedures were used to estimate program impacts on teacher and student outcomes. Measures of learning and engagement with reading biology and U.S. history as well as instructional practice were used to measure the effect of professional development. Measures included student opportunity to learn (OTL) surveys; student performance on Integrated Learning Assessments (ILA), and standardized test results derived from the California Standards Tests (CSTs) in ELA, Comprehension, and Biology or History. The study relied on multiple measures of teacher implementation and student engagement and learning: (a) pre- and post-intervention surveys of teachers reporting their instructional practices and beliefs about reading, student learning, and student diversity; (b) teacher interview data about instructional practices, beliefs, and student engagement in literacy learning opportunities; and (c) teacher practices as reflected by teacher assignments.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Participants in the control condition were exposed to existing teacher professional development opportunities (practice-as-usual). Participation in professional development activities, changes in teaching practices, acquisition of knowledge and skills, and other changes in conditions and circumstances were tracked and monitored in the control group through yearly surveys.
Data Analytic Strategy To preserve random assignment and account for volunteers, outcome analyses included all assessed teachers and their students, whether or not they actually participated in the professional development activities and used the reading instructional approaches (an intent-to-treat analysis). The primary hypothesis-testing analyses involved fitting linear mixed effects ANCOVA models (HLM or multilevel models). Mixed effects models were also used to examine variation in program impacts on student achievement in intervention schools. Qualitative data analysis was used to explain findings and rule out alternative explanations for results.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes OTL Surveys: Impact on Integration of History and Literacy was positive for students whose home language was not English (es = .29, p<.10); these students perceived literacy and history instruction to be integrated more than did similar students in control classes. Students' perceptions of Integration of Biology & Literacy instruction were positive and statistically significant for students whose home language was not English (es = .39). ILA: We found significant differences in History Reading Strategies (es = .76) scores between treatment and control students. African American (es = .99, p < .10), Latino (es = .73, p<.10), and students whose home language was not English (es = .65, p < .10) also showed greater use of Reading Strategies than control students. In biology, students in treatment schools scored higher on Metacognition (es = .27, p < .10). As in history, Latino students in biology treatment classes had greater Metacognition scores on this measure than controls (es = .33). Cross-Sectional CST Data: Students in history treatment classes exhibited higher scores in History (es=.25), Comprehension (es=.22), and ELA (es=.26). We found increases across all demographic groups in ELA for students in history intervention classes, with statistically significant effect sizes of 0.32 for African American students, 0.50 for Asian students, and 0.25 for White students, while an effect size difference of 0.22 for Latino students was not significant at conventional levels. Latino and Asian students in treatment classes also show increased test scores compared to their counterparts in control classes on Comprehension and History CSTs. For the biology sample, students in treatment schools exhibited higher scores in Biology CSTs (es=.29, p<.10). Overall, the impacts in biology classes were most robust for Latino students (es = .26 for ELA and .35 for Biology) and for students whose home language was not English (es = .29, .28, & .36 for ELA, Comprehension, and Biology).
Intended Secondary Outcomes The study relied on multiple measures of teacher implementation and student engagement and learning: (a) pre- and post-intervention surveys of teachers reporting their instructional practices and beliefs about reading, student learning, and student diversity; (b) teacher interview data about instructional practices, beliefs, and student engagement in literacy learning opportunities; and (c) teacher practices as reflected by teacher assignments. Teachers in the experimental group demonstrated increased support for history and biology literacy learning, increased use of metacognitive inquiry routines, increased reading comprehension instruction, and increased use of collaborative learning structures. Effect sizes for survey differences ranged from moderate (.51) to very large (1.64), with the bulk of treatment/control differences hovering between .70 and .96. On teacher assignments collected on two units of instruction, history and biology intervention teachers significantly outscored control teachers on multiple dimensions, with effect sizes from .65 to 2.52, most above 1.0. Teacher interview scores show a similar pattern on related constructs.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The multiple measures of teacher implementation provided a robust corroboration of statistically significant, teacher level outcomes with large effect sizes between intervention and control groups. We conclude that intervention teachers were more able to integrate science and history literacy learning in classroom instruction. Student Opportunity to Learn (OTL) surveys partially corroborated teacher reports of increased integration of literacy and content instruction and some sub-groups reported increased levels of motivation and effort in class as well as an increased sense of academic identity. Results for the Degrees of Reading Power (DRP) test and comprehension questions from the Integrated Learning Assessments did not provide evidence that these differences in teaching resulted in differences for students. However, Integrated Learning Assessments show evidence that students in treatment classes approached reading differently than their counterparts in control classes. Further, the results for state-mandated criterion-referenced test scores offer some evidence that differences in teacher practice resulted in improvements in student academic performance. In cross-sectional test data, both history and biology students in the treatment schools performed better than their counterparts in control schools on the state standardized assessments. We found increases across all demographic groups in ELA for students in history intervention classes. The impacts in biology intervention classes were most robust for Latino students and for students whose home language was not English. The results of the study thus present a positive picture with regards to the effectiveness of the Reading Apprenticeship framework for integrating academic literacy content with biology and history coursework and instructional practices.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#189. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	A Randomized Trial of Two Promising Interventions for Students with Attention Problems
Principal Investigator:	Dr. David Rabiner Associate Research Professor, Duke University and Director of Program Evaluation Services, Duke University Center for Child and Family Policy drabiner@duke.edu
Other Key Staff:	Desiree Murray
Start Date:	January 1, 2005	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Cognition and Student Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Participating students attend five public elementary schools in a large Southern city.
Intervention The treatment for this study is 10 days of professional development in Reading Apprenticeship specific to science and history prior to the study's instructional year. Trained consultants who have been certified through formal training and performance assessment, and have demonstrated expertise in science or history, conduct the professional development. There is ongoing support for treatment teachers via a list serve.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Black or African American Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Specific Learning Disability (LD)
Additional Study Sample Information Participants are 128 second-grade students identified as displaying high levels of inattentive behavior by their teacher. Based on information obtained in a prior study in the same school system, it is expected that approximately 65% of participants will be male, and that the approximate racial composition will be 20% White, 75% African American, and 5% Hispanic. Approximately 75% of the sample qualifies for free and reduced lunch and a majority are achieving below grade level in reading and/or math.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Students are randomly assigned to 1 of 4 experimental conditions: computerized attention training, computer-assisted instruction, computerized attention training and computer assisted instruction, or a wait list control group.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Students in the wait list control group do not receive any intervention during the time period of the experiment. The interventions are made available to these students during the following year provided they have yielded promising results and the child's parent wishes for their child to receive the intervention.
Data Analytic Strategy A series of planned comparisons in analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) are being carried out to test the relative effectiveness of each software program alone and in combination. Multilevel modeling techniques are also being used to examine the main and moderating effects of classroom on intervention outcomes.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Measures of academic achievement, academic productivity, student attention, and student behavior are being collected before, immediately after, and 6-7 months following intervention completion.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Many learners with attention deficits are unable to conform to traditional learning programs and materials. Even children with mild attention problems that are not significant enough to classify them as children with an Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder may have academic difficulties. The purpose of this study is to conduct a rigorous, school-based evaluation of two promising interventions for inattentive students. Documenting the efficacy of either approach, or their combination, has important implications for helping students whose academic achievement is significantly impaired by inattentive behavior in the classroom.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#193. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	A Randomized Efficacy Trial of Academically Enhanced Rigorous Career Academies: Studying the Impact of the National Academy Foundation (NAF) Model
Principal Investigator:	Dr. James Kemple Director, K - 12 Education Policy Area, MDRC james.kemple@nyu.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2007	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Middle and High School Reform
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study is being conducted in 20 National Academy Foundation academies clustered in 8-12 districts across the United States. The districts are located primarily in urban areas where employer partnerships are possible.
Intervention The National Academy Foundation's academically enhanced Career Academy model is designed to include: an academic curriculum that is relevant to real-world contexts and builds upon student and community assets, clear and rigorous standards that are designed to prepare students for postsecondary education and careers, work-based and project-based learning supported by multiple assessments (including standardized and performance-based measures), and links between the Academy curriculum and core academic subject areas.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, Asian Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The study sample includes approximately 2,000 high school students who are entering the ninth or 10th grade and are applicants to academies. The National Academy Foundation academies focus their outreach on low-income students of color.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The research team is conducting a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the enhanced Career Academies. Students who apply to the Career Academies program will be included in a lottery to select those students who will be offered admission in the program. Students who apply to Career Academies, but are not selected through the lottery will constitute the control group.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Applicants randomly assigned to a control group are not admitted to the academy and experience the regular high school curriculum, either at the same or another high school.
Data Analytic Strategy The research team is estimating impacts for the full sample and key subgroups as the difference of mean outcomes for the program and control groups using a fixed effects regression model to adjust for individual student baseline covariates and individual site indicators.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The research team is using student records to measure attendance, on-time promotion, course completion, student achievement, on-time graduation, and grade point average.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Career Academies combine several key school improvement strategies, including creation of small learning communities, use of school-to-work curriculum to better align high school learning with anticipated professional pursuits, and creation of partnerships with local employers and social institutions to strengthen the relationships between schools and communities. In previous evaluations of Career Academies, researchers found a positive effect on labor market outcomes for males but no significant impact on academic outcomes in high school or at the postsecondary level. The National Academy Foundation responded to these findings by designing an academically enhanced Career Academy model. The purpose of this project is to evaluate the effect of the enhanced academies on academic outcomes during high school.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#190. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Attention, Memory, and Executive Functions in Written Language Expression in Elementary School Children
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Stephen Hooper Professor and Associate Director of the Clinical Center for the Study of Development and Learning at the Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill stephen_hooper@med.unc.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Cognition and Student Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The schools are located in a public school system in North Carolina.
Intervention Writing lesson plans from the Process Assessment of the Learner will be used for a randomly assigned group of students who are at-risk for writing problems. The treatment group will receive weekly developmentally appropriate, evidence-based interventions targeted to improve early writing skills in each of the four grades. In this intervention, at-risk students will receive: (a) in grade 1, 24 lesson plans focusing on handwriting automaticity, letter-word writing, and transfer to composition; in grade 2, 24 lesson plans focusing on alphabetic principle, phonemes to graphemes, transfer to word spelling, and composition; in grades 3 and 4, 38 lesson plans focusing on alphabetic principle for spelling, spelling context, structure of words, and expository writing in informational and persuasive essays. The initial interventions focus on the mechanics of writing letters and words; however, with advancing grades students will be asked to engage in more text generation and narrative transcription. These interventions follow a developmental sequence, and the researchers are testing the role of using this sequence to track how written expression changes over time.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description Participants will include a prospective group of first grade students (n = 180), 120 of whom are at-risk for writing problems, and a randomly selected sample of 60 who are not at-risk. Intervention students will be selected based on their at-risk status in written expression as defined by falling below the 25th percentile on the WIAT-II Written Expression Composite. The students will be followed longitudinally from the first through the fourth grades. The diversity of the groups will be facilitated by the selection of a school-based sample comprising a wide array of socioeconomic strata and ethnicities.
Additional Study Sample Information Participants will include a prospective group of first grade students (n = 180), 120 of whom are at-risk for writing problems, and a randomly selected sample of 60 who are not at-risk. Intervention students will be selected based on their at-risk status in written expression as defined by falling below the 25th percentile on the WIAT-II Written Expression Composite. The diversity of the groups will be facilitated by the selection of a school-based sample comprising a wide array of socioeconomic strata and ethnicities.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This project will employ a longitudinal design that will permit examination of: (1) written language development and writing problems for students in grades 1 to 4, and (2) the change in written language skills associated with a developmentally appropriate and evidence-based intervention. In grade 1, the 120 students who are deemed at-risk will be randomly assigned into a non-treatment at-risk group (n = 60) and a treatment at-risk group (n = 60).
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The non-treatment at-risk group and the non-risk group will receive only the writing instruction offered by the regular curriculum.
Data Analytic Strategy Key data analyses will include use of growth curve modeling of written expression for all three groups, with a particular focus on the treatment at-risk group.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Utilizing the Simple View of Writing model, children will receive cognitive measures during each of the four years of the project that will assess linguistic functions, working memory, short and long term memory, attention, executive functions, and graphomotor speed and coordination. Selected aspects of the social environment (e.g., socioeconomic status) and associated child (e.g., reading skills, ADHD) and classroom variables (teacher-student relationships) also will be examined.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The development of students' writing skills presents a significant challenge for educators, particularly in this day of high-stakes testing and heightened accountability. Although an understanding of the underlying cognitive components of reading and associated instructional strategies has proliferated over the past 20 years, researchers have only begun to understand the factors that contribute to the development of written expression in the formative elementary school years. The primary purpose of this project is to establish a stronger scientific foundation for educational practice within the writing domain by utilizing recent advances in cognitive science and neuroscience to examine: (1) the ontogeny of writing skills (i.e., text generation) for children at-risk for writing problems and typically developing children; (2) the specific cognitive underpinnings of writing skills for children at-risk versus those not at-risk for writing problems, and how these relationships change over time with respect to a contemporary theoretical model (the Simple View of Writing) of written expression; and (3) the impact of an evidence-based treatment program on the developmental trajectories of written expression in children at-risk for writing problems. The Simple View of Writing delineates a developmental sequence for writing skills: transcription (handwriting or letter production and spelling or word production); executive functions for planning, monitoring, and revising; and text generation (i.e., the main writing goal of the beginning writer).

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#191. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	A Randomized Trial of Preschool Instructional Strategies to Improve School Performance and Reduce Use of Special Education
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Christopher Lonigan Associate Director, Florida Center for Reading Research, Florida State University lonigan@psy.fsu.edu
Other Key Staff:	Beth Michelle Phillips
Start Date:	January 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The preschool classrooms are located in New Mexico and eastern Massachusetts.
Intervention Three interventions are being evaluated: (a) Literacy Express, (b) Tools of the Mind and (c) Literacy Express + self-regulation activities from Tools of the Mind. Literacy Express is a research-based literacy curriculum that addresses the key components of early literacy instruction through large- and small-group activities. The curriculum is organized around ten thematic units, which are covered in three to four weeks each. Embedded within each unit are goals and activities designed to promote children's skills in oral language, phonological sensitivity, and print awareness. Tools of the Mind (TOM) is a research-based program that focuses on practices that enhance both the teaching of literacy and the development of self-regulation in children. TOM activities can be divided into two types of practices: those aimed at developing children's literacy skills and those aimed at developing their cognitive self-regulation skills. Literacy Express plus self regulation activities from Tools of the Mind is the third approach being evaluated.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Specific Learning Disability (LD)
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 100 preschool classrooms and 2400 children with disabilities or at-risk for specific learning disabilities because of limited knowledge of English, poverty, or home environments with limited language stimulation or literacy exposure will participate in this research.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods An experimental study implementing random assignment of classroom to intervention conditions will be implemented to determine the efficacy of the three interventions (Literacy Express, Tools of the Mind and Literacy Express + self regulation activities from Tools of the Mind) as compared to each other and a business as usual control group. Classrooms serving a significant number of children identified with or at-risk for learning disabilities and special education qualification will be blocked to create equivalent groups. Blocking variables include district, proportion of children whose home language is not English, and proportion of children with identified special needs. Quartets of classrooms will be formed so that each of the four classrooms within that block is as similar as possible. Each classroom from these quartets will be randomly assigned to one of the four conditions. This sample will be recruited in two cohorts over two years, and children will be followed through kindergarten, first, or second grade.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control classrooms will be "business as usual" controls. However, the curricula will vary across classrooms and districts, with a variety of curricula and differential levels of implementation. Control classrooms will be provided with one year of curriculum support, and classrooms will be allowed to choose either Literacy Express or Tools of the Mind in the year following their participation in the study.
Data Analytic Strategy Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) will be used to evaluate the academic and self-regulatory impact of each intervention as compared to one another and to the control group.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Measures of phonological awareness, oral language, print knowledge, and cognitive development as well as behavioral measures of self-regulation will be administered at the beginning and end of preschool.
Intended Secondary Outcomes Reading and self-regulation measures will be administered in the spring of each follow up year. In addition, data will be collected to assess the overall quality of classroom practices and environments and fidelity of intervention implementation. Finally, data regarding special education service provision and grade retention will be used to evaluate the cost-benefit value of each preschool intervention condition.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The purpose of this project is to compare the value added impact of an intervention focusing explicitly on language, literacy, and cognitive skills, with an intervention explicitly focused on these skills plus self-regulation. Recent research supports the promise of targeted and research-based intervention for preschool age children in language, early literacy, and cognitive skills as a preventive tool to reduce the number of children in need of costly special education services in kindergarten and beyond. Research also suggests the potential need for an additional focus on developing cognitive and behavioral self-regulatory skills in preschool children. This research project is designed to further examine this relationship.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#192. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Adaptive Treatments for Children with ADHD
Principal Investigator:	Dr. William Pelham Director, Center for Children and Families and Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, SUNY pelham@buffalo.edu
Other Key Staff:	Gregory Fabiano, James Waxmonsky, Andrew Greiner, Martin Hoffman, Susan Murphy, E. Michael Foster,Jihnhee Yu, Elizabeth Gnagy, Ira Bhatia, Jessica Verley, Kate Tresco
Start Date:	April 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	March 31, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Social and Behavioral Outcomes to Support Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Pelham, William E., Jr, Fabiano, G., Waxmonsky J., Greiner, A., Hoffman, M., Murphy, S., Foster, E., Yu, J., Gnagy, El, Bhatia, I., Verley, J., & Tresco, K. Adaptive Pharmacological and Behavioral Treatments for Children with ADHD: Sequencing, Combining, and Escalating Doses, adaptive poster. http://ccf.buffalo.edu/pdf/Pelham_IES2008.pdf
Study Setting The participants will come primarily from urban and suburban communities in Western New York.
Intervention Treatment is at the student level where students are randomized to one of two adaptive treatment strategies: (1) Low dose stimulant medication or (2) School-based behavioral intervention (e.g., daily report card and supporting parent education). Children who are inadequate responders to their assigned treatment strategy will be further randomized to either (a) augment the initial treatment (e.g., increase dose of medication, add higher-intensity behavioral treatment) or (b) move to a combined treatment by adding the other treatment component.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School, Elementary School Student Disability: Specific Learning Disability (LD)
Additional Study Sample Information A total of 144 children between the ages of 6-12 with ADHD will participate. It is expected that approximately 10% of the referrals will be girls. Treatment will take place in general education classrooms. Exclusionary criteria include (1) children with Full Scale IQ below 70, (2) children with a history of seizures or other neurological problems and/or taking medication to prevent seizures, (3) children with a history of other medical problems for whom psychostimulant treatment may involve considerable risk, (4) children with a childhood history or concurrent diagnosis of any of the following disorders: pervasive developmental disorder, schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders, sexual disorder, organic mental disorder, or eating disorder; (5) children who do not exhibit functional impairment; and (6) children who are currently in special education.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A randomized group design will be used with students as the unit of randomization; three sequential cohorts will be recruited. Most study measures will be conducted at pre-, post-, and follow-up, with monthly behavior ratings completed by parents and teachers as a way to measure progress.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition This is an adaptive treatment design, where students are randomized to one of two treatment groups, with further randomization for nonresponders. Comparisons will be made within and across treatment groups.
Data Analytic Strategy Because analysis of adaptive treatments treats the entire treatment bundle as a whole, group comparisons will be performed according to typical group analysis. Moderators (previous treatment, SES, ethnicity, gender, age) and mediators (interim response to treatment, treatment dosing, parent or teacher characteristics, teacher/child relationship) will also be evaluated. Many hypotheses will be addressed using mixed model ANOVA to accommodate the interdependence that exists between measurements taken from the same subjects over time. A treatment cost-effectiveness analysis will also be conducted.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes A number of instruments will be utilized to gather diagnostic and assessment information including parent and teacher ratings and narrative descriptions of the child, a clinical interview with the parents to obtain childhood educational and developmental history, measures of peer relations and classroom behavior ratings. Additionally, information regarding treatment acceptability, parental psychopathology, and use of behavioral techniques in the home and at school will be collected. Whenever the father is involved with the child, ratings will be collected from both the mother and father. Information about students' IQ and academic achievement will also be collected. Researchers are using primarily well-established standardized clinical and educational measures.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of two forms of ADHD treatment: medication and behavioral intervention. Unlike previous research, this study proposes to examine the effect of sequential implementation of the two forms of ADHD treatment on students unresponsive to the primary intervention. By using sequential implementation of either medication followed by behavioral intervention or behavioral intervention followed by medication, students with ADHD will receive the lowest effective dosage of medication and/or intensity of behavioral intervention; therefore, costs will be reduced and students will not be subjected to unnecessary interventions.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#194. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	An Economical Improvement In Literacy and Numeracy
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Robert Pasnak Professor, Developmental Psychology, George Mason University rpasnak@gmu.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2007	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Cognition and Student Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Greene, M.R., Pasnak, R., and Romero, S. (in press). A Time Lag Analysis of Temporal Relations Between Motivation, Academic Achievement, and Two Cognitive Abilities. Early Education and Development. Kidd, J.K. Pasnak, R., Gadzichowski, M., Ferral-Like, M., and Gallington, D. (2008). Enhancing Kindergartners' Mathematics Achievement by Promoting Early Abstract Thought. Journal of Advanced Academics, 19: 164-200. Pasnak, R., Kidd, J.K., Gadzichowski, M.K., Gallington, D.A., Saracina, R.P., and Addison, K. (in press). Can Emphasizing Cognitive Development Improve Academic Achievement? Education Research, 50: 261-276. Pasnak, R., Kidd, J., Gadzichowski, M., Gallington, D., Saracina, R., and Addison, K. (in press). Promoting Early Abstraction to Promote Early Literacy and Numeracy. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology. Pasnak, R., Maccubbin, E., and Ferral-Like, M. (2007). Using Developmental Principles to Assist At-Risk Preschoolers in Developing Numeracy and Phonemic Awareness. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 105: 163-176. Pasnak, R., Kidd, J., Gadzichowski, M., Ferral-Like, M., Gallington, D., and Saracina, R. (2007). Nurturing Developmental Processes. Journal of Developmental Processes, 2: 90-115. Romero, S., Perez, K., Pasnak, R., and Lehman, E. (in press).Selection of Friends in an Ethnically Diverse Preschool. National Head Start Association Journal.
Study Setting The research is being conducted in 18 urban Head Start classrooms in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, which has a high concentration of low SES immigrant and African-American families.
Intervention The children assigned to the experimental condition are given group instruction 10 minutes per day on the oddity principle and insertions-into-series. Oddity problems and insertion-into-series problems are taught to children in small groups using hand puppets or toys.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Asian, Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description The children are 3- and 4-year-olds, with a high percentage of the children being minorities. There are 86 countries of birth and 65 native languages represented among the children. All of the families qualify for free preschool and free lunches under federal poverty guidelines. Approximately 550 children will participate in the study over the two-year period.
Additional Study Sample Information There are 86 countries of birth and 65 native languages represented among the children. All of the families qualify for free preschool and free lunches under federal poverty guidelines. Approximately 550 children will participate in the study over the two-year period.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The children in each classroom are randomly assigned to one experimental, one passive control, and two active control conditions. First, the children in each class are formed into quartets by random assignment. In a second random assignment, one member of each quartet is assigned to the experimental condition and one of the others to each of the three control conditions. The members of each quartet receive the same number of instructional sessions, ending when the child in the experimental group reaches criteria of mastery on oddity and seriation. In this sense, the children in each quartet are yoked, and the number of instructional sessions they receive is equalized. Experimental children will participate in the small group cognitive intervention over the entire school year.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The children in each control condition have an equal number of sessions, matched in timing and extent. One control group is a traditional (passive) control group focusing on art. Two active control groups are also being used: One spends time on numeracy activities currently exemplifying the best practices of the Head Start program, and a second receives instruction on letters and letter sounds.
Data Analytic Strategy The analysis consists of a two-stage approach. The first stage focuses on testing the effects of the cognitive intervention on cognitive measures. The research team is using a hierarchical linear model that first specifies time in the level-one analysis. They are fitting the model with the standard procedures of testing random slopes, intercepts, and error structure. The level-two model specifies age as a random effect first then allows for between-subject fixed effect factors (treatment and test) with the explicit handling of treatment and children as a confounded set of variables. These level-two effects are being tested as interactions.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Verbal and quantitative scores on the Woodcock-Johnson III for children in each of these conditions are being compared.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Differences in student learning in reading and mathematics between children living in poverty and those who are not are apparent in kindergarten and persist as children progress through school. To address the challenge of improving learning outcomes for young children, in a previously funded IES project, Pasnak and Kidd developed a cognitive intervention for children who had difficulty mastering knowledge and skills appropriate for kindergarten. The cognitive intervention consists of small-group activities to help children learn two basic abstract thinking concepts: the oddity principle and insertion-into-series. The oddity principle requires children to recognize similarities and differences, to sort into categories, and to categorize objects hierarchically into basic, subordinate, and superordinate classes. Unidimensional seriation occurs when children are able to arrange objects in order by size or some other ordinal dimension. The researchers posited that explicitly teaching children basic abstract thinking skills would improve learning outcomes in multiple domains. In their FY 2003 IES project, they demonstrated that the intervention produced significant advances in numeracy and knowledge of letters and letter sounds when implemented with kindergarten children. In the current project, the research team will evaluate whether the intervention can be implemented in Head Start classrooms with a multi-ethnic population of 3- and 4-year olds and improve young children's early reading and numeracy skills.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#195. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Child-Instruction Interactions in Reading: Examining Causal Effects of Individualized Instruction in Second and Third Grade
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Carol Connor Associate Professor, Florida State University College of Education and Florida Center for Reading Research connorcm@uci.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2007	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Reading and Writing
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Florida elementary schools located in two districts: a middle-sized city district and a more rural district. Both districts have a high proportion of children living in poverty and are economically and ethnically/racially diverse.
Intervention The researchers have developed and tested a method of individualizing student instruction based on models that incorporate child-by-instruction interactions, manipulating both time-on-task and literacy content, while encouraging effective literacy practices. The intervention includes Assessment-to-instruction (A2i) web-based software, which uses algorithms, based on their earlier research, to compute recommended amounts and types of instruction for each child in the classroom, as well as organization and planning software to support teachers' efforts to individualize literacy instruction. Teachers receive professional development as well.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Second and third grade students will be drawn from Florida elementary schools located in two districts: a middle-sized city district and a more rural district. Both districts have a high proportion of children living in poverty and are economically and ethnically/racially diverse.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The researchers will use a longitudinal randomized cluster design with teachers randomly assigned to treatment and control conditions. A first grade replication randomized field trial is currently being conducted and is funded by NICHD. In this new project, the researchers will follow two cohorts of first grade students who participated in the initial evaluations of Assessment-to-instruction (A2i) into second grade. These students' second grade teachers will be randomly assigned to treatment or control conditions. The researchers will continue to follow students longitudinally into third grade and their third grade teachers will be randomly assigned to treatment or control groups. This research design allows the researchers to investigate the efficacy of individualizing student instruction within grades and dosage effects across grades.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The researchers will use an alternative treatment control group, which will include monthly professional development on individualizing literacy instruction.
Data Analytic Strategy Using hierarchical linear modeling with children nested in classrooms, the researchers will be able to compare the achievement of children in treatment and control classrooms within grades. To examine student achievement over time, the researchers will use cross-classified random effects models. Using the coding results from the classroom videos in the HLM models, the researchers can examine teacher fidelity to the intervention, and how it is related to student outcomes.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Students will be assessed three times per year, fall, winter, and spring, on a battery of language, literacy, and self-regulation tasks, including the Woodcock Johnson-III Tests of Achievement. Classrooms will be videotaped during literacy instruction three times per year. Classroom and student level coding of these videos will allow the researchers to closely examine teachers' implementation of individualizing student instruction using A2i and the specific instruction each student received.
Summary of the Study / Abstract In an earlier IES project, this team of researchers developed and conducted an initial evaluation of a web-based software system, Assessment-to-instruction (A2i), that enables teachers to individualize reading instruction according to students' language and literacy skills. The purpose of this project is to test the effect of implementing this system for individualizing reading instruction in second and third grade classrooms, following two cohorts of children who participated in the evaluation of Assessment-to-instruction (A2i) as first graders.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#196. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Class-wide Function-Based Intervention Teams: A Research to Practice Agenda for Functional Behavior Assessment (CW: FIT)
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Debra Kamps Associate Director and Senior Scientist, University of Kansas Juniper Gardens Children's Project dkamps@ku.edu
Other Key Staff:	Howard Wills, Charles Greenwood, Blake Hansen, Debra Kamps
Start Date:	May 1, 2007	Anticipated End Date:	April 30, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Social and Behavioral Outcomes to Support Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Hansen, Blake D, Kamps, D., Wills, H., Greenwood, C. Effects of the Class-Wide Function-Based Intervention Team "CW-FIT" Group Contingency Program. PowerPoint presentation. soe.ku.edu/uploads/specialedu/temp-docs/50th.../C-Hansen.ppt Hansen, Blake D. (17 June, 2009). Class-wide Function Based Intervention Teams, Powerpoint presentation presented at Utah State University Effective Practices conference, Logan, UT. http://sper.usu.edu/assets/Conference/handouts-2009/wednesday/s3-3.15/hansen/cwfit-blake%20hansen.pdf
Study Setting Elementary school classrooms in three Kansas City Metropolitan-area districts.
Intervention The intervention is comprised of two programs, a class-wide intervention program and individualized intervention. The class-wide intervention includes teaching appropriate communicative skills, eliminating or minimizing all potential social reinforcement for problem behavior, using differential reinforcement of alternative behaviors to strengthen replacement behaviors (e.g., on-task, following instructions), and teaching self-management strategies. Individual intervention procedures for students who are non-responsive to the class-wide intervention will use individualized functional behavior assessment (e.g., interviews, observations) combined with function-based interventions.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Emotional Disturbance (ED)
Additional Study Sample Information A minimum of two students at-risk for behavior disorders per class, two peers without disabilities in general education classes, and a minimum of three students with behavior disorders from each special education class will participate. Students at risk for behavior disorders are general education students who meet screening criteria using the Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders. Students with behavior disorders can include students with IEPs and/or clinical diagnoses of behavior disorders. Students with dual diagnoses (e.g., behavior disorders/learning disabilities) may also participate if they meet criteria.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A randomized trial will be used with teachers/classrooms randomly assigned to treatment or control groups within grade cohort (1-2, 3-5). For the students who require the individualized program, single-subject reversal and multiple baseline designs will be used.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The comparison classrooms will use a "business as usual" approach, but will be provided with additional coaching on the district's behavioral program, which includes three similar components used in the intervention program (i.e., skill teaching, skill posters, and group feedback). Therefore teachers in comparison groups will spend training time approximately equal to training time for the intervention program teachers.
Data Analytic Strategy Analyses of mean differences will be conducted to identify pre-existing differences between groups to confirm equivalent groups prior to start of intervention. Missing values will be estimated using appropriate techniques. Analyses will be conducted addressing intent to treatment vs. treatment completers. Multi-level modeling will be used to explore trends over time, including initial treatment effects (within-year) and sustainability over time (multi-year). Visual analysis of the single-subject studies will also be conducted.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Measures of behavior include Social Skills Rating System, the Child Behavior Checklist/Teacher Report Form, and the Peer Social Behavior Direct Observation. Office disciplinary referrals will also be collected. Academic measures include the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills and district standardized tests scores. School records will provide data on grade retention and special education referral. Various measures of implementation process and integrity will also be administered. Information about resources and costs of implementation will be collected.
Intended Secondary Outcomes Objective 2. Conduct Functional Behavior Assessment studies to standardize procedures, develop Individualized Function Based Interventions/Teams (I-FIT), and promote data-based decision making within school settings. Objective 3. Establish training procedures for school-based staff to (a) screen for risk at the individual level, (b) implement the CW-FIT, (c) implement FBA procedures for SBD and at risk students in need of intervention enhancement (I-FIT), and (d) monitor interventions including increased student engagement and decreased classroom disruptions.
Summary of the Study / Abstract General estimates of the number of school-aged children with documented emotional and behavioral disorders range from 14 percent to 26 percent of the general population. Although advances have been made in developing interventions for reducing problem behavior, there is still a need to determine the efficacy of behavioral interventions in schools. Behavioral interventions based on an understanding of "why" a student displays problem behavior (i.e., the function or cause) have shown promising results for addressing a wide range of problem behaviors. Although these function-based interventions have often been used with individual students, research has demonstrated the feasibility of developing a group or class-wide intervention based on these principles. Results of a pilot test showed promising results for one class-wide intervention, Class-wide Function-based Intervention Teams, but the efficacy of the intervention has not been tested. To that end, the researchers will implement and examine the efficacy of the intervention with elementary students with or at risk of serious behavior disorders in general and special education settings. This behavioral intervention is designed to teach appropriate behavior skills (e.g., how to appropriately gain the teacher's attention) and reinforce the use of those skills through a game format. The intervention package also includes individual intervention procedures for students who do not successfully respond to the classwide intervention.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#198. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	A Randomized Controlled Study of the Effects of Intelligent Online Chemistry Tutors in Urban California School Districts
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Steve Schneider Director, Mathematics Science & Technology Program, WestEd sschnei@wested.org
Start Date:	January 1, 2008	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program- Mathematics and Science Educ.
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The setting for this study is high school chemistry classes in Oakland, San Diego, and Santa Clara, CA.
Intervention The Quantum Chemistry Tutors cover topics representative of comprehensive content for a full high school chemistry course and are designed to provide one-on-one instruction in situations where qualified human tutors are unavailable or impractical. Students access the tutor by logging into an Internet site, and use it entirely within the web browser. Students can use the tutor to get immediate feedback when solving problems and to ask questions in context about the concepts and processes being studied. The tutors adjust explanations and model solutions to work within the student's range of understanding. At the same time, the tutors' design encourages the student to reach slightly beyond that level of comfort by displaying medium-level questions that help the student develop the confidence to approach a more difficult skill. All high school chemistry teachers in the treatment condition will teach their students using their regular curriculum and with the Quantum Chemistry Tutors for all 12 topics. Embedded within the software for each tutor is a content index that lists primary and secondary learning objectives. Teachers are not required to change the way they teach to incorporate the tutors. To ensure that there is a baseline level of treatment in the study, teachers selected for the treatment group will use the tutors in both their classroom instruction and for homework. Quantum will conduct online training for treatment-group teachers as well as provide ongoing e-mail and telephone technical support. The online teacher training sessions will be conducted via web conference to review and demonstrate the user management system and one or two particular Quantum Tutors as examples.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description The study sample will consist of approximately 90 high school chemistry teachers and their students in the urban high schools.
Additional Study Sample Information Forty-five high school teachers in schools assigned to the treatment group will teach their usual curriculum with the 12 Quantum Chemistry Tutors and 45 teachers in schools selected for the control group will use only their usual curriculum.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The study will use a group-randomized design, whereby participating schools will be randomly assigned, based on a computerized random number algorithm, to either a treatment or a control group. Forty-five high school teachers in schools assigned to the treatment group will teach their usual curriculum with the 12 Quantum Chemistry Tutors and 45 teachers in schools selected for the control group will use only their usual curriculum.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control condition does not include the Quantum Chemistry Tutors as a supplement to the chemistry curriculum.
Data Analytic Strategy The primary hypothesis testing analyses will involve fitting conditional mixed effects analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) models, with an additional term to account for the nesting of students within schools. Mixed effects models will also be used to examine how student use of Quantum Chemistry Tutors is related to student performance.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Student achievement in science will be measured by the California STAR CST in chemistry, and by a test developed specifically for this study. Intervention implementation will be monitored through the collection of survey data from teachers in both treatment and control classrooms and from observational data from a sample of treatment group classrooms.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Student knowledge and skills in science in the U.S. needs to be improved. A National Science Board report in 2006 indicates that while science achievement has improved slightly on some measures over the last few years, it is far below goals set by the National Science Board's Commission on Precollege Education in Mathematics, Science, and Technology almost three decades ago. Moreover, the performance of students in the U.S. is lagging when compared to other countries. The purpose of this project is to test the efficacy of the Quantum Chemistry Tutors, a suite of computer-based cognitive tutors that are designed to give individual tutoring to high school students in 12 chemistry topics. The findings from this study will not only tell us about the efficacy of this specific intervention but will also contribute to a better understanding of the general effects of the use of intelligent tutoring software on student learning, when used in conjunction with a range of commercially available science curricula.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#199. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Combination of Two Preventive Interventions
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Nicholas Ialongo Associate Professor, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University nialongo@jhsph.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2008	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Social and Behavioral Context for Academic Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The participating schools are located in Maryland.
Intervention PATHS seeks to accomplish reductions in aggressive/disruptive and off-task behaviors via teacher-led instruction aimed at facilitating emotion regulation (particularly anger management), self-control, social problem-solving, and conflict resolution skills. The GBG is based on social learning principles and provides teachers with an efficient means of managing student aggressive/disruptive and off-task behavior via reinforcing the inhibition of these behaviors within a game-like context. It is anticipated that the GBG, by increasing attention to task and reducing disruptive behavior in the classroom, may facilitate the acquisition of the emotion regulation, social problem-solving, and conflict resolution skills taught in PATHS.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Black or African American Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Emotional Disturbance (ED)
Additional Study Sample Information Twenty-seven Maryland public elementary schools are participating. It is estimated that the researchers will assess a total of 300-336 students per school, the majority of whom will be African-American and economically disadvantaged.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The researchers are employing an extended nested-cohort design, which will feature three study conditions: Standard Setting (Control), versus GBG Alone versus GBG+PATHS. Nine Maryland public elementary schools will be randomly assigned to each condition for a total of 27 schools. The researchers will recruit nine schools in the first year, nine in the second year, and nine in the third year. Each set of nine will have three schools randomized to each of the three conditions. The pretest will be administered in the fall and the posttest in the spring of the year the schools are recruited; follow-up data will be collected each spring through Year 4.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Schools assigned to the control condition will continue business as usual.
Data Analytic Strategy A mixed-model ANCOVA will be used to compare the three conditions on aggressive/disruptive and off-task behavior as observed in the spring with regression adjustment for aggressive/disruptive and off-task behavior as observed in the fall. Condition and the fall disruptive behavior score will be included as fixed effects while school and child will be included as nested random effects.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Aggressive/disruptive behavior and time off task will be assessed at pretest and posttest using direct observations, peer nominations, and teacher ratings. Other outcomes will be collected annually from archival records, including standardized achievement scores, grades, number of suspensions, office referrals for disciplinary action, and referrals for and/or use of special education.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The Good Behavior Game (GBG) and Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) are two universal, elementary school preventive interventions that have been shown in large scale, randomized controlled trials to have an immediate and beneficial impact on aggressive/disruptive and off-task behavior. Aggressive/disruptive and off-task behaviors in elementary school are strong indicators of chronically poor academic achievement and later, more serious antisocial behavior. Nonetheless, the effects of the GBG and PATHS on early aggressive/disruptive and off-task behavior have proven modest. The purpose of this project is to examine whether combining these interventions will yield a significantly greater impact on aggressive/disruptive and off-task behavior than the GBG or PATHS alone.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#200. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	A Randomized Efficacy Trial of the Kids in Transition to School (KITS) Program for Children with Developmental Disabilities and Behavioral Problems
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Katherine Pears Research Scientist, Oregon Social Learning Center katherinep@oslc.org
Start Date:	April 1, 2008	Anticipated End Date:	March 31, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will occur in Oregon.
Intervention The Kids in Transition to School intervention is a short-term intervention delivered in the summer prior to and the first two months of kindergarten. It employs a highly structured curriculum-based playgroup that targets social emotional functioning and early literacy. The playgroup meets for 24 sessions. It meets twice per week during the summer and once per week in kindergarten. The intervention also includes a parent support group designed to increase parent involvement and support positive parenting practices. Parent groups follow a manual-based curriculum and meet once every two weeks for 7 sessions.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Kindergarten, Preschool Student Disability: Multiple Disabilities
Target Population Description Information not reported
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 200 children transitioning from preschool to kindergarten will participate. The children will have co-occurring developmental disabilities and behavior problems. They will be referred for participation by a public agency in Oregon.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Children will be recruited in four yearly cohorts. There will be 50 children in each cohort. Children will be randomly assigned to the intervention condition or a services-as-usual comparison group. Children will be assessed at multiple time points during and after receiving the intervention. The first three cohorts will be assessed in the spring of first grade.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition In the control condition, participants will continue to receive Early Childhood Special Education services or other services that they would typically receive.
Data Analytic Strategy Several multivariate analytic strategies, including multiple regression, structural equation modeling, and multivariate analysis of variance, will be employed to determine the efficacy of Kids in Transition to School for improving social-emotional, early literacy, and school readiness skills of children with co-occurring developmental disabilities and behavior problems. In addition, researchers will investigate potential mediators and moderators of intervention effects.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Data will be collected on children's social-emotional and early literacy skills including children's emotional and behavioral regulation, social competence, letter knowledge and naming speed, letter-sound knowledge, language skills, phonological awareness, and knowledge of concepts in print. In addition, data on parent involvement in early literacy, parenting practices, teacher practices, and school and classroom characteristics will be collected. Finally, the researchers will collect data on the fidelity of implementation and intervention dosage.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Children with disabilities often experience a gap in services during the summer before kindergarten. During this time, they may lose school readiness skills that would have facilitated their transition to early elementary school. This gap in services is a particular problem for children with co-occurring developmental disabilities and behavior problems. These children are likely to have low levels of school readiness and are at risk for academic failure. In addition, their behavior and social problems are likely to interfere with school adjustment. In this project the researchers will evaluate an intervention designed to fill the gap in services as children transition from preschool to kindergarten and enable children to experience a smoother transition into kindergarten. They will conduct an efficacy evaluation of a short-term intensive intervention, Kids in Transition to School, for improving social-emotional, early literacy, and school readiness skills of young children with developmental disabilities and behavior problems.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#201. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Quick Reads Supplementary Tutoring Efficacy and Replication Trials
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Patricia Vadasy Senior Research Associate, Washington Research Institute patriciav@ori.org
Start Date:	January 1, 2004	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2009
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Reading and Writing
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Vadasy, P. F., & Sanders, E. A. (in press). Benefits of repeated reading intervention for low-achieving fourth- and fifth-grade students. Remedial and Special Education. Vadasy, P. F., & Sanders, E. A. (in press). Repeated reading intervention: Outcomes and interactions with readers' skills and classroom instruction. Journal of Educational Psychology.
Study Setting Elementary and middle schools in the Seattle School District, targeting fourth- and fifth-grade and middle school students who are not at grade level in fluency.
Intervention The intervention, Quick Reads (tested to date by its developer in use by teachers), consists of texts with features that support fluency and vocabulary acquisition (few rare words, many high frequency words, and shared content with repeated concepts in science and social science topics). We will add to Quick Reads a layer of tutor training in simple yet effective research-based vocabulary strategies that can be delivered by paraprofessional tutors, addressing one of the questions raised by the National Reading Panel regarding comprehension instruction: "How should vocabulary be integrated into comprehension instruction for optimal benefit to the student?"
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School, Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description The student population will include large numbers of low-income and linguistic minority students often overrepresented in the proportion of students with poor comprehension skills due to underlying deficits in fluency and vocabulary knowledge. Each year 180 students will be recruited into the study. Quick Reads tutoring will be tested with fourth- and fifth-grade and middle school students who are not at grade level in fluency, often with low levels of vocabulary, in schools that fail to show adequate yearly progress. Participants will also include paraprofessional tutors who we know to be lacking in but receptive to direct and systematic instruction approaches designed and tested for their use. The paraprofessionals who will use Quick Reads are currently an underutilized instructional resource; they have the potential to provide highly effective supplemental instruction that is carefully designed, and can be easily used with appropriate training.
Additional Study Sample Information The student population will include large numbers of low-income and linguistic minority students often overrepresented in the proportion of students with poor comprehension skills due to underlying deficits in fluency and vocabulary knowledge. Each year 180 students will be recruited into the study from elementary and middle schools in the Seattle School District. Quick Reads tutoring will be tested with fourth- and fifth-grade and middle school students who are not at grade level in fluency, often with low levels of vocabulary, in schools that fail to show adequate yearly progress. Participants will also include paraprofessional tutors who we know to be lacking in but receptive to direct and systematic instruction approaches designed and tested for their use. The paraprofessionals who will use Quick Reads are currently an underutilized instructional resource; they have the potential to provide highly effective supplemental instruction that is carefully designed, and can be easily used with appropriate training.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This project will test the efficacy and replication of research-based strategies for fluency and vocabulary instruction. The study will be conducted by a research team with extensive experience in supplementary reading interventions delivered by trained paraprofessionals. Interventions will be implemented by trained paraprofessional tutors with at-risk and reading disabled fourth- and fifth-grade students in Year 1 in a 2:1, and in Year 2 in a 4:1 student:tutor ratio. In Year 3, Quick Reads will be tested with middle school students who are not proficient in reading fluency on state high-stakes assessments.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Random assignment of students into treatment and control groups will be used.
Data Analytic Strategy N/A
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes This project will test the efficacy and replication of research-based strategies for fluency and vocabulary instruction.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The Quick Reads (Hiebert, 2004) fluency program will be tested for effectiveness as a supplementary/remedial intervention. The project will provide evidence that Quick Reads can be used effectively by paraprofessionals with groups of two and/or four students. Currently, paraprofessional tutors are often assigned to work with students with poor reading comprehension, but often lack access to research-based programs.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#202. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Breakthrough to Literacy in the Chicago Public Schools: A Large Scale Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Reading Comprehension Intervention
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Richard Hurtig Director, Psychology of Language Lab, University of Iowa richard-hurtig@uiowa.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2004	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2009
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Reading and Writing
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting A large sample of Chicago Public Schools will be used, with two Prekindergarten and kindergarten classrooms in each school.
Intervention The intervention is a widely used early language and literacy curriculum, Breakthrough to Literacy (BTL).
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School, Preschool Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description Prekindergarten and kindergarten students
Additional Study Sample Information About 30 state preschool classrooms in 22 schools implemented Breakthrough to Literacy in the first year of the study, and an approximately equal number of Kindergartens in those schools implemented the curriculum the next year. Results from those classrooms were compared with results from classrooms (state preschool and kindergarten, respectively) in 21 schools not implementing the Breakthrough to Literacy curriculum. The children in the 43 participating Chicago public schools were predominantly poor, and most came from ethnic/linguistic minority communities. For many, English is a second language.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The evaluation will use a randomized cluster design in which schools will be randomly assigned either to Breakthrough to Literacy (BTL) or to a control group, with two preschool and two kindergarten classrooms in each school. The evaluation will follow two cohorts of children beginning preschool. For schools assigned to BTL, the curriculum will be implemented in both preschool and kindergarten. Both cohorts of children will be followed through first grade; the earlier of the two cohorts will be followed into second grade.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Results will be compared with results from classrooms (state preschool and kindergarten, respectively) in 21 schools not implementing the Breakthrough to Literacy curriculum.
Data Analytic Strategy N/A
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The impacts of BTL on children will be assessed based on a standardized test of early language and reading skills. In both control and BTL classrooms, teacher practices and classroom environments will be assessed via state-of-the art observations of the literacy support and interactions in the classrooms. In addition, the fidelity of implementation of BTL will be studied in BTL schools only, using measures developed by BTL but administered by the evaluators.
Intended Secondary Outcomes In addition, data on factors that impact the fidelity of implementation will be collected. The study will also have a strong emphasis on the impacts of BTL on children's language and pre-literacy skills. Not only will short-term impacts (e.g., prekindergarten and kindergarten) be measured, but children will also be assessed into early elementary school for longer-term impacts.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The University of Iowa has teamed with the Chicago Public Schools and an evaluator to design a large-scale implementation and random assignment evaluation of a widely used early language and literacy curriculum, Breakthrough to Literacy (BTL), that has already shown promise in several smaller-scale quasi-experimental effectiveness studies.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#203. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Multiple-Component Remediation for Struggling Middle School Readers
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Robin Morris Vice President for Research and Regents' Professor of Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences, Georgia State University robinmorris@gsu.edu
Other Key Staff:	Rose Sevcik, Maureen Lovett (Toronto), Beth Calhoon.
Start Date:	January 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Reading, Writing, and Language Development: Special Education Research
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Participating students will be from Georgia.
Intervention Intervention: Both reading interventions have two components: a phonological and strategy intervention called PHAST and either a Fluency or Comprehension focus. The PHAST Fluency program (PHAST Fluency) focuses on the acquisition of reading fluency using all levels of print; the Comprehension focus program (PHAST Comp) provides explicit instruction in aspects of text structure and teaches specific comprehension strategies for different texts. Both programs also include vocabulary instruction.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School Student Disability: Specific Learning Disability (LD)
Target Population Description Approximately 90 Groups (4-8 students/ group) in Grades 6 through 8 with a reading disability will participate. Students selected to participate will be pulled out and administered the intervention by a trained classroom teacher in a small group setting.
Additional Study Sample Information Population: Approximately 90 Groups (4-8 students/ group) in Grades 6 through 8 with a reading disability will participate. Students selected to participate will be pulled out and administered the intervention by a trained classroom teacher in a small group setting.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Growth curve modeling will be used to evaluate whether the two interventions lead to superior growth rates compared to the "business as usual" condition and whether the two interventions improve a unique constellation of reading skills. Also, hierarchical linear models (HLM) will be used to examine whether students' growth rates are predicted from their instructional group. Latent growth curve models will also be used to evaluate whether fluency and comprehension instruction is predictive of growth rates on correlated outcome measures (e.g. TOWRE, GORT).
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control group will include students with a reading disability in grades 6-8 who will receive the schools selected reading curriculum.
Data Analytic Strategy Quantitative data analysis techniques include longitudinal and multivariate methods to evaluate the efficacy and replicability of the interventions. Growth curve modeling will be used to model post-program outcomes, contrasting the two interventions with the control program and with each other. Latent growth curve modeling will also be used to assess differential effects of the two reading interventions on associated outcome measures over time.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The effects of the two reading interventions on students with a reading disability in grades 6-8 will be evaluated using a battery of commercial and non-commercial measures. Key pre-post intervention measures include, for example, Test of Word Reading Efficiency (TOWRE), Sight Word Efficiency, Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement - Reading Fluency and Passage Comprehension Subtests, and the Standardized Reading Inventory-2. Participants will be assessed using the pre-post test measures before, mid-point, end of the intervention, and one year follow-up. Finally, data will be collected to examine both teacher and program delivery variables using an observation rating form. Analyses will evaluate the three groups on reading outcomes that include decoding, word identification, word reading efficiency, reading fluency, and text comprehension. The project is designed to address the following research questions: 1. Are the two interventions reliably superior to a "business as usual" condition on measures of decoding, word identification accuracy and speed, reading fluency, and text comprehension? 2. What intervention is associated with superior reading outcomes and growth for disabled middle school readers: specific text comprehension or specific fluency training? 3. Are student (e.g., motivation) and instructional group features associated with intervention response and long-term outcomes?
Intended Secondary Outcomes The researchers will also evaluate what instructional components of the multiple-component reading interventions are associated with superior reading outcomes and steeper learning curves for reading disabled students in Grades 6-8. Mediating and moderating variables that are associated with greater growth and superior outcomes following intervention will also be explored.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The purpose of this project is to evaluate the efficacy of two multiple component reading interventions for middle school students with reading disabilities. Both programs address multiple sources of dysfluent reading, impaired reading comprehension, decoding, reading rate, and comprehension problems. However, the programs differ in that one includes a fluency component and the other includes a comprehension intervention component.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#204. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Project Early Reading Intervention
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Deborah Simmons Professor of Special Education, Texas A&M dsimmons@tamu.edu
Start Date:	June 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	May 31, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Window of Opportunity. Originally published in the 2009 edition of Advance magazine by the Texas A&M University Division of Research and Graduate Studies. http://epsy.tamu.edu/articles/window_of_opportunity. Project Early Reading Intervention Fact Sheet. http://cdd.tamu.edu/pdfs/factsheet-ERI.pdf
Study Setting Participating schools will be located in Texas, Florida, and Connecticut.
Intervention ERI is designed to provide at-risk kindergarten children with an intervention intended to improve reading achievement through supplementing the general education curriculum. A teacher or teacher assistant delivers 30-minute daily lessons to small groups of two to five children. Each 30-minute lesson consists of seven activities, which are designed to last only three to five minutes. The first 15 minutes of each lesson focus on phonological awareness and alphabetic understanding, while the next 15 minutes center on writing and spelling. A comprehensive assessment plan is an important part of this intervention. An assessment handbook that accompanies ERI provides teachers with tools needed to make instructional decisions before the intervention is implemented (the placement test), during the intervention (progress monitoring), and after the intervention is completed (an exit test).
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, White Student Level(s) of Education: Kindergarten, Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description During the project period, 26 schools, 108 kindergarten teachers, and 624 kindergarteners will participate. Participating schools will have high concentrations of socioeconomically disadvantaged children from three predominant ethnicities: African American, Hispanic, and White Nonhispanic. The study will focus on the performance of the 4 lowest performing children from each class since they are most at risk of reading difficulty.
Additional Study Sample Information During the project period, 26 schools, 108 kindergarten teachers, and 624 kindergarteners will participate. Participating schools will have high concentrations of socioeconomically disadvantaged children from three predominant ethnicities: African American, Hispanic, and White Nonhispanic. The study will focus on the performance of the four lowest performing children from each class since they are most at risk of reading difficulty.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods In Years 1 and 2, an experimental study will be conducted with teachers being randomly assigned to ERI or typical school implemented interventions to test the efficacy of the ERI intervention. In Year 1, research will be conducted in Texas and Connecticut in sites close to ERI developers, while in Year 2, research will be conducted in Florida at distal sites. Children will be followed through second grade to evaluate durability of intervention effects. In Years 3 and 4, students most at risk of inadequately responding to ERI will be randomly assigned to one of three forms of ERI in order to examine ways of intensifying the program.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition In Years 1 and 2, children in the comparison group will not receive treatment but continue with intervention support typically provided by their schools.
Data Analytic Strategy Quantitative data analysis techniques, including latent growth modeling methods, hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), and structural equation modeling, will be utilized to test main effects of the ERI program and its intensified versions and to identify factors that mediate and moderate these effects.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The efficacy of ERI will be evaluated on a range of standardized, norm-referenced measures of phonemic awareness, letter naming, letter-sound and word identification, word attack, oral reading fluency and comprehension. In addition, data related to fidelity and costs of intervention implementation will be collected. The expected outcomes from this study include: (a) Published reports on the efficacy of the ERI program in 52 kindergarten classrooms; information on variables among children, teachers, and interventions that mediate or moderate the impacts of the intervention; and results on the varied intensity of delivery for the ERI program, (b) Presentations on identified "profiles" of curricular and learner variables that best predict nonresponsiveness or underresponsiveness, and (c) A cost analysis of the ERI program comparing the various experimental conditions.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The purpose of this project is to evaluate the efficacy and study systematic variations of delivery intensity for the Early Reading Intervention (ERI), a commercial program that is designed for kindergarten children at risk of reading difficulty and used in more than 4,000 school districts in all 50 states. Also, the researchers intend to sample participating schools to capture a broad range of demographic diversity and to evaluate ERI's efficacy in sites distal to ERI developers.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#205. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Project Success: Improving the Educational Outcomes of Youth with Disabilities in Foster Care
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Laurie Powers Director, Regional Research Institute for Human Services, Portland State University powersl@pdx.edu
Other Key Staff:	Sarah Greenen
Start Date:	June 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	May 31, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Transition Outcomes for Special Education Secondary Students
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will involve students in foster care who receive special education services in high schools in the Portland Public School District. The Portland Public School District educates approximately 53,000 students of whom approximately 14% receive special education services and 29% are ethnically or racially diverse.
Intervention The TAKE CHARGE model includes (1) instruction and coaching for youth around the identification and achievement of academic goals, (2) in-service training for professionals, delivered by youth, foster parents and project staff, and focused on supporting the unique needs of foster youth with disabilities, (3) workshops and ongoing technical assistance for foster parents to support improved education and self-determination of foster youth, and (4) formation of an Interagency Partnership Council that will assist youth to address barriers to their educational success, clarify agency roles and increase collaboration between systems.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Multiple Disabilities
Additional Study Sample Information The sample will be comprised of 150 10th-grade youth who receive special education services and are in foster care (having accumulated at least 90 days in foster care). During each of the first three years of the project, 50 such youth will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group or a control group.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A randomized control trial design is being used, with students randomly assigned to experimental or control conditions on an individual basis. The project will also conduct 6 case studies to assess contextual variables that facilitate or impede the intervention.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The comparison group will receive typical educational services (business-as-usual), including general and special education classes, related services, interaction with special education case managers, individualized educational planning and extracurricular activities. Data collectors will administer a brief questionnaire every three months to gather information on the nature, source and quantity of typical educational services for each youth, with particular attention on any services or educational programs that resemble key features of the intervention.
Data Analytic Strategy Outcomes for experimental and control groups will be compared by means of logistic regression analyses or hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), depending on the variables (nominal vs. interval scales). The project will also conduct survival analysis to examine subject attrition, and cost analysis to estimate implementation costs. For the case studies, interview data will be transcribed and consolidated with data from other sources, then the data will be coded and organized to facilitate interpretation.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Key measures will include a Fidelity of Implementation (FOI) Checklist, participant demographics collected from school records, the Arc's Self-Determination Scale, the AIR Self-Determination Scale, the Family Empowerment Scale, the Educational Planning Assessment, School Archival Records Search (SARS), and an assessment of academic achievement. The case studies will use student and parent interviews, as well as data collected from school records and other sources.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The purpose of Project Success is to implement the TAKE CHARGE model for enhancing the self-determination of foster youth with disabilities and to systematically evaluate the efficacy of the model in improving educational outcomes. Statistics reveal that approximately 40% of foster care youth have a disability, and that youth in foster care are three times more likely to be referred for special education services. Educators are frequently unaware of the unique issues facing special education students in foster care, and similarly, the disability status/special education needs of foster youth are unknown within the child welfare system. Furthermore, research has confirmed that foster youth with disabilities lag behind their peers in school, are suffering educationally, and are at significant risk for academic failure.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#206. Updated February 4, 2014 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Study of the Efficacy of North Carolina's Learn and Earn Early College High School Model
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Julie Edmunds Program Director, SERVE, UNC-Greensboro jedmunds@serve.org
Start Date:	January 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Middle and High School Reform
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Edmunds, J.A.; Willse, J.; Arshavsky, N.; & Dallas, A. (2013). Mandated engagement: the impact of early college high schools. Teachers College Record, 115:7. Edmunds, J.A., Bernstein, L., Unlu, F., Glennie, E., Willse, J., Smith, A. & Arshavsky, N. (2012). Expanding the start of the college pipeline: Ninth grade findings from an experimental study of the impact of the early college high school model. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 5:2, 136-159.
Study Setting The study will examine 25 high schools in North Carolina with funding to implement the Early College High School Model through the governor's Learn and Earn Initiative.
Intervention Located on college campuses, Early College High Schools are designed both to minimize the barriers between high school and college and to help students progress faster academically in high school. Features include a rigorous curriculum, academic and affective support structures for students, and ongoing professional development and support for teachers. Early College High Schools typically award a high school diploma and an Associate's degree or two years of transferable college credit; students typically graduate in four to five years.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The sample will consist of all students who applied and were considered for acceptance by the participating Early College High Schools. In 2005-2006, the first year of operation for many of these schools, the Early College High Schools had an average freshman class of 65 students, drawn from a larger pool of 165 applicants. Schools participating in the study have agreed to assign students from the eligible applicant pool.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The experimental group will include all students randomly assigned to attend participating Early College High Schools. The study will use a longitudinal experimental design to study the effects of Early College High Schools on students' achievement, behavior, and attitudes compared to the traditional high school experience. The study will also examine student outcomes relative to specific student characteristics, including at-risk factors such as poverty and first-generation college status.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control group will include students who applied, but were not randomly assigned, to attend the Early College High Schools. Students in the control group will experience "business as usual" or the normal high school experience in their district.
Data Analytic Strategy Differences between the experimental and control students will be examined using hierarchical linear modeling to account for the clustering of students by schools.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Outcome measures include: student attendance; frequency of higher-level course taking; attitudes toward self and school; behavior at school; aspirations after graduation from high school; scores on North Carolina standardized tests; and school-leaving and dropout rates. In addition to determining the impact on the model for all students, the study will examine outcomes for students underrepresented in college, including students who are minority, low-income and first generation college-goers.
Summary of the Study / Abstract To meet the workplace demands of the 21st century, students increasingly need a high school diploma and some post-secondary education. Early College High Schools have been proposed as a way to increase both the number of students who graduate from high school, and the number of students who are prepared for and go on to postsecondary education. Located on college campuses, these schools are designed to accelerate the academic progress of students while minimizing the barriers between high school and college. They are seen as particularly appropriate for students who may not have considered attending college. Students in Early College High Schools are expected to graduate in four to five years with a high school diploma and an Associate's degree or two years of transferable college credit. Yet Early College High Schools are a recent intervention with very little research on their impact. Therefore, this study aims to: (a) determine whether students who attend Early College High Schools perform significantly better than students in traditional high schools; (b) examine the extent to which effects on student outcomes vary by student characteristics; and (c) identify the extent to which specific Early College High School components are associated with positive student outcomes.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#207. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	The Pathway Project: A Cognitive Strategies Approach to Reading and Writing Instruction for Teachers of Secondary English Language Learners
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Carol Olson Director, UC Irvine Writing Project cbolson@uci.edu
Other Key Staff:	Robert Land
Start Date:	January 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Teacher Quality: Reading and Writing
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Olson, Carol Booth, Land, R.. "A Cognitive Strategies Approach to Reading and Writing Instruction for English Language Learners in Secondary School." Research in the Teaching of English, Volume 41, Number 3, February 2007. Olson, C.B., Scarcella, R., Chiappe, P., Kim, J.S., van Dyk, D., Land, R., Pearson, M.D. "The Pathway Project: A Cognitive Strategies Approach to Reading and Writing Instruction for Teachers of Secondary English Language Learners." Poster presented at the 2009 IES Research Conference, Washington, DC, June 2009. http://www.ics.uci.edu/~dvd/Presentations/09-ies.pdf. Olson, Carol Booth, Land, R.. "Taking a Reading/Writing Intervention for Secondary English Language Learners on the Road: Lessons Learned from the Pathway Project." Research in the Teaching of English, Volume 42, Number 3, February 2008, p259-269.
Study Setting The schools are in California.
Intervention The researchers will create a pathway of language arts classes at nine middle schools and five high schools in which students will progress as a cohort from one grade level to the next. The teachers of this cohort will receive intensive, ongoing professional development on a reading/writing intervention that is designed to provide students with knowledge of and practice with the cognitive strategies that experienced readers and writers use to construct meaning from and with texts. The results will provide a basis for scaling up the pathway intervention across public school districts serving large numbers of Latino students, English language learners, and low-income children.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic or Latino Student Level(s) of Education: High School, Middle School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Participants will be approximately 3600 middle school and high school English language learners from a large urban school district in California. This district serves a student population that is 97% ethnic minority (predominantly Latino), 75% low SES, and 60% limited English proficient.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The researchers will conduct a randomized, controlled field trial involving 9 middle schools, 5 high schools, 52 Pathway teachers and 52 control teachers, and nearly 3,600 students. The design is a multi-site, clustered, randomized experiment, since it involves students and teachers who are clustered within a treatment or control classroom, nested within multiple school sites.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Students in the control condition will receive the existing language arts curriculum, and control teachers will use the standard teachers' guide available with the existing curriculum.
Data Analytic Strategy The researchers will use hierarchical linear models (HLM) to estimate the causal effect of the Pathway Project on student and teacher outcomes.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Student achievement will be assessed using standardized measures of reading, writing, and language proficiency, including the TOWL/3, CST, STAR-7th grade Writing Assessment, and CAHSEE-10th grade test. Baseline data on teachers include: years of teaching experience, training in English as Second Language, training in secondary literacy, qualification status with No Child Left Behind (i.e., meeting high quality teacher criteria), California Subject Matter Examination- English scores, and a measure of self-efficacy. In addition to these baseline data, the researchers will collect information on (1) the fidelity of teachers' implementation of the intervention, (2) the quality of teacher practice and use of cognitive strategies in the classroom, (3) knowledge of current theories of English instruction and teaching English language learners, and (4) teacher self-efficacy.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This project will replicate an existing, successful professional development program based on a reading/writing intervention designed to enhance the higher-level academic literacy of secondary English language learners. The project's objective is to improve the practices of classroom teachers in ways that positively impact student learning and school achievement. The researchers will create a pathway of language arts classes at nine middle schools and five high schools in which students will progress as a cohort from one grade level to the next. The teachers of this cohort will receive intensive, ongoing professional development on a reading/writing intervention that is designed to provide students with knowledge of and practice with the cognitive strategies that experienced readers and writers use to construct meaning from and with texts. The results will provide a basis for scaling up the pathway intervention across public school districts serving large numbers of Latino students, English language learners, and low-income children.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#208. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Universal Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention for Elementary Students to Reduce Disruptive/Aggressive Behavior
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Stephen Smith Professor of Special Education, U of Florida swsmith@coe.ufl.edu
Other Key Staff:	Ann Daunic
Start Date:	August 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	July 31, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Social and Behavioral Outcomes to Support Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The participating schools will be recruited from two school districts in North Central Florida. The majority of the elementary schools in the targeted districts are designated as Title 1 (i.e. "high risk") schools. Each district has a large percentage of minority students and a high proportion of students who receive free or reduced-price lunch.
Intervention The intervention used in this study is a classroom-based universal program entitled Tools for Getting Along (TFGA): Teaching Students to Problem Solve, which is based on Dodge's (1980) social information processing model. TFGA is comprised of 26 lessons designed to teach 4th and 5th grade students to replace disruptive/aggressive behaviors with more socially constructive choices through use of problem solving.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information This study will take place in all 4th and 5th grade classrooms in selected schools. Students in these grades are targeted because they are cognitively ready to accommodate the curricular content and they are approaching a developmental transition (i.e., to middle school) that will require more independence and resistance to negative peer influence. Approximately 5 schools per condition (5 treatment and 5 control) per year for 3 years with approximately 4 classrooms per school will be recruited. To ensure a high level of interest and commitment at the school level, only schools in which approximately 75% or more of the 4th and 5th grade teachers agree to participate will be used in the study.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A randomized control trial design is used with schools as the unit of randomization. Schools matched on SES (percentage of students on eligible for free or reduced-price lunch) and school size are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups. Although the intervention occurs within classrooms, random assignment is at the school level to avoid possible treatment contamination across classrooms. Also, other school personnel besides teachers (e.g., school counselors) are involved with implementation and will be encouraged to reinforce the cognitive-behavioral framework in various school settings across the school day.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control group schools receive "business as usual." To encourage participation from schools prior to assignment to condition, researchers will offer the curriculum and appropriate training in the year following participation in the research (years 1-3) to schools assigned to the control condition.
Data Analytic Strategy In this study, students are nested within classrooms and classrooms are nested within schools; therefore, hierarchical linear modeling will be used to obtain a more accurate estimate of standard error and treatment effects. To address student level outcomes due to treatment, researchers will test whether there is significant variance in student outcomes among classrooms within schools as well as whether there is significant variance across schools. Possible explanatory variables included in the models will be treatment condition, school, classroom and classroom-related covariates such as teacher experience, and individual covariates such as gender. To test for classroom-level outcomes due to treatment, researchers will examine classroom climate ratings while exploring related covariates. They will also use statistical analyses of interaction effects to determine teacher and student-level variables that moderate treatment outcomes.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Researchers assess a variety of outcomes, including students' TFGA curricular knowledge, problem solving orientation and skills, and expression of anger. Teachers will rate students' reactive and proactive aggression and impulsivity. Peer ratings/nominations will be used to collect peer reports of behavior and social status. Observers blind to the experimental condition will rate classroom atmosphere (e.g., level of disruption during academic tasks, responsiveness to individual students' needs and feelings). Teachers and guidance personnel will also rate the social validity of the TFGA curriculum. The expected outcomes from this study include: (1) Published reports on the results of the efficacy of TFGA in improving student behavioral outcomes related to positive social adjustment and school success, (2) A cost analysis of this intervention, and (3) Presentations on the results of the social validity assessment.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The purpose of this project is to determine whether a cognitive-behavioral problem-solving curriculum focused on anger management and implemented by school personnel in classroom settings improves student behavioral outcomes related to positive social adjustment and school success. Researchers have found that teaching cognitive strategies through cognitive-behavioral intervention can decrease student disruption/aggression and strengthen pro-social behavior. Many such interventions incorporate components difficult for typical schools to sustain without external support. Thus, there is a need to determine whether a feasible, sustainable, cost-effective intervention can effectively alter negative behaviors and thereby improve social outcomes for students at risk.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#209. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Early, Evidence-Based Intervention For Externalizing Behavior Problems in School: From Efficacy to Effectiveness of the First Step to Success Program
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Mary Wagner Director, Center for Education and Human Services, SRI International mary.wagner@sri.com
Start Date:	March 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	February 28, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Social and Behavioral Outcomes to Support Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Districts that are diverse in geographic location, urbanicity, size, and student characteristics will be recruited to participate. The proposed randomized control trial will involve 50 elementary schools in 5 diverse school districts.
Intervention First Step to Success is grounded in a social-ecological conceptual model, which effectively conceptualizes the complex environmental, individual, and environmental-individual factors involved in assessing and intervening effectively with children with behavior problems. It is a manualized intervention appropriate for students who experience moderate to severe behavior problems in the beginning stages of their school careers (i.e., grades 1-3). The program has three linked modular components (i.e., universal proactive screening, school intervention, and parent training) that are designed for use in concert. Throughout the 3-month implementation phase of First Step, these program components are coordinated and delivered in both classroom and home settings by a behavioral coach (e.g., school psychologist, behavior specialist, social worker, resource teacher) who works closely with participating teachers and parents/caregivers.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Emotional Disturbance (ED)
Additional Study Sample Information The Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders (SSBD) will be used to identify students in participating classrooms who exhibit serious externalizing behaviors in grades 1-3. The three students in each class with the highest externalizing behavior scores will be considered the eligible population. Five school districts will be recruited to participate, with a target of 10 schools participating from each district (5 intervention schools and 5 control schools). Approximately 6 classrooms per school will participate for a total of 288 classrooms (144 intervention classrooms and 144 control group classrooms). A total of 432 students will participate: 2 students per intervention classrooms (n=288) and one student from each control classroom (n=144). There are more intervention students because the program will be implemented with one student in each of two consecutive cohorts.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The proposed randomized control trial will involve approximately 50 elementary schools in 5 diverse school districts. Randomization will occur at the school level, with 24 schools assigned to the intervention and 24 to the comparison condition. Before randomization, schools will be matched within districts on key variables to improve the likelihood of group equivalence. Within each classroom, the three students who receive the highest SSBD scores will randomly numbered from one to three. Written consent will be sought for the first students, proceeding to the second and third student until consent to participate is obtained.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control group schools/classrooms/students will receive "business as usual."
Data Analytic Strategy Analyses associated with effectiveness and moderators of effectiveness will include hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). HLM models appropriate for the level of the dependent variable (continuous, Poisson, or Bernoulli) will be used. Independent variables will include baseline measure of the dependent variable and covariates at the student, classroom, and school levels. Differences between first and second year implementation and outcomes will also be explored. Additional analyses will be performed to determine equivalence of groups (intervention and control), descriptive analyses of characteristics associated with adoption of the program, and descriptive analyses of implementation issues including fidelity, social validity, and costs.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Researchers will assess a variety of outcomes and collect information from teachers (e.g., classroom characteristics, teacher ratings of behavior, satisfaction), students (direct reading assessments), observations (classroom context, student behavior), behavioral coaches (fidelity), school personnel (school characteristics), parents (student behavior, student service use, social validity), and school records (office disciplinary referrals, absenteeism, special education/504 status, standardized test scores, etc). Most measures of students' behavior and academic outcomes will be administered at baseline, immediately following the intervention, and at 1 year and 2 years post-intervention. Classroom and school context measures will be administered once during the intervention and follow-up years to support analyses that assess potential relationships between classroom and school context and the ability to obtain and sustain behavior and academic effects. School record data for individual participants in the study will be collected one time per year.
Intended Secondary Outcomes Results associated with implementation-fidelity, social validity and cost; and factors associated with successful implementation and sustainability of the First Step to Success Program.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The First Step to Success Program is a school-home intervention with substantial evidence for its efficacy in achieving secondary prevention goals and positive outcomes for behaviorally at-risk children in the primary grades. It is packaged for dissemination, is evidence-based, and has been implemented successfully by a number of districts across the country during the past decade. The purpose of this project is to evaluate the effectiveness of First Step to Success under scaled-up conditions. Solid evidence is needed that scaled-up interventions can improve the behavior and academic performance of children with serious behavior problems early in their schooling, thereby setting them on a more positive educational trajectory.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#211. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Classroom Connectivity in Promoting Mathematics and Science Achievement
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Douglas Owens Professor, School of Teaching & Learning, Ohio State University owens.93@osu.edu
Other Key Staff:	Louis Abrahamson (The Better Education Foundation), Frank Demana, Karen Irving, & Stephen Pape (OSU), and Joan Herman (UCLA)
Start Date:	January 1, 2005	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Mathematics and Science Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Owens, D. T., Irving, K. E, Pape, S. J., Abrahamson, L., Sanalan, V., & Boscardin, C. K. (2007). The connected classroom: Implementation and research trial. In C. Montgomerie & J. Seale (Eds.), Proceedings of the ED-MEDIA World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications, (pp. 3710-3716). Chesapeake, VA: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Owens, D. T., Pape, S. L., Irving, K. E., Sanalan, V.A. , Boscardin, C. K., Abrahamson, L. (Accepted, 2008, July) The Connected Algebra Classroom: A Randomized Control Trial. Research Paper. International Congress on Mathematics Education, July 6 - 13, 2008, Monterrey, Mexico. Irving, K. E., Sanalan, V. A, & Shirley, M. L. (Accepted). Physical Science Connected Classrooms: Case Studies. Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
Study Setting Teachers will be drawn from a national sample rather than a single district, region, or state. They will be recruited from the pool of teachers participating in a nationwide technology program.
Intervention In a traditional classroom, student work is assigned, turned-in, manually graded, and handed back days after completion. At this point it is disconnected in time from the students' thinking when they did the work, and in the meantime the class may have moved on to a new topic. In connected classrooms, as soon as student work is submitted it is instantly aggregated and available on the teacher's computer. Displays can provide powerful clues to what students are doing, thinking, and understanding. The teacher has immediate information and can use this to adjust instruction. The proposed intervention consists of six parts: (1) Provision of connected classroom technology (TI-Navigator), (2) professional development consisting of a weeklong Summer Institute to be held at Ohio State University, (3) teacher experiential learning in their own classrooms and growth in expertise with agile adaptive teaching, (4) online web-based training available as needed, (5) online discussion forum for the teacher community to exchange experiences, problems, and curricular materials, (6) follow-up professional development at an annual conference.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School, Middle School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description Two samples will be recruited, a math teacher sample (n = 120 algebra teachers) and a science teacher sample (n = 24 physical science teachers). The number of participating students will be approximately 18,000 (assuming up to 5 classes per teacher, 25 students per class).
Additional Study Sample Information Population: Two samples will be recruited, a math teacher sample (n = 120 algebra teachers) and a science teacher sample (n = 24 physical science teachers). The number of participating students will be approximately 18,000 (assuming up to 5 classes per teacher, 25 students per class).
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A wait list-controlled randomized trial design will be employed, with teachers as the unit of randomization. During Summer of 2005, teachers will be randomly divided into two cohorts. Cohort 1 algebra teachers will attend a one-week Summer Institute on Pedagogy in the Connected Classroom focused on appropriate teaching strategies and implementation of the hardware and software necessary for the connected classroom. Algebra teachers in cohort 2 will serve as a control group in the first year of the project. During the summer of year 2, teachers will then attend the Summer Institute and implement the intervention. For the small-scale pilot study investigating the impact of the classroom network system on science achievement, a sample of 24 physical science teachers will be randomly assigned to treatment/cohort 3 and control/cohort 4 in year 2 of the study. The classroom practices of a sub-sample of participant teachers (n = 30) will be observed. The sample will include 15 teachers in the intervention group and 15 in the control group. The teachers will be selected to provide a range in geographic location and teacher background within each of the two groups. Each teacher will be observed twice during the school year.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers in the control group must agree to forgo system use during the first year of implementation. They will continue to teach their standard curriculum during year 1.
Data Analytic Strategy To examine the impact of teacher professional development and use of the TI-Navigator system on student achievement, hierarchical linear models (HLM) will be used. Pretest data will serve as a covariate to control for any initial differences in the two groups.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Researcher-designed student achievement tests for algebra assessment and physical science assessment, teacher surveys, classroom observations, and technology logs will be collected.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The primary purpose of the project is to improve mathematics and science achievement. U.S. high school students compare relatively poorly internationally, while U.S. elementary school students perform as well as or better than those of other countries. This project is focusing on grade levels where some studies have indicated that test scores decrease for U.S. students. These investigators plan to examine the efficacy of connected classroom technology with interactive pedagogy and professional development on mathematics and science achievement at the 7th through 10th grade levels.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#212. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Examining the Efficacy of Two Models of Preschool Professional Development in Language and Literacy
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Nancy Clark-Chiarelli Principal Research Scientist, CC&F/EDC nclark@edc.org
Other Key Staff:	Julie Hirschler
Start Date:	January 1, 2005	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Teacher Quality: Reading and Writing
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications "Examining the Efficacy of Two Models of Preschool Professional Development in Language and Literacy." The Evaluation Exchange, Volume XI, Number 4, Winter 2005/2006.
Study Setting The setting of this study is within three types of programs (Head Start, child care, and non-Head Start, school-districted operated preschools) in the West Virginia Universal Pre-K System located in largely urban areas.
Intervention Two intervention programs will be implemented: LEEP and T-LEEP. LEEP is the traditional, face-to-face, version of the professional development program, delivered in three intensive 2-day blocks. Between sessions (6 weeks apart) LEEP instructors make site visits to support implementation, help supervisors problem-solve common issues, and refine supervisors' abilities to analyze and support teachers' literacy-related practices. Instructors are videotaped and given feedback. A technology distance-learning form of LEEP, T-LEEP, is delivered via interactive television, web-based instruction, and face-to-face interaction over a span of 6 months. If efficacious, T-LEEP would make professional development more accessible to a greater number of preschool teachers.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description 2,200 4-year-old children, 110 teachers, and 52 supervisors will participate in the study. West Virginia is one of the poorest states in the nation with 52% of children eligible for free/reduced school lunch and median family income more than $15,000 below the national median. The intervention will be tested in 4 of the state's most needy, largely urban, areas.
Additional Study Sample Information 2,200 4-year-old children, 110 teachers, and 52 supervisors will participate in the study. West Virginia is one of the poorest states in the nation with 52% of children eligible for free/reduced school lunch and median family income more than $15,000 below the national median. The intervention will be tested in four of the state's most needy, largely urban, areas.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The study sample will be stratified by preschool program type. Supervisors along with the teachers they supervise will be randomly assigned to LEEP, T-LEEP, or the control condition. Fifteen 4-year-old children per classroom will be drawn. There will be 4 student cohorts. In Year 1, LEEP or T-LEEP courses will be delivered to the treatment groups in Cohort 1 and teacher/child data will be collected. In Year 2, LEEP and T-LEEP teachers and supervisors will receive a second year of intervention and teacher and child data collected. In Years 3 and 4, Cohort 2 teachers will begin the same intervention and data collection will follow the above protocol.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Participants in the control condition will have access to the normal district-provided professional development (practice-as-usual). The nature of practices in control classrooms will be assessed using teacher and student measures. Control group teachers will receive training after data collection is completed within their cohort.
Data Analytic Strategy A pre-post experimental design paired with qualitative methods will be used to compare language and literacy achievement of children in intervention classrooms with children in control classrooms and to ascertain whether LEEP and T-LEEP differ in their efficacy. Data will be analyzed using linear regression and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). A final goal of the study is to measure how teachers translate LEEP and T-LEEP into daily language and literacy practices, which will be addressed analyzing in-depth case studies of 12 teachers.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Teacher measures will include the Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation Toolkit (ELLCO). Student measures will include several standardized and observational measures of children's language, literacy, and development. Fidelity of implementation will be analyzed from teacher logs, classroom observations, and videotapes of classroom instruction.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Children who come from homes where oral language interactions are sparse enter school at a disadvantage from peers who come from homes where the opposite is true. In addition, many early childhood teachers lack a solid foundation in early teaching and learning pedagogy. Taken as a whole, these conditions warrant providing teachers with early literacy professional development to ensure that young children will benefit from instruction. However, little research has been conducted to rigorously evaluate the impact of different early literacy professional development programs. The purpose of this project is to examine the efficacy of two approaches to implementing empirically based early literacy professional development, Literacy Environment Enrichment Program (LEEP), and Technology-Enhanced LEEP (T-LEEP).

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#213. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Investigating the Efficacy of a Professional Development Program in Classroom Assessment for Middle School Reading and Mathematics
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Christina Schneider Education Associate for the Office of Assessment, South Carolina Department of Education cjschneider@ucsd.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2005	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Teacher Quality: Mathematics and Science Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Teachers and students from low-performing middle (predominately rural) schools in South Carolina will participate in the study.
Intervention Reading and mathematics teachers in selected middle schools will receive 12 weeks of intensive professional development on classroom assessment, covering 12 topic modules, using video-presentation of material, collaborative small group work, presentation of a performance task related to a specific aspect of classroom assessment, and submission of parallel performance tasks for feedback. A final semester exam will be given to the teachers. Teachers receiving either an A or B in the course will receive 3 hours of recertification credit from South Carolina. Some follow-up activities will continue throughout the school year from trained coaches.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Black or African American Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Seventy percent of the students in the schools to be selected are students who receive free or reduced-price lunch. The student population of these schools is 68% black, 29% white, 2% Hispanic, and 1% from other minority groups.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Forty low-performing schools that agree to participate in the study will be selected and randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. The 20 treatment schools will have 6th grade language arts and mathematics teachers receive the assessment training along with follow-up from trained coaches. Year 1 tests the efficacy of the full intervention comparing 6th grade teachers in the treatment schools to their counterparts in the control schools. Years 2 and 3 test the effect of providing follow-up training from trained coaches as compared to follow-up training from relatively untrained facilitators. In Year 2, the comparison is between 7th grade language arts and mathematics teachers in the treatment and control schools. In Year 3, the comparison is between 8th grade language arts and mathematics teachers in the treatment and control schools. A sub-sample of schools, teachers, and students will be randomly selected for observations and focus-group discussions, and documentation of training implementation.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition In Year 1, 6th grade language arts and mathematics teachers in the control schools receive whatever professional development training the school normally provides. In Year 2, 7th grade teachers in the control schools receive the same 12 weeks of intensive professional development on assessment that the intervention group receives but the follow-up support is provided by relatively untrained facilitators. In Year 3, 8th grade teachers in the comparison schools receive the same 12 weeks of intensive professional development on assessment that the intervention group receives but again the follow-up support is provided by relatively untrained facilitators.
Data Analytic Strategy Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) will be used to analyze the effects of the teacher development program on teachers and students.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Teacher assessments are being developed and field-tested, as are Benchmark Reading and Mathematics Assessments for students. In addition, standardized statewide assessments will be used to measure student achievement.
Summary of the Study / Abstract In this study the researchers will conduct a replication field trial that will determine how best to implement and deliver standardized professional development in classroom assessment to meet teachers' needs in math and reading across grade levels.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#215. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Print Referencing Efficacy
Principal Investigator:	Prof. Laura Justice Professor, School of Teaching and Learning, Ohio State University justice.57@osu.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2005	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Reading and Writing
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications McGinty, A., Justice, L.J., & Rimm-Kaufman, S.E. (2008). Sense of school community for preschool teachers serving at-risk children. Early Education and Development, 19(2), 361-384.
Study Setting This project takes place in preschool classrooms in three states. Children living in the geographically isolated and rural coal-mining regions of Appalachia in Virginia and West Virginia, and children in the industrial urban regions of northern Ohio are participating.
Intervention The Print-Referencing Intervention is an intervention approach designed to accelerate print knowledge in young children. During shared book reading interactions, teachers systematically and explicitly draw children's attention toward print. The intervention occurs over 30 weeks of instruction.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information A total of 540 4-year-old children attending preschool classrooms serving at-risk children are participating in this research study. Many of these children live in low-income families and are attending Head Start. The majority of participating children are non-Hispanic white (estimated at 86 percent). Approximately 11 percent of the participating children are African-American and 3 percent are Hispanic.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Children in 90 preschool classrooms are being randomly assigned to one of three conditions, two experimental and one control. One group of experimental classrooms experiences daily explicit exposure to print in storybooks, while the second group of experimental classrooms experiences biweekly explicit exposure to print in storybooks. In addition to answering the central research question examining print-referencing effectiveness, the researchers are also addressing questions examining the processes and mechanisms of the intervention approach, such as the unique influence of procedural fidelity versus implementation quality, and potential moderators of effect (e.g., children's language ability, home literacy experiences).
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Children in control classrooms experience daily implicit exposure to print in storybooks. This experience is the same as regular instruction that occurs during shared book reading in preschool classrooms. Control teachers receive the same 30 print-salient storybooks provided to the experimental teachers and are asked to read each week's book four times during its scheduled week.
Data Analytic Strategy Given the nested design of children clustered in classrooms and the research team's interest in exploring moderators of impact, the major analytic techniques being employed include growth curve modeling using structural equation modeling. Descriptive analyses are also being carried out.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Observational and descriptive measures of implementation fidelity, implementation quality, and potential moderators of child outcomes are being collected. A series of standardized measures are being used to assess child outcomes in literacy and academic adjustment.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The preschool years are a critical period during which young children develop skills, knowledge, and interests in the code- and meaning-based aspects of written and spoken language. Research has shown that there are substantial early differences in children's emergent literacy skills and that those skills contribute to long-term outcomes in children's reading achievement. At the same time, research shows that intervening before children reach elementary school significantly decreases the likelihood of their developing reading difficulties. This research team will implement and rigorously evaluate a preschool literacy intervention designed to facilitate children's early achievements in print knowledge, including names of alphabet letters and the way in which print is organized and carries meaning in texts, including children's writing. The purpose of this project is to complete a systematic and rigorous replication and extension of research showing the effectiveness of the Print-Referencing Intervention in enhancing the literacy of all children, including those at risk of failure.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#216. Updated January 27, 2010 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Replication and Outcomes of the Teaching SMART� Program in Elementary Science Classrooms
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Kathryn Borman Professor of Anthropology, Alliance for Applied Research in Education and Anthropology, University of South Florida borman@usf.edu
Other Key Staff:	Kim Davis, District School Board of Pasco County and Sherri Steffen, Teaching SMART and Girls Inc., Rapid City, Reginald Lee
Start Date:	August 1, 2005	Anticipated End Date:	July 31, 2009
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Teacher Quality: Mathematics and Science Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Paper being Prepared for Publication but not yet Submitted: Lanehart, R.E., Boydston, T.L., Cotner, B.A., Lee, R.S., Borman, K.M. Improving gender, racial and social equity in elementary science instruction and student achievement: The impact of a professional development program. Currently being prepared for submission to the Society for Research in Educational Effectiveness (SREE).
Study Setting Pasco County Schools, Florida (just north of Tampa); including schools from each of the urban, suburban, and rural regions within the county.
Intervention The mission of Teaching SMART� is to encourage the performance and persistence of all students, particularly girls and minority elementary students. Teacher training sessions include effective teaching strategies that incorporate gender and minority equity, inquiry-based instruction, cooperative learning, coaching, real world connections and career awareness.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian, White, American Indian or Alaska Native Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Emotional Disturbance (ED), Specific Learning Disability (LD)
Additional Study Sample Information Third, fourth, and fifth grade teachers and their students will be the subjects of this study. The student population is about 15% minorities. About 9% of students are Hispanic, many of them children of migrant workers. There is a 44% student mobility rate. Most Limited English Proficient students in the county are Spanish-speaking, but over 60 different languages are spoken in the homes of these students. A large proportion of students are of low socio-economic status.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods All third through fifth grade classrooms in the county were matched on student characteristics. Schools were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups (10 schools in each). This yielded about 150 classrooms, and 3000 students each in the experimental and control groups. The experimental group received the SMART program. Fidelity of implementation was examined at the school and classroom levels using data from classroom observations and staff and faculty interviews.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control group remained as a business-as-usual group that received professional development opportunities from the school district that was open to all teachers. They did not receive any additional professional development.
Data Analytic Strategy Analysis of variance, linear regression, and hierarchical linear modeling were used to determine the effects of Teaching SMART� program. Growth curve analyses were used to look at long-term effects over 3 years. Qualitative information from classroom observations and interviews complement the analyses.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Intended Outcome: more positive teacher and student attitudes toward science (survey data), more inquiry-based teacher classroom practices (interview and observation data, survey data), improved science achievement (the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test- Science (FACT-Science), and the Partnership for the Assessment of Standards-based Science (PASS) test.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Many elementary school teachers have limited training in teaching science. The purpose of this project is to evaluate the efficacy of Teaching SMART, a widely used professional development program for elementary school teachers, for improving 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade teacher performance and student learning and attitudes in science, along with increase student achievement.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#217. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	The Read Aloud Curriculum in First Grade Classrooms: Furthering Our Understanding of Immediate and Long-Term Impacts and Causal Influences
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Scott Baker Associate Director, Center on Teaching and Learning, University of Oregon skbaker@smu.edu
Other Key Staff:	Lana Edwards Santoro, David Chard
Start Date:	January 1, 2005	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Reading and Writing
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Santoro, Lana Edwards; Chard, David J.; Howard, Lisa; Baker, Scott K. (2008). Making the very most of classroom read-alouds to promote comprehension and vocabulary. Reading Teacher, 61(5), 396-408.
Study Setting This project will take place in working class communities in the Northwest and urban settings in the Mid-Atlantic. Two groups of students are participating in this project: native English speakers from working class communities and English language learners from urban settings
Intervention The Read Aloud Curriculum consists of nine two-week units on different animals, topics that are of high interest to first-grade students and also meet state content standards in science. Each unit pairs a narrative storybook and an expository book. Lessons include before, during, and after reading components, and emphasize setting a purpose for reading, building vocabulary knowledge, making text-to-text and text-to-life connections, and having children retell stories or information on a regular basis.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description Two groups of students are participating in this project: native English speakers from working class communities and English language learners from urban settings.
Additional Study Sample Information Two groups of students are participating in this project: native English speakers from working class communities and English language learners from urban settings. The focus is on first grade students.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Two groups of 12 teachers are randomly assigned to experimental and control conditions. Four successive student groups, nested within classroom, will participate in the experimental or control condition.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers in the control condition engage in their normal read aloud practices. They will be asked to engage in read aloud activities for the same amount of time as the experimental teachers.
Data Analytic Strategy Multivariate analysis of variance techniques and hierarchical linear modeling will be used to test the effectiveness of the curriculum and the underlying factors that influence impact.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Both standardized and experimenter-developed measures are being used to assess (a) student comprehension and vocabulary knowledge, (b) student engagement during story read aloud, (c) implementation fidelity among teachers, and (d) teacher perceptions of the story read aloud time at general and specific levels.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Although much reading instruction in first grade is focused on developing children's word recognition skills, it is becoming increasingly apparent that reading success in third grade depends upon young children developing comprehension skills in the early grades. The researchers have developed and preliminarily evaluated a first-grade read aloud curriculum designed to expose children to narrative and expository text and provide instruction about the structural elements of text, key vocabulary, and how to make connections across related texts. The purpose of this project is to test the effectiveness of the Read Aloud Curriculum and to investigate factors that account for its impact. The researchers are examining the effects of the intervention on a range of student comprehension and vocabulary outcomes and are studying the degree to which student engagement during read aloud lessons contributes to learning. The research team is also gathering data at the end of second grade in order to judge the durability of the curriculum's effects.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#220. Updated September 11, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Scaling Up Peer Assisted Learning Strategies to Strengthen Reading Achievement
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Douglas Fuchs Professor and Nicholas Hobbs Chair in Special Education and Human Development, Vanderbilt University doug.fuchs@vanderbilt.edu
Other Key Staff:	Kristen McMaster, Laura Saenz
Start Date:	January 1, 2004	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2009
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Reading and Writing
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Nashville, Minneapolis, South Texas
Intervention Following are our four levels of support to promote scaling: (a) no-PALS; (b) expert trains PALS teachers in 1-day workshop; (c) expert trains PALS teachers and trains mentors to provide teacher support; and (d) expert trains PALS teachers, trains mentors, and meets regularly with mentors. Some teachers will also get "booster" training.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Black or African American, Asian Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School, Kindergarten Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description The study is conducted at 2 grade levels (kindergarten, 4th grade) at 3 sites (Nashville, Minneapolis, South Texas). Nashville's schools comprise 37% Caucasian, 42% African American, 18% Hispanic and 3% other students, with mixed SES. Minneapolis serves a mixed SES population with 26% Caucasian, 15% Asian American, 45% African American, 11% Hispanic, and 4% Native American. In several small districts in South Texas, the school population is overwhelmingly Hispanic, Spanish speaking, and poor. At each of our 3 sites, the sample is constituted in 50% Title 1 and 50% non-Title 1 schools.
Additional Study Sample Information The study is conducted at two grade levels (kindergarten, 4th grade) at three sites. Nashville's schools comprise 37% Caucasian, 42% African American, 18% Hispanic and 3% other students, with mixed SES. Minneapolis serves a mixed SES population with 26% Caucasian, 15% Asian American, 45% African American, 11% Hispanic, and 4% Native American. In several small districts in South Texas, the school population is overwhelmingly Hispanic, Spanish speaking, and poor. At each of our 3 sites, the sample is constituted in 50% Title 1 and 50% non-Title 1 schools.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Within schools, we randomly assign 624 teachers across 4 years to 4 levels of support for 1st-year implementation; then stratifying by 1st-year condition, we randomly assign 2nd-year teachers to 2 sustainability conditions.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Information not reported
Data Analytic Strategy We examine effects on 1st-year fidelity and student achievement and on subsequent fidelity of implementation for up to four years, using hierarchical linear modeling to assess the contribution of teacher variables to implementation fidelity and students achievement, and to assess the contribution of fidelity on achievement. In Year 5, we continue to collect data on sustainability while conducting case studies.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Measures include implementation fidelity and student achievement.
Intended Secondary Outcomes It will be: (a) determined whether and, if so with what levels of support, PALS can be implemented and sustained, (b) examined whether, when implemented with support levels that schools can realistically deliver, PALS improves reading outcomes, (c) explored how fidelity mediates achievement and identify the minimum set of PALS features associated with positive student outcomes, (d) investigated how teacher characteristics, perceptions of school climate, and Title 1 status mediate PALS implementation and sustainability, (e) conduct representative case studies to describe implementation and sustainability factors in ways that reach multiple audiences, and (f) identified the costs associated with scaling.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Students' reading performance varies greatly within classrooms, straining the capacity of conventional instruction, which targets the skills of a few students near the middle of the class. What's required is instructional differentiation. In randomized controlled field trials, Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies, or PALS, has been shown to increase instructional differentiation and reading achievement. The purpose of this project is to study how a feasible and demonstrably effective reading practice can be scaled up and to identify the variables associated with successful scaling.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#218. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Scaling Up the Implementation of a Pre-Kindergarten Mathematics Curriculum in Public Preschool Programs
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Prentice Starkey Associate Professor, Cognition and Development, UC Berkeley Graduate School of Education pstarke@wested.org
Other Key Staff:	Alice Klein
Start Date:	January 1, 2005	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Mathematics and Science Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Sixty pre-K sites, where "site" refers to a center or school with one or more classrooms clustered at that location. There will be 36 sites in California and 20 in Kentucky, both Head Start and state-funded preschools sites are included in each state. From these sites, 96 4-year-old and mixed 3 & 4-year-old full-day classrooms will be sampled, 48 in CA and 48 in KY.
Intervention The intervention comprises: (1) a classroom component (small-group math activities, math software, and a math learning center), (2) a home component (math activities and materials for families), and (3) a professional development package which includes a trainer-of-trainers model and distance education tools to implement the intervention with fidelity on a large scale and at a distance from the curriculum developer.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description 960 children from low-income families attending Head Start and state-funded preschools in CA and KY will participate in the study. These programs serve an ethnically diverse population of low-income families. In the California sites, the sample is approximately 26% African American , 33% Hispanic, 28% Caucasian, and 5% Asian.
Additional Study Sample Information 960 children from low-income families attending Head Start and state-funded preschools in CA and KY will participate in the study. These programs serve an ethnically diverse population of low-income families. In the California sites, the sample is approiximately 26% African American, 33% Hispanic, 28% Caucasian, and 5% Asian.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The main study is a randomized experiment evaluating the effectiveness of the intervention for enhancing children's mathematical knowledge and school achievement. In Year 1, preschool sites will be randomly assigned to the intervention (N=28) and control (N=28) conditions and internal facilitators will be selected from the participating programs and trained to serve as trainers in the math intervention. In addition, intervention teachers will receive initial training in the math curriculum. A psychometric study will also be conducted to establish the measurement properties of the Child Math Assessment. In Year 2, intervention teachers will be provided with professional development, and they will implement the math intervention in 48 intervention classrooms. In Years 3 and 4, children will be followed into kindergarten and first grade, respectively, and child math assessments will be conducted. Also in Year 3, a sustainability study of the math intervention will be conducted in the 48 pre-kindergarten intervention classrooms with 480 children. These children will be followed into Kindergarten in Year 4. Delivery of the intervention by individual teachers and parents will be measured by implementation logs (classroom and home), parents' identification rates of specific activities sent home to them, monthly fidelity observations (classroom) and computer printouts.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Participants in the control condition will receive their existing classroom curriculum (practice-as-usual). The nature of the math practices in control classrooms will be thoroughly documented via classroom observations and other data collection methods.
Data Analytic Strategy The central questions will be addressed within the framework of hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) and growth curve analysis. Three major sets of analyses are planned: (a) comparison of the math curriculum intervention condition to the control condition with regard to increases in math activities in the classroom and children's gain over the pre-kindergarten year on the major outcome variables; (b) comparison of the math curriculum intervention condition to the control condition with regard to children's trajectories over the pre-kindergarten posttest and follow-up kindergarten and first grade measures on the major outcome variables and (c) examination of site, classroom, teacher, and child variables to determine which moderate the intervention effects.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Standardized, experimenter-designed, and observational measures of children's developing mathematical knowledge will be employed.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The primary purpose is to improve school readiness and subsequent achievement in math of students from low-income families. Low-income children enter kindergarten behind their middle-class peers in math knowledge. This gap in knowledge persists through high school. To work on addressing this issue, the investigators plan to examine the effectiveness of a pre-kindergarten mathematics intervention implemented at scale across two types of public preschool programs serving low-income children (Head Start and state-funded preschools) in California and Kentucky.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#221. Updated September 11, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Closing the Achievement Gap in Middle School Mathematics Utilizing Stanford University's Education Program for Gifted Youth Differentiated Mathematics Program
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Patrick Suppes Lucie Stern Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, Stanford University psuppes@stanford.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2008	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The participating schools are in northern California.
Intervention The EPGY intervention is a computer-based program that is used as a component of or a supplement to traditional math instruction. Students will use the program between 100 and 150 minutes per week. The EPGY program is self-paced, individualized, and designed to detect and address gaps in student preparation. Because of the continual assessment and individualization, the program is ideal for students who have had poor preparation, and who may be presently performing below grade level in some skills while excelling in others. In addition, the EGPY program can provide information on student progress ranging from summaries of performance measures to detailed reports showing student learning trends, areas of strengths and weaknesses, and forecasts of end-of-year performance. Reports are available at different levels of aggregation ranging from student, class, grade, school, or district level. In addition to the summary reports, teachers can replay actual student sessions, and allow them to monitor students' learning, identify problem areas, and intervene as necessary.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The sample consists of sixth and seventh grade students from 12 Title I middle schools. These participating schools serve a large percentage of minority students, English language learners, and socioeconomically disadvantaged students. A target sample of 300 students per school will participate in the study with a total of 3,600 students across the twelve middle schools.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods An efficacy study will be conducted on students in sixth and seventh grade from 12 middle schools. Four middle schools will participate in Year 1, three additional middle schools will be added in Years 2 and 3, and two additional middle schools will be added in Year 4. During the first year that each school implements the study (i.e. Phase I), a randomized controlled trial will be conducted with randomization occurring at the student level. Within each of the sixth and seventh grade classes in the school, students will be rank ordered by their score on the mathematics section of the California Standards Test and randomized into treatment and control conditions. The treatment group will use the course on a daily or every-other-day basis, under the direction of their teacher, but with EPGY personnel on hand in a non-instructional role during the initial phases to ensure proper implementation of the program. Beginning in the second year (i.e., Phase II) of implementation at each school, the experimental design will change to whole class implementation, with the program being made available to the entire school for use inside and outside the regular school day.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control group will receive their usual mathematics instruction without EPGY.
Data Analytic Strategy Data analyses using regression, covariate analyses, and multilevel models will be conducted along with paired sample t-tests, Mann-Whitney tests, and binomial tests of changes in proficiency levels.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Math achievement will be measured by students' scores on the mathematics section of the California Standards Test.
Intended Secondary Outcomes The expected outcomes of this research include published reports on the efficacy of the EPGY program for use in increasing middle school students' mathematics achievement.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The failure to meet the educational needs of low socioeconomic status students continues to be a problem of national significance. The Stanford University's Education Program for Gifted Youth (EPGY) can help meet the educational needs of low socioeconomic status students. Results from an evaluation of the EPGY program in Title I elementary schools in California showed that students who used the program improved their mathematics performance on the California Standards Test. Following the same methodology used for the elementary school evaluation, the researchers will determine the degree to which the EPGY program can improve students' mathematics performance in middle school. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the EPGY program in middle schools with large percentages of low socioeconomic status students.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#222. Updated September 11, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Closing the SES Related Gap in Young Children's Mathematical Knowledge
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Prentice Starkey Associate Professor, Cognition and Development, UC Berkeley Graduate School of Education pstarke@wested.org
Start Date:	January 1, 2008	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will be conducted in Head Start programs in California, Kentucky, and Indiana.
Intervention The previously developed Pre-K Mathematics curriculum for 4-year-olds includes seven units: Number Sense and Enumeration, Arithmetic Reasoning (less-advanced fall activities), Spatial Sense and Geometric Reasoning, Pattern Sense and Pattern Construction, Arithmetic Reasoning (more-advanced spring activities), Measurement and Data Representation, and Logical Relations. The curriculum includes 32 small-group math activities. The curriculum for 3-year-olds includes five units: Number and Arithmetic (fall activities), Space and Geometry, Number and Arithmetic (winter/spring activities), Patterns, and Measurement. Both curricula are designed to be sensitive to the developmental needs of young children. Less-challenging extensions of the small-group activities are provided for children who are not ready for a given activity, and more challenging extensions are included for children who complete an activity easily. In addition to the teacher-guided small-group activities, DLM Math Software is included in the classroom component of the math intervention for 4-year-olds to accommodate children's individual learning styles.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Participants include 600 3- and 4-year-old children in 60 Head Start classrooms. The majority of the children in these programs are European American.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The research team is randomly assigning 60 Head Start classrooms to one of three conditions: a two-year math intervention (for 3-year-olds), a one-year math intervention (for 4-year-olds only), and a business-as-usual control condition with no math intervention during the two years of preschool. Ten children are randomly selected from each classroom for study participation. Children will be followed longitudinally for three years until the end of kindergarten.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The business-as-usual Head Start control group receives no math intervention.
Data Analytic Strategy The research team will use multilevel modeling and growth curve analysis to track changes in the trajectories of children's math knowledge and achievement from preschool entry year to kindergarten.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Children's mathematical knowledge will be assessed in fall and spring of each year using the Child Math Assessment (CMA) measure and the Early Mathematics Classroom Observation. Information regarding socioemotional and academic engagement, as well as fidelity of program implementation, will also be collected.
Summary of the Study / Abstract There is a national need for effective interventions to improve school readiness and subsequent achievement in mathematics for students from low-income families. A socioeconomic gap in mathematical knowledge is present in U.S. children by three years of age. This gap widens over the preschool years. Recent intervention research has found that early mathematics enrichment can significantly enhance low-income children's mathematical knowledge. However, providing a math intervention for 4-year-olds only does not entirely close the socioeconomic gap in early mathematical knowledge. In this project, the research team is evaluating the efficacy of a two-year preschool math intervention that begins when children are 3 years of age. In particular, the research team is comparing the effects of one versus two years of preschool math intervention. Products from this project include published reports on the efficacy of a preschool mathematics curriculum when implemented for one year and when implemented for two consecutive years.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#224. Updated September 11, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Efficacy of Earobics Step I in English Language Learners and Low SES Minority Children
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Jason Anthony Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. jason.l.anthony@uth.tmc.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2008	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The proposed study is being implemented in public schools in Texas.
Intervention Earobics Step 1 is a computer-based literacy tutor for children ages 4 to 7. Colorful, interactive games with instructional feedback teach phonological awareness, phonological short-term memory, sound discrimination, and letter-sound correspondence.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School, Kindergarten Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Participants include low SES Hispanic English-language learners, and African American monolingual English speakers. Approximately 1,000 kindergarten children are participating in this four-year project.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Children are being randomly assigned to either the control condition or one of the experimental conditions. The experimental conditions consist of three variations of Earobics Step 1 (standard implementation, developmentally sequenced phonological awareness instruction, or reversed sequenced phonological awareness instruction). Instructional variations are based on research and theory that indicate these sequences should yield faster and broader learning than the commonplace implementation.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Children in the control condition are participating in equal amounts of computer-assisted instruction in mathematics using widely used commercial programs.
Data Analytic Strategy Within a multilevel modeling framework, the research team is using individual growth curve analysis and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) techniques to test for main effects of intervention group and interaction effects with demographic sample on children's rates of learning and short- and medium-term achievement. Group contrasts will examine the relative efficacy of variations in Earobics Step 1 on targeted and nontargeted cognitive and literacy skills.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The research team is measuring children's learning of cognitive, literacy, and mathematics skills at multiple time points during the year of intervention and at annual follow-up assessments through grade 2. Assessments include relevant subtests from the Woodcock Johnson III and the Developing Skills Checklist, as well as the Stanford Achievement Tests and the Texas Primary Reading Inventory.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Research demonstrates that high quality classroom instruction and supplemental interventions can help close the achievement gaps between typically developing children and those at risk for reading failure because of low levels of initial literacy, socioeconomic disadvantage, and learning English as a second language. Significantly, the best predictors of children's responses to classroom instruction and compensatory intervention tend to be the extent of their literacy and preliteracy skills before instruction begins. These effects of early literacy skills on later reading achievement highlight the need for early intervention. Earobics Step 1 is a widely used computer-based instructional literacy tutor that teaches phonological awareness, short-tem memory, sound discrimination, and letter-sound correspondence to children ages of 4 to 7. The purpose of this project is to test the efficacy of standard implementation of Earobics Step 1 in separate samples of low SES minority children and low SES English-language learners, and to compare the efficacy of standard implementation of this program to theoretically motivated variations in the program's phonological awareness instructional sequencing.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#223. Updated September 11, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Early Learning in Mathematics: Efficacy in Kindergarten Classrooms
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Scott Baker Director, Pacific Institutes for Research skbaker@smu.edu
Other Key Staff:	David Chard, Benjamin Samuel Clarke, Keith Smolkowski, Hank Fein
Start Date:	January 1, 2008	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The project will be conducted in urban and suburban school districts in Oregon and Texas.
Intervention The ELM curriculum contains specific instructional content and instructional design principles that enable students to develop the skills and strategies to understand essential mathematics concepts. The instructional content of the ELM curriculum includes 120 lessons providing explicit instruction in number operations, geometry, measurement, and mathematical vocabulary. The instructional design component of the curriculum includes principles for scaffolding mathematics instruction for learners of different abilities along with structural features in the implementation of ELM.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Kindergarten Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The population will consist of kindergarten students who display a range of ethnicities, including English-language learners.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Prior to evaluating the efficacy of the ELM curriculum, the researchers will determine what, if any, additional training procedures are required for teachers to implement ELM in schools that have a large percentage of English-Language learners. Two randomized controlled trials utilizing a randomized block design, with classrooms assigned within schools to treatment and control conditions, will be used to address the efficacy of the curriculum. In Study 1, kindergarten students will receive either typical mathematics instruction (comparison condition) or the ELM curriculum for approximately one hour each day for the school year. In Study 2, the research team will test whether delivering the curriculum via whole-group or small-group instruction effects student achievement. In this study, all kindergarten students in participating classrooms will be taught using the ELM curriculum. Half of the classrooms will be randomly assigned to the whole-class condition: students will receive their instruction in a typical whole class setting; and half of the classrooms will be randomly assigned to the small-group condition: students will receive part of their instruction as a whole class and part of their instruction in small groups of approximately eight students. Teachers in these classrooms will receive professional development to implement the curriculum.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control condition will consist of the typical mathematics curriculum.
Data Analytic Strategy For the analyses of student measures, the researchers will conduct a mixed-model analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with adjustment for pretest. The mixed-model ANCOVA partitions variance into within- and between-classroom components and compares treatment and control conditions while accounting for student non-independence. The proposed model treats classrooms as a random effect. The researchers will address most of their research hypotheses within this general multilevel model framework, where they have adequate power to detect relatively small, but educationally meaningful effects.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Students will be assessed at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year using a combination of group-administered and individually administered assessments. Student assessments administered to children include the Stanford Early Scholastic Achievement Test (SESAT), the Test of Early Mathematics Abilities (TEMA), the Number Knowledge Test, and Early Numeracy Curriculum Based Measures (including Oral Counting, Number Identification, Quantity Discrimination, and Missing Number). Teachers will be asked to complete surveys to obtain descriptive information, and to assess their understanding and use of the curriculum. Teacher surveys will include a demographic questionnaire, and Stages of Concern questionnaire about the curriculum.
Summary of the Study / Abstract In recent years, low levels of mathematics performance have been found among U.S. students in relation to national standards and in international comparisons. Signs of these problems appear early in students' schooling. Unless these differences are addressed as early as kindergarten, they are likely to persist and become more difficult to remediate over time. One approach to improving achievement is to deliver effective instructional programs to all students as they enter school. Few experimental studies exist comparing the efficacy of mathematical instructional programs used in kindergarten classrooms with a range of learners. The purpose of this project is to test the efficacy of the Early Learning in Mathematics (ELM) curriculum, which was developed and field tested under a previous Institute of Education Sciences grant.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#225. Updated September 11, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Efficacy of Read It Again! In Rural Preschool Settings
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Laura Justice Professor, School of Teaching and Learning, Ohio State University justice.57@osu.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2008	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The participating preschool programs are located in rural Appalachian communities in a four-state region.
Intervention Read It Again! is a 30-week, 60-lesson program that targets a systematic and explicit progression of high-priority skills in four language/literacy domains (narrative ability, vocabulary knowledge, phonological awareness, and print knowledge). Read It Again! was conceived for low-cost at-scale use by preschool educators working in rural settings.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information In total, 90 preschool teachers and an estimated 450 four-year-old children within their classrooms will participate.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods With classroom as the level of analysis, teachers are randomly assigned to one of three conditions. In the Read It Again!: Traditional Professional Development condition, 30 teachers implement Read It Again! with their pupils for 30 weeks following a traditional one-day 12-hr introductory workshop; teachers receive the Read It Again! manual containing 60 lesson plans and all instructional supplies needed to fully implement Read It Again!. In the Read It Again!: Technology-Facilitated Professional Development condition, 30 teachers adhere to the same activities as the Traditional condition but they also complete self-study video-based lessons on quality implementation (15 20-min video-based professional development lessons over 30 weeks).
Counterfactual (Control) Condition In the comparison condition, 30 teachers implement their business as usual classroom programs and practices.
Data Analytic Strategy To investigate program effects, the research team will use a variety of statistical analyses ranging from basic descriptive analyses to multi-level modeling of children's language and literacy growth over time.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The frequency and quality of language and literacy instruction in each classroom will be studied over the academic year.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The purpose of this project is to test the efficacy of a fully developed language and literacy curricular supplement for preschoolers participating in need-based programs in rural communities. Read It Again! targets a systematic and explicit progression of high-priority skills in four language/literacy domains (narrative ability, vocabulary knowledge, phonological awareness, and print knowledge). These learning domains represent high-priority instructional targets as they are consistently linked to later developments in word recognition and reading comprehension, are likely to be under-developed among at-risk pupils during the preschool years, and are amenable to improvement within the context of high-quality instruction.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#230. Updated September 17, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	The Chicago Social and Character Development Trial: Extension to Grade 8
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Brian Flay Professor, College of Health & Human Sciences, Oregon State University brian.flay@oregonstate.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2008	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The participating schools are located in an urban center in Illinois.
Intervention Positive Action is a comprehensive program designed to enhance the instructional and emotional climates of the school and classroom, increase parental involvement, and improve students' character, self-concepts, and skills. Positive Action uses research-supported strategies and methods such as active learning, positive classroom management, skills development, role-play, a detailed curriculum with almost daily lessons, school-wide reinforcement of positive behaviors, and family involvement.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School, Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description Study schools consist of an average of two classrooms per grade. Students represent a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, and most are from high-poverty homes.
Additional Study Sample Information In this project, the research team is providing an extension (through grade 8) of a matched pairs randomized control evaluation of Positive Action in 14 urban public elementary schools. Study schools consist of an average of two classrooms per grade. Students represent a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, and most are from high-poverty homes.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods In previous research, 14 schools were assigned randomly from matched pairs to receive the intervention or continue "business as usual." In this project, program effects continue to be assessed at the individual student level annually in grades 6-8 for the study cohort of students who have been assessed on five previous occasions, and at the school level using aggregate indicators of attendance, discipline, and standardized achievement.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Control schools conduct "business as usual."
Data Analytic Strategy Statistical analyses use hierarchical statistical models (random regression models) and growth curve mixture models that can accommodate longitudinal data with nested observations and missing observations.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Measures of program effects include annual surveys of teachers (school and classroom practices, school and classroom climate, social and character development, and classroom behavior of individual students in cohort) and students (school and classroom climate, social and character development and supporting skills and attitudes, behavioral and emotional problems), as well as archival school records data (attendance, discipline problems, grades, and test scores). Parents also will be surveyed for the grade 8 assessment. Extensive process measures assessing fidelity of implementation and dosage of exposure for all Positive Action program components will be obtained from multiple sources (teachers, staff, students, administrators, classroom and parents).
Summary of the Study / Abstract Significant numbers of students, particularly those living in large, under-resourced, urban areas, arrive in school lacking the necessary social skills and character development needed to succeed academically. Positive Action responds to a national need that schools address a range of student social and behavioral outcomes, including social skills, character development, and antisocial behavior, in ways that promote improved achievement. Previous data, during which students were followed up to grade 5, show effects of Positive Action for a wide range of outcomes. This project provides follow-up evaluation of Positive Action through grade 8 to determine its effects on social and academic outcomes during the middle grades and after six years of implementation.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#226. Updated September 17, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Fostering Fluency with Basic Addition & Subtraction
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Arthur Baroody Professor Emeritus, Curriculum and Instruction, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign baroody@illinois.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2008	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Six diverse medium-size urban and suburban elementary schools in Illinois will participate in the study.
Intervention The interventions to be tested are computer-based activities that focus on various blends of direct and indirect instructional approaches. In the first version, unstructured discovery learning, students are provided with haphazard practice of basic addition and subtraction facts. In the second version, passive structured discovery learning, students are first encouraged to self-discover a pattern or relation followed by explicit instruction of basic addition and subtraction facts. In the active structured discovery learning version, the guided discovery approach is similar to that used in the second experimental version except that passive feedback or modeling of the reasoning strategies by the computer will be intermixed with active feedback in which the student interacts with the computer. The fourth version, active structured discovery learning plus decomposition training, is similar to the third experimental version except it will include decomposition training to facilitate the efficient mastery of such strategies as "n+1" or "1+n" equals the number after n, and make-ten strategies.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School, Kindergarten Student Disability: Specific Learning Disability (LD)
Additional Study Sample Information The sample consists of kindergarten through second grade students who have been identified as having mathematical learning difficulties and who are at-risk for academic failure. The ethnic composition of the schools serving at-risk children in the participating schools districts is approximately 50% White, 33% Black, and 17% other. All the school districts serve children from families representing a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds. The minimum sample size for each training study will be 120 students at each grade level resulting in 24 students per experimental or control condition at each grade level.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Children will be initially tested with the Test of Early Mathematics Ability-Third Edition (TEMA-3) to gauge mathematical achievement and diagnose specific deficiencies that might affect mental-addition performance. Based on their score on the TEMA-3, students will be assigned to take part in one of five training studies for 30-minutes twice a week. Well-qualified and trained project personnel will oversee the students' use of the computer-based activities during the training study on a one-to-one basis. The training studies consist of computer-based games that encourage students to respond quickly and accurately to the computation questions so that they can maximize the number of reward points earned in the game. Within each of the five training studies, students will be randomly assigned to one of the four experimental computer activity conditions described above-unstructured discovery learning, passive structured discovery learning, active structured discovery, active structured discovery learning plus decomposition training-or the control condition. Year 1 of the study will focus on students in first grade, Year 2 will focus on students in kindergarten, and Year 3 will focus on students in second grade.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control condition for the study will be identical to the fourth experimental condition (active structured discovery learning plus decomposition training), except that the training and practice students receive in the control condition will be on a different set of basic addition and subtraction facts.
Data Analytic Strategy Analyses of covariance and multiple regression analyses will be conducted to determine the efficacy of the four versions of the computer activities in fostering fluency with single digit, basic addition and subtraction facts.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Students will receive a pre-test, mid-training test, immediate post-test, and delayed post-test on the TEMA-3, a mental arithmetic task, and a mental computational shortcut task.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Children at risk for academic failure frequently have difficulty achieving fluency in basic addition and subtraction facts. Many at-risk first and second graders have difficulty with even the simplest addition facts, such as 6 + 0 = 6 and 7 + 1 = 8. Although early intervention might prevent these deficiencies and learning difficulties, little research has rigorously examined how to best promote fact fluency among young at-risk children. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a set of computer-based activities, developed under a previous Institute of Education Sciences development grant, designed to foster children's fluency with single digit, basic addition and subtraction facts.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#227. Updated January 27, 2010 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Increasing the Efficacy of An Early Mathematics Curriculum with Scaffolding Designed to Promote Self-Regulation
Principal Investigator:	Prof. Douglas Clements Professor, Graduate School of Education, State University of New York - Buffalo douglas.clements@du.edu
Other Key Staff:	Julia Sarama, Carolyn Layzer, Elena Bodrova
Start Date:	January 1, 2008	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The schools are located in a large urban center in California, including 3 school districts.
Intervention The research team is synthesizing two theoretically and empirically grounded interventions. First, the NSF- and IES-supported Building Blocks (Clements & Sarama) mathematics curriculum includes whole- and small-group activities and games; free-choice learning centers; ideas integrating mathematics in everyday activities throughout the school day; computer software; and books, game sheets, and manipulatives. Second, the Scaffolding Self-Regulation component from Tools of the Mind (Bodrova & Leong) emphasizes intentional dramatic play as the primary social context in which children can practice self-regulatory behaviors. Scaffolding self-regulation in non-play activities is accomplished by redesigning the social context for these activities as well as by teaching children to use specific "tools" that assist them in taking control of their behaviors.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: White, Hispanic or Latino Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description The participants include 120 preschool teachers and 10 children from each of their classrooms. The participating programs serve low-income families; for example, all families are on free or reduced lunch and report earning below 75 percent of California's median income. Most are Hispanic.
Additional Study Sample Information The participants include 90 preschool teachers and about 12 children from each of their classrooms. The participating programs serve low-income families; for example, all families are on free or reduced lunch and report earning below 75 percent of California's median income. Most are Hispanic.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The research team publicly, randomly assigned classrooms (only one classroom per school is included in the study) to one of three conditions: Building Blocks, Building Blocks with Scaffolding Self-Regulation, and a control group.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control group is using practice as usual for the districts, which includes early childhood guidelines on appropriate practice, as well as substantive activities in literacy and mathematics (e.g., Kathy Richardson's mathematics materials).
Data Analytic Strategy The research team is employing hierarchical linear modeling to measure and examine the effects of the intervention on individual students' performance on a variety of outcomes, including self-regulation, mathematics, language, literacy, and others, and to account for possible variations of the effects in different classroom settings. Teacher questionnaires and coach/mentor reports in treatment classrooms will be used to inform these student-level data, indicating whether teachers' commitment to the curriculum, and classroom performance in teaching, is related to student outcomes.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The research team is using two observational instruments (Fidelity of Implementation and Classroom Observation of Early Mathematics-Environment and Teaching) to examine change in mathematics pedagogy in the participating classrooms. Children's mathematical knowledge and skills are being assessed using the Research-based Early Mathematics Assessment. To examine self-regulation, the research team is using global measures (two for cognitive self-regulation and one for social-emotional) similar to those used in prior studies of executive function and academic achievement in preschoolers. Additional language and literacy measures will also be used from previous studies.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Preschoolers who live in poverty typically show lower math achievement and often are identified as having greater problems with self-regulation than their middle-class peers. Focused prekindergarten interventions can result in dramatic increases in both mathematics achievement and self-regulation. Unfortunately, there is little research regarding whether such approaches can be combined effectively in the classroom. The purpose of this project is to examine the efficacy of a preschool intervention that combines mathematics learning and self-regulation skills. This is especially important because the two approaches (often ill-conceived as "play-based" vs. "academic") are often seen in oppositional terms.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#228. Updated September 17, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Project LIBERATE (Literacy Instruction Based on Evidence through Research for Adjudicated Teens to Excel)
Principal Investigator:	Dr. David Houchins Associate Professor of Special Education, Georgia State University dhouchins@gsu.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2008	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	NCSER
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The intervention will be implemented within the juvenile justice system in Georgia.
Intervention Two literacy curricula intended to impact outcomes in reading decoding, reading comprehension, spelling, and writing achievement will be compared. The first literacy curriculum is based on direct instruction. Direct instruction is a highly structured, intensive system of teaching which emphasizes 100% mastery learning. The second literacy curriculum is direct instruction plus strategic instruction model. This curriculum incorporates meta-cognitive strategies with direct instruction techniques. Both intervention groups will receive Corrective Reading Decoding, Corrective Reading Comprehension, and Spelling through Morphographs. The primary difference between the two literacy curricula is how reading comprehension and writing skills are taught. High Noon Chapter Books will be used by both groups to teach reading comprehension. In the direct instruction group, reading comprehension will be taught with direct instruction principles using a behavioral approach. In the direct instruction plus strategic instruction model, reading comprehension will be taught with meta-cognitive strategies depending on their level of instruction. For writing instruction, the direct instruction group will receive either Expressive Writing or Reasoning and Writing. The direct instruction plus strategic instruction model group will receive strategic writing approaches that emphasize meta-cognitive strategies.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School, Middle School Student Disability: Other Health Impairment (OHI)
Target Population Description Participants will be approximately 600 incarcerated male students over a four-year period residing in a juvenile justice facility. The facility serves students who are mostly 12 to16 years old. The average stay in the facility is 10 months.
Additional Study Sample Information Participants will be approximately 600 incarcerated male students over a four-year period residing in a juvenile justice facility. The facility serves students who are mostly 12 to 16 years old. The average stay in the facility is 10 months.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The overall proposed design is a cluster randomized trial with repeated measures. Classrooms will be randomly assigned to two treatment and one control condition. Measures of teaching practices, fidelity of implementation, and student progress will be collected in treatment and control classrooms. Students will receive 110 minutes of intervention daily, five days a week. There are five data collection points of student achievement. Students will also be assessed with a more comprehensive literacy battery at pretest, midpoint test, and posttest.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Students in the control condition receive standard literacy instruction from the juvenile justice system: Curriculum Activity Packets.
Data Analytic Strategy Differences in growth rates between the treatment and control conditions will be compared for each outcome measure using HLM growth curve modeling. Level 1 variables include literacy outcomes from the five data collection points. Level 2 variables include gender, ethnicity, age, and motivation. Level 3 variables include contextual characteristics of the classroom, such as level of instruction provided, implementation fidelity, and teacher educational level.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Standardized measures will be used with teachers and students. Student cognitive ability will be measured using the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence. Student achievement measures include: (1) Woodcock Johnson, Third Edition (Word Reading, Letter-Word Identification, Reading Fluency, Word Attack, Passage Comprehension, Oral Comprehension, and Spelling), (2) Test of Word Reading Efficiency (Sight Word Efficiency and Phonemic Decoding Efficiency), (3) Gray Oral Reading Test, Fourth Edition (Passage Comprehension), and (4) Test of Written Language, Third Edition. Measures of student motivation include: (1) Intrinsic Motivation Inventory, (2) Sydney Attribution Scale, and (3) Therapeutic Alliance Scale for Children. Teacher measures related to instruction include: (1) Teacher Attitude Survey, (2) Reading Instruction Competence Assessment - National Evaluation Systems, (3) Survey of Linguistic Knowledge, and (4) The Centre for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement Classroom Observation Scheme.
Summary of the Study / Abstract A significant portion of incarcerated students has severe educational, psychological, physiological, and social problems. One common characteristic of adjudicated students is academic deficits in reading. Because many adjudicated teens never return to formal school settings, evidence-based instruction in reading and other literacy skills is essential within the juvenile justice system. To address the need for effective, evidence-based literacy instruction in the juvenile justice system, researchers propose to evaluate the efficacy of two evidence-based reading interventions: direct instruction and direct instruction plus strategy instruction.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#229. Updated May 12, 2015 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Testing the Efficacy of INSIGHTS in Enhancing the Academic Learning Context
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Sandra McClowry Professor of Applied Psychology, New York University sm6@nyu.edu
Other Key Staff:	Drs. Erin OConnor and Elise Cappella
Start Date:	January 1, 2008	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A080512
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications O'Connor, E. E., Cappella, E., McCormick, M. P., & McClowry, S. G. (2014). An examination of the efficacy of INSIGHTS in enhancing the academic learning context. Journal of Educational Psychology, 106(4), 1156-1169. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0036615 Cappella, E., O'Connor, E. E., McCormick, M., Turbeville, A., Collins, A., & McClowry, S. G. (in press). Classwide efficacy of INSIGHTS: Observed student behaviors and teacher practices in kindergarten and first grade. Elementary School Journal. McCormick, M. P., O'Connor, E. E., Cappella, E., & McClowry, S. G. (2015). Getting a good start in school: Effects of INSIGHTS on children with high maintenance temperaments. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 30(A), 128-139. doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2014.10.006 O'Connor, E. E., Cappella, E., McCormick, M. P., & McClowry, S. G. (2014). Enhancing the academic development of shy children: A test of the efficacy of INSIGHTS. School Psychology Review, 43(3), 239-259. McClowry, S. G. (2014). Temperament-based elementary classroom management. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
Study Setting The study was conducted in partnership with 22 under-resourced public schools in New York City. The participants included 435 kindergarten and first grade students and their parents and 122 teachers.
Intervention INSIGHTS into Children's Temperament is a structured, facilitated 10-week intervention with teacher, parent, and child programs. Teachers and parents learn temperament-based strategies intended to reduce the behavior problems of school-age children, support their competencies, and enhance their ability to self-regulate. In the classroom program, the participating children and their classmates engage puppets in daily dilemmas to enhance empathy and problem-solving skills.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School, Kindergarten Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description The child participants for this study will include approximately 792 students who will be recruited in kindergarten and followed through first grade. Their parents and teachers will also participate. The children and their teachers will be from approximately 178 classrooms. The majority of the participants are expected to be African American.
Additional Study Sample Information There was a 28% attrition rate over the 5 waves of data collection that began when the children entered kindergarten and was completed in at the end of 1st grade.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods After baseline data was collected twenty-two schools in three cohorts were randomized in to two intervention conditions, INSIGHTS or a supplemental reading program.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The participating children in the control condition attended a 10-week after- school reading program. Reading coaches also conducted two workshops, each two hours long, for teachers and for parents that offer strategies for making reading enjoyable for children.
Data Analytic Strategy Student academic achievement was measured with the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement Form B, Letter-Word Identification and Applied Problems subtests; the Academic Competence Evaluation Scales (ACES). Student-level classroom behavior was measured using the Sutter-Eyberg Student Behavior Inventory (SESBI), which is the teacher version of the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory and the Behavioral Observation of Students in Schools (BOSS). Student attentiveness was measured by the Attention Sustained subtest of the Leiter International Performance Scale Revised (Leiter-R). Relationship with teacher was measured using the Student Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS). Classroom climate was being measured using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), and the Teacher Attitudes about Parent Involvement (TAPI). Hierarchical linear modeling was used to describe how children's classroom behaviors changed over time, identify predictors of change, and examine the mediating role of change in classroom behaviors on the association between INSIGHTS and achievement over time.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine changes over time in classroom teacher practices (e.g., observations of classroom emotional support and organization), teacher-child relationship quality, student behaviors (e.g., engagement, disruptive behaviors, attention), and student academic skills. Moderated effects were tested for classroom outcomes by grade, and for student outcomes by child temperament. Differential effectiveness was studied for two types of temperaments: shy (high in withdrawal) and high maintenance (high negative reactivity and motor activity and low task persistence).
Intended Secondary Outcomes Moderating effects were examined for teacher/student relationships, sustained attention, and classroom engagement.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The primary aim of this group randomized trial was to test the efficacy of INSIGHTS, compared to a supplemental reading program, in enhancing the academic learning context of kindergarten and 1st grade inner-city classrooms. The following hypothesis were tested: H1: INSIGHTS, compared to the reading program, will enhance the classroom behavior of urban kindergarten and 1st grade students in under-resourced schools. H2: The efficacy of INSIGHTS on children's classroom behavior will be mediated by the teacher/classroom environment and by parental involvement in the intervention. H3: Differntial effectiveness will be found for children whose temperaments are shy and for those who have high maintenance temperaments. The following effect sizes were found: Main effects of INSIGHTS on children: Reading achievement .55, Math achievement .31, Sustained attention .39, Behavior problems .54 Effects of INSIGHTS on classrooms: Classroom emotional support .30, Classroom emotional support (First grade) .68, Classroom organization (First grade) .93, Classroom engagement (Kindergarten) .52, Classroom off-task behaviors (First grade) .58, Effects for children with high maintenance temperaments: Behavior problems .42, Behavioral engagement .35, Off-task behaviors .33, Effects for children with shy temperaments: Math skills .36, Critical thinking skills .40

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#231. Updated September 17, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	The Diagnostic Geometry Assessment Project
Principal Investigator:	Prof. Michael Russell Associate Professor, Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation Department, Boston College russelmh@bc.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2008	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will be conducted with schools of varying socioeconomic profiles from across the United States.
Intervention The assessment will target sources of difficulties and misconceptions in middle school geometry, specifically properties of shapes, transformations, and measurement. Unlike current achievement and diagnostic tests which provide information about a students' ability within a given domain, the Diagnostic Geometry Assessment will diagnose the reason(s) why students struggle with a given geometric concept, and it will provide teachers with instructional strategies and resources designed to address the targeted conceptions.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The research participants will be 7th- and 8th-grade mathematics teachers and their students.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The research team will conduct studies to examine the psychometric properties of the assessment, as well as the validity of inferences generated by the assessment of students' geometric conceptions. Research will be conducted both face-to-face and online. In the final pilot study of the assessment, 80 teachers will be randomly assigned to use the new assessment tool under one of four conditions: traditional feedback; traditional feedback and diagnostic feedback; traditional feedback, diagnostic feedback, and access to instructional resources; and traditional feedback and access to instructional resources.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers in the final pilot study who are randomly assigned to the control condition will receive only traditional feedback from the Diagnostic Geometry Assessment (i.e., the percent of correct responses and item-level information that focuses on whether the student responded correctly) and will not receive diagnostic feedback or access to the instructional resources.
Data Analytic Strategy Psychometric analyses will include test reliability (using Cronbach's alpha), factor analysis, and one and three parameter item response analyses. Data from the validity studies will be coded with emergent coding method using Cohen's Kappa to define acceptable agreement rates.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Key outcomes from the development and validation of the assessment include data indicating the reliability, unidimensionality, and the content-related, construct-related, criterion-related, and consequential-related validity of the assessment. Validity studies will examine the consistency of information provided by the Diagnostic Geometry Assessment by comparing that information to similar measures of geometric conceptions, and also through interview teaching using cognitive probes.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Student assessment is a central component of instruction. Learning is affected by students' current knowledge and is facilitated when new knowledge and skills are consistent with and build upon current knowledge. The purpose of this project is to develop and validate a computer-delivered diagnostic formative assessment of geometric conceptions in the middle grades and to develop instructional resources to assist teachers in addressing flawed or underdeveloped conceptions identified by the assessment.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#232. Updated September 17, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Diagnostic Embedded Classroom Assessment-An Efficacy Study
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Steve Schneider Senior Program Director, Math, Science & Technology Program, WestEd sschnei@wested.org
Start Date:	January 1, 2007	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Elementary schools in Arizona.
Intervention Assessing Science Knowledge is a diagnostic formative assessment system. Currently, Assessing Science Knowledge is integrated into 16 modules of the Full Option Science System, a widely used K-8 science curriculum. The diagnostic assessment tools in Assessing Science Knowledge are designed to monitor student progress at critical junctures in the curriculum, enabling teachers to adjust their instruction according to how well their students are mastering the material. Assessing Science Knowledge comprises two kinds of assessments: embedded and benchmark. The embedded assessments are incorporated into instruction and provide continuous information about students' learning to both teachers and students. The benchmark assessments are summative measures of students' accumulated knowledge and understanding of science. The content covered by the four Full Option Science System modules examined in this study (Variables, Landforms, Environments, Mixtures and Solutions) maps directly to several of the Arizona State standards for science at the elementary grades.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The study sample consists of approximately 140 fourth-grade teachers and their 3,500 students in 70 elementary schools in Arizona. The sample includes schools with high proportions of historically low-performing students to better ascertain the impact for groups of students under-represented in higher education.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The study uses a group-randomized design with two groups, treatment and control. Seventy schools are randomly assigned to treatment or control conditions with two participating teachers at each school. All schools use the Full Option Science System curriculum.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers in schools randomly assigned to the control condition are teaching their fourth-grade students using the Full Option Science System modules without the Assessing Science Knowledge system.
Data Analytic Strategy The primary analyses involve fitting conditional mixed effects ANCOVA models (multilevel models), with an additional term to account for the nesting of students within schools.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Key measures include grade 4 science scores on the Arizona State Science Test and the Assessing Science Knowledge tests for each of the four Full Option Science System modules being examined in this study.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Embedding assessment practices within instructional materials gives teachers a tool to monitor student learning, provide immediate feedback to students at key junctures, and adjust instruction accordingly. Because science curricula typically include complex, sequential sets of knowledge and skills to master, embedded formative assessment may be a useful component of science curricula. WestEd, in collaboration with the University of California at Los Angeles, is planning to test the efficacy of the Assessing Science Knowledge diagnostic formative assessment system, which was developed to be an integral part of the Full Option Science System elementary science modules published by Delta Education, Inc.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#233. Updated September 17, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Efficacy of Sound Partners Supplemental Tutoring for ELL Students, Grades K-1
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Patricia Vadasy Senior Research Associate, Washington Research Institute patriciav@ori.org
Start Date:	January 1, 2007	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study is taking place in 18 urban elementary schools in Washington State.
Intervention Students receiving the Sound Partners intervention are individually tutored for 30 min/day, four days per week, for 20 weeks, in research-based, code-oriented instruction designed specifically for implementation by para-educators.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School, Kindergarten Student Disability: Specific Learning Disability (LD)
Target Population Description Participants in the study will be English language learners in grades K-1 who are identified by their teachers and screened as at risk for reading disabilities.
Additional Study Sample Information Participants in the study will be English language learners in grades K-1 who are identified by their teachers and screened as at risk for reading disabilities. This will occur in an estimated 60 classrooms in 18 urban elementary schools in Washington State.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Eligible students will be randomly assigned within classroom to receive one-on-one Sound Partners instruction or to be part of the comparison condition. Systematic observations will be conducted on classroom reading instruction in an estimated 60 classrooms to determine how dimensions of classroom instruction moderate effects of supplemental instruction, as well as influence reading outcomes for ELL classroom controls.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Students in the comparison condition will receive the typical reading instruction provided to English language learners.
Data Analytic Strategy Multilevel modeling will be used to account for within-classroom nesting, estimate growth on repeated measures, and account for missing data. Short- and long-term outcomes will be studied, including follow-up through grades two and three. Predictors of response to treatment will be examined, including student characteristics, tutoring fidelity, and features of classroom reading instruction.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The primary outcome from this project is a report of the evaluation of a supplemental intervention program for English language learners. Alphabetic and reading outcomes will be assessed at posttest and both one and two years after receipt of the intervention. The researchers will assess receptive language and first and second language proficiency at pretest to characterize the sample and describe the influence of language skills on treatment response.
Summary of the Study / Abstract One of the greatest challenges facing U.S. public schools today is to ensure that increasingly large numbers of English language learners become proficient readers. English language learners are the fastest growing population in U.S. schools, increasing 65 percent since 1994. In urban schools, English language learners account for 21 percent of students. To date, little research has been conducted to rigorously evaluate the effects of curricula intended to improve reading instruction for students who are also learning English. The purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy of Sound Partners, a fully developed code-oriented supplemental reading intervention that is designed to be implemented by para-educators. Sound Partners is a published program that has been used with students at risk for reading disabilities. In this study, the research team is evaluating the effects of the program for improving reading outcomes for children in kindergarten and first grade who are English language learners.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#234. Updated September 17, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Evaluation of the First In Math� Online Mathematics Program in New York City: A Randomized Control Trial
Principal Investigator:	Dr. John Flaherty Senior Research Associate, WestEd jflaher@wested.org
Start Date:	January 1, 2007	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The schools are located in New York City.
Intervention The First In Math� Online Mathematics Program is an online version of the 24� Game, created by Suntex International, Inc. In the 24� Game, students use numbered cards and the four arithmetic operations to arrive at the target number, 24. Subsequent editions of the 24� Game introduce factors, variables, fractions, and algebraic expressions. Because the solution for mathematics problems is always 24, solution guesswork is eliminated and students are able to focus on learning the patterns and processes used to arrive at solutions. In 2002, Suntex launched the online version of the 24� Game, known as First In Math�. While First in Math retains the same features as the 24� Game, the online application allows students and teachers to measure program usage. Students can track their successful game completion through sticker counts, and teachers can monitor program use in terms of students' time spent on the program, Skill Set� attainment, and successful completion of games. In addition to the online program, the intervention includes professional development for teachers on the technical aspects of the First in Math program and how to integrate the program into their instructional practice.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Participating classrooms include 188 fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms from New York Public schools that are not currently using the First in Math program.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The research team is conducting a cluster-randomized trial, in which 188 classrooms are randomly assigned to either the treatment or control conditions, to examine the impact of First in Math on student mathematics achievement.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers in the control condition continue their usual teaching practices.
Data Analytic Strategy Multilevel models will be used to analyze the data.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The outcome measures for each analysis are student scores on the New York State mathematics achievement tests.
Summary of the Study / Abstract According to the 2005 National Assessment of Education Progress mathematics assessments, only 35 percent of students in grade 4 perform at or above the proficient level of mathematics achievement. In order to identify effective programs that can help improve students' mathematics proficiency, rigorous research is needed. The purpose of this project is to examine the impact of the First in Math online mathematics program on fourth- and fifth-grade student achievement in the New York City Public School District. The First in Math program is a supplemental instructional tool designed to increase mathematics achievement using interactive online games. The study examines: individual and classroom level conditions that influence First in Math program use, the impact of First in Math on mathematics performance, and variation in impact across classrooms with high and low support of technology integration.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#235. Updated September 17, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Improving Mathematics Performance of At Risk Students and Students with Learning Disabilities in Urban Middle Schools (MSM Project)
Principal Investigator:	Prof. Marjorie Montague Professor, Department of Teaching and Learning, University of Miami mmontague@aol.com
Start Date:	January 1, 2007	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	NCSER
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will involve middle school teachers and students in Florida.
Intervention Solve It! is based on "explicit instruction" characterized by structured lessons, appropriate cues and prompts, guided and distributed practice, immediate feedback, positive reinforcement, overlearning, and mastery. Solve It! embeds other research-based instructional strategies such as active student participation, verbal rehearsal, and cognitive modeling. Cognitive processes include reading the problem, paraphrasing, visualizing (forming internal representations), hypothesizing about solutions, estimating the outcome or answer, computing the outcome or answer, and checking. Metacognitive strategies include self-instruction, self-questioning, and self-monitoring. The duration of the Solve It! intervention, including pretests and progress checks, is about 15 days, which is consistent with the intent of the program to supplement the standard curriculum. Program materials include a detailed instructional guide, informal assessments, curriculum-based measures, scripted lessons, instructional materials, and procedures for helping students apply, maintain, and generalize skills and strategies. The mathematical problems include typical textbook problems, problems similar to those found on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, and authentic, real-life problems.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School Student Disability: Specific Learning Disability (LD)
Additional Study Sample Information The ethnic distribution of Miami-Dade is 10 % white, 29 % African-American, 59 % Hispanic, and 2 % other. About 60% of the students qualify for the free/reduced lunch program. Many Miami-Dade students are at risk for poor academic outcomes and school dropout due to a variety of factors, including low SES. During the first year, the study will involve eight math teachers and their students. During the second and third years, the study will involve 40 teachers and their students each year.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study will utilize a cluster randomized design with schools as the unit of assignment. Matched pairs of schools will be formed. The Year 1 pilot study will involve two matched pairs of schools. During Year 2, 20 matched pairs of schools will be involved, and one grade 7 math teacher from each school will be invited to participate in the study. For Year 3, one grade 8 teacher from each school will be invited to participate. Some of the students will participate for one year (i.e., grade 7 students who did not return for grade 8 and some grade 8 students who were not in the grade 7 cohort), while a subset of students will participate for both years (i.e. students in both grade 7 and grade 8 cohorts). During Years 2 and 3, experimental and comparison teachers (40 in each year) will have approximately five math classes in which an estimated 125 students are enrolled for a total estimated enrollment of 5,000 students for grade 7 in Year 2 and 5,000 for grade 8 in Year 3.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control group will receive standard instruction based on the district curriculum.
Data Analytic Strategy The analyses for this study will include growth curve modeling as well as more traditional univariate and multivariate procedures and qualitative analyses. The study will examine student- and school-level predictors of achievement using a hierarchical linear modeling analysis, which will incorporate student-, teacher-, and school-level covariates to explore possible interactions and assess, for example, whether Solve-It! is differentially effective across school performance levels. Subsets of students with learning disabilities and at risk students will be identified for comparative analysis.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Student measures will include the Test of Mathematical Abilities-2, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, curriculum-based measures developed for Solve It!, the Math Problem Solving Assessment-Short Form, the Self-Efficacy for Learning Scale, and mathematics academic and conduct report card grades. Teacher measures will include the Solve It! Fidelity of Treatment Observation System, and teacher logs, interviews, and focus groups.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Students with disabilities tend to lag behind their peers in mathematics achievement. On the 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress, 19 percent of students with disabilities in Grade 4, and 8 percent of students with disabilities in Grade 8 were at or above the proficient level in mathematics for their grade. A number of interventions have been developed to address the mathematics needs of students with disabilities, but relatively little high quality research has been conducted to test the efficacy of such interventions. This project will test the efficacy of Solve It!, an intervention designed to teach students with learning disabilities how to understand, analyze, solve, and evaluate mathematical problems by developing the processes and strategies that effective problem solvers use. The participants in the study will be middle school teachers and students in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. A cluster randomized design will be employed, and outcomes will include tests of mathematics achievement, problem solving, and self-efficacy for learning.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#236. Updated September 17, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Reading Intervention with Spanish-Speaking Students: Maximizing Instructional Effectiveness in English and Spanish
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Scott Baker Associate Director, CTL, University of Oregon skbaker@smu.edu
Other Key Staff:	Doris Baker
Start Date:	January 1, 2007	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will take place in 48 schools total, 24 schools in Texas and 24 schools in Oregon.
Intervention The instructional approach being used is called Systematic and Explicit Teaching Routines. The Systematic and Explicit Teaching Routines are a series of "packaged" teaching templates or lesson cards rather than lesson scripts or detailed lesson plans. The one to two page lesson cards have specific, explicit teaching routines that teachers integrate into existing whole class and small group instruction. The Systematic and Explicit Teaching Routines are designed to work across different reading programs, and cohesively link critical reading skills within a reading program. These routines are designed to augment, not replace, core reading instruction, and are designed to focus extensively on the effective delivery of instruction. The explicit teaching routines are designed to help first grade English language learners master foundational Spanish reading skills (e.g., phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency) and develop academic language. The routines are then intended to be used to support the first graders taking what they have learned and apply those same foundational reading skills to learning to read in English during their second grade year. The Systematic and Explicit Teaching Routines incorporate explicit transitional instructional routines that teachers can use to help English language learners transfer what they know about reading in their home language (i.e., Spanish) to reading in their second language, English.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic or Latino Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description The target population consists of Spanish-speaking first and second grade English language learners.
Additional Study Sample Information The target population consists of Spanish-speaking first and second grade English language learners in 48 schools.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The researchers will use a randomized control design to evaluate the effects of the Systematic and Explicit Teaching Routines approach. In Year 1, 24 schools in Texas and 24 schools in Oregon will be matched on key instructional variables, such as core reading curriculum, time on Spanish and English instruction, and initial skill level of participating students. Matched schools will be randomly assigned to the experimental (Systematic and Explicit Teaching Routines) or comparison condition. Schools will participate in their assigned condition for the duration of the 4-year project. The researchers will work with schools with transitional bilingual programs (e.g., Spanish instruction in first grade and English instruction in second grade) so that they can optimize the instructional benefits of cross-linguistic relationships in early literacy acquisition and focus on transition from Spanish to English. Schools in the experimental condition will implement the Systematic and Explicit Teaching Routines intervention with two cohorts of students. Each cohort will participate in the assigned condition for two consecutive years (i.e., 1st and 2nd grade). The researchers will measure the reading achievement of Cohort 1 students from the end of Year 1 (i.e., at the end of kindergarten before the intervention has begun) through Year 4 (i.e., the end of third grade, one year after the completion of the intervention). Students in Cohort 2 will begin receiving Systematic and Explicit Teaching Routines or comparison instruction in first grade in Year 3, and receive the second year of the instruction in Year 4 when they are in second grade. The researchers will measure the reading achievement of Cohort 2 students in kindergarten at the end of Year 2 before beginning the Systematic and Explicit Teaching Routines intervention, through second grade at the end of Year 4.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Comparison schools will use their standard instructional routines with Spanish-speaking English language learners.
Data Analytic Strategy The researchers will address their hypotheses with mixed-model analysis of covariance and hierarchical linear modeling to account for nesting of students within schools.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Data sources for key outcomes include: classroom observations, teacher surveys, student assessments in Spanish and English - including DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency, Indicadores Din�micos del Exito en la Lectura, SAT-10, Aprenda, and Bilingual Verbal Abilities Tests.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Providing high quality reading instruction to English language learners in the early grades is one of the most challenging and increasingly demanding instructional issues facing schools. Often, schools are turning to the use of comprehensive reading programs to support students, including English language learners who are at-risk for reading failure. However, the use of core reading programs typically requires substantial, and sometimes time-consuming, modifications to support the reading acquisition of English language learners. Little rigorous research has been conducted to evaluate the effect of different instructional approaches for students who are learning English. The purpose of this research is to test the efficacy of an instructional approach designed to increase the early literacy achievement of Spanish-speaking English language learners in transitional bilingual education programs. The researchers will investigate whether enhancing core reading instruction with Systematic and Explicit Teaching Routines improves the immediate and long term Spanish and English literacy achievement of English-language learners in first and second grade. Systematic and Explicit Teaching Routines are a set of developed and field-tested teaching templates that provide a framework for delivering explicit instruction in target reading areas and academic language. They are designed to enhance, not replace, core instruction. The Systematic and Explicit Teaching Routines program includes "packaged" instructional materials designed to guide teachers in how to enhance instruction and promote student reading achievement in Spanish and English. Systematic and Explicit Teaching Routines can be used to enhance any reading program. For the evaluation, the researchers are randomly assigning schools to use the Systematic and Explicit Teaching Routines program or to continue their current instructional approach for Spanish-speaking English-language learners.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#237. Updated September 17, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Successful Transitions to Algebra 1: A Randomized Control Trial of Two Theories of Ninth Grade Algebra Instruction
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Robert Balfanz Research Scientist at the Center for Social Organization of Schools at Johns Hopkins University and Associate Director of the Talent Development Middle and High School Project rbalfanz@csos.jhu.edu
Other Key Staff:	Ruth Neild
Start Date:	January 1, 2007	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The high schools are located in Maryland.
Intervention The Transition to Advanced Mathematics/Algebra I sequence was developed by the Center for Social Organization of Schools at Johns Hopkins University. In the Transition to Advanced Mathematics/Algebra 1 sequence, students start with practice in intermediate mathematics skills and mathematical reasoning before beginning to cover Algebra I course content in the second semester.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Participating students will include ninth grade students from 48 high schools who perform between one to four years below grade level in mathematics, as determined by performance on a nationally normed test. A large percentage of the students participating in the trial are low income and/or members of minority groups.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The researchers use a multisite cluster randomized design with randomization occurring at the school level. Within each of eight districts that have substantial proportions of freshmen entering with math skills below grade level, the research team is randomly assigning six high schools to one of two conditions: (1) the Transition to Advanced Mathematics/Algebra 1 sequence or (2) Stretch Algebra, in which the amount of instructional time for algebra is doubled
Counterfactual (Control) Condition In the Stretch Algebra program, the amount of instructional time for algebra is doubled. The students receive the school's regular algebra course, but have more time to learn the content.
Data Analytic Strategy The researchers will use a three-level HLM model (students nested within schools nested within districts) to compare student achievement across condition.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Products from this project include published reports on the relative efficacy of two different approaches to teaching high school algebra to underprepared students. There are three primary outcomes of interest. First, student achievement in Algebra 1 is being measured using nationally normed tests of Algebra readiness and Algebra 1 proficiency. Second, growth in intermediate mathematics skills and reasoning during the first semester of ninth grade are being measured with the CTB Terra Nova assessment. Finally, credit accumulation in Algebra 1, as well as earning grades that suggest potential for success in more advanced courses (a C or better), are being examined.
Summary of the Study / Abstract States and school districts increasingly mandate not only that all students earn Algebra I course credit to graduate, but that they enroll in Algebra I in the ninth grade. Data from districts that have implemented "Algebra for All" policies indicate that course failure rates approach 50 percent. Despite the pressure on districts and states to have all students "college ready," there is a dearth of rigorous research on the most efficacious methods of teaching Algebra I to under-prepared students. The purpose of this project is to examine the impact of two approaches to teaching algebra on student achievement and credit accumulation in Algebra I among high school freshmen who are one to four years below grade level in mathematics. In a random assignment study, this research team compares the effects of two approaches to teaching Algebra I to students who are under-prepared for algebra. In the Transition to Advanced Mathematics/Algebra I sequence developed by the Center for Social Organization of Schools at Johns Hopkins University, students spend the first semester learning and practicing intermediate mathematics skills and mathematical reasoning before beginning Algebra I, and in the second semester, they cover the Algebra I course content. In the comparison condition, students are provided with a "stretch algebra" course in which the amount of instructional time for algebra is doubled. That is, in the stretch algebra course, students are introduced to Algebra I course content at the beginning of the year, but the instruction proceeds at a slower pace relative to a regular Algebra I course. The researchers will collect data on student learning in Algebra I course content, intermediate mathematics skills and reasoning, and credit accumulation in Algebra I.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#238. Updated September 9, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Testing The Impact of PBIS Plus
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Philip Leaf Director, Ctr for the Prevention of Youth Violence pleaf@jhsph.edu
Start Date:	May 1, 2007	Anticipated End Date:	April 30, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	NCSER
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Elementary schools located in Maryland.
Intervention Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Plus augments Maryland's standard PBIS behavior intervention model in three ways: (1) training elementary school functional behavioral assessment teams to conduct functional behavioral assessments, create behavior support plans, and implement the subsequent interventions using a previously developed training model, the Functional Behavior Assessment and Intervention CD-ROM: A Simplified Team Process (Scott, Liaupsin, & Nelson, 2005); (2) building on existing Maryland support infrastructure by creating state functional behavioral assessment liaisons, school-based functional behavioral assessment teams, and school-based functional behavioral assessment team leaders; and (3) expanding the monthly Maryland leadership team meetings and the Statewide Positive School Climate Advisory Group to include staff from special education in the local school systems and devote increased planning and coaching time to challenges presented by students not responding to the universal standard model.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description A total of 46 elementary schools will participate in the study. Schools must have successfully implemented the universal aspects of PBIS, but also continue to have a high rate of students not responding to the universal intervention. Schools will be randomly assigned into either the PBIS Plus condition or the standard model condition.
Additional Study Sample Information A total of 46 elementary schools will participate in the study. Schools must have successfully implemented the universal aspects of standard PBIS, but also continue to have a high rate of students not responding to the universal intervention. Schools will be randomly assigned into either the PBIS Plus condition or the standard PBIS model condition.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This project proposes a stratified, group randomized trial including 46 Maryland elementary schools that have already achieved satisfactory implementation of the universal components of the standard PBIS model, but which continue to have a high rate of students not responding to the intervention. Schools will be randomized into treatment and control conditions. Fidelity of implementation will be monitored.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control condition is Maryland's standard implementation of PBIS.
Data Analytic Strategy Analysis will be based on generalized linear mixed models. The analysis will be implemented in two stages using logistic regression in the first stage and analysis of covariance in the second stage. Analyses will include variables that might moderate or mediate the outcomes. In addition, subgroup analyses on students with higher levels of office discipline referrals, those referred to special education, and those receiving functional behavioral assessments to determine if PBIS Plus is associated with better outcomes in terms of receipt of special education services, disciplinary referrals, academic performance, classroom behaviors, and social emotional skills.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Six types of variables will be measured: fidelity of universal PBIS (PBIS staff survey and systems-wide evaluation tool); fidelity of PBIS Plus (PBIS Plus project monthly functional behavioral assessments data log, functional behavioral assessments protocol, PBIS Plus effective teaming checklist, and a panel of functional behavioral assessment expert assessors); demographic characteristics of students and schools (rate of special education service use, number of students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), suspensions, attendance, and number of students eligible for free or reduced meals); student academic performance, attendance, and behavior (school-wide information system and teacher observation of classroom adaptation); students' use of and need for special education services (teacher report about the child's use of and need for special education services and mental health services); and students' social-emotional functioning (teacher observation of classroom adaptation subscale for social-emotional skills).
Summary of the Study / Abstract Safe and orderly school environments are important for student achievement. Many students may be referred for special education services and exhibit behavioral problems in school because of a chaotic school environment or a classroom teacher who is not able to create a safe and orderly classroom environment. The school-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports program holds promise for enhancing the school climate and reducing student behavior problems. The purpose of this study is to determine whether implementation of PBIS Plus in elementary schools will result in improved outcomes for students beyond those achieved by the standard model.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#239. Updated September 9, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	The Responsive Classroom Efficacy Study (RCES)
Principal Investigator:	Prof. Sara Rimm-Kaufman Director, Social Development Lab serk@virginia.edu
Other Key Staff:	Robert Berry, Xitao Fan, and Laura Justice
Start Date:	January 1, 2007	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The schools are located in a large urban district in Virginia.
Intervention The Responsive Classroom approach offers teachers a set of strategies intended to create efficient classroom environments with fewer behavior problems and more opportunities to learn. This is accomplished through: regular structured class meetings designed to be fun and intellectually engaging; an established approach to handling rules and consequences for behavior; procedures that offer academic choice to children; specific recommendations for teachers that focus children's attention on the process of learning, problem-solving, and reflecting on their work; and methods for introducing new academic material to students.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description Twenty-four schools, 1,920 students, and 360 third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade teachers are participating. Like most large urban districts, the school district selected for this study has a diverse population with significant percentages of African-American, Hispanic, and English-language learners.
Additional Study Sample Information Population: Twenty-four schools, 1,920 students, and 360 third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade teachers are participating. Like most large urban districts, the school district selected for this study has a diverse population with significant percentages of African-American, Hispanic, and English-language learners.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The researchers will compare teachers and their students in grades 3, 4, and 5 in successive years in 12 treatment schools (Responsive Classroom approach) and 12 control schools (conventional school practice) on mathematics learning and other educationally relevant teacher and student outcomes, using a three-year longitudinal trial in which schools are randomly assigned into the Responsive Classroom approach or delayed treatment comparison conditions. Teachers at the 12 treatment schools will receive training in the Responsive Classroom approach.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The schools in the control condition are "business as usual," and are not using the Responsive Classroom Approach or any alternative program for classroom management. However, the control schools will receive training in the Responsive Classroom approach one year after the same grade-level teacher received it in the treatment group.
Data Analytic Strategy Data is being analyzed taking into account its hierarchical and nested structure. Growth curve analyses are being conducted to examine the degree to which the Responsive Classroom approach affects children's growth in mathematics. Teacher quality and child attributes are treated as mediators and moderators, respectively, in these analyses.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The Classroom Assessment Scale is being used to assess process features associated with classroom quality. The primary data source for academic achievement growth is the Virginia State Standards of Learning (SOL), an academic achievement test battery required for all Virginia public schools.
Summary of the Study / Abstract In 2005, one in five fourth-grade children in America performed below the basic level on the National Assessment of Educational Progress in math. Among eighth-grade students, one in three students performed below the basic level. Standards-based math curricula were introduced to address this problem. Although standards-based math curricula may provide teachers with strategies for improving student learning of academic content, typically these curricula do not provide teachers with well-articulated strategies for creating classroom environments conducive to learning. The purpose of this study is to conduct a rigorous randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy of a widely used professional development program, the Responsive Classroom approach, designed to integrate social and academic learning and to create optimal classroom learning environments that enhance children's ability to learn.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#240. Updated September 9, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Think Time Efficacy Study
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Greggory Benner Professor, University of Washington-Tacoma gbenner@uw.edu
Start Date:	March 1, 2007	Anticipated End Date:	February 28, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	NCSER
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Title I elementary schools, grades K-6, in a large urban/suburban school district in Washington State.
Intervention Think Time is a collaborative process between two or more teachers [i.e., homeroom teacher and a cooperating teacher(s)] who provide the designated Think Time area. Think Time includes four components: precision request (i.e., teacher uses a short verbal statement to encourage the child to exhibit positive social behavior and does not use threats, ultimatums, warnings, or repeated requests), antiseptic bounding condition (i.e., reflective period to enable the child to gain self-control), behavioral debriefing process (i.e., teacher checks for self-control and initiates a positive social interaction with the child), and self-management (i.e., goal setting, self recording). These four components are embedded within five procedural steps that are taught directly to children.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School, Kindergarten Student Disability: Emotional Disturbance (ED)
Additional Study Sample Information Fourteen schools and 450 K-6 children who exhibit disruptive behaviors will comprise the sample. Students receiving special education services for emotional disturbance of an externalizing nature or who have a DSM-IV diagnosis of an externalizing nature will be automatically eligible for participation. In addition, a systematic screening process, the Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders, will be used to identify children with disruptive behavior who have not been previously identified or diagnosed.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A place-based randomized design will be used in which schools will be randomly assigned to an experimental or control condition. In addition, project researchers will attempt to clarify the value added by Think Time to the core behavior support by examining the type and quality of behavior support provided to all children in the project schools. Furthermore, case study methodology will be used to identify factors that influence the implementation of Think Time.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control condition will receive standard behavior support provided to all children at each of the school sites (i.e., "business as usual").
Data Analytic Strategy To evaluate the immediate social and academic skill outcomes of Think Time, repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance will be conducted with the pre-treatment and post-treatment (i.e., end of year) scores. The cumulative social and academic skill outcomes of Think Time and the mediating/moderating variables affecting the outcomes of Think Time will be evaluated with multilevel mixture modeling. A cost analysis will also be completed.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes An intake will obtain demographic information as well as detail the child (e.g., low birth weight), family (e.g., family adversity), and sociological risk factors (e.g., low socioeconomic status). Student social behavior will be assessed with The Social Skills Rating Scale, the Behavior Assessment System for Children (Second Edition), direct observations, and archival behavioral information (e.g., daily attendance). Academic measures include The Woodcock-Johnson-III Tests of Academic Achievement, curriculum-based measurements in math, reading, and writing, and results from state assessments. A teacher survey instrument will document additional supportive behavior interventions and services (e.g., Title I) provided to children. Measures of treatment integrity and intervention dosage will also be administered.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This project is conducting a randomized efficacy study of the Think Time Strategy, a prevention-oriented behavioral intervention, with elementary school children who exhibit disruptive behavior. Think Time has been developed and pilot tested with elementary age children who exhibit disruptive behavior and has been recognized as a promising intervention program. However, the efficacy of this program has not been tested.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#241. Updated January 22, 2010 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Effectiveness of Cognitive Tutor Algebra One Implemented at Scale
Principal Investigator:	Dr. John Pane Senior Scientist jpane@rand.org
Other Key Staff:	Dr. Rita Karam, Dr. Beth Ann Griffin, Dr. Daniel McCaffrey, Dr. Laura Hamilton
Start Date:	March 1, 2007	Anticipated End Date:	February 28, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Fifty-four high schools and 68 middle schools from school districts in Texas, Connecticut, New Jersey, Michigan, and Kentucky are participating.
Intervention The Cognitive Tutor is designed to promote students' understanding of algebraic concepts and principles, problem solving skills, and mastery of higher-order mathematical concepts. A central component of the Cognitive Tutor is an automated computer-based tutor that provides individualized instruction to address students' specific needs. The individualization is built into the software, and is facilitated by detailed computational models of student thinking in algebra. Teachers receive four days of training on the new curriculum as part of a standard curriculum package.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School, Middle School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Participating school districts are demographically diverse, with African American populations ranging up to 67 percent, Hispanic populations ranging up to 58 percent, economically disadvantaged populations ranging up to 96 percent, and English learner populations ranging up to 29 percent. For the middle school study, all sixth- to eighth-graders in the designated classes in a given school will participate; for the high school study, all ninth- to 12th-graders in the designated classes in a given school will participate.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The research team is conducting a cluster randomized trial in which schools are randomly assigned either to continue to use their current algebra curriculum (control condition) or to use the Cognitive Tutor Algebra I curriculum.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control classrooms use the Algebra I curricula currently in place in their schools.
Data Analytic Strategy Analyses use hierarchical linear models and generalized linear mixed models. These models allow for school- and teacher-level clustering and capture potential school by treatment interactions. These analyses are being complemented with qualitative analyses to gain a description of processes of curricular implementation and factors influencing implementation.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The researchers are using exams from the CTB/McGraw-Hill Acuity Algebra Assessment System for the primary student achievement outcome measure, as well as for the pre-test.
Intended Secondary Outcomes A student survey provides additional information about student confidence and attitudes about mathematics and technology, plans for subsequent course taking and college admission testing, and schooling and career plans.
Summary of the Study / Abstract On the 2000 National Assessment of Educational Progress 17 percent of grade 12 students were at or above the proficient level in mathematics; 35 percent scored below the basic level of proficiency. Although many educators recognize the need for improved mathematics instruction, school staff currently have few evidence-based options from which to choose. The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of the Cognitive Tutor� Algebra I curriculum on mathematics achievement when the curriculum is implemented at scale-that is, when it is implemented across diverse school populations and conditions and with no more support than schools would have access to if they had selected Cognitive Tutor as their algebra curriculum apart from participation in a research project.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#243. Updated September 9, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Improving Language and Literacy Outcomes for Preschool Children at Highest Risk for Reading Problems
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Ann Kaiser Professor, College of Education and Human Development Vanderbilt University ann.kaiser@vanderbilt.edu
Start Date:	June 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	May 31, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	NCSER
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The Head Start programs are located in Alabama.
Intervention The OWL intervention is a published curriculum designed for use in preschool classrooms to support all aspects of child development. Language and literacy related skills are central to the content of the curriculum. Daily activities are emphasized in large group book reading, thematically related small and large group activities, and teacher-child interactions during center times, meals, and outdoor play. OWL provides teachers with detailed rubrics for teaching in small groups and centers, guidelines for behaviors to observe during activities, and suggestions for ways to adjust activities to meet individual child needs. The EMT intervention is a hybrid intervention technique that utilizes principles of environmental arrangement, responsive interaction, and incidental teaching to teach language to children with moderate to severe language delays. In everyday conversational interactions with children, adults arrange the environment to provide activities of interest, promote child engagement and communication, and prompt child production of target language in functional contexts.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Multiple Disabilities, Emotional Disturbance (ED), Speech or Language Impairment
Target Population Description Approximately 480 children in 60 Head Start classrooms will participate in this research. Of these children, 120 will have IEPs; 240 will have very low language as identified by Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-III (PPVT-III) scores two standard deviations below national norms; and120 will have low language and behavior problems as identified by low PPVT scores and high problem behavior scores on the Social Skill Rating System (SSRS) behavior subscale.
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 480 children in 60 Head Start classrooms will participate in this research. Of these children, 120 will have IEPs; 240 will have very low language as identified by Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-III (PPVT-III) scores two standard deviations below national norms; and 120 will have low language and behavior problems as identified by low PPVT scores and high problem behavior scores on the Social Skill Rating System (SSRS) behavior subscale.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Sixty Head Start classrooms will be randomly assigned to one of the three experimental conditions: (1) Opening the World of Learning (OWL); (2) OWL + Enhanced Milieu Teaching (EMT); and (3) Creative Curriculum. Teachers will be trained to high levels of treatment fidelity on the curricula during the first year, and treatment will begin in the fall of the second year. Children will be followed each year through first grade. In addition, 240 children will be randomly selected and observed during small group instruction to examine behavior and interactions with teachers and explore variables that may account for differences in the three intervention groups.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Creative Curriculum will serve as the control condition. This curriculum is one of the most widely used in Head Start. While it provides a framework for teachers, it does not provide specific activities or instructional approaches for teaching language or literacy skills.
Data Analytic Strategy Data will be analyzed using Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) techniques with a systematic examination of child, teacher, and classroom quality factors that moderate the effects of the interventions. In addition, growth curves for language and early literacy skills will be derived using the Individual Growth and Development Indicators (IGDI).
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Children will be administered a battery of language, literacy and achievement measures at four time points (i.e.- pre intervention, post intervention, kindergarten follow-up, and first grade follow-up) to determine the immediate and longer term effects of the three interventions. In addition, data on the fidelity of intervention implementation and teacher reported measures of behavior, social skills, and classroom relationships will be collected.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Language and early literacy skills are foundational to reading and school success. Effective early intervention during the preschool years for children at highest risk for school failure may improve their chances of learning to read and learning from reading in the early elementary school years. Children with Individualized Education Plans (IEP), children with very low language, and children with low language and high problem behaviors who are also enrolled in Head Start are of high risk for later reading problems. The purpose of this project is to examine the differential effects of three approaches to improving language and literacy skills in these high-risk children enrolled in Head Start. These approaches are: 1) Opening the World of Learning (OWL); 2) OWL + Enhanced Milieu Teaching (EMT), and 3) Creative Curriculum (CC), a general curriculum model which is widely used in Head Start.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#244. Updated September 9, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	LEAP - USA (Using Science-Based Approaches)
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Phillip Strain Director, Positive Early Learning Experiences Center, University of Colorado at Denver phil.strain@ucdenver.edu
Start Date:	March 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	February 28, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	NCSER
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting LEAP programs in Colorado, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and New Jersey.
Intervention Preschools assigned to the treatment condition, full LEAP replication protocol, will enter a 2-year training and mentoring relationship with project staff. In order to instruct replication site participants in the basic LEAP components, the intervention will employ a seven-phase educational model comprised of: (a) presentation of skill area to be learned in written format; (b) discussion of skill area between trainee(s) and trainer(s); (c) demonstration of skills by LEAP trainers with simultaneous observation by trainee(s); (d) in-vivo practice by trainee(s) with observation and feedback provided by trainer; (e) evaluation of trainee competency based upon direct observation or permanent product; (f) training of on-site supervisor to support direct-line replication staff; and (g) follow-up training and maintenance checks on a three month basis.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Autism
Target Population Description Approximately 240 students, ages 3-5, in 60 LEAP classrooms will participate. Classrooms selected to participate will be randomly assigned to either a manual only or manual plus training support condition.
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 240 students, ages 3-5, in 60 LEAP classrooms will participate.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Classrooms selected to participate will be randomly assigned to receive LEAP treatment manuals only or the manuals along with the research team's 2-year training and mentoring model. The experimental analysis will monitor changes in children's social behavior, autism symptoms, cognitive development, and language development. Changes in family members' stress and insularity will be assessed over time. Three-level hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) will be employed for each outcome measure.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Preschools assigned to the comparison condition will only be provided LEAP's intervention manuals for: (a) family skill training; (b) social skills training and (c) design and operation of the inclusive classroom. No follow-along training will be provided at the sites. District administrators will be interviewed on a yearly basis to track the amount and type of general training afforded to staff.
Data Analytic Strategy Quantitative data analysis techniques include hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to evaluate the efficacy and replicability of the LEAP intervention. For each outcome measure a 3 level HLM will be conducted. Level-1 will model the growth trajectories of children over time. Level-2 will reflect characteristics of the individual children and characteristics of the families. Level-3 will reflect characteristics of the classroom, including experimental condition, prior education of teachers and implementation fidelity.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The effects of the two intervention conditions on children with autism and their families will be evaluated using commercial and non-commercial measures. Key measures include, for example, Childhood Autism Rating Scale, Mullen Scales of Early Learning, and a questionnaire on resources and stress. The frequency in which measures are administered varies from every 3 months to once a year. Finally, data on fidelity as well as long-term sustainability and cost will be collected.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The purpose of this project is to assess the efficacy of LEAP-USA in achieving positive child and family outcomes as a model of intervention for young children with autism. The researchers intend to examine the differential effects on key outcomes resulting from high-fidelity implementation. The project is designed to address the following research questions:(a) What are the effects of a manual only and manual plus training model on the social behavior, symptoms, cognitive development, and language development of children with autism who are 3-5 years of age? and (b) What are the effects of the intervention on family stress and insularity?

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#246. Updated September 9, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	The Effects of Hybrid Algebra I on Teaching Practices, Classroom Quality, and Adolescent Learning
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Linda Cavalluzzo cavallul@cna.org
Other Key Staff:	Deborah Lowther
Start Date:	September 30, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	September 30, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL program
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Rural or high-needs schools in Kentucky.
Intervention The hybrid program uses online resources in face-to-face technology-enhanced classrooms to facilitate the use of standards-based instructional practices. Each student spends at least 40 percent of class time using online courseware and as students use the computers, the teacher acts as a coach, assisting individual students or providing mini-lessons to larger groups of students as needed. Participating teachers engage in sustained professional development focusing on effective pedagogy and the use of technology. But no formal professional development takes place after year 1. This is a year-long intervention that schools are permitted to use without any additional cost for two years. The professional development takes place in blended classrooms as well as online. It begins in the summer and continues through the school year, with monthly online facilitated discussions among participating teachers and two follow-up classroom visits by math instructional specialists.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description 9th grade Algebra 1 students
Additional Study Sample Information The sample comprises about 6,000 students from mostly rural districts. More than 90 percent of students in the participating schools are White, and almost half are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The study uses a two-cohort research design. In year 1, 25 Kentucky schools offering algebra I to students in grade 9 were recruited and randomly assigned to either 13 treatment or 12 control schools. In year 2, 16 new schools were recruited. In addition, six control schools from cohort 1 were re-randomized and included in cohort 2, to create a total sample of 47 schools across the two cohorts. Allowing for as much as 20 percent attrition from the randomized groups yields a conservatively projected sample of 38 schools, with an estimated 6,000 students, equally divided between treatment and control status. All algebra I classes in a treatment school are assigned to their school's treatment condition.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control condition comprises the 12 year one schools and 11 year two schools that will be randomly assigned to the control group.
Data Analytic Strategy Effects on teaching practices and classroom quality are evaluated through a classroom observation and short teacher survey and the data collection instruments provide nominal, ordinal, and qualitative data. Researchers use the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test to analyze ordinal data and will also provide the mean and the associated effect size. The nominal data are analyzed with chi-square tests of independence. Where appropriate, a multivariate analysis of variance and follow-up univariate analyses are conducted to compare treatment and control responses. Using two-level hierarchical linear models, in which students are nested within schools, the study assesses how the intervention effects student achievement and educational attainment. The baseline models control only for pretest scores and the treatment condition at the school level. More comprehensive models control for individual student characteristics, including student eligibility for free and reduced-priced lunch, racial/ethnic minority status, and student age. To determine the intervention's effect on student outcomes, the researchers use an intent-to-treat design. Both school and student attrition are reported, and comparisons between the analysis sample and participants who left the sample are conducted. Students entering study schools after October 1 are not included in the study sample. And those who switch between study schools during the school year are analyzed with their original school. The minimum detectable effect size is 0.22.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The primary outcomes for the study include student achievement, educational attainment, teaching practices, and classroom quality. The key outcomes for student achievement include an end-of-course test in algebraic understanding and the math portion of Kentucky's PLAN� test. Student eligibility for free and reduced-priced lunch, racial/ethnic minority status, and student age will be included as variables in more complex models that assess student achievement. Measures for the effects of the intervention on teaching practices and classroom quality are evaluated through a classroom observation and short teacher survey.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Improving teacher quality and identifying evidence-based curricula and programs are two of the top five areas of need in the Appalachia Region. This study tests whether a hybrid algebra I program improves classroom quality and increases student engagement and achievement.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#247. Updated September 9, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	The Effects of Opening the World of Learning (OWL) on the Early Literacy Skills of At-Risk Urban Preschool Students
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Steven Ross President, Education Innovations sross19@jhu.edu
Other Key Staff:	Anna Grehan and David Lopez
Start Date:	August 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	December 1, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL program
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study uses a randomized pretest-posttest design, with students and teachers as units of observation in a large urban district in Tennessee.
Intervention Opening the World of Learning is a research-based preschool curriculum developed by Judith Schickedanz Ph.D. and David Dickinson Ed.D. in collaboration with Charlotte-Mecklenberg Schools. The comprehensive curriculum is designed to support all aspects of development, including self-regulation and social development. It allows teachers to focus on the development of language and literacy skills by encouraging meaningful teacher-student verbal interactions related to daily lessons.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description preschool students in Memphis City School district
Additional Study Sample Information Students and teachers located in a large urban district in Tennessee are the units of observation. A first cohort has 50 teachers and more than 800 students. A second cohort has 59 teachers and over 1,000 students.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A randomized, pretest-posttest, treatment-control group design, with children as the observation units, will be employed. We propose randomly assigning 50 preschool classrooms with 25 treatment and 25 control. Within each classroom, we project a median of 17 children, for a total of 850 children.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Fifty preschool classrooms will be randomly assigned with 25 treatment classrooms and 25 control.
Data Analytic Strategy The researchers use inferential analyses to determine statistically significant differences between the treatment and control groups at the end of preschool and beyond. They also compare pre-intervention and post-intervention classroom observations and student achievement.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The following direct child assessments will be administered by trained evaluators to Preschool and kindergarten - second grade students: Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-III (PPVT-III), the Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening for Preschool (PALS-PreK), Woodcock-John Tests of Achievement Third Edition (WJ-III ACH), and Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS).
Summary of the Study / Abstract Preschool teachers in the Appalachian Region need training in the importance of early literacy, in the role of childcare in supporting children's early literacy development, and in scientific practices that support early literacy development. This study will determine whether a research-based preschool curriculum-Opening the World of Learning (OWL)-increases the literacy achievement of at-risk children.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#248. Updated September 9, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Use of Classroom Assessment for Student Learning
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Bruce Randel Principal Researcher, Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) brandel@mcrel.org
Start Date:	January 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL program
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Schools will be recruited from several large districts within Colorado that can provide a sample of schools that vary in terms of achievement levels and ethnic diversity.
Intervention Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, 4th edition, is a self-study professional development program (print & video materials) for enhancing effective classroom assessment. The program includes a textbook for individual study, hands-on practice activities, and additional resources on CD-ROM and DVD. CASL materials also include forms and guidelines for planning, scheduling, creating classroom assessments, and keeping a log of activities.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description The target population for this study will consist of public schools with sufficient size to have least three teachers across Grades 4 and 5. Teachers in Grades 4 and 5 will implement the CASL program in their classrooms. The academic achievement of 4th and 5th grades will be the primary outcome.
Additional Study Sample Information The sample is a diverse group of schools-rural, suburban, and urban and small and large. It includes 325 4th and 5th grade teachers and more than 6,000 students. The 62 schools provide the statistical power (>.80) to detect an impact of approximately .22 standard deviation on student achievement. The 62 schools in the sample were recruited from 31 districts in Colorado.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Schools will be randomly assigned to either an intervention or a control group. The intervention group will train with the CASL program for one school year. Sixty-four schools will be recruited for the study with 3-6 teachers in each school participating.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control group will continue with regular professional development.
Data Analytic Strategy The study's primary goal is to estimate the effects of CASL on student mathematics achievement in year 2. Further analyses are conducted to estimate the effects of CASL on student motivation and teacher outcomes. Outcome data are collected at the student and teacher levels. Intervention effects on student and teacher outcomes are estimated at the school level using multilevel modeling to account for the random assignment of schools and the sources of variability in the data that result from the nested school environment. The effects of CASL on student outcomes are analyzed using a two-level hierarchical model (Raudenbush and Bryk 2002). Level 1 nests students within schools and includes students' grade as a predictor; it also includes a student-level covariate to account for baseline achievement. Level 2 includes an indicator for assignment to the treatment or control condition as a predictor of mean school achievement to estimate the effect of the intervention on student achievement. This level also includes a cluster-level covariate to explain additional between-school variance not explained in level 1, to control for prior achievement, and to improve the power of the estimation of the intervention's effect.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Measures include the following: 1) Student scale scores on statewide achievement test, 2) Ongoing Engagement and Perceived Autonomy subscales of the elementary student Research Assessment Package for Schools (IRRE, 1998) and the Academic Efficacy subscale of the Patterns of Adapted Learning Scales (Midgley et al., 2000), 3) Teacher assessment work sample (Clare, Valdes, Pascal, & Steinberg, 2001; Matsumura, 2002), 4) Teacher survey of student involvement in classroom assessment, and 5) Test of teacher knowledge of classroom assessment.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Research suggests that high-quality formative assessments in the classroom can increase student achievement at relatively low cost. Despite widespread use of Classroom Assessment for Student Learning (CASL), a professional development program, no studies could be found that evaluate its impact on student or teacher outcomes. This study will conduct such an evaluation. The focus of this study is to provide an unbiased estimate of the impact of CASL on student achievement, which is useful for educators considering professional development in formative assessment to improve student scores on NCLB assessments. The study also aims to determine whether CASL raises teacher skills in formative assessment. These two outcomes are addressed in the research questions: a) Does CASL have a significant positive impact on student mathematics achievement? and b)Does CASL have a significant positive impact on the quality of classroom assessment practices? In addition, the study examines the effects of the intervention on teacher knowledge of classroom assessment practice, student involvement in formative assessment, and student academic motivation, though these are secondary concerns.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#249. Updated September 17, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Differential Effects of English Language Learner Training and Materials (RISE and OWE)
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Shiela A. Arens Olene Senior Director, Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning sarens@mcrel.org
Start Date:	January 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL program
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting 53 rural, urban and suburban schools across 13 districts in three states. Grades 1-5.
Intervention On Our Way to English (OWE) provides elementary school teachers with a structure, sequence, and set of materials for language and literacy instruction for English language learners. Responsive Instruction for Success in English (RISE) complements the OWE classroom program with professional development to understand the content of OWE, the rationale for its structure, and practical strategies for its use.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description The target population is elementary English language learners.
Additional Study Sample Information The 3,000 students are in grades 1-4 in year 1 of the study and grades 2-5 in year 2.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The impact of the RISE and OWE interventions is being evaluated through a randomized control trial, with schools randomly assigned to a treatment or control condition. Random assignment was done at the school level for three reasons: 1. All teachers in a school participate in the RISE professional development program. 2. The study spans two years, and assignment at the teacher level could have resulted in students being assigned to teachers who were not part of the study in year 2 and were therefore neither trained nor using the materials. 3. Teacher assignment within a school posed a potential threat of contamination, since it was possible for treatment and control teachers to work together. A total of 53 elementary schools were recruited and randomly assigned to the study treatment and control conditions at a ratio of 2:1. The schools, distributed across 13 districts in three states, represent a diverse sample of rural, suburban, and urban schools-and small and large schools. Teachers and their ELL students in grades 1-5 from each of the schools are the study participants. The sample of 53 schools is projected to provide sufficient statistical power (>.80) to detect an impact of approximately .35 standard deviation on student achievement and .50 standard deviation on teacher outcomes. Each school has a site coordinator, responsible for on-site monitoring of data collection activities and coordinating site observation logistics. Site coordinators and teachers in treatment schools are expected to complete the RISE training during the first school year. In addition, treatment school teachers are trained in the OWE program during year 1 of the study. During the half-day OWE training teachers receive all necessary OWE materials, which they are expected to use in their classrooms for at least 30 minutes a day.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers in the control group participate in regular professional development activities and teach their students in the same manner as in previous years. Control school teachers will receive the RISE professional development and OWE materials and training at the end of the study.
Data Analytic Strategy Students will be tested in the fall and spring of year 1 and again in the fall of year 2. Data on teacher practices will be collected through online logs, classroom observations, and interviews. The effects of the combined OWE and RISE programs on the academic achievement of students in year 2 will be analyzed through a three-level hierarchical model, with students nested in classrooms. The effects on teacher pedagogical practices will be analyzed through a two-level hierarchical model, with teachers nested in schools.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Does implementation of RISE in conjunction with the use of OWE have a significant impact on the acquisition of English language skills in vocabulary, fluency, reading comprehension, grammar use, writing, and listening?
Intended Secondary Outcomes The secondary research question is: Does the use of OWE in combination with RISE participation change teacher pedagogical practices, reflected in teacher behaviors and skills related to English language learner students? Do teachers connect principles of learning theory to second language development, and if so, how? Do teachers use small group instruction for reading and writing with their English language learner students and if so, how? Do teachers use student assessment data to inform or guide their teaching, and if so, how? The study will contribute to understanding the effects of professional development aligned with curricular interventions on the academic achievement of English language learner students. Although this study will provide an unbiased estimate of the effects of the professional development intervention and the curricular intervention under examination, these findings will relate only to the combined effect of two particular interventions.
Summary of the Study / Abstract English language learner students (ELLs) are the fastest growing segment of the student populations in many states. Projections suggest that they will make up more than 40 percent of school-age children by 2030 (Thomas and Collier 2001). This growth has boosted demand for teachers to address the needs of English language learner students (Hill and Flynn 2004) and to ensure that they have the same opportunity to learn as their native English-speaking peers (Herman and Abedi 2004). Yet the majority of teachers from urban fringe/large towns (67 percent), central cities (58 percent), and rural locales (82 percent) report that they have never participated in professional development for addressing the needs of students learning English as a second language (Lewis et al. 1999). This randomized control trial study by Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Central responds to these identified needs for teacher professional development and ELL-specific teaching strategies. It will examine the impact on student achievement of using ELL-specific materials in the classroom, in combination with teacher professional development aligned with those materials. The programs chosen for this study are Responsive Instruction for Success in English (RISE), a professional development program for teachers of English language learners, and the ELL-specific instructional materials On Our Way to English (OWE). The study will provide an unbiased estimate of the impact of RISE and OWE on student academic achievement. It will also determine whether training in RISE and the use of OWE is effective in raising teachers' knowledge about and skill in teaching English language learners.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#252. Updated October 7, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	The Effects of Odyssey� Math on Grade 4 Student Math Achievement in the Mid-Atlantic Region
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Kay Wijekumar Assistant Professor, Pennsylvania State University k_wijekumar@tamu.edu
Other Key Staff:	Dr. John Hitchcock, Senior Research Consultant, ICF International
Start Date:	January 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL program
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will be carried out in 4th grade classrooms across the Mid-Atlantic region.
Intervention Odyssey� Math is a computer-based math curriculum developed by CompassLearning, Inc. that includes professional development and online software. The professional development is delivered in large group sessions and in-class coaching sessions throughout the school year, which vary in number of days, grade, and subject. A six-day package-which includes two large-group sessions followed by four in-class coaching sessions-was chosen for this study. The large-group sessions cover lesson activities, quizzes, and assessment modules and how to select the lessons to use with the class. The coaching sessions cover software use, options for selecting learning activities, use of assessments, and reporting tools. This package was chosen after consulting with the vendor on professional development practices appropriate for this study's focus on one subject at one grade level.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description 4th grade students
Additional Study Sample Information The study includes 61 classrooms and 1,399 students in the intervention group and 63 classrooms and 1,477 students in the control group. A total of 33 schools were recruited, with 132 grade 4 teachers and an average of 25 students per classroom. The 33 recruited schools were from across the Mid-Atlantic Region, with 73 percent of schools (n = 24) in Pennsylvania, 24 percent in New Jersey (n = 8), and 3 percent in Delaware (n = 1). One from Pennsylvania, however, was dropped from the study prior to pretesting because the software has been used there before. Of the 32 participating schools, 50 percent were in a rural area (n = 16), 19 percent were in the urban fringe of a large city (n = 6), 19 percent were in the urban fringe of a mid-size city (n = 6), 6 percent were in a small town (n = 2), 3 percent were in a mid-size city (n = 1), and 3 percent were in a large city (n = 1). The student population of these schools was composed 19 percent of racial/ethnic minority students, 36 percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, and 78 percent of students scoring proficient on the grade 4 state math assessment.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The study uses a within-school randomized design. Within each school grade 4 teachers who volunteered to participate and their classrooms were randomly assigned to intervention (Odyssey� Math access) or control (curriculum delivered as usual) groups, resulting in 61 classrooms and 1,399 students in the intervention group and 63 classrooms and 1,477 students in the control group. In the intervention group math teachers used Odyssey� Math as a substitute for part of their usual math curriculum for up to 60 minutes a week during 2007/08. By prescribing Odyssey� Math as a partial substitute, the study is designed so that intervention and control groups receive the same amount of math instruction. Trained field research coordinators administered a teacher demographic survey, conducted pretests and posttests, and observed intervention and control classrooms. Test administration was in the same common noise-free setting. REL Mid-Atlantic staff administered pretests in week 3 of the 2007/08 school year, and posttests five weeks before the end of the same school year. Observations were conducted using a modified version of the Standards Observation Form (Stonewater 1996). For documenting observations in the intervention and control classrooms two forms were used to describe implementation fidelity, to note any use of Odyssey� Math in control groups, and to describe the classroom environment, including teacher-student interactions, regular curricular use, and math instruction. Data were also collected on the time students spend using the software.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition In the control group teachers used only the regular curriculum, as selected by the school.
Data Analytic Strategy Because students were nested in classrooms, and classrooms, in schools, multilevel modeling was used to analyze the data. Three models were specified, one for each of the three research questions. The main impact model addresses the confirmatory research question on whether students in grade 4 classrooms using Odyssey� Math as a partial substitute for the regular math curriculum perform better on the Terra Nova CTBS Basic Battery math subtest than students in control classrooms using only the regular curriculum. The second model addresses the exploratory research questions on whether Odyssey� Math had an impact on the posttest math achievement gap between boys and girls in intervention classrooms and between low- and medium- or high-scoring students. For all questions, any observed effects at the classroom level were evaluated to determine whether the effects varied across schools. Descriptive analyses were conducted to examine teacher and student characteristics, assess baseline equivalence between the intervention and control groups, and evaluate teacher and student withdrawals from the study. Qualitative analysis of the classroom observation data were used to describe implementation fidelity in intervention classrooms and to document that Odyssey� Math implementation did not occur in control classrooms.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes This study's key outcome, grade 4 student math achievement, was measured by the TerraNova CTBS Basic Battery math subtest (CTB/McGraw-Hill 2000). The test developer states that the test may be administered as both a pretest and posttest when at least six months have elapsed between administrations. The test consists of 57 selected response items and takes 1 hour and 10 minutes to administer. Its content objectives reflect the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Standards, state and local curriculum documents, and the conceptual framework of the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Based on the test's psychometric properties, the test scores are reliable and valid for the purpose of this study.
Summary of the Study / Abstract In response to an assessment of regional needs that revealed student math achievement as a high priority, the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Mid-Atlantic conducted a randomized field trial to evaluate the impact of a math curriculum software package, Odyssey� Math, on math achievement in grade 4 in the 2007/08 school year. Using a more rigorous research design than previous studies of Odyssey� Math, this study evaluates whether Odyssey� Math causes higher math achievement. The study addresses one confirmatory and two exploratory questions. First, the confirmatory: Do students in grade 4 classrooms using Odyssey� Math as a partial substitute for the regular math curriculum perform better on the math subtest of the TerraNova Basic Battery than students in control classrooms using only the regular curriculum? The exploratory questions are: What is the effect of Odyssey� Math on the math performance gap between male and female students? and What is the effect of Odyssey� Math on the math performance gap between low- and medium- or high-scoring students on a math pretest?

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#253. Updated October 7, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Improving Adolescent Literacy Across the Curriculum in High Schools (Content Literacy Continuum, CLC)
Principal Investigator:	Dr. William Corrin Senior Associate, MDRC william.corrin@mdrc.org
Start Date:	January 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL program
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The design will include a total of 40 high schools in the midwest.
Intervention The CLC intervention is presented in the form of guidebooks that contain all of the instructional protocols and support materials that are required for teachers to effectively implement the intervention. A team of three to four professional developers works with all administrators and teachers in a high school on a sustained basis (three to five years) to implement comprehensive change in literacy instruction across the curriculum.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description high school students
Additional Study Sample Information The design will include a total of 40 high schools across 12 districts or consortia of districts (small districts clustered geographically) and at least three states in the region. To capture the diversity of school districts and high schools within the region, we will recruit urban and midsize school districts and at least one rural school district or consortium of districts. We will seek high-need high schools serving Grades 9-12 where the following exist: at least one third of the students come from poverty families and at least 50 percent of the students are reading at least two grades below grade level on the eighth-grade state or district assessments.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A cluster random assignment design with schools being the key unit of treatment and thus the unit of random assignment. The design will include a total of 40 high schools (20 treatment group and 20 in a control group) across 12 districts or consortia of districts (small districts clustered geographically) and at least three states in the region. We will seek high-need high schools serving Grades 9-12 where the following exist: at least one third of the students come from poverty families and at least 50 percent of the students are reading at least two grades below grade level on the eighth-grade state or district assessments.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Business as usual.
Data Analytic Strategy No information provided
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Academic performance and school progress, implementation fidelity and service contrast, and teacher practice are the primary outcomes. Individual student records data (i.e., achievement test scores from all state and district tests, course credit information, grades, course levels, attendance, promotion to the next grade and graduation) are used to measure academic performance and school progress. Field research and observations are used to measure implementation fidelity and service contrast. Teacher surveys are used to measure implementation fidelity and teacher practice.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The purpose of this study is to measure the impact of the Content Literacy Continuum (CLC), a school-wide literacy-across the curriculum program, on secondary teachers' instruction and students' achievement across content areas. Research Questions: To what extent does a literacy-across-the-curriculum intervention improve students' reading skills and other academic outcomes' such as attendance; persistence in school; course-taking patterns; and performance on high-stakes, standards-based assessments? What is the effect of a literacy-across-the-curriculum approach on literacy instruction (among both language arts teachers and teachers of other subjects)? What factors promote or impede successful implementation of a literacy-across-the-curriculum approach in high schools?

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#254. Updated October 7, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Efficacy of Frequent Formative Assessment for Improving Instructional Practice and Student Performance, Given Variations in Training to Use Assessment Results
Principal Investigator:	Dr. David Cordray Professor, Vanderbilt University david.s.cordray@vanderbilt.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	December 31, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL program
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The targeted setting for this RCT will be classrooms in schools in districts that are first-year clients of the Northwest Evaluation Association and were not previously involved in formal training and implementation of frequent formative assessments.
Intervention The Northwest Evaluation Association designed and delivers formal training programs that target teachers to increase their efficiency in using the firm's periodic assessments (the Measures of Academic Progress or MAP). The intervention assumes that, given more frequent and consistent measurement, teachers will be better able to adjust instruction on-the-fly with the consequence that student performance, as observed by annual state assessments, will improve.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School, Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description elementary and middle schools students (grade range 3-9)
Additional Study Sample Information Since state assessments rarely reach below grade three and the MAP measures reach ceilings at about grade 9 or 10, we expect to sample elementary schools containing at least three grades at or above grade three as well as middle schools enrolling at least three grades, but none above grade nine.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The reasearchers will use a cluster random assignment design with teachers being the key unit of treatment and thus the unit of random assignment.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Business as usual.
Data Analytic Strategy No information provided
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The study focuses on two primary outcomes: student performance on annual state assessments, and teachers' individualization of instructional practice. A variety of other data (assessment, survey, observational, and demographic data) will be collected to flesh out analysis and interpretation. Individual student assessment data will be obtained from state assessment programs, either from the SEA or the LEA. These data will be linked to the teachers in the study. Teacher individualization of instruction will be captured using teacher self-reports one week after each formative assessment and again at the 10th week. These reports will determine whether the instructional trajectory for a student was changed, what the topic area of the change was, and whether the original trajectory was restored.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of a professional development program designed to improve teachers' efficiency using formative assessment. The following research questions are to be answered. Do teachers who have access to frequent formative assessment results on individual students in addition to annual state assessment data and who have received training on the use and interpretation of the formative results to drive choices about instructional practice: A) exhibit more individualization of instructional practice?; B) have students who score higher on state assessments?; C) are those score differentials related to the instructional areas emphasized by the changed practice?; D) are score differentials greater for teachers who value the training in data?

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#255. Updated September 9, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Impact of the Thinking Reader Software Program on Grade 6 Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Strategies, and Motivation
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Teresa Duncan Principal Research Analyst, American Institutes for Research tduncan721@gmail.com
Start Date:	January 1, 2007	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL program
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The Thinking Reader will take plac in 32 elementary and middle schools in 16 districts in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
Intervention Thinking Reader presents nine digital novels in a supported reading environment that embeds strategy instruction, five levels of student strategy responses with feedback, agent-coaches who provide models and think-alouds, audio narration and text-to-speech access to the text, and hyperlinked glossary items in English and Spanish. Thinking Reader also includes ongoing assessment tools in the form of individual student work logs that collect all of students' responses to the strategy prompts, quick check comprehension quizzes, and guided student self assessment. Thinking Reader is typically implemented as a supplemental curriculum in grades 5-8, but can be used in other formats. During the October to May implementation period, intervention classrooms used the school's typical curriculum while reading three digital novels with the Thinking Reader software. Schools were asked to incorporate Thinking Reader into their English language arts regular reading time, not to increase time spent on reading instruction. Teachers thus had to decide what portion of their regular instruction to replace or truncate to make time for Thinking Reader. Teachers also participated in professional development-two day-long sessions (a day in September, and another in November) and three half-day sessions during the rest of the school year. Most Thinking Reader novels can be covered in eight weeks, excluding two class sessions for an end-of-novel interactive project to link the novel's themes to students' lives. Because scheduling time in the school's computer laboratory may be challenging and various breaks in the reading instruction schedule will occur (state assessments, assemblies, fire drills), teachers are provided ample time to complete the three novels-from the beginning of October 2008 to the end of May 2009. This includes time at the onset of the intervention for the treatment classrooms to practice the Thinking Reader strategies using a print version of a short story.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School, Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description 6th graders in high-need schools
Additional Study Sample Information The study sample consists of grade 6 students attending high-need schools that staff at least two grade 6 English/language arts teachers and with the technology infrastructure to support whole-group implementation of the intervention. High need is defined as a school with at least 34 percent of students who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. A sample size of 92 teachers, 130 classrooms, and 2,435 students was present at the pretest.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The study is a multisite cluster randomized controlled trial that randomly assigned 92 grade 6 teachers to intervention or control groups within 32 elementary and middle schools during August and September 2008. Schools were provided with the Thinking Reader software-which includes a handful of hard copies of the selected novels for all intervention classrooms, a reading strategies wall chart, a reading strategies bookmark for each student, a teacher's guide, and a novel-specific discussion guide-and with free technical assistance by telephone or email. Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast and Islands provided schools with support equipment (headphones and microphones) and students with hard copies of the Thinking Reader novels. Upon study completion, control group teachers will be trained to use the software, and each school will be provided an additional novel so that each school has a collection of four Thinking Reader novels.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition From October 2008 to May 2009 control classrooms used the school's typical curriculum.
Data Analytic Strategy Given the research design and hierarchical data structure (students are nested within classrooms that in turn are nested within schools), a three-level hierarchical model approach is used to estimate intervention effects on study outcomes. Because the core research questions address the impact of the intervention on four outcomes, the confirmatory impact analyses will parallel each other, using the same approach for each of the four outcomes. Effect sizes are computed as standardized mean differences (Hedges's g), by dividing the adjusted group mean difference by the unadjusted pooled within-group standard deviation of the outcome measure. Because multiple outcomes and subgroups are examined, tests of statistical significance will be adjusted accordingly for multiple comparisons. With a sample size of 92 teachers, 130 classrooms, and 2,435 students at the pretest and assuming 20 percent student attrition at the posttest, the study has the statistical power to detect an effect as low as 0.19 standard deviation.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Student reading achievement and motivation for reading are the main outcomes for this evaluation. We intend to administer four measures: the reading comprehension and reading vocabulary subtests of the Gates MacGinitie Reading Tests (MacGinitie, MacGinitie, Maria, Dreyer, & Hughes, 1999), a use of reading comprehension strategies survey, and motivation to read questionnaire. Each of these measures will be administered twice, at the beginning, and at the end of the school year. We estimate that we will need a total of 120 minutes at the beginning and again at the end of the school year to administer the four measures. All measures will be administered in English.
Summary of the Study / Abstract In 2002, 8 million students in grades 4-12 performed below proficient on national reading assessments, suggesting that many high school students are unable to understand the required reading. This study examines the effect of using the Thinking Reader software program on the reading comprehension, reading vocabulary, use of reading comprehension strategies, and reading motivation of grade 6 students.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#257. Updated October 7, 2009 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	A Study of Classroom Literacy Interventions and Outcomes in Even Start
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Robert St. Pierre stpierrebob@gmail.com
Start Date:	September 28, 2001	End Date:	September 30, 2007
Sponsoring Organization:	NCEE
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pdf/20084028.pdf
Published Report Citation: Judkins, D, St.Pierre, R., Gutmann, B., Goodson, B., von Glatz, A., Hamilton, J., Webber, A., Troppe, P., and Rimdzius, T. (2008) A Study of Classroom Literacy Interventions and Outcomes in Even Start (NCEE 2008-4028). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting Even Start pre-school classrooms.
Intervention Through a competitive process, the CLIO study selected two combined preschool and parenting education curricula. CLIO used these curricula in four combinations: two that implemented the combined research-based preschool and parenting curricula and two that implemented the research-based preschool curricula in combination with existing parenting education services. The CIRCLE group at the University of Texas-Houston Health Sciences Center teamed with Abrams & Company Publishers to provide the Let's Begin with the Letter People preschool curriculum to CLIO. Let's Begin is a preschool curriculum that builds early literacy skills and uses 26 imaginary characters that represent the letters of the alphabet. The CIRCLE group provided the Play and Learning Strategies (PALS) parenting curriculum to CLIO. PALS focuses on responsive parenting and teaches parents techniques to build their children's language and cognitive development. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill provided the Partners for Literacy curriculum to CLIO. The preschool Partners curriculum is based on game-like activities conducted with pairs of children and instructional strategies designed to support children's cognitive and language development. The parenting Partners curriculum adapts the game-like activities and instructional strategies from the preschool curriculum and trains parents to use these with their children at home. The Partners curriculum also includes training in problem-solving skills for children and parents. The CLIO combined curricula and CLIO preschool curricula were implemented in the sample of Even Start projects during program years 2004-2005 and 2005-2006. Implementation included summer training sessions for project directors and teachers in each year, as well as ongoing support for preschool and parenting education staff from the curriculum developers over the 2-year period.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description Information not included
Additional Study Sample Information 120 Even Start projects were randomly assigned to receive one of the four CLIO curricula or to participate in a control group that continued to provide their pre-CLIO instructional services. Children enrolled at CLIO projects were generally eligible for participation in the CLIO study if they were between 36 and 60 months of age at the time of assessment and were not yet attending kindergarten.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Even Start projects were randomly assigned to receive one of the four CLIO curricula or participate in the control group. The four intervention groups are as follows: (1) Even Start projects were assigned the Let's Begin preschool curriculum. These projects provided their usual parental education (PE), parent child literacy activities (PC), and adult education (AE) instructional services; (2) Even Start projects were assigned both the Let's Begin preschool curriculum and the PALS parenting curriculum. These projects provided their usual AE instructional services; (3) Even Start projects were assigned the Partners for Literacy preschool curriculum. These projects provided their usual PE, PC, and AE instructional services; (4) Even Start projects were assigned both the Partners for Literacy preschool curriculum and the parenting curriculum. These projects provided their usual AE instructional services.Data were collected from (1) preschoolers (3- and 4-year-olds), (2) their parents, (3) classrooms, and (4) projects at basline (2003-04), year 1 (2004-05), and year 2 (2005-2006).
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Several CLIO projects were randomly assigned to provide their regular pre-CLIO instructional services and thus serve as the control condition for the four intervention conditions.
Data Analytic Strategy Three-level hierarchical linear models (HLM) with random effects for project, child, and child-year and fixed effects for stratum, project-level covariates, family-level covariates, and child-level covariates were fit for child outcomes. Similarly, for parent and parenting outcomes, three-level models with random effects for project, parent, and parent-year and fixed effects for stratum, project level covariates, and family-level covariates were fit. All of the models were linear. When analyzing instructional outcomes a simpler model was used that omitted the fixed effects of child-level covariates and the random effect at the child level. To answer the two primary research questions, eight specific contrasts were tested in addition to an overall test for any differences among the five experimental groups. The overall test tells us whether any of the curriculum variations are more effective than any of the others, but does not provide guidance on which curriculum might be worthy of wider support and usage. Effect sizes were calculated by scaling these contrasts as proportions of the population standard deviation within the control group in 2005. Minimum detectable effect sizes were calculated given the variances that were actually observed in the analysis.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes The CLIO combined curricula had a statistically significant impact on: (1) child social competence as rated by preschool teachers with an effect size of .22; (2) parent interactive reading skills with an effect size of .48; (3) parent responsiveness to their child with an effect size of .22; (4) instructional support for print knowledge with an effect size of .69; (5) instructional support for literacy resources with an effect size of .52; and (5) amount of parenting education time spent on child literacy with an effect size of 1.01. The CLIO combined curriculum did not have a statistically significant impact on: (1) the seven measures of child language and literacy skills (six in English and one in Spanish); (2) three of five measures of instructional support for literacy development in preschool classrooms; (3) The two of the three measures of parenting education and parent-child classroom instruction; and (4) child levels of participation in preschool or parent levels of participation in parenting education or parent-child activities. Adding the CLIO parenting curricula had a statistically significant impact on: (1) parent interactive reading skill with an effect size of .30; (2) the amount of parenting education time spent on child literacy with an effect size of .68; and (3) the amount of parenting education time spent on parenting skills not related to child literacy with an effect size of -.45. The addition did not significantly impact: (1) the CLIO preschool curricula on any of the seven measures of child literacy skills or on child social competence; (2) parents' responsiveness to their child; (3) time spent in parent-child classes or in preschool classes; (4) child participation in preschool; and (5) parent participation in parenting education.
Secondary Outcomes Year of Implementation: One hypothesis of the CLIO study was that impacts might be greater in the second year, when most projects could be assumed to have had 2 years to reach full implementation. With respect to child outcomes, there is evidence that the CLIO combined curricula had statistically significant negative effects on four of the seven children's language and literacy outcomes in the first year of implementation. By the second year, rough parity with the control group was achieved. There is little evidence of differential effects by year for child social competence, parent outcomes, instructional outcomes, and participation. Analysis of Growth for Child and Parent Outcomes: While the primary impact analysis measures parent and child outcomes at the end of preschool, the study also examined impacts on the pattern of growth from fall to spring. The only significant finding was that the CLIO parenting curricula had a positive incremental effect on parent responsiveness to their child. Interactions of Study Group with Ethnicity and Home Language: About half of all children in the CLIO sample spoke a home language other than English. An analysis of interactions found that impacts on children's emergent literacy did not vary significantly as a function of home language or ethnicity.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The Even Start Family Literacy Program was established in 1989 to help break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy for low-income families, by improving the literacy skills of parents and their young children. Even Start projects offer family literacy services, defined as four integrated instructional components: Early Childhood Education, Parenting Education, Parent-Child Literacy Activities, and Adult Education. Two previous studies of the Even Start Program showed that parents and children who participated in Even Start did not have better literacy outcomes than parents and children in a randomly assigned control group that did not receive Even Start services. The Even Start Classroom Literacy Interventions and Outcomes (CLIO) Study is the third randomized study of Even Start. As opposed to the earlier evaluations that investigated the effectiveness of Even Start relative to randomly assigned control groups in which parents and children were not enrolled in Even Start, the CLIO study was intended to intervene by offering the combination of research-based, literacy focused early childhood education and parenting education curricula (the "CLIO combined curricula"). The CLIO study was intended to determine (1) whether the CLIO combined curricula were more effective than existing Even Start instructional services,and (2) whether research-based parenting education curricula that focus on child literacy (the "CLIO parenting curricula") added value to research-based, literacy focused early childhood education curricula (the "CLIO preschool curricula").
Interpretation of Results / Discussion This study assessed the impacts of the CLIO curricula on child language, literacy, and social competence. The main findings are that (1) the CLIO combined curricula had statistically significant, positive impacts on some of the hypothesized precursors to the development of children's early literacy skills, including instructional supports for literacy, child social competence, and parenting skills; but (2) the CLIO combined curricula did not have statistically significant impacts on any of the child language development and early literacy outcomes.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#259. Updated October 7, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	An Evaluation of the Impact of Supplemental Literacy Interventions in Freshman Academies
Principal Investigator:	Dr. James J. Kemple Director, K - 12 Education Policy Area, MDRC james.kemple@nyu.edu
Start Date:	September 30, 2004	Anticipated End Date:	November 30, 2009
Sponsoring Organization:	NCEE
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Corrin, W., Somers, M.-A., Kemple, J., Nelson, E., and Sepanik, S. (2008). The Enhanced Reading Opportunities Study: Findings from the Second Year of Implementation (NCEE 2009-4036). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting Freshman academies in 17 schools that received grants through a special competition under the Smaller Learning Communities (SLC) grant program. At each high school, two cohorts of eligible students, assessed as being two years or more behind grade level in reading comprehension in the spring of their 8th grade year, were randomly assigned to the supplemental literacy program offered at their school in 9th grade or to an elective.
Intervention The two interventions are Reading Apprenticeship [WestEd] and Xtreme Reading [University of Kansas - Center on Research in Learning]. The overarching goals of both RAAL and Xtreme Reading are to help students adopt the strategies and routines used by proficient readers, improve their comprehension skills, and motivate them to read more and enjoy reading. Both programs emphasize the importance of establishing a specific type of learning environment in the classroom that is conducive to the effective delivery of the core instructional strategies by the teacher and to facilitate student and teacher interactions around the reading skills that are being taught and practiced. They both use a "cognitive apprenticeship" approach to instruction in which the teacher initially takes the lead in modeling the strategies that proficient readers use and then gradually increases the responsibility of the students to demonstrate and apply these strategies.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description Five thousand students (about 2,500 striving 9th graders in 2005-06 and an additional 2,500 striving 9th graders from 2006-07) are involved in the research study.
Additional Study Sample Information The sample includes two cohorts of ninth-grade students from 34 high schools and 10 school districts (2,916 students in Cohort 1 and 2,679 students in Cohort 2). Approximately 81 percent of the students in the second-cohort study sample (a total of 2,171 students) completed the follow-up reading assessment and survey. Overall, programs were implemented in schools located predominantly in large and midsize cities, with some of the schools in each of these categories being listed as "urban fringe."
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The supplemental literacy programs were implemented in 34 high schools from 10 school districts across the country. The districts were selected through a special grant competition organized by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE). The ERO evaluation utilizes a two-level random assignment research design. First, within each district, eligible high schools were randomly assigned prior to the first year of program implementation to use one of the two supplemental literacy programs: 17 of the high schools were assigned to use RAAL, and 17 schools were selected to use Xtreme Reading. Each school implemented the same program in two school years: 2005-2006 and 2006-2007. In the second stage of the study design, eligible students within each of the participating high schools and in each year of the study were randomly assigned either to enroll in the ERO class (the "ERO group") or to take one of their school's regularly offered elective classes (the "non-ERO group").
Counterfactual (Control) Condition At each high school, two cohorts of eligible students were randomly assigned to the supplemental literacy program or to an elective. Students who were randomly assigned to a regularly scheduled elective class are in the control group.
Data Analytic Strategy The impacts are estimated using regression adjustments for random differences between the ERO and non-ERO groups in their pretest scores and whether a student was overage for the ninth grade. The impact analysis includes two sets of safeguards aimed at attenuating the risk of drawing inappropriate conclusions about program effectiveness on the basis of multiple hypothesis tests. The ERO impact study was designed to allow a minimal detectable effect size (MDES) of approximately 0.06 for the full sample of schools in the study and an MDES of approximately 0.10 for the groups of schools using each of the ERO program models.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Key outcomes were reading comprehension and vocabulary test scores, reading behaviors, student attendance in the ERO classes and other literacy support services, and implementation fidelity. Evaluation data were collected with the Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Examination (GRADE) reading comprehension and vocabulary tests and a survey. Both instruments were administered to students at two points in time: a baseline assessment and survey in the spring of eighth grade and a follow-up assessment and survey at the end of ninth grade. To learn about the fidelity of program implementation, the study also includes observations of the supplemental literacy classes during the first and second semester of the school year. The observation ratings sought to capture implementation fidelity on two key dimensions: the classroom learning environment and the teacher's use of instructional strategies focused on reading comprehension. A composite measure of implementation fidelity was calculated for each of these two dimensions by averaging across the relevant characteristics in the observation protocol. A composite rating of 2.0 or higher indicates that the school's ERO program was well aligned with the developers' implementation specifications; a rating of 1.5 to 1.9 means that the program was moderately aligned; and a rating of 1.0 to 1.4 means that it was poorly aligned.
Summary of the Study / Abstract According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, over 70 percent of students nationally arrive in high school with reading skills that are below proficient. A range of reading programs intended to substantially boost adolescent literacy skills are increasingly in demand, particularly in high schools that are implementing Smaller Learning Communities (SLCs) for ninth graders. This study is testing two supplemental year-long literacy programs selected by a national panel of experts from among those submitted by 17 curriculum developers in a competition conducted under this evaluation.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#260. Updated September 9, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	An Investigation of the Impact of a Traits-Based Writing Model on Student Achievement
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Michael Coe Director, Research Unit, Center for Research, Evaluation, and Assessment michael@cedarlakeresearch.com
Start Date:	January 1, 2005	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL program
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The sample setting is 5th grade classrooms in Oregon. Participating schools were elligible for the study if they met the following criteria: (1) The school had a projected enrollment of 30 or more students in grade 5 at the time of recruitment. To accommodate districts that would participate only if all their schools could be involved, the requirement for number of students was lowered to a projected minimum of 20 students; (2) The grade 5 teachers were not already implementing a trait-based writing approach; and (3) The school and at least one grade 5 teacher were willing to participate in the research protocol.
Intervention The model under examination, 6+1 Trait� Writing, was developed and will be implemented by the REL Northwest Traits Writing Assessment Unit. It is designed to improve student writing through an integrated approach to teaching and assessing writing skills, and it incorporates 10 instructional strategies to develop seven specific traits of effective writing. Teachers in the study attend a three-day summer institute that provides comprehensive training, planning time, and resource materials on the 6+1 Trait model. During the subsequent school year participants attend three additional one-day workshops to further their understanding of the model and to plan trait-based activities. Teachers also have access to online support resources to help them integrate the model into their existing classroom writing instruction.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description Study participants will be 5th grade students and teachers in Oregon.
Additional Study Sample Information Grade 5 teachers and students from 74 elementary schools in Oregon are participating in the study. Oregon schools are similar to those in other Northwest Region states in proportions of English language learner students, students from low-income households, and students from linguistic and racial/ethnic minority groups. Grade 5 was chosen as the target population because this is the typical grade level for students to begin expository writing.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods All participating elementary schools were randomly assigned to either the control or treatment condition. Two cohorts of schools participate-one during the 2007/08 and 2008/09 school years, another during the 2008/09 and 2009/10 school years. Randomization of schools occurs within strata defined by districts and by year of participation in the study. Within districts the two schools with the highest percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch were randomly assigned to conditions, then the next highest pair of schools, and so on, so that students in the treatment and control groups were reasonably well balanced. In districts with an odd number of participating schools, the single unpaired school was randomly assigned to a condition. The random assignment resulted in a final sample of 74 schools, including 39 treatment schools and 35 control schools. Within a participating school all available grade 5 writing teachers participate in the study.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control group schools continue with whatever approach to writing they have used in the past.
Data Analytic Strategy The framework for the data analysis is a two-level hierarchical linear model, with students nested within schools. The spring essay scores (at the end of the treatment year) are used in the outcome analyses as dependent variables, while pretest essay scores from the beginning of the year are entered as covariate measures of baseline writing performance for individual students. School-level performance on the grade 4 Oregon writing assessment is also used as a school-level covariate. Student writing performance is analyzed using an intent-to-treat framework. Data from each student are analyzed as part of the experimental group to which those students were randomly assigned (treatment or control). Student attrition, students who change experimental groups, and students who enter study classrooms after baseline is monitored. If attrition is large or different across conditions, the final sample may be weighted to preserve the representative nature of the sample. The posttest results of students who cross over from treatment schools to control schools or vice versa are analyzed with their original school. New students entering study schools after the pretest are excluded from the analysis.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Student essays are collected using a process parallel to that used in the Oregon statewide writing assessment. Pretest writing samples are collected in September of each data collection year; post-test writing samples, the following May. The essay writing sessions are proctored by the participating teachers in both control and treatment groups. Students work on their essays for 45 minutes on each of the three successive days, giving them the opportunity for a natural writing process, including planning, drafting, and revision. Specific directions for assessment administration are provided to teachers, explaining the purpose and procedures for each of the three days.To collect data related to teachers' implementation of the 10 instructional strategies that form the basis of training, teacher classroom practices are measured using teacher surveys. The surveys were developed by the study team for this investigation. They provide data on both fidelity of implementation in the treatment group schools and the degree to which these instructional practices were also present in the control group schools. A survey is completed by all teachers in both treatment and control groups at three times: before the beginning of treatment, in the middle of the treatment year, and at the end of the treatment year.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The publisher of an early trait-based model, the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, has reported distributing training materials to school districts in all 50 states, as well as internationally, and it has provided professional development sessions in 48 states and several countries. The trait-based approach to writing instruction has also been incorporated into language arts curriculum materials and guides to writing instruction distributed by other major education publishers, as well as training workshops, web sites, and other resources for schools. Given the widespread use of trait-based writing models, it is important that the education community have access to high-quality scientific evidence on the effectiveness of the approach. This study will contribute to that knowledge base-so that decisions about whether to expand, contract, or modify the adoption of this approach can be based on reliable evidence. The study was designed primarily to determine the impact of the intervention on student achievement in writing. Thus, the study will first answer one primary, confirmatory experimental question: What is the impact of the 6+1 Trait� writing model on student achievement in writing? In addition to the primary research question, two exploratory questions address whether there are different impacts on subgroups of schools or students and whether teacher implementation of trait-based writing methods is related to the treatment: (1) How do impacts on students vary by preexisting characteristics of schools and students? and (2) What is the impact of 6+1 Trait writing professional development on the instructional practices of teachers?

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#261. Updated September 10, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Project CRISS Reading Program and Grade 9 Reading Achievement in Rural High Schools
Principal Investigator:	Dr. John Kushman Senior Program Director, Center for School & District Improvement, Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory jim.kushman@educationnorthwest.org
Start Date:	January 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL program
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting A sample of 52 schools with grade 9 students has been recruited from rural and small town high schools (with 50 to 1,000 students) in northern California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.
Intervention Project CRISS (Creating Independence Through Student Owned Strategies) is a professional development program designed for high school teachers of all the core subjects. Teachers learn how to apply general Project CRISS learning strategies to content and curricular materials in these core content areas. It is hypothesized that as teachers increase their use of such research-based strategies, students learn more ways to comprehend text and become more self-directed readers. The prescribed CRISS training and follow-up assistance allow teachers to learn, practice, combine, and adapt research-based reading comprehension strategies across content areas over a one-year period, followed by an additional year of reinforcement training and follow-up support. A local site facilitator (teacher in the school or district) is selected and trained to serve as the in-school resource. By year 2 of the intervention, teachers are expected to have developed lesson plans that consistently incorporate research-based learning and reading comprehension strategies across all content areas. To induce schools to participate in a study requiring random assignment, control schools will be offered the Project CRISS intervention two years later.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description Study participants will be some 4,000 high schools students and their teachers in approximately 40 schools.
Additional Study Sample Information The sample contains about 5,000 grade 9 students located in 52 schools in northern California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The study is a cluster-randomized design with random assignment at the school level (26 treatment/26 control). Schools were randomly assigned to a treatment or control group defined by state (six states) and high or low poverty census area (two groups). Because the intervention works to help all core content teachers apply and collaborate on schoolwide reading comprehension strategies, random assignment occurs at the school level. Teachers in treatment schools will receive intensive CRISS training during the first year and follow-up services during the second year. Ninth grade students will be tested pre/post during the second school year on reading comprehension and achievement.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Business as usual
Data Analytic Strategy Outcome data will first be subjected to a series of descriptive analyses to examine the general characteristics of the data and determine whether they meet typical assumptions for more sophisticated analyses. Outcome data will then be subjected to more sophisticated statistical analysis to infer whether there are statistically significant program effects on students, making appropriate corrections for the nesting of students in schools (the unit of random assignment). With a sample size of 52 schools, the study has the statistical power to detect an effect as low as 0.21 standard deviation units.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The sole outcome measure is student reading comprehension. The comprehension subtest of the Stanford Diagnostic Reading Test (SDRT), 4th edition, has been selected as the standardized measure across states to assess student outcomes. The comprehension subtest will be used with items that measure the understanding of three kinds of text: recreational reading, informational reading, and reading applied text from everyday situations. The test will be administered in a pre/post fashion.
Intended Secondary Outcomes Classroom observations will be used to compare teacher behaviors related to the learning principles and strategies that are the basis of Project CRISS in subsample of treatment and control schools. A version of the Vermont Classroom Observation Tool (VCOT) is being used for classroom observations because it measures teacher behaviors that are very similar to those expected from Project CRISS. Two short online questionnaires will be administered to grade 9 teachers and principals in both treatment and control schools to obtain information on school and staff characteristics, other schoolwide professional development programs related to reading comprehension, and the extent to which teachers and principals participate in Project CRISS-recommended activities in the treatment school or parallel reading and literacy activities in the control schools. In a monthly electronic log, the Project CRISS local facilitator will be asked to report on Project CRISS activities. The monthly data will be examined across two school years of Project CRISS professional development to construct an index of how well the program was implemented. Attendance data at training events and other documented information from the Project CRISS national trainer will also be gathered to assess whether implementation was full or partial.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Aimed at teaching reading comprehension across multiple subjects, Project CRISS is intended to help struggling adolescent readers succeed in core high school subjects in the current environment of challenging standards-based content. Achieving reading proficiency in the early high school years is a high-priority need in the Northwest Region, especially among poor and minority students. This study's goal is to determine whether Project CRISS can improve the reading comprehension of early high school students. If so, students might have greater potential for success in content-area coursework that requires extensive reading and understanding of text. The results will provide scientific evidence on Project CRISS in rural and small town high schools in the Northwest Region, as well as its effect size in such settings. The study can be used by other researchers and IES to add to the growing body of scientific evidence on "what works" to improve American education.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#262. Updated October 7, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Evaluation of Principles-Based Professional Development to Improve Reading Comprehension for English Language Learners
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Roger Chesswas Chief Operations Officer, Pacific Resources for Education and Learning chesswasr@prel.org
Other Key Staff:	Dr. Johannes M. Bos, CEO and Principal Research Analyst, Berkely Policy Associates
Start Date:	April 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	March 1, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL program
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Approximately 50 schools in seven jurisdictions across the Pacific region will be sampled.
Intervention The intervention Pacific Communities with High-performance In Literacy Development (Pacific CHILD), builds on PREL's professional development program for early literacy in the last REL contract. It will provide intensive year-round training that combines comprehensive systematic learning of explicit reading comprehension skills, a 10-day annual summer institute, peer-support groups, monthly observations, and individualized coaching by trainers.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description 4th and 5th grade EL teachers
Additional Study Sample Information The target populations for the intervention are 4th and 5th grade teachers who teach self-contained classes. The final sample will include approximately 50 schools with about 250 teachers and 5800 students.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The study adopts a cluster random assignment research design in which the unit of random assignment is the school. Approximatley half of the 50 sample schools will we randomly assigned to the treatment group and half to the control condition. All 4th and 5th grade teachers in each of the program schools will be recruited to participate in PRExC-ELL for 2 years. Data collection will occur at baseline plus three yearly follow-ups.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Control group teachers will not receive these services for 2 years, after which they will be eligible for them.
Data Analytic Strategy No information provided.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The three primary outcomes are teachers' content knowledge, measured by an assessment test, teachers' pedagogical practices, measured by classroom observations, and student achievements, measured by standardized tests (Gates-MacGinitie Reading tests and others to be identified).
Summary of the Study / Abstract The study involves the implementation of a professional development program for 4th and 5th grade teachers who teach English language learners (ELLs) and assesses whether the proposed high-quality professional development model will have measurable impacts on teacher and student outcomes. In particular, the study addresses the following research questions: Do teachers who participate in the intervention improve their content knowledge and classroom instructional skills? Does reading comprehension of students of these teachers improve?

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#268. Updated September 11, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Understanding Science and the Academic Literacy of English Learners
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Joan Heller Heller Research Associates jheller@edservices.org
Start Date:	January 1, 2008	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL program
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will be conducted in urban districts in the West region with large populations of students who are English language learners.
Intervention The intervention is designed to build teacher content knowledge in science as well as approaches to developing academic literacy for English language learners. The specific treatment will be a 24-hour professional development course for teachers, led by trained facilitators, which will be held in three-hour sessions biweekly for 14 weeks.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description This study will focus on 8th grade science students.
Additional Study Sample Information Six research sites serve six regions in California and one urban district in Arizona. Approximately 120 volunteer middle school teachers are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups. The study includes approximately 4,800 students.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Approximately 120 volunteer teachers are randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. Where two or more teachers in a school agree to participate, teachers are randomly assigned to treatment and control groups within the school. Where only one teacher in a school is participating, likely the more common case, researchers will randomly assign schools to treatment and control groups. Treatment group teachers take an Understanding Science course in August 2009, incorporating what they learn there into their instruction of force and motion in the subsequent fall semester.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Control group teachers participate in their regular professional development activities and continue using their usual instructional practices in the fall.
Data Analytic Strategy With 120 teachers and an average of 40 students served by each teacher, the study is powered to detect program impacts of 0.17-0.20 standard deviation units on academic outcomes for general and English language learner students, which is equivalent to about two-thirds of a year of growth by middle school students on norm-referenced standardized tests in reading. For teacher outcomes, the projected sample size is sufficient to detect impacts greater than 0.46 standard deviation units. Impacts of this magnitude would be expected at the more proximal teacher level to produce smaller subsequent impacts at the more distal student level. To estimate program impacts, outcomes for students and teachers in treatment classrooms are compared with those for their counterparts in control classrooms. Multilevel regression models are used to account for school and classroom clustering. Exploratory analyses will examine impacts on student groups, such as English language learner students.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Measures include: teacher science content knowledge about force and motion using pre- and post-tests of a written ATLAST assessment; teacher pedagogical knowledge and instructional strategies for teaching force and motion to ELL students using surveys, interviews, and classroom observations; student science content knowledge about force and motion using pre- and post-tests of a written ATLAST assessment; and student academic language use in science using standardized measures.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Teachers with greater knowledge in science content and in teaching science are more likely to ask their students higher level questions and encourage them to discuss content and think about its applications than are teachers lacking such knowledge. Thus, it seems logical that teachers with greater knowledge in these areas might be more effective at improving student science achievement than those without such knowledge. This study evaluates the effects of WestEd's Understanding Science model of professional development-an approach that emphasizes inquiry-based instruction practices that depend less on English proficiency, textbook knowledge, and direct instruction-on student achievement in science, especially English language learner students.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#263. Updated February 23, 2010 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Accelerating language development in kindergarten through Kindergarten PAVEd for Success
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Barbara Goodson Principal Scientist, Abt Associates Inc. barbara_goodson@abtassoc.com
Other Key Staff:	Dr. Pamela Finney, REL-Southeast Research Management Leader, SERVE Center at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro; Frankie Walton White, Senior Policy Analyst and Study Manager, SERVE Center at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Start Date:	January 1, 2007	Anticipated End Date:	December 31, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL program
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will be conducted in kindergarten classrooms located in and around the Mississippi Delta region.
Intervention K-PAVE aims to improve kindergarten student vocabulary development through instruction materials and teacher training. Teachers are provided with 24 weekly vocabulary units on topics aligned with the Mississippi kindergarten curriculum. Each unit includes books and activities designed to reinforce new vocabulary words. Teachers are also trained to use specific techniques for explicit vocabulary instruction, to increase the number and quality of informal teacher-student conversations, and to engage in frequent interactive book reading and rereading with students, during which they ask students to predict events, draw conclusions, make connections to their personal experiences, and tackle other cognitively challenging questions. K-PAVE's conversation and interactive book reading components are posited to improve background knowledge that supports both vocabulary learning and reading comprehension. Training includes an initial two-day professional development session early in the school year, follow-up coaching through telephone conference calls, and two one-on-one visits to observe and coach teachers' implementation of K-PAVE in the classroom. Workshop training, conference call coaching, and classroom visits are provided by a team, including one of the K-PAVE developers and staff trained by the developer. All consenting kindergarten teachers in a school were offered the K-PAVE training (during the intervention year for treatment schools and the following school year for control schools).
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, White Student Level(s) of Education: Kindergarten Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description 60 to 80 schools serving predominantly low-income children (defined by the percentage of children receiving free and reduced-price meals), within about 50 school districts
Additional Study Sample Information The sample has 31 treatment schools and 34 control schools, with a total of 130 classrooms. A random sample of approximately 10 students from each of the two randomly selected classrooms in each school is selected, for a total projected sample size of 1,300 students. Overall, 58 percent of the schools are in rural areas, 30 percent are in small towns, and 12 percent are in large towns or on the fringe of a city. On the Mississippi state proficiency test, most schools (72 percent) did not meet state-defined expectations for annual growth in reading and math. School demographics reflect the largely poor, Black population of the Delta Region: the median percentage of Black students in a school is 96 percent, and the median percentage of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch in a school is 92 percent. Treatment and control schools do not significantly differ at baseline on any of these characteristics, with one exception. More control schools (23) than treatment schools (13) are in rural areas.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The study randomly assigns schools to the treatment or control condition. The final sample includes 65 schools. The sample has 31 treatment schools and 34 control schools in 35 districts from which consent was received at all levels-districts, schools, and teachers. Two consenting teachers from each school were randomly selected to participate. Student and teacher measures will be collected from the classrooms of the randomly selected teachers. Treatment school teachers receive the K-PAVE intervention in 2008/09.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers in control schools will receive professional development as currently provided by their district. All consenting kindergarten teachers in the control schools were offered the K-PAVE training the year following the intervention year.
Data Analytic Strategy The study has the power to detect an impact on classroom instruction of at least 0.52 standard deviation and an impact on students of at least 0.31 standard deviation, approximately 4 points on a standardized measure of student vocabulary or comprehension. Such a score is equivalent to an additional four months of growth. To examine the impact of K-PAVE on students, the researchers estimate the average impact of the intervention on students across all schools at the end of the kindergarten year (and, if appropriate, at the end of grade 1) with a model that adjusts standard error estimates to account for the nesting of students within classrooms, and classrooms within schools. The intervention impact on teacher and classroom practices will also be estimated using a model that accounts for the clustering of two classrooms per school. Because schools, not classrooms, are randomly assigned to the intervention, the average impact of the K-PAVE intervention on classroom instruction is estimated at the school level. Because only two classrooms per school are sampled (limiting degrees of freedom at the classroom level), teacher characteristics at the school level are controlled for by calculating the average for the two teachers sampled from each school. To examine the impact of K-PAVE on student and teacher outcomes, a school-level variable that indicates whether the school was assigned to the treatment or the control group will be included in the respective models.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Key outcomes are student language and literacy achievement and teacher language and literacy instruction practice. Impacts on teacher instruction are an intermediate outcome, as the study hypothesizes that the K-PAVE intervention has an effect on students' development through changes in teaching practice. Outcomes on teacher instruction are measured during a three-hour classroom observation at both baseline and posttest that comprises four measures. Assessment of student vocabulary and comprehension outcomes are based on four normed instruments individually administered at pretest and posttest. A fifth measure will be used to assess student's productive language skills. Data are collected from a single cohort of kindergarten students in fall 2008 (pretest) and spring 2009 (posttest). If there are significant impacts on students at the end of kindergarten, data on follow-up impacts in grade 1 will be collected in spring 2010. Classroom and teacher data are collected in fall 2008 (pretest) and spring 2009 (posttest). All pretest data on kindergarten students, classrooms, and teachers are collected before intervention training and implementation. Student demographic information are collected from district datasets and baseline teacher and assistant teacher characteristics are collected from a short questionnaire on background.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Some 18 percent of students in grades 3 and 4 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina do not meet state standards in reading. Focusing on kindergarten classrooms in and around the Mississippi Delta Region, this study examines the impact of the Kindergarten PAVE for Success (K-PAVE) vocabulary intervention on students' vocabulary and literacy achievement and on teachers' vocabulary and broader literacy instruction practices.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#264. Updated February 23, 2010 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	The Effectiveness of the Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI)
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Denis Newman President, Empirical Education dn@empiricaleducation.com
Other Key Staff:	Dr. Robert Bozick, Senior Research and Evaluation Specialist, AED; Dr. Pamela Finney, REL-Southeast Research Management Leader, SERVE Center at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro; Jean Scott, Senior Policy Analyst and Study Manager, SERVE Center at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Start Date:	June 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	December 31, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL program
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study takes place at schools in 5 regions of Alabama.
Intervention The Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative (AMSTI) was developed by the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) to improve the quality of mathematics and science instruction with provision of comprehensive professional development, in-school coaching and supports, and provision of technology and instructional materials. Teachers and principals are required to attend a two week Summer Institute prior to each of the first two school years during which AMSTI is implemented. The treatment includes: on-site teacher trainings in the Fall of each year; mentoring by "lead" math and science teachers with newer faculty; site visits from math and science specialists from the local university to provide assistance; and teacher team meetings to plan and discuss their use of and experience with AMSTI. AMSTI also provides technology-oriented and hands-on resources and tools that include assessments and various toolkits from the GLOBE software program.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School, Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description 4th through 8th grades in 80 Alabama public schools
Additional Study Sample Information The study sample includes 4th through 8th grade students in 80 Alabama public schools.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study is a grouped randomized control trial in 5 regions of Alabama. Schools are randomized into 2 groups. One group of 20 schools will receive 2 years of the AMSTI program in 2006-2007 and 2007-2008. A second group of 20 schools will receive the AMSTI program in the second school year 2007-2008 and continue through the third year 2008-2009. A replication study begins in 2007-2008 and is similar in design and size as the original study. Data from the original and replication studies will be included in the final analysis and results.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Schools assigned to the control group remain in that condition for only 1 year and then join the treatment condition.
Data Analytic Strategy During the 3 years of each study (original and replication studies), randomly assigned groups allow for 3 different kinds of comparisons: in year 1 the study compares 1 year of treatment with no treatment; in year 2 the study compares 2 years of treatment with 1 year of treatment; in year 3, the study compares full treatment plus a year of lasting effects with 2 years of treatment. Schools assigned to the control group remain in that condition for only 1 year and then join the treatment condition. However, full treatment is a 2 year process. To infer what the treatment effect is after 2 years we rely on a quasi-experimental approach whereby we obtain a counterfactual value by assuming that the impact of the first year of AMSTI applies to the treatment group as well as the controls once they enter treatment a year later. The resulting estimate does not become biased with changes in secular trends and is accurate so long at the treatment effect is constant. Covariates include pretest scores, student SES and ethnicity, teacher education, amount of inquiry instruction, and teacher professional development.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The primary impact outcomes are: (1) student achievement in math, science, and reading during Year 1 and Year 2; (2) impact of AMSTI on teacher instructional practices during Year 1 and Year 2; (3) the impact of two years of AMSTI on student achievement compared to one year; (4) AMSTI's lasting effect on student achievement after the intervention has been diminished; and (5) the impact of AMSTI across characteristics of teachers, students, and the school technology environment. The primary implementation outcomes are: (1) the delivery of regional professional training consistency with the state design of the AMSTI program; (2) the timeliness of the classroom availability of the technology materials that AMSTI uses; (3) the relationship between the training provided and actual classroom instructional practices in the region; and (4) the ways classroom implementation of AMSTI vary with teacher characteristics, student characteristics, and the technology environment of the school. Student achievement is measured with 4 years of longitudinal data from the Alabama Reading and Mathematics Test (ARMT grades 3 through 8) and the Stanford 10 (grades 4 and 8) on science. Differences in instructional practices and school context between AMSTI and comparison groups are measured using data from teacher and principal surveys and interviews and classroom observations.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The study examines the impact of the AMSTI program for the 4th through 8th grades in 80 Alabama public schools. Primary research questions concern program impact on student achievement in math, science, and reading and teacher instructional practices as well as the program implementation and delivery.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#265. Updated January 20, 2010 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Impact of Collaborative Strategic Reading on Reading Comprehension in Grade 5
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Russell Gersten Director of Research, REL Southwest rgersten@inresg.org
Other Key Staff:	Dr. Charles Wilkins, Senior Statistician, REL Southwest; Dr. John Hitchcock, Senior Research Consultant, ICF International; Dr. Joseph Dimino, Vice-President, Instructional Research Group; Dr. Anja Kurki, Senior Research Analyst, American Institutes for Research
Start Date:	January 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL program
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study takes place in urban school districts in Texas and Oklahoma with a high proportion of English language learner students. At least 25 percent of students in each district are designated as former or current English language learner students. This cutoff was chosen because a review of school demographics suggested that this is a fairly high level of English language learner students for schools in these states.
Intervention Collaborative strategic reading is a teaching approach that incorporates reading comprehension strategies and cooperative learning in content curriculum. Teachers incorporate the approach into the normally scheduled social studies time, without affecting the overall amount of social studies instruction. Students are placed in small learning groups and presented with a reading passage and taught comprehension strategies for expository text. Teachers receive two days of professional development as well as ongoing follow-up coaching throughout the year. During the first several weeks of the intervention, treatment teachers use whole-group instruction to teach the comprehension strategies of collaborative strategic reading (preview, click and clunk, get the gist, and wrap-up strategies) and the roles and responsibilities of group members. For the remainder of the intervention, students are placed in groups of four to six students two to three times per week to implement the strategies for 30-40 minutes during social studies class. These small cooperative groups, supervised by teachers, are fluid. Group memberships change over time, and students rotate roles during the school year.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description 5th grade classrooms
Additional Study Sample Information The study will consist of approximately 5th grade classrooms in high poverty, urban school districts with a high proportion of ELLs. The overall sample consists of around 20 schools and 80 classrooms (40 in treatment and 40 in control), for a total of around 2,000 students.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study is a randomized controlled trial in which grade 5 classrooms (teachers) are randomly assigned to either a treatment group that receives a collaborative strategic reading intervention or a control group that does not receive the intervention. Although collaborative strategic reading is a one-year intervention, the study occurs over a two-year period, occurring in about half the schools in year 1 (2007/08) and the remainder in year 2 (2008/09). Normally, instruction in collaborative strategic reading would continue, but this study examines only the effect after one year of implementation. A two-year implementation schedule allows for the recruitment of a sufficiently large sample for detecting differences between the treatment and control groups.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Control classrooms continue with business as usual-the district- or school-adopted social studies textbook and regular instruction. Control teachers do not receive training in collaborative strategic reading or any other study-related professional development, but they are free to participate in any commonly offered professional development.
Data Analytic Strategy The sample size is large enough to detect an approximate effect size of 0.20 standard deviation or larger. The 0.20 effect size was selected because the prior research most similar to this trial (a quasi-experimental design used by Klingner et al. 1998) found slightly larger effect sizes. The effect size of 0.20 corresponds to a 3-point mean difference on the outcome measure. This ensures that the study will be able to detect mean score differences of 3 points or more between the treatment and control groups. Data from the two years will be combined and analyzed to compare treatment and control group performance on the GRADE (taking into account any pretest differences on this measure). This analysis will be conducted separately for English language learner students and all other students. It is important to monitor attrition, especially different attrition rates in the treatment and control groups, since large differences in attrition can lead to biased impact estimates. Preliminary results from year 1 indicate that attrition is likely to be minimal; however, teacher and student attrition will be carefully monitored and reported in detail. Descriptive analyses will also be conducted to detect differential attrition.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes This study's primary outcome is student reading comprehension, measured by the Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation (GRADE), a reliable, nationally normed reading achievement test.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The number of English language learner students is on the rise in the Southwest Region. The language demands on these students grow more challenging in grades 4-6, especially in complex content areas such as science and history. Teachers are required to work with classrooms with a mix of English language learners and fluent English speakers. Yet there are few empirically supported interventions that meet the academic needs of these types of classrooms. This study examines the impacts of the collaborative strategic reading technique on grade 5 classrooms that include both English Language Learners and fluent English speakers in Texas and Oklahoma.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#267. Updated September 10, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Utilizing Lexiles for a Summer Reading Program for Low-Income Students
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Kim Diehl Brunnert Senior Researcher, Regional Educational Laboratory-Southwest/Edvance Research Inc. ericrolfhus@westat.com
Start Date:	January 1, 2008	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL program
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will be conducted in one or more medium to large districts in the Texas region with a high proportion of low-income struggling readers. In order to be eligible, students will need to be low-income, score below the 50th percentile on national norms for a reading test that reports Lexile measures, and be able to read in English. English language learners (ELLs) and bilingual students are eligible; however, monolingual non-English speakers will not be included in the study. Because the study will utilize Lexile^TM measures, we identified Texas as the state in which to recruit as all of its public schools/districts administer the TAKS assessment, which allows for the identification of a Lexile measure for each student that describes his or her reading ability.
Intervention Voluntary Summer Reading Programs (SRPs) are those in which students are provided access to books with the idea that if the subject matter interests them, they will voluntarily read the books in their spare time with little guidance or prompting to do so. All voluntary Summer Reading Programs share three characteristics: (1) the students choose their books; (2) the students read silently on their own; and, (3) the students receive little or no feedback on the selection of their books. Our SRP will send books to students based on their Lexile score which will be used to match reading material to student ability. The Lexile scale is a developmental scale for measuring reading ability and text difficulty, ranging from below 200L for beginning readers and beginning-reader materials to above 1700L for advanced readers and materials.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The sample will include 3rd and 4th grade years who read below the 50th percentile on a nationally-normed reading assessment and qualify for the free/reduced lunch program. The research design for this study calls for up to 3 districts with a total of approximately 1,900 participating students.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Students will be randomly assigned to either a treatment or a control group. Treatment students will be mailed approximately 8 books over the summer months that are aimed at their reading ability and interests. Participating students will choose their books (based on Lexile scores) and student test scores will be examined, at the end of the study, to determine the impact that the voluntary summer reading program may have on reading comprehension.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Control students will receive 8 books after the summer months.
Data Analytic Strategy The primary hypothesis of this study will be tested using ordinary least-squares (OLS) models that compare the outcomes of students in the SRP with those of students assigned to the control group. Student outcomes will be modeled as a function of students' pretest scores and SRP status. The inclusion of covariates strongly related to the outcome will lead to improved statistical precision of the parameter estimates and can also adjust for significant group differences that occur by chance. In addition to the statistical significance of SRP effect, the analysis will also gauge the magnitude of the effect with the effect size index by dividing the adjusted mean difference by the unadjusted pooled within-group standard deviation of the outcome measure. We have designed a study that can detect a minimal effect size of approximately 0.12 for the main treatment effect for the primary hypothesis
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes REL Southwest will collect pretest and post-test student data from participating districts. Pretest data consists of students' spring TAKS administration reading scores. In addition to pretest data, this data will be used to determine which students fall below the study's cut point and can be included in the study. The post-test data consists of Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) scores.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Voluntary summer reading programs are often used to offset the summer learning loss that occurs primarily among low-income students. The potential benefits of the program may be greater if the reading material matches student ability. This study will evaluate the impact that a Lexile-based voluntary summer reading program has on curtailing the summer learning loss occurring among low-income students between their 3rd and 4th grade years.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#269. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Quality Teaching for English Learners (QTEL)
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Hans Bos CEO and Principal Research Analyst jbos@air.org
Other Key Staff:	Dr. Raquel Sanchez
Start Date:	August 1, 2007	Anticipated End Date:	June 1, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL program
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study will involve 6th, 7th, and 8th grade ELs and ELA/ESL teachers at middle schools in one or more large Western urban districts.
Intervention The intervention includes three years of professional development for teachers. The first two years include 70 hours of professional development and five coaching sessions, per year. Year 3 support is intended to expand teachers' understanding and application of QTEL's tools and processes through targeted support within and across schools.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description This study will involve 6th, 7th, and 8th grade ELs and ELA/ESL teachers.
Additional Study Sample Information Not indicated.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study involves 12,000 6th, 7th, and 8th grade EL students and 240 ELA and ESL teachers at 40 middle schools in one or more large Western urban districts. Within each selected district, 40 schools will be randomly assigned to treatment or control conditions, with approximately six teachers per school participating.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Information not reported
Data Analytic Strategy Information not reported
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Measures include: teacher knowledge and efficacy before and after the professional development in Years 2-4; teacher practice and classroom interactions using a classroom observational tool aligned with QTEL; and student English language proficiency using state and local standardized measures of English Language Arts achievement and proficiency in English.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This study will evaluate a professional development strategy intended to equip secondary teachers to advance development of academic English fluency for English language learners (ELs). The key research questions include: (1) Does participation in QTEL result in changes in middle school teachers' pedagogical content knowledge, teaching expertise, attitudes about capacity to learn, and instructional practices? (2) Do the teachers change their practice to be aligned with the theoretical orientation and strategies demonstrated in the professional development sessions? and (3) Does QTEL improve language proficiency and achievement in English language arts? This study will involve 6th, 7th, and 8th grade ELs and ELA/ESL teachers at middle schools in one or more large Western urban districts.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#270. Updated September 11, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	High School Instruction with Problem-Based Economics
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Neal Finkelstein Senior Research Scientist, WestEd nfinkel@wested.org
Start Date:	July 1, 2007	Anticipated End Date:	December 1, 2008
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL program
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study is set in 66 high schools in California and Arizona.
Intervention Problem-based learning uses problem-solving rather than traditional classroom instruction to teach content knowledge and skills. Students learn by doing. Teachers in the treatment group attended a five-day workshop in summer 2007 and received curriculum materials for problem-based economics and training in the materials. In the fall 2007 semester students in grades 11 and 12 in economics classes received the problem-based economics curriculum or the typical curriculum-as did a second group of students enrolled in economics in spring 2008.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description This study will involve 11th and 12th grade students and economics teachers.
Additional Study Sample Information The sample includes 78 teachers and around 6,400 students. Through district curriculum leads and social study department chairs, Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) West contacted teachers to participate in the study. The sample includes nearly three times as many male as female teachers. Teachers, both treatment and control, had an average of about 14 years teaching, with 7 years teaching economics. Around 70 percent of the students are in grade 12, and 30 percent in grade 11. More than half of the sample students are of non-Hispanic descent, with an even distribution by gender.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The study has an experimental trial design in which teachers are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups. Teachers serve as the unit of randomization, and students, the primary unit of observation, are nested within teachers. The recruitment process demanded random assignment both within and between schools. When two or more teachers in a school agreed to participate, they were randomly assigned within the school. When only one teacher in a school agreed to participate-the typical case-the teacher was randomly assigned at the school level. Thus, using a teacher-level random assignment design, the study employs the school as a blocking factor when there are two or more teacher participants per school and a constructed stratum as a blocking factor when there is one teacher participant per school. With this design, teachers in the same school can be assigned to either condition, so they are asked not to collaborate or share materials. Researchers designed the study anticipating between one and three economics teachers per school. Given the pedagogical changes required for full implementation, the study was conducted over one summer (2007) and two consecutive academic semesters (fall 2007 and spring 2008). Treatment teachers received the professional development intervention in the summer and additional support from the developer and master economics teachers in the following two semesters of using the new instruction approach. Data collection for teacher measures covered a full academic year, while students, in two cohorts, were followed for one academic semester, the full length of the course.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Control teachers received a delayed treatment the following summer (2008).
Data Analytic Strategy The analyses for this study will compare outcomes for treatment students and teachers with their control counterparts after completing the economics course, using conditional multilevel regression models. Additional terms will be used to account for the nesting of individuals within higher units of aggregation (see Goldstein 1987; Raudenbush and Bryk 2002; Murray 1998). A random effect for teachers is included to account for the nesting of student observations within teachers. Potential fixed effects will include treatment group, state (California or Arizona), baseline (pretest) measures of outcome variables, and other student- and teacher-level covariates. Exploratory analyses are also planned to investigate differences in problem-based economics program impacts by gender, race/ethnicity, and English language learner and non-English language learner status-with expectations of finding more pronounced positive impacts on students who traditionally exhibit lower levels of academic achievement. The procedures described by Schochet (2008) will be used to account for multiple hypothesis tests involving the numerous outcome variables assessed in the study. Within each of the three outcome domains-teacher content knowledge in economics, student content knowledge in economics, and student problem-solving skills-confirmatory impact analyses will apply multiple comparison procedures to adjust for errors that can arise from testing multiple hypotheses. The sample size is sufficient for detecting program impacts in the range of 0.19-0.22 standard deviation units on academic outcomes for students and 0.57 standard deviation units for teacher outcomes.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The primary outcome for both teachers and students is content knowledge gains in economics measured by the Test of Economic Literacy. This test, developed and refined by the National Council on Economic Education, is now in its third edition, and reliability is high (Cronbach alpha = .89). Student problem-solving skills are measured with open response performance assessments of applied economics concepts (performance task assessments), developed by the Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Testing at the University of California, Los Angeles. Using survey data, teacher's practices and attitudinal measures were used to assess changes in engagement with the curriculum. Teacher outcome measures include the Teacher Test of Economic Literacy, to test teacher content knowledge in economics, and survey instruments, to measure teacher pedagogical practices and satisfaction with problem-based economics. Student outcome measures include the Student Test of Economic Literacy, to test student content knowledge in economics, and student tests in monetary policy (federal funds and employment), fiscal policy, consumer demand, and opportunity costs, to measure student conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This study is designed to test the effect of problem-based instruction on student learning and problem-solving skills in economics. Student achievement outcomes are mediated by changes in teacher knowledge and pedagogical practice. Three research questions guided the study, one on teacher outcomes and two on student outcomes: Does problem-based economics change teachers' content knowledge of economics? Does it change students' content knowledge of economics? Does it change students' problem-solving skills in economics? A problem-based approach to curriculum is frequently a component of high school reform models (Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound 1999; Honey and Henr�quez 1996; Newmann and Wehlage 1995), but teachers and schools find incorporating problem-based teaching into daily classroom instruction difficult (Hendrie 2003). Teachers, social science department chairs, and school instruction leaders will be able to review the findings of the study as they evaluate their options in implementing a required component of the high school curriculum.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#271. Updated September 11, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Program for Infant and Toddler Caregivers (PITC)
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Hans Bos CEO, Berkeley Policy Associates jbos@air.org
Other Key Staff:	Dr. Aletha Huston, Professor, University of Texas at Austin
Start Date:	January 1, 2007	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL program
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study targets child care centers and family childcare homes in Arizona and California that serve children under age 3.
Intervention Based on research, theory, and practice on child development, the PITC is a responsive, relationship-based approach to infant and toddler care. The PITC curriculum is divided into four modules-social emotional growth; group care; learning and development; and culture, family, and providers-delivered through reading materials, group instruction and discussion, audiovisual presentations, and individualized consultation and feedback.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description toddlers and caregivers
Additional Study Sample Information The study sample consists of around 1,009 children in 92 childcare centers and 159 family childcare homes in southern Arizona and California. Between 35 percent (homes) and 39 percent (centers) of the participating facilities are in Arizona. Among families participating in the study, 55 percent are Hispanic, and between 17 percent (centers) and 25 percent (homes) speak primarily Spanish in the home. Among parents whose children were in childcare homes, 25 percent reported having a high school degree or less, and 30 percent a college degree. In childcare centers 31 percent reported having a high school degree or less, and 34 percent a college degree. And in both types of facilities about 80 percent of parents reported that their children attend the facility 30 or more hours a week.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study is a cluster-randomized experimental trial. The study extends from June 2006 through January 2011. Childcare centers and family childcare homes were recruited on a rolling basis between October 2007 and July 2008 and were randomized separately. Intervention implementation commences on a rolling basis after baseline data collection and random assignment, starting in early 2008.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Centers randomly assigned to the control condition will proceed with their business as usual childcare activities.
Data Analytic Strategy Impact analyses will be conducted separately for childcare centers and family childcare homes. Program impacts are estimated by comparing outcomes for intervention programs and children who were enrolled in intervention programs with outcomes for their control counterparts. The effect of the PITC is analyzed using hierarchical regression models to account for the clustering of the data by program. Multiple comparison procedures are used to reduce the probability of finding statistically significant program impacts that are due to chance alone. Mediating analyses include analyses of program implementation and child dosage. Exploratory analyses are also conducted to examine program impacts for subgroups at the program and child levels. The statistical power estimates for this study are: for Type 1 error = 0.05, 80 percent or higher power to detect a mean difference effect size between 0.29 and 0.36 standard deviation at the child level and between 0.35 and 0.46 standard deviation at the program level, assuming an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.20. Implementation and participation analyses are conducted to measure fidelity of treatment and child exposure. Data on staff and program participation, and on changes in children's childcare arrangements, are used for these analyses.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Key outcomes and measures include: childcare program quality using several measures (e.g., Infant Toddler Environmental Rating Scale); and child learning and development using the Bayley Scale of Infant and Toddler Development, and for children aged three and older, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test and certain subscales of the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery or other measures of school readiness. At the program and classroom levels, primary impacts are estimated on two composite indicators of childcare quality: one measuring caregiver-child interactions and a second measuring learning materials and activities. At the child level, impacts on children's cognitive and linguistic development and behavior are estimated. All baseline and outcome data are collected through program observations, surveys, and child assessments. Program-level baseline data were collected before random assignment. Follow-up program and child outcome data are collected 13-14 months after random assignment, and for child outcome data again 22-23 months after random assignment.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The study tests the effect of the Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC), a professional development strategy designed to improve both the quality of childcare services and the cognitive, linguistic, and social development of infants and toddlers. The findings from the impact analyses may be used to inform policymakers and to guide PITC developers in strengthening components or targeting certain training approaches to more effectively address identified needs.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#272. Updated September 11, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Effects of the Lessons in Character English Language Arts Character Education Program on Behavior and Academic Outcomes
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Thomas Hanson Senior Research Associate, WestEd/Regional Educational Laboratory West thanson@wested.org
Other Key Staff:	Dr. Barbara Dietsch, Research Associate, WestEd/Regional Educational Laboratory West
Start Date:	April 1, 2007	Anticipated End Date:	April 1, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL program
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will take place in 50 California elementary schools.
Intervention The Lessons in Character curriculum is delivered by classroom teachers with implementation support from the developer. It teaches character and integrates the language of character into the English language arts curriculum through multicultural literature (lap books) and audiocassettes. Designed for grades K-9, the curriculum is aligned with California education standards. The intervention involves a one-day training course for treatment teachers in year 1-who in turn are expected to incorporate between 19 and 24 supplementary lessons into their classroom instruction for two academic years. No Lessons in Character professional development activities or coaching occurs in year 2 of implementation.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description This study will involve 2nd-5th grade students.
Additional Study Sample Information The study sample consists of around 15,000 students in grades 2-5 in 50 public elementary schools in California-34 in the Los Angeles and San Diego Metropolitan Statistical Areas, 13 in northern California, and 3 in central California. Thirty schools are in a large city or urban fringe of a large city, six in a mid-size city (population of 25,000-250,000), and fourteen in a small town or rural area. Each school serves around 350 students, though nine have fewer than 150 students, and two have more than 600. Approximately 58 percent of the students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, 49 percent are Hispanic, 30 percent are English language learner students, and 33 percent are White (California Department of Education 2009).
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Designed as an experimental trial, the study runs from spring 2007 to spring 2010 in 50 volunteer California elementary schools with teachers of grades 2-5. Recruited using mass mailings and established WestEd marketing channels, schools are randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. Two cohorts of elementary schools are participating. Cohort 1 implementation is taking place in 2007/08 and 2008/09, with teacher professional development and coaching in late summer and early fall of year 1 (2007). Cohort 2 schools were recruited in spring 2008, with implementation scheduled for 2008/09 and 2009/10.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers in control schools continue with their regular professional development activities and instructional practices.
Data Analytic Strategy Both cohorts are pooled for all analyses. Multilevel regression models, which account for data clustering by school, are used to analyze the effect of Lessons in Character. Multiple comparison procedures are used for each outcome domain to reduce the probability of finding statistically significant program impacts when impacts are due to chance alone. Exploratory analyses also examine potential impacts on other areas, such as staff culture of belonging and student academic engagement, cooperation, and disciplinary referrals. In addition to estimating program impacts, the study also conducts exploratory analyses to investigate differences in program impacts by gender, race/ethnicity, and limited English proficiency. With 25 schools per condition (treatment or control) and an expected average of at least 224 students in each school, the projected sample size is sufficient for detecting program impacts on student outcomes (0.17-0.23 standard deviation). Specifically, that sample size can detect an effect size equal to about two-fifths of a year of growth experienced by grade 2 students on norm-referenced standardized tests in reading (Hill et al. 2008).
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The study's key outcome variables are student academic achievement, social skills, behavior, and school climate-and their measures. These outcomes are assessed with standardized achievement tests (California Standards Tests), teacher reports on the Social Skills Rating System, student surveys of fourth and fifth graders, and teacher surveys. The study also conducts exploratory analyses to investigate differences in program impacts by gender, race/ethnicity, and limited English proficiency.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Despite the widespread popularity of character education programs, few randomized trials have examined the impact of such programs on the character traits, behavior, and academic outcomes of students. This study evaluates the effect of a promising English language arts character education program, Lessons in Character, on student academic performance, behavior, and social skills and on the school climate.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#275. Updated October 7, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Effects of Transitional Bilingual Education, Two-Way Bilingual, and Structured English Immersion Programs and the Literacy and Oracy of Spanish-Dominant Children
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Robert Slavin Director, Center for Research and Reform in Education, Johns Hopkins University rslavin@jhu.edu
Other Key Staff:	Margarita Calderon, Professor, Johns Hopkins University; Nancy Madden, Professor, Johns Hopkins University
Start Date:	October 1, 2003	Anticipated End Date:	September 30, 2009
Sponsoring Organization:	NCEE
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study is set in 15 elementary schools.
Intervention Three conditions are being studied: structured English immersion, transitional bilingual education, and two-way bilingual education.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School, Kindergarten Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description 545 Kindergarten children who are Spanish-dominant English language learners. They will be followed until third grade. To increase statistical power, the study sample will be increased by adding new Kindergarten cohorts in each year of the study.
Additional Study Sample Information The sample contains approximately 545 Kindergarten children in 15 different elementary schools who are Spanish-dominant English language learners.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Two sets of schools have been recruited. In one set, a total of 387 students in 10 schools have been randomly assigned to receive either the structured English immersion or the transitional bilingual program. In the second set, approximately 158 students in 5 schools have been randomly assigned to either structured English immersion or two-way bilingual instruction. The first cohort of Kindergarten students will be followed over a four-year period, Kindergarten to Grade 3, and will have fully transitioned to English only instruction by the end of the study.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Children in the sample have been randomly assigned across three educational conditions: structured English immersion, a transitional bilingual program, or two-way bilingual instruction.
Data Analytic Strategy No information provided
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Outcomes to be studied are English literacy, oracy, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing. These outcomes will measure the effects of structured English immersion versus the other two instructional strategies.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This study will explore the effects of transitional bilingual education, two-way bilingual, and structured English immersion programs on the literacy and oracy skills of English language learners whose first language is Spanish. Specifically, the study will examine the following research questions: 1) what are the relative effects of teaching reading, writing, and oracy to Spanish-dominant students in structured English immersion versus transitional bilingual education or two-way bilingual education on English literacy, oracy, vocabulary, comprehension, writing, and other variables; 2) how do the effects of structured English immersion versus the other two instructional strategies vary according to child and home factors such as race, gender, initial skills in Spanish and English, initial cognitive skills, home language use, family structure, and family resources; and 3) how do the effects of structured English immersion versus the other two instructional strategies vary according to school and teacher factors such as quality of program implementation, classroom oral language environment, teacher language proficiency, use of Spanish or English in parts of the day other than literacy periods, and district and state policy environments?

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#276. Updated October 7, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Optimizing Educational Outcomes for English Language Learners
Principal Investigator:	Dr. David Francis Professor, University of Houston dfrancis@uh.edu
Other Key Staff:	Diane August, Senior Research Scientist, Center for Applied Linguistics; Sharon Vaughn, Professor, University of Texas at Austin
Start Date:	October 1, 2003	Anticipated End Date:	September 30, 2009
Sponsoring Organization:	NCEE
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Public elementary schools in Brownsville, Texas.
Intervention Enhanced versions of structured English immersion (SEI) and transitional bilingual education (TBE).
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School, Kindergarten Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description Approximately 1,600 Kindergarten to Grade 3 public school students and 320 public school teachers from Brownsville, Texas, will participate in the study.
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 1,600 Kindergarten to Grade 3 public school students and 320 public school teachers will participate in the study.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods In 8 schools using structured English immersion (SEI), a total of 18 kindergarten teachers were randomly assigned to either the control or treatment (enhanced version of SEI) conditions. In thirteen schools using transitional bilingual education (TBE), 36 kindergarten teachers were randomly assigned to the treatment (enhanced version of TBE) or the control condition (TBE as typically implemented). Students were assigned to teachers by school personnel using standard practice, independent of teacher assignments.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control conditions include the SEI and TBE as typically implemented.
Data Analytic Strategy Data analyses will examine which is more effective, the enhanced, research-based program or the current program within program model. Additional analyses will compare, quasi-experimentally, the relative impacts of the two enhanced approaches.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The primary outcomes to be examined are the acquisition of English and Spanish language and literacy skills and levels of content knowledge.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This study explores the relative effects of different English education strategies on the outcomes of English Language Learners. The study addresses the following research questions: 1) do children in enhanced (research-based) versions of structured English immersion and transitional bilingual education programs outperform children in typical, existing programs; 2) what are the outcomes in English oracy and literacy, and Spanish language development for children in enhanced structured English immersion programs compared to those outcomes for children in enhanced transitional bilingual education; and 3) how do the growth rates of students in the enhanced structured English immersion program compare to the growth rates of students in the enhanced transitional bilingual education program?

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#277. Updated October 7, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Project ELLA (English language/Literacy Acquisition)
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Raphael Lara-Alecio Professor, Texas A&M a-lara@tamu.edu
Other Key Staff:	Beverly Irby, Professor, Sam Houston State University; Patricia Mathes, Professor, Southern Methodist University
Start Date:	October 1, 2003	Anticipated End Date:	September 30, 2009
Sponsoring Organization:	NCEE
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study takes place in 23 schools in the Aldine Independent School District, a large urban school district in Houston, Texas.
Intervention The interventions are enhanced forms of structured English immersion (SEI) and transitional bilingual education (TBE).
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School, Kindergarten Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description 837 native Spanish-speaking students in Kindergarten and will be followed through the third grade.
Additional Study Sample Information The sample contains approximately 837 native Spanish-speaking students.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods For the randomized controlled trial, 11 schools were randomly assigned to receive enhanced versions (experimental condition) of each program type, and 12 schools were randomly assigned to continue with their program(s) as typically implemented (control condition). Students were assigned to either SEI or TBE programs by school personnel using standard practice.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The schools in the control condition continued with their SEI or TBE program as typically implemented.
Data Analytic Strategy No information provided
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The primary study outcomes will measure reading achievement, literacy, and English proficiency in English language learners.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The study examines the effectiveness of structured English immersion and transitional bilingual education programs in developing English proficiency and reading achievement for English-language learners whose first language is Spanish. It also looks at the effectiveness of each model type and whether there are characteristics that predict success in English proficiency. Finally, it examines whether student, teacher, and school characteristics interact with program type to predict English proficiency in native Spanish speakers.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#280. Updated September 18, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Evaluation of the Impact of Charter School Strategies
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Phil Gleason Senior Fellow, Mathematica Policy Research pgleason@mathematica-mpr.com
Start Date:	September 1, 2003	Anticipated End Date:	March 1, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	NCEE
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Two cohorts of oversubscribed charter middle schools were selected to meet the study's data needs and to reflect variation in the policy environment, for a total of about 40 participating schools.
Intervention The study tests the efficacy of charter middle schools on student learning. The Public Charter Schools Program (Title V, Part B, Subpart 1 of ESEA) supports the planning, development, and initial implementation of charter schools in states and communities across the U.S, with funding of $190 million in FY 2008. A key component of both the federal program and the charters schools sign with authorizers in their states is a promise to reach milestone's for students' academic achievement.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description Information not reported
Additional Study Sample Information Nearly 40 oversubscribed charter middle schools were selected for the study. Among applicants to each charter school, about 30 students in the entry grade are taking part in the study.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Among applicants to each charter school, about 30 students in the entry grade have been randomly assigned to be admitted to the school or to one of their own choosing (the control group). Schools were recruited in early 2005 and in early 2006, although the student admission lotteries conducted in the subsequent spring in these schools determined whether the schools had sufficient oversubscription to participate in the study.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Some charter school students are randomly assigned to a school of their own choosing (the control group).
Data Analytic Strategy The charter schools have been recruited and random assignment of student applicants and baseline data collection completed. Surveys of principals, parents, and students as well as collection of school records, will continue through early 2009.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes For both cohorts, two years of data will be collected and will include student records, annual test scores, and surveys of students, principals, and parents.
Summary of the Study / Abstract There remains ongoing debate about the extent to which charter schools improve students' academic achievement, with much of the evidence based on descriptive or quasi-experimental studies that cannot fully separate the effects of charter enrollment from the characteristics of students who choose to attend those schools. But with more than 4,000 charter school now operating in over 40 states, policy interest has shifted from a sole focus on "are they effective" to what policy levers (e.g., the level of autonomy, types of authorizers, accountability oversight) and school characteristics might make them more effective. This study of charter middle schools will examine: (a) What are the impacts of charter schools on student achievement, other indicators of performance, and parent and student satisfaction? (b) To what extent does the degree of autonomy or policy environment under which charter schools operate seem to influence their effectiveness? (c) In what ways are charter schools and the sending regular public schools different? What role do these school factors or characteristics play in determining student outcomes?

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#278. Updated October 7, 2009 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	An Evaluation of Teachers Trained Through Different Routes to Certification
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Jill Constantine Associate Director of Human Services Research, Mathematica Policy Research Inc. jconstantine@mathematica-mpr.com
Start Date:	October 1, 2003	End Date:	December 30, 2008
Sponsoring Organization:	NCEE
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pubs/20094043/pdf/20094043.pdf
Published Report Citation: Constantine, J., Player D., Silva, T., Hallgren, K., Grider, M., and Deke, J. (2009). An Evaluation of Teachers Trained Through Different Routes to Certification, Final Report (NCEE 2009-4043). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting The study takes place in schools that had recently hired alternatively certified (AC) teachers. Schools could be included in the study only if they had at least one eligible AC and one eligible TC teacher in the same grade, in kindergarten through grade 5. To be eligible, teachers: (1) had to be relative novices (three or fewer years of teaching experience prior to 2004-2005, five or fewer years prior to 2005-2006); (2) had to teach in regular classrooms (for example, not in special education classrooms); and (3) had to deliver both reading and math instruction to all their own students.
Intervention The study examines alternative route to certification (AC) programs, in which typicaly a teacher will begin teaching before completing all their certification requirements.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School, Kindergarten Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description Information not reported
Additional Study Sample Information The final study sample included 87 AC teachers and 87 TC teachers (some of whom participated in the study both years) from 63 schools in 20 districts and 7 states. Fourteen of the 20 districts were in urban areas, and 4 were on the fringe of one. Although we identified and sampled from a large number of less selective AC programs operating in 2003-2004, the programs and teachers that were included in the study sample were not necessarily representative of all AC programs operating at the time. T-tests confirmed that there were no statistically significant differences in demographic characteristics, including gender, race/ethnicity, and eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch, or baseline achievement levels between students assigned to AC or TC teachers. In addition, the integrity of random assignment was well maintained: fewer than 3 percent of students originally assigned to one type of classroom switched over to the other type.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods In the study schools, every grade that contained at least one eligible AC and one eligible TC teacher was included. Students in these study grades were randomly assigned to be in the class of an AC or a TC teacher. The random assignment ensured that, within each teacher pair, the students in each classroom were similar on average. The pairing of an AC teacher to a TC teacher in each school and grade level constituted a separate miniexperiment.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Traditionally certified teachers served as a comparison.
Data Analytic Strategy In each school grade, the outcomes of students who were randomly assigned to an AC classroom were compared to the outcomes of students who were assigned to a TC classroom, generating an impact estimate for each teacher pair, referred to as a miniexperiment. The overall impact was calculated by taking the average of the impacts from all mini-experiments. The mini-experiments were also divided into two approximately equalsized subgroups based on the amount of coursework that was required (low or high) by the AC teacher's program, and the impacts were averaged separately for each group. Lowcoursework AC teachers were defined as teachers whose program required 274 or fewer hours of coursework, while high-coursework AC teachers were defined as teachers whose program required 308 hours or more of coursework.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes The primary outcomes studied are student achievement and teacher effectiveness (effect of teachers on student achievement or classroom practices). Student achievement in reading and math achievement (California Achievement Test 5th Ed.) was assessed at baseline and followup. Teacher practices were evaluated through observations that rated the quality of their instruction (Vermont Classroom Observation Tool [VCOT]). Principals also rated the quality of the study teachers' instruction and classroom management relative to other teachers in the school. Teacher characteristics were obtained thorough a survey. We also obtained their college entrance examination (SAT and ACT) scores. Teachers' certification program experiences were obtained through interviews with directors of the training programs that study teachers attended.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The increased variation in teacher preparation approaches created by the existence of various AC and TC programs offers an opportunity to examine the effect of different components of training on teacher performance. This study addresses two questions related to teacher preparation and certification routes: 1) what are the relative effects on student achievement of teachers who chose to be trained through different routes to certification as well as how do observed teacher practices vary by chosen route to certification; and 2) what aspects of certification programs (such as the amount of coursework, the timing of coursework relative to being the lead teacher in the classroom, the core coursework content) are associated with teacher effectiveness?
Interpretation of Results / Discussion This study found no benefit, on average, to student achievement from placing an AC teacher in the classroom when the alternative was a TC teacher, but there was no evidence of harm, either. In addition, the experimental and nonexperimental findings together indicate that although individual teachers appear to have an effect on students' achievement, we could not identify what it is about a teacher that affects student achievement. Variation in student achievement was not strongly linked to the teachers' chosen preparation route or to other measured teacher characteristics.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#279. Updated October 7, 2009 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Educational Technology Interventions
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Mark Dynarski Senior Fellow, Mathematica Policy Research mdynarski@gmail.com
Other Key Staff:	Roberto Agodini, Senior Researcher, Mathematica Policy Research Inc.; Barbara Means, Co-Director of the Center for Technology in Learning, SRI International
Start Date:	January 1, 2003	End Date:	January 1, 2008
Sponsoring Organization:	NCEE
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pubs/20094041/pdf/20094041.pdf
Published Report Citation: Campuzano, L., Dynarski, M., Agodini, R., and Rall, K. (2009). Effectiveness of Reading and Mathematics Software Products: Findings From Two Student Cohorts (NCEE 2009-4041). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Related Publications Dynarski, M., Agodini, R., Heaviside, S., Novak, T., Carey, N., Campuzano, L., Means, B., Murphy, R., Penuel, w., Javitz, H., Emery, D., and Sussex, w. (2007). Effectiveness of Reading and Mathematics Software Products: Findings from the First Student Cohort (NCEE 2007-4006). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting The study takes place in first grade reading, fourth grade reading, sixth grade math, and algebra classrooms. Districts were recruited on the basis that they did not already use technology products that were similar to study products in participating schools.
Intervention Sixteen educational technology products were selected by the U.S. Department of Education based on public submissions and ratings by the study team and expert review panels. Products were grouped into four areas: first grade reading, fourth grade reading, sixth grade math, and algebra. The criteria weighted the selection toward products that had evidence of effectiveness from previous research, or, for newer products, evidence that their designs were based on approaches found to be effective by research. Twelve of the 16 products had received awards or been nominated for awards (some as recently as 2006) by trade associations, media, teachers, or parents.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School, Middle School, Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description First, fourth, sixth, and ninth grade students.
Additional Study Sample Information Thirty-three districts, 132 schools, and 439 teachers participated in the study. In first grade, 13 districts, 42 schools, and 158 teachers participated. In fourth grade, 11 districts, 43 schools, and 118 teachers participated. In sixth grade, 10 districts, 28 schools, and 81 teachers volunteered, and for algebra, 10 districts, 23 schools, and 71 teachers participated. Districts had a higher percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, were more likely to be in urban locations, were larger, had higher minority enrollment, and were more likely to be Title I schools than the average district.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Within each school, teachers were randomly assigned to be able to use the study product (the treatment group) or not (the control group). Control group teachers were able to use other technology products that may have been in their classrooms.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Control group teachers continued to use their standard instructional practices and were able to use other technology products that may have been in their classrooms.
Data Analytic Strategy When estimating the effect of products on student test scores, the nested structure of the sample was acknowledged by estimating effects using hierarchical linear models. Other analyses also used hierarchical models when the data were clustered by classroom or school. Sample size targets were set so that the study could detect an effect size on test scores of at least 0.25 at each of its four grade levels.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes The primary outcomes were student test scores, classroom activities, and roles of teachers and students. Results were reported for each of four groups of products (reading in 1st and 4th grades, math in 6th grade, and algebra 1), and in no group was the effect of using the software product on student achievement statistically different from the control group. During the 2005-06 school year, the same teachers used ten products with a second cohort of students. For the reading products, the second year of use by teachers was not more effective than the first year. The evaluation found no significant difference in student achievement between the classrooms that used the technology products and the classrooms that did not use the technology products, in any of the four groups, in second year of use by teachers. Only for LeapTrack in the fourth grade is the effect on student achievement positive and statistically significant.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Congress posed questions about the effectiveness of educational technology and how effectiveness is related to conditions and practices. The study identified reading and mathematics software products based on prior evidence of effectiveness and other criteria and recruited districts, schools, and teachers to implement the products. The study used an experimental design to assess the effects of technology products, with volunteering teachers randomly assigned to use or not use selected products.
Interpretation of Results / Discussion The study tested whether using any of the 10 software products increased student test scores. One product had a positive and statistically significant effect. Nine did not have statistically significant effects on test scores. Five of the insignificant effects were negative and four were positive. For reading, there were no differences between the effects that products had on standardized student test scores in the first year and the second year. For sixth grade math, product effects on student test scores were more negative in the second year than in the first year, and for algebra I, effects on student test scores were higher in the second year than in the first year. The study's findings should be interpreted in the context of its design and objectives. It examined a range of reading and math software products in a range of diverse school districts and schools. But it did not study many forms of educational technology and it did not include many types of software products. How much information the findings provide about the effectiveness of products that are not in the study is an open question. Products in the study also were implemented in a specific set of districts and schools, and other districts and schools may have different experiences with the products. The findings should be viewed as one element within a larger set of research studies that have explored the effectiveness of software products.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#281. Updated October 7, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Impact Evaluation of Academic Instruction For After-School Programs
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Fred Doolittle Vice President and Director of the Policy Research and Evaluation Department, MDRC fred.doolittle@mdrc.org
Start Date:	October 1, 2003	Anticipated End Date:	September 30, 2008
Sponsoring Organization:	NCEE
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Black, A. R., Doolittle, F., Zhu, P., Unterman, R., and Grossman, J. B. (2008). The Evaluation of Enhanced Academic Instruction in After-School Programs: Findings After the First Year of Implementation (NCEE 2008-4021). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting The study takes place in 50 after-school centers across the country. The target population for the study is students in second through fifth grades who are behind grade level but not by more than two years. The study sample was recruited from students enrolled in after-school programs who were identified by local staff as in need of supplemental academic support to meet local academic standards.
Intervention The two interventions being tested in this evaluation involve providing 45 minutes of formal academic instruction during after-school programs to students who need help meeting local academic standards. The Harcourt School Publishers adapted and expanded its existing school-day materials to develop Harcourt Mathletics, in which students progress through material at their own rate, with pretests at the beginning of each topic to guide lesson planning and posttests to assess mastery or the need for supplemental instruction. The model also includes games to build math fluency; hands-on activities; projects; and computer activities for guided instruction, practice, or enrichment. The second intervention,Success for All Foundation (SFA), adapted its existing school-day reading programs to create Adventure Island, a structured reading model with daily lessons that involve switching quickly from one teacher-led activity to the next. It includes the key components of effective reading instruction identified by the National Reading Panel and builds cooperative learning into its daily classroom routines, which also include reading a variety of selected books and frequent assessments built into lessons to monitor progress.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable, Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable, Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Not Applicable, Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable, Not Applicable
Target Population Description Approximately 2,000 elementary school students at identified after-school centers.
Additional Study Sample Information The enhanced instruction was implemented in 50 after-school centers - 25 to test the reading program and 25 to test the math program. The after-school centers are located in 16 sites within 13 states and include schools and community-based organizations in rural areas, in towns, and within the urban fringe of or in midsize to large cities across the country. Participating centers draw students from schools with an average of 78 percent of students receiving free or reduced-price lunches (a measure of low-income status). The target population for the study is students in second through fifth grades who are behind grade level but not by more than two years. The first year analysis sample for math includes 1,961 students, and the sample for reading comprises 1,828 students.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The design for the random assignment study called for a sample of approximately 50 after-school centers in the first implementation year. Twenty-five of these centers used the reading curriculum, and the remaining 25 employed the math curriculum. Within each center, students were randomly assigned to receive the enhanced program or to receive the kind of academic support usually provided by the program. During the second implementation year, 27 of the 50 after-school centers continued to participate in the study.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Control condition students are assigned to the academic support that the program provided prior to the implementation of the new curriculum.
Data Analytic Strategy For the year one followup, the estimated intervention impacts on follow-up math and reading achievement are regression-adjusted using ordinary least squares, controlling for indicators of random assignment, scaled baseline scores, race/ethnicity, gender, free-lunch status, age, overage for grade, single-adult household, and mother's education. The estimated impact effect sizes are calculated for each outcome as a proportion of the standard deviation of the regular program group.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The study's primary outcomes are math and reading proficiency, in-school behavior, engagement, and homework completion. Intake forms and achievement tests administered at intake are used to describe the sample, compare it to other relevant groups, and to assess students' pre-random assignment characteristics. Attendance data examine the intensity of program participation. Field research, document review, and monitoring reports examine the nature of the services provided and the fidelity with which the enhanced instruction is provided. A follow-up survey describes participation by sample members in other academic or youth development after-school activities. Finally, follow-up achievement tests and surveys are used to estimate differences in student outcomes between the intervention and control groups.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Federal support for after-school programs is provided through the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program, established in 1999 and now a state administered grant program. A primary purpose of the 21st CCLC program is to "provide opportunities for academic enrichment" to help students meet state and local standards in core content areas. Findings from a previous National Evaluation of the 21st CCLC program indicate that, on average, the 21st CCLC program grants awarded between 1999 and 2002 had a limited academic impact on participating elementary school students' academic achievement. In response, IES has supported the development and evaluation of instructional resources for core academic subjects that could be used in after-school programs. This study tests whether an intervention of structured approaches to academic instruction in after-school programs (for reading and math) produce better academic outcomes than regular after-school services that consist primarily of help with homework or locally assembled materials that do not follow a structured curriculum.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#282. Updated October 7, 2009 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	The Impact of Professional Development Models and Strategies on Teacher Practice and Student Achievement in Early Reading
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Michael Garet Vice President, AIR mgaret@air.org
Start Date:	September 30, 2003	End Date:	September 30, 2008
Sponsoring Organization:	NCEE
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pdf/20084030.pdf
Published Report Citation: Garet, M. S., Cronen, S., Eaton, M., Kurki, A., Ludwig, M., Jones, w., Uekawa, K., Falk, A., Bloom, H., Doolittle, F., Zhu, P., and Sztejnberg, L. (2008). The Impact of Two Professional Development Interventions on Early Reading Instruction and Achievement (NCEE 2008-4030). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting To test the effectiveness of the PD interventions in a variety of local contexts that served the study's population of interest, the study sought a sample of schools from six urban school districts that serve substantial numbers of non-English language learner (ELL) students fromlow-income households. The study was further limited to districts that: 1) Administered a standardized reading achievement test in the second grade that could be used as the study's key outcome measure 2) Were not already providing districtwide professional development in reading instruction of the same type and level of intensity as that being provided by the Early Reading PD Interventions Study 3) Were using one of the two scientifically based reading series targeted by the study as the core second grade reading program, and had been using the program for at least one year prior to the study.
Intervention Treatment A, titled Teacher Institute and Seminar Series, involved eight content-focused institute and seminar days, implemented during summer 2005 and the 2005-2006 school year. The teacher institute and seminar series was based on Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS), a professional development curriculum developed by Louisa Moats (2005) and modified for the purposes of the study. In addition to the institute and seminar days, treatment B, titled Added In-School Coaching, provided a half-time coach in each participating school to work with second grade teachers (an average of three teachers per school). The study's coaching model was designed to increase teachers' understanding of the content learned in the institute series and to provide ongoing practice and support for applying their new knowledge and implementing their core reading program effectively. It was expected that teachers would receive, on average, 60 hours of coaching during the school year.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description Second grade teachers.
Additional Study Sample Information Six eligible districts agreed to participate, located in urban or urban fringe areas across four eastern and mid-western states. Each district provided six to 24 study schools, producing a total sample size of 90 schools, which met the study's recruitment target. In comparison to the average urban/urban fringe school, the study schools had a significantly higher percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a significantly higher percentage of African American students, and a significantly lower percentage of White and Hispanic students. Study schools had an average of three second grade teachers and 61 second grade students in regular classrooms. (Self-contained special education classes were excluded.) This resulted in an analysis sample in the 90 schools of 270 teachers and about 5,500 students for the spring of the treatment year, 250 teachers for fall of the follow-up year, and 254 teachers and 4,614 students for spring of the follow-up year.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The 90 study schools were randomly assigned in spring 2005 so that equal numbers within each district received treatment A (the institutes), treatment B (the institutes plus coaching), and no treatment (the district's "business as usual" provessional development). A variety of data were collected from the teachers and students in these schools, primarily in the fall and spring of the implementation year (2005-06) and the fall and spring of the follow-up year (2006-07).
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Schools received the professional development normally provided by the district.
Data Analytic Strategy The basic analytic strategy for assessing the impacts of the PD interventions was to compare outcomes for schools that were randomly assigned within each district to each of the three study conditions. Because we used data on students, nested within teachers' classrooms, nested within study schools, three-level multilevel models were used to estimate the impacts of professional development on student reading achievement and two-level models were used for estimating impacts on the teacher measures. The impact model uses the sample of teachers and students present in the study schools as of the spring 2006 (implementation year) and 2007 (follow-up year) data collection periods. The estimates provide an intent-to-treat analysis of the impact of the interventions because they reflect the PD effects on the targeted (or "intended") sample, whether or not all the teachers in the treatment schools participated fully in the PD provided.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes Teachers who were assigned to either treatment A or B scored significantly higher on overall teacher knowledge total score (effect sizes = 0.37 and 0.38, respectively) and word-level subscore (0.35 and 0.39, respectively), in comparison with the control group teachers, but not for the meaning-level subscale (0.21 and 0.26, respectively), although they were positive. The additional professional development delivered through coaching (tested by comparing treatment B with treatment A) did not produce a statistically significant added effect on any of the three scores (0.01 total, 0.04 on word-level, and 0.05 on meaning-level). Both treatment A and treatment B teachers used explicit instruction to a significantly greater extent than control group teachers (effect sizes = 0.33 and 0.53, respectively). There were no statistically significant impacts on the use of independent study activity or differentiated instruction between any of the groups. The differential impact of coaching on teaching practices was not statistically significant. The improvement in teacher knowledge and the increased explicitness of teachers' instruction caused by the treatments did not translate into improvements in student reading achievement. Neither treatment produced a statistically significant impact on standardized student reading test scores. There was no statistically significant effect of either treatment during the follow-up year on teachers' knowledge or usage of practices. The estimated effect of treatment B on the use of explicit instruction was lower by a statistically significant margin in the follow-up year than in the implementation year (-0.03); no other differences in teacher impacts between years were found.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This report describes the implementation of the professional development interventions tested, and examines their impacts at the end of the year the professional development was delivered. In addition, we investigate the possible lagged effect of the interventions, based on outcomes data collected the year after the professional development interventions concluded.
Interpretation of Results / Discussion The study found that while the treatments resulted in an improvement in teacher knowledge and the increased explicitness of teachers' instruction, they did not result in improvements in student reading achievement. Neither treatment produced a statistically significant impact on standardized student reading test scores. Further, there was no statistically significant effect of either treatment during the follow-up year on teachers' knowledge or usage of practices.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#286. Updated February 1, 2010 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Evaluation of the Impact of the DC Choice Program
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Patrick Wolf Professor, University of Arkansas pwolf@uark.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2004	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	NCEE
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Wolf, P., Gutmann, B., Eissa, N., Puma, M. and Silverberg, M. (2005). Evaluation of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program: First Year Report on Participation. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Wolf, P., Gutmann, B., Puma, M. and Silverberg, M. (2006). Evaluation of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program: Second Year Report on Participation. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Wolf, P., Gutmann, B., Puma, M., Rizzo, L., Eissa, N.,and Silverberg, M. (2007). Evaluation of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program: Impacts After One Year. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Wolf, P., Gutmann, B., Puma, M., Kisida, B., Rizzo, L., and Eissa, N. (2008). Evaluation of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program: Impacts After Two Years. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Wolf, P., Gutmann, B., Puma, M., Kisida, B., Rizzo, L., and Eissa, N. (2009). Evaluation of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program: Impacts After Three Years. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education
Study Setting The study is set in the District of Columbia. To be eligible, students entering grades K-12 must reside in the District and have a family income at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty line. Scholarships are renewable for up to 5 years (as funds are appropriated), so long as students remain eligible for the Program and remain in good academic standing at the private school they are attending.
Intervention The intervention under study is the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program. The purpose of the program was to provide low-income DC residents, particularly those whose children attend schools in need of improvement or corrective action under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, with "expanded opportunities to attend higher performing schools in the District of Columbia" (Sec. 303). The scholarship, worth up to $7,500, could be used to cover the costs of tuition, school fees, and transportation to a participating private school.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School, Elementary School, High School, Kindergarten Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description Approximately 2,300 low-income elementary and secondary school students.
Additional Study Sample Information Three years after being awarded a scholarship, OSP students were enrolled in 54 private schools and the impact sample's treatment students were in 48 of these schools. A total of 2,454 students who applied to the OSP in the first two years of program operation were offered scholarships, with 1,387 of them in the impact sample's treatment group. By year three, 346 students had never used the scholarships, 568 used it all 3 years, and 473 had partially used it. The randomly assigned impact sample was comprised of 1,387 treatment group members and 921 control group members, for a total experimental sample of 2,308 students.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The evaluation is based primarily on a randomized control trial, comparing outcomes of 2,308 students randomly assigned by lottery to either receive a scholarship or not receive a scholarship.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control students are those who applied for, but did not receive, a scholarship.
Data Analytic Strategy For each key year 3 outcome that is a focus of the evaluation, we present the impacts of being awarded a scholarship and of using a scholarship. The first impacts are derived straight from the randomization of applicants into treatment and control groups (the "Intent to Treat" or ITT analysis). The ITT impacts are estimated using a regression model that controls for student baseline characteristics to improve the precision of the estimates. The second set of results (the "Impact on the Treated" or IOT analysis) takes the impacts from the ITT analysis but adjusts them by the rate of scholarship nonuse, effectively re-scaling the ITT impacts across only the treatment students who actually used their scholarship.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The statute mandated that the Program be evaluated with regard to its impact on student test scores and school safety, as well as the "success" of the Program, which, in the design of this study, includes satisfaction with school choices. Data are being collected for four follow up years, for students in both the scholarship and non-scholarship groups. The researchers are administering academic assessments, and conducting student, parent, and principal surveys each spring. Impacts are estimated on the overall sample as well as five subgroup pairs based on the "needs improvement" status of the schools applicants were attending, baseline test score performance, gender, elementary or secondary school, and applircationcohort. Three years after random assignment, positive impacts on reading achievement were observed for the overall sample as well as five distinct subgroups of students: applicants from public schools not in need of improvement at baseline, higher baseline performers, females, K-8 students at baseline, and cohort 1 applicants. No impacts were observed in math, overall or for any subgroups.
Intended Secondary Outcomes Positive impacts on school safety and school satisfaction were observed overall based on parent reports but not based on student reports.
Summary of the Study / Abstract In 2004 Congress established the first federally funded private school voucher program, with annual funding of about $14 million. The program provides scholarships of up to $7,500 for low-income residents of the District of Columbia to send their children to participating local private schools. The law also mandated that the Department conduct an independent, rigorous impact evaluation of what is now called the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program. The evaluation addresses three questions: 1) what is the impact of the scholarship program on student academic achievement and other student outcomes? What is the impact of attending private versus public schools; 2) what effect does the program have on student and parent perceptions of school safety and satisfaction; and 3) to what extent is the program influencing schools and expanding choice for parents in Washington, DC?

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#287. Updated October 7, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Impact Evaluation of a School-Based Violence Prevention Program
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Suyapa Silvia Project Director, RTI International ssilvia@rti.org
Other Key Staff:	Christopher Ringwalt, Senior Research Scientist, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation; Linda Dusenbury, Senior Researcher, Tanglewood Research; William Hansen, President, Tanglewood Research
Start Date:	January 1, 2004	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	NCEE
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Forty middle schools are in the evaluation.
Intervention A curriculum-based program, Responding in Peaceful and Positive Ways (RIPP), and a whole-school program, Best Behavior, were selected by a panel of experts in the field through an open competition. Both a curriculum-based program and a whole-school program are being implemented together so that the impact of a hybrid model of school-based violence prevention can be tested, as was recommended by experts in the field of school-based violence prevention.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Forty middle schools are in the evaluation: half have been randomly assigned to receive the violence-prevention program. The hybrid program is being implemented over three consecutive school years. A curriculum-based program, Responding in Peaceful and Positive Ways (RIPP), and a whole-school program, Best Behavior, were selected by a panel of experts in the field through an open competition.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Forty middle schools are in the evaluation: half have been randomly assigned to receive the violence-prevention program. The hybrid program is being implemented over three consecutive school years.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Schools not assigned to receive the violence prevention program.
Data Analytic Strategy No information provided.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Within each middle school, students are sampled and their violent and aggressive behaviors are measured. Student and teacher surveys, observation of intervention activities, interviews with school administrators, and school records are being collected to assess student outcomes in both treatment and control schools as well as to assess the quality of program implementation.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The following research questions are studied: 1) Do aggressive and violent behaviors decrease in the schools that implement the violence-prevention program compared to the schools that do not implement the violence-prevention program? 2) Over three years of the program implementation, do aggressive and violent behaviors decrease for high-risk students in schools that implement the violence-prevention program compared to high-risk students in schools that do not implement the violence-prevention program?

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#291. Updated October 7, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	The Impact of Professional Development Strategies on Teacher Practice and Student Achievement in Math
Start Date:	August 30, 2005	Anticipated End Date:	August 30, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	NCEE
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting A pilot in 3 districts took place during the 2006-07 school year. The full study is being conducted in 12 districts and 88 middle schools in 2007-08 and in a subset of these schools in 2008-09 (6 districts and 39 schools).
Intervention In the first year, the PD intervention consists of a 3-day summer institute, five day-long seminars during the school year, and 10 days of additional coaching support. In the second year, the PD consists of a 3-day summer institute 7th grade math teachers are offered professional development consisting of a summer institute (4 days for newly hired teachers and 2 days for returning teachers), 3 seminars, and 4 coaching sessions. The PD focuses on both math content and math pedagogy with half the study sample receiving the PD from Pearson Achievement Solutions and the other half receiving PD from America's Choice; both providers were competitively selected.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Not Applicable Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description Seventh grade math teachers.
Additional Study Sample Information The full study is being conducted in 12 districts and 88 schools in 2007-08 and in a subset of these schools in 2008-09 (6 districts and 39 schools).
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Middle schools in each district were randomly assigned to receive the treatment or the professional development normally provided by the district (the control condition). All eligible 7th grade math teachers within the treatment schools receive the professional development.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers in the control condition recieved the professional development normally provided by the district.
Data Analytic Strategy No information provided.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The key outcomes of the studay are teacher knowledge, teacher practice, and student achievement. Data collection occurring in school years 2007-08 and 2008-09 includes measures of the professional development implementation, teacher knowledge and practice, and student achievement.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Title II, Part A, the Improving Teacher State Formula Grants program, is the primary federal funding under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to support a high quality teacher in every classroom. The program, funded at $2.9 billion in FY08, targets high poverty districts and funds a broad array of allowable activities such as support for certification including alternative certification, teacher mentoring and induction, intensive professional development, recruitment, retention, and merit-based teacher and principal pay strategies as well as class size reduction. This study of math professional development provided by America's Choice and Pearson Achievements Solutions provides an important source of information for the professional development aspect of the program.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#289. Updated October 7, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Evaluation of Early Elementary Math Curricula
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Roberto Agodini Senior Researcher, Mathematica Policy Research Inc. ragodini@mathematica-mpr.com
Start Date:	September 1, 2005	Anticipated End Date:	September 1, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	NCEE
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Agodini, A., Harris, B., Atkins-Burnett, S., Heaviside, S., Novak, T., and Murphy, R. (2009). Achievement Effects of Four Early Elementary School Math Curricula: Findings from First Graders in 39 Schools (NCEE 2009-4053). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting High poverty elementary schools.
Intervention The math curricula have been selected for the evaluation through a competitive process, are widely-used and representative of different instructional approaches, and are appropriate for funding under Title I. The curricula are Investigations in Number, Data, and Space (Pearson Scott Foresman), Math Expressions (Houghton Mifflin), Saxon Math (Harcourt Achieve), and Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley Mathematics (Pearson Scott Foresman).
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description First, second, and third grade students are involved in the research study.
Additional Study Sample Information The sample included 4 districts and 39 schools during the 2006-07 school year. During the second year, an additional 71 schools were included along with the original cohort.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Schools were randomly assigned to selected math curricula; there is no control group. Implementation of the math curricula and their impact on first-grade student achievement was measured in 4 districts and 39 schools during the 2006-07 school year. Programs were implemented in an additional 71 schools and also in second grade during the 2007-08 school year, and are being implemented in third grade during the 2008-09 school year.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The study does not include a control group of schools (or a "business as usual" group) that continue to use whatever math curriculum they were using before joining the study. The study team decided not to include such a control group because it would contain a variety of curricula used by the participating districts, thereby making it difficult to compare effects of the study's curricula to effects for this group.
Data Analytic Strategy For the first report, hierarchical linear model (HLM) techniques were used to calculate the relative effects of the curricula on student achievement. This technique incorporates the nested structure of the data, which includes students clustered in classrooms and classrooms clustered in schools, when calculating the statistical significance of the results. Baseline measures of several characteristics related to student achievement were included in the HLM to increase the precision of the results. The effect size that can be detected with the first cohort is as small as 0.22
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The study's key outcome is mathematics achievement. To measure the achievement effects of the curricula, the study team tested students at the beginning and end of the school year using the math assessment developed for the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Class of 1998-99 (ECLS-K). The ECLS-K assessment is a nationally normed test that meets the study's requirements of: assessing knowledge and skills mathematicians and math educators feel are important for early elementary school students to develop; having accepted standards of validity and reliability; being administered to students individually; being able to measure achievement gains over the study's grade range (which ultimately will include the first, second, and third grades); and being able to accurately capture achievement of students from a wide range of backgrounds and ability levels.
Summary of the Study / Abstract There is very little reliable information available to educators and policy makers about which curricula are most likely to improve math performance. The evaluation will focus on early elementary grades since disadvantaged children are behind their more advantaged peers even before entering elementary school in basic math competencies. The study will examine: (1) what is the relative effectiveness of different math curricula on student achievement in early elementary schools; (2) under what conditions is each math curriculum most effective; and (3) what is the relationship between teacher knowledge of math content and pedagogy and the effectiveness of the math curricula? Findings from the first year of the study are: Math Expressions and Saxon improved student math achievement more than Investigations and Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley and student achievement for the two more effective curricula is similar, as is the achievement of the two less effective curricula.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#290. Updated October 7, 2009 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Impact Evaluation of the U. S. Department of Education's Student Mentoring Program
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Lawrence Bernstein Senior Associate, Abt Associates Inc. l.bernstein@northeastern.edu
Start Date:	March 1, 2005	End Date:	October 1, 2008
Sponsoring Organization:	NCEE
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pubs/20094047/pdf/20094047.pdf
Published Report Citation: Bernstein, L., Dun Rappaport, C., Olsho, L., Hunt, D., and Levin, M. (2009). Impact Evaluation of the U.S. Department of Education's Student Mentoring Program (NCEE 2009-4047). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting 32 student mentoring grantees were selected. To be selected for the Impact Study, each grantee had to meet three criteria: 1) Be operational so that it could recruit and match students to mentors in the Fall 2005 for the first group of grantees and Fall 2006 for the second group; 2) Able to over-subscribe or identify excess demand supporting experimental study needs for an un-served control group (i.e., able to provide tangible evidence of a pool of 4th through 8th grade students referred to the mentoring program) of adequate size to support study requirements; and 3) Willing and able to cooperate with the data collection and logistical needs of the national evaluation, including random assignment.
Intervention The U.S. Department of Education's Student Mentoring Program, authorized under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2002, Section 4130, is a competitive federal grant program managed by the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools (OSDFS). It addresses the lack of supportive adults at critical junctures in the lives of students at risk by providing funds to schools and to community- and faithbased organizations to create school-based mentoring programs targeting children in grades 4-8.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School, Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description The study sample includes approximately 2,400 students and is comprised of two cohorts: i) students referred to the program for mentoring in the 2005-06 school year, and ii) students referred to the program for mentoring 2006-07.
Additional Study Sample Information A total of 2,573 students were recruited, 1,272 of whom were randomly assigned to receive mentoring services from the program and 1,301 that were randomly assigned to not receive these services. The student sample for the Impact Study had the following characteristics: Gender: The student sample was 47 percent male versus 53 percent female. Age: The average age of the sample was 11.2 years old. Race/Ethnicity: Forty-one percent of the student sample was black or African American, and 31 percent was Hispanic. Poverty: Eighty-six percent of the sample was eligible for either free or reduced price lunch. Family structure: Fifty-six percent of the student sample came from two-parent households. Risk status: Three-fifths (60 percent) of the student sample was at academic risk, defined by being below proficiency in either reading/English language arts (ELA) or math (or both) at baseline, and one-fourth of the sample (25 percent) was at risk for delinquency, defined by self-reported delinquent behaviors. Prior mentoring experience: Twenty-six percent of the sample reported receiving mentoring in the prior school year. Of the baseline characteristics assessed, only one statistically significant difference between the treatment and control group was observed. A higher proportion of students in the treatment group were eligible to receive free or reduced-price school lunches than in the control group.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The sampling pool for this evaluation was based on 255 mentoring programs funded in either 2004 or 2005. The study collected and aggregated data from two cohorts of students: one from the 2005-2006 school year and another from the 2006-2007 school year. This study employs a student-level random assignment design. To randomly assign students, the study team randomly ordered each list of students whose parents had consented to their child's participation in the program that had been submitted by individual programs. From these randomly ordered lists, students were sorted into the treatment group by beginning at the top of the list and moving down, selecting as many students as available mentors reported by the program. The lists of students selected for treatment were sent back to programs, so that grantees could begin matching these students.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Students in the control group did not receive mentoring services.
Data Analytic Strategy The analysis strategy utilized a fixed-effects model to estimate the average treatment effect across all programs for students assigned to receive mentoring versus students assigned to an untreated control group. The fixed effects model was also used to examine five subgroup differences: (1) gender, (2) age (students 12 or older versus students less than 12 years old), (3) family structure (students from two-parent families versus students from other types of families), (4) presence of self-reported delinquent behaviors at baseline (theft, possession of a weapon, drug use, alcohol use, or gang activity), and (5) academic non-proficiency (in math,reading/English Language Arts (ELA), or both) at baseline. To control for chance findings, a multiple comparisons procedure, known as the Benjamini-Hochberg (BH) correction, was employed within each outcome domain in analysis of the full sample and within each outcome domain in each of the five subgroup analyses. A series of exploratory analyses were also conducted to explore site-level differences in impacts.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes The 17 outcomes considered are: Pro-Social Behaviors; School Efficacy and Bonding; Future Orientation; Overall Absenteeism Rate; Math, Reading/ELA, Science and Social Studies Grades; Percent Proficient on Math and Reading/ELA portions of State Assessment Tests; Misconduct; Delinquency; Truancy; Percent committing any misconduct infraction; Percent committing multiple misconduct infractions; Percent committting any delinquency infractions; and, percent committing repeated delinquency infractions. The findings indicate significant drops in overall absenteeism rate and truancy, and a significant increase in future orientation. But, after adjusting for multiple comparisons, ED's Student Mentoring Program did not lead to statistically significant impacts on any of the 17 outcomes in the three outcome domains investigated. Subgroup analyses did reveal that impacts were somewhat heterogeneous by gender. Impacts on girls were statistically significantly different from impacts on boys for two self-reported scales: Scholastic Efficacy and School Bonding, and Pro-social Behaviors. Additionally, for boys only, the impact on self-reported Pro-social Behaviors was negative and statistically significant. In contrast, for girls only, the impacts on Scholastic Efficacy and School Bonding and on the Overall Absenteeism Rate were positive and statistically significant. There was also a statistically significant negative impact on truancy for younger students (below of 12), but not for older students (i.e., indicating that the rate of truancy was lower in the treatment group compared to the control group); however, the differences in impacts between older and younger students were not statistically significant on any of the outcome measures. There were no statistically significant findings for other subgroups defined by family composition, baseline academic non-proficiency, or baseline delinquency, either within or between subgroups.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This impact evaluation used an experimental design in which students were randomly assigned to a treatment or control group. Thirty-two purposively selected School Mentoring Programs and 2,573 students took part in the evaluation, which estimated the impact of the programs over one school year on a range of student outcomes. The evaluation also describes the characteristics of the program and the mentors, and provides information about program delivery.
Interpretation of Results / Discussion On average, grantees in the study implemented the program following the guidance provided by the legislation and program office. Also, program delivery was, by and large, consistent with findings from previous studies of school based mentoring. We estimated a total of 17 impacts in three domains: (1) academic achievement and engagement; (2) interpersonal relationships and personal responsibility; and (3) high-risk or delinquent behavior. Overall, the Student Mentoring Program did not lead to statistically significant impacts on students in any of the three outcome domains although there were some differences across gender and age subgroups.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#292. Updated October 7, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	An Evaluation of the Impact of Mandatory Random Student Drug Testing
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Eric Einspruch Senior Research Associate, RMC Research Corporation einspruch@eleconsulting.com
Other Key Staff:	Dr. Susanne James-Burdumy, Associate Director of Human Services Research, Mathematica Policy Research
Start Date:	September 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	August 1, 2009
Sponsoring Organization:	NCEE
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting High schools that received grants from the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools (OSDFS) in 2006.
Intervention Ther intervention is mandatory-random drug testing performed with students enrolled in school-sponsored, competitive, and extracurricular activities.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description High school students.
Additional Study Sample Information The sample includes students from 36 high schools.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The schools were randomly assigned such that one half are implementing drug testing immediately (treatment schools) and the other half are delaying implementation until the end of the one year experimental period (control schools).
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Those schools delaying implementation until the end of the one year experimental period (control schools).
Data Analytic Strategy No information provided
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The primary outcomes of the study are high school students' use of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit substances. Data collection will include student surveys of reported drug use, interviews with staff at grantee schools and school records. A baseline student survey was conducted in spring 2007 across all grantee high schools and a follow-up student survey was conducted in spring 2008.
Summary of the Study / Abstract A wide range of prevention efforts have been developed to reduce substance use by adolescents. One strategy used by schools is mandatory-random drug testing of students enrolled in school-sponsored, competitive, and extracurricular activities. The goals of mandatory-random student drug testing are to identify students who are in need of counseling or treatment, to reduce current drug use, and to prevent future use. This study addresses the following research questions: (1) do high school students who are subject to mandatory-random drug testing (e.g., athletes, participants in competitive extra-curricular activities) report less use of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit substances compared to students in high schools without drug testing policies; (2) do students in high schools with mandatory-random drug testing policies, but who are not subject to drug testing, report less use of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit substances compared to students in high schools without drug testing policies; and (3) what are the characteristics of the drug testing policies implemented by participating treatment schools as well as what types of other strategies are treatment or control schools using to reduce substance use among students?

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#302. Updated January 27, 2010 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Impact of the Teacher Advancement Program in Chicago
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Steven Glazerman Senior Researcher sglazerman@mathematica-mpr.com
Other Key Staff:	Allison McKie
Start Date:	December 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	January 31, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	Joyce Foundation
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Chicago Public Schools
Intervention Teacher Advancement Program
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School, Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Sample to contain 32 TAP schools and approximately 300 non-TAP schools
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Experimental design: randomly assign schools to implement the program in current year or following year. Quasi-experimental strategy: Also identify matched comparison schools from among the non-applicants.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition No TAP
Data Analytic Strategy Detailed analytic strategy is contained in the design report, published in 2007.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Student test scores (math and reading) and teacher retention in the school in each year after implementation.
Intended Secondary Outcomes Retention of teachers in the district Teacher attitudes School climate
Summary of the Study / Abstract Study aims to estimate the impact of TAP on teacher and student outcomes.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#294. Updated October 7, 2009 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Impact Evaluation of Response to Intervention Strategies
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Ellen Schiller Senior Disability Policy Researcher, SRI International ellen.schiller@sri.com
Other Key Staff:	Fred Doolittle, Vice President, MDRC; Alison Black, Research Associate, MDRC
Start Date:	March 26, 2008	Anticipated End Date:	March 25, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	NCEE
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting About 150 elementary schools will be recruited for the study.
Intervention Response to Intervention (RtI) is a multi-step approach to providing early and more intensive intervention and monitoring within the general education setting. In principle, RtI begins with research-based instruction and behavioral support provided to students in the general education classroom, followed by screening of all students to identify those who may need systematic progress monitoring, intervention, or support. Students who are not responding to the general education curriculum and instruction are provided with increasingly intense interventions through a "tiered" system, and they are frequently monitored to assess their progress and inform the choice of future interventions, including possibly special education for students determined to have a disability. IDEA 2004 (P.L. 108-446) permits some Part B special education funds to be used for "early intervening services" such as RtI, and also permit districts to use RtI to inform decisions regarding a child's eligibility for special education.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Target Population Description Students in Grades 1 and 2.
Additional Study Sample Information About 150 elementary schools will be recruited and randomly assigned between the end of the 2008-2009 school year and the end of the 2009-2010 school year.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This evaluation, occurring under the National Assessment of IDEA 2004, will rely on the random assignment of schools to receive training in RtI strategies for monitoring student progress and providing research-based instruction in Grade 1 and 2 reading, or a counterfactual condition representing "business as usual" for the schools in question. About 150 elementary schools will be recruited and randomly assigned between the end of the 2008-2009 school year and the end of the 2009-2010 school year.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition A condition representing "business as usual" for the schools in the control group will be used.
Data Analytic Strategy No information provided.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Data collection will occur on RtI implementation and on student outcomes including reading achievement, grade promotion, and identification for special education.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The following are the study's research questions: What are the impacts on student outcomes of training school staff in student progress monitoring and related Response to Intervention strategies? Do the impacts of RtI strategies on student outcomes differ according to the type of training school staff members receive? Do the impacts of RtI strategies differ for different groups of students?

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#296. Updated February 4, 2014 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Follow up to the Study of the Efficacy of North Carolina's Learn and Earn Early College High School Model
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Julie Edmunds jedmunds@serve.org
Other Key Staff:	Larry Bernstein
Start Date:	July 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study takes place in 19 schools across the state of North Carolina. Schools participating in the study agree to use a lottery to select students out of an eligible applicant pool.
Intervention The Early College High School model, as implemented in North Carolina, is a four or five year high school located on a college campus. The schools are targeted at students underrepresented in college and are designed to provide students with a high school diploma and two years of transferable college credit. The schools are expected to implement a set of Design Principles as articulated by the agency supporting their implementation.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information This study continues to follow students who were applied to and were randomly assigned to the early college high school under an earlier grant.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The study uses a longitudinal experimental design to study the effectiveness of ECHSs on students' achievement, behavior, and attitudes compared to the traditional high school experience. The study will also examine student outcomes relative to specific student characteristics, including at-risk factors such as poverty and first-generation college status. The experimental design will be supplemented by the use of mixed methods to examine the implementation of the required program components. This study will follow through their high school experience an existing sample of over 3,000 students who were assigned for grade 9 to either an Early College High School or "business as usual." Approximately 1,100 of these students will have completed high school and be followed into post-secondary education in this follow-up study. The study will conduct separate analyses for sub-groups targeted by the model, including low-income students, minority students, and students who are the first in their family to go to college.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Students in the control group will experience "business as usual" or the normal high school experience in their district.
Data Analytic Strategy Differences between the experimental and control students are examined using multivariate regression analysis with randomization blocks to account for clustering. These analyses will be repeated for sub-groups of interest. Impact estimates for graduation rates will be used to create a cost-benefit ratio for the model.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Key student outcome measures include: upper grade high school outcomes associated with college preparation (e.g., course-taking, achievement, attendance, behavior, and dropout rates in 11th and 12th grades); high school graduation rates; students' attainment of college credits; and students' enrollment and persistence in post-secondary education. Planned subgroup analyses focus on the intervention's target populations: low-income students, first generation college-goers, and students who are member of underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. An additional population of interest is students who come to high school performing below grade level.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This three-year project follows students randomly assigned to either Early College High Schools or "business as usual." This follow-up study will determine the impact of North Carolina's Early College High School model on students' high school outcomes associated with college readiness, including their graduation from high school and their attainment of college credits while in high school, as well as on students' initial enrollment and persistence in postsecondary education. In addition, this study will conduct a formal cost-benefit analysis of the program. Finally, this study will explore the influence of different implementation factors on students' college readiness and postsecondary enrollment.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#313. Added March 14, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Developing a Narrative Intervention
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Sandra Laing Gillam sandi.gillam@usu.edu
Other Key Staff:	Ronald Gillam
Start Date:	October 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	September 30, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Reading, Writing, and Language Development
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The project will be conducted in elementary special education or ELL classrooms in Logan, Utah. Children are seen in groups by certified speech language pathologist (clinicians), special educators or ELL teachers in their "home-school" environment.
Intervention The project will develop a language intervention program designed to improve vocabulary knowledge, story comprehension, and knowledge of complex sentence structures. The basic teaching tasks of the intervention are story modeling, story retelling, story generation and comprehension instruction using narrative text, wordless picture books, and self-generated stories.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Speech or Language Impairment
Additional Study Sample Information 60 children with LI or who are ELL at-risk entering first through fourth grades, and 12 clinicians, special education, or ELL teachers.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods During the first two years, instructional components of the narrative intervention and teacher training programs will be developed, revised and implemented. Four teacher/student cohorts implement and/or receive successive iterations of the program until the last cohort (cohort 4) has received a full version. Final revisions will be made in Year 3. Each cohort attends training then implements the intervention with their students. Feedback will be collected through teacher surveys and observations of the teacher implementing instruction. Researchers will observe the change process in two children (1 language impaired and 1 ELL) during daily intervention sessions over the course of a week.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition In the feasibility study in Year 3, 24 students will be randomly assigned to either receive the intervention or to a control group.
Data Analytic Strategy This design experiment will be conducted to evaluate four iterations of the intervention. Data from teacher perceptions, intervention observations, and progress monitoring tools will be analyzed to assess child outcomes at each step of the development process. Microgenetic case studies will be used for fine-grained analyses of the sequence of behaviors, the rate of change, generalization to different contexts, teacher actions that catalyze change, and equivalency of change patterns across children. A feasibility study will be conducted in the final phase of the project to assess the final iterations of the fully developed intervention and teacher training programs.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Outcomes will include classroom observations, teacher feedback and measures of oral language, narration, reading comprehension and writing.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Oral language development provides the foundation for learning, reading, and academic success in early childhood. Children with language impairments (LI) and English language learners (ELLs) who are at-risk for oral language deficits are at a disadvantage in educational and social settings. The purpose of this project is to develop a robust program to foster oral language proficiency through instruction in story comprehension and storytelling (narration). This research team will develop, refine, and pilot a language intervention program in the context of narration with accompanying teacher training materials to improve oral language proficiency and spoken narration in children with language impairments, or those who are English languages learners at-risk for language difficulties. This project will result in published papers and reports on a fully developed language intervention program in the context of narration with teacher-training materials for use within authentic educational contexts.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#299. Updated January 27, 2010 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Experimental Evaluation of the Effects of a Research-based Preschool Mathematics Curriculum
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Douglas Clements SUNY Distinguished Professor douglas.clements@du.edu
Other Key Staff:	Dr. Julie Sarama
Start Date:	August 1, 2004	End Date:	July 1, 2005
Sponsoring Organization:	IES
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://UBTRIAD.org
Published Report Citation: Clements, D. H., & Sarama, J. (2008). Experimental evaluation of the effects of a research-based preschool mathematics curriculum. American Educational Research Journal, 45, 443-494.
Related Publications Clements, D. H. (2007). Curriculum research: Toward a framework for 'research-based curricula'. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 38, 35-70. Clements, D. H., & Sarama, J. (2007). Effects of a preschool mathematics curriculum: Summative research on the Building Blocks project. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 38, 136-163. Clements, D. H., & Sarama, J. (2004). Building Blocks for early childhood mathematics. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 19, 181-189. Clements, D. H., & Sarama, J. (2007). Building Blocks-SRA Real Math, Grade PreK. Columbus, OH: SRA/McGraw-Hill.
Study Setting Diverse classrooms serving preschoolers in New York State were involved. The first group, serving children from low-income households, including Head Start and state-funded programs. From an initial pool of more than 100 volunteers, 24 teachers were randomly selected. The Building Blocks curriculum was designed to meet the needs of all children. Therefore, we included the second group who served mixed- (low and middle) income children. From 20 volunteers, 12 teachers were randomly selected. In each classroom, we randomly selected eight children from the pool of all kindergarten-intending (in the entry range for kindergarten in 2004-2005) preschoolers who returned Institutional Review Board permission forms (a few Head Start classrooms had only 8 kindergarten-intending children who returned forms; in those cases, all those qualifying were tested).
Intervention The first intervention curriculum, Building Blocks (experimental), was developed and evaluated using phases 1 to 9 of the CRF (with the present study representing phase 10), as previously described. It typically conducted small-group mathematics sessions once per week for 10-15 minutes per session per group of approximately 4-6 children and whole group activities for 5 to 15 minutes about four times per week. Children spent about 10 minutes in computer activities twice per week. In addition, letters describing the mathematics children were learning and family activities that support that learning were sent home each week. Building Blocks emphasizes use of learning trajectories. The second intervention curriculum (comparison) had three components. The main components were included in a mathematics-intensive curriculum, the Preschool Mathematics Curriculum (PMC, Klein, Starkey, & Ramirez, 2002), comprised of seven units explicitly linked to the NCTM (2000) standards. The curriculum focuses on small group activities that were implemented so that each child participated at least twice per week for 15-20 minutes per day. The second component of the PMC was parent letters, including family activities. The third component was the DLM Early Childhood Express software, with which children spent 5-10 minutes twice per week.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information One comparison teacher became increasingly ill and 4 children (3 from control, 1 from Building Blocks) moved out of the area during the first three months of the study, leaving 35 teachers and 276 children who participated throughout the study (technical problems and children's illnesses during testing resulted in a total of 253 children with complete data on both pretest and posttest). To determine if there was any substantive effect of the teacher leaving the study, we calculated an effect size as the change in mean pretest achievement mean for that condition as a result of the attrition, divided by the pooled standard deviation. The small effect size of .03 indicates that any effect on the findings was negligible.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The 24 low-income classrooms were publicly (in presence of four staff members and 2 school administrators), randomly (using a table of random numbers, with blind pointing to establish the starting number), assigned to one of three conditions: Building Blocks, comparison, or control (one comparison teacher left the area in mid-Fall, leaving 7 classrooms assigned to that condition). The mixed-income classrooms similarly were randomly assigned to Building Blocks or control conditions.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control teachers continued using their school's mathematics activities, which, typical for preschools, showed a mixture of influences. Five low-income controls used a city-wide set of activities and common manipulatives. The other two low-income control classrooms from Head Start used the Creative Curriculum (Teaching Strategies Inc., 2001), including the text and manipulative kit. The mixed-income classrooms used homegrown materials based on state standards, with three employing Montessori mathematics materials. Visits to control classrooms indicated that each was following the curricula as written.
Data Analytic Strategy Child mathematics outcomes were coded and then scored by trained teams (not the assessors) na�ve to the children's treatment group. Because children were nested within classrooms, child outcome data were analyzed using hierarchical linear models (HLM). This study was a cluster randomized trial, with the classroom the unit of random assignment; HLM accounts for both child- and classroom-level sources of variability in outcomes by specifying a two-level hierarchical model (Raudenbush, 1997). Thus, two-level analyses on the Rasch scores were computed to assess the effectiveness of the curricula and to ascertain the effects of class-level (level-2) and child-level (level-1) predictors and interactions of those predictors with treatment group Factorial repeated measures analyses were conducted on the Fidelity (intervention groups) and COEMET (Classroom Observation of Early Mathematics Environment and Teaching--general classroom measure, all groups) T-scores. Standardized mean difference effect sizes, estimates of Cohen's d, were computed.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes The experimental group score increased significantly more than the comparison group score (effect size, .47) and the control group score (effect size, 1.07).
Secondary Outcomes Two observational measures indicated that the curricula were implemented with fidelity and that the experimental condition had significant positive effects on classrooms' mathematics environment and teaching.
Summary of the Study / Abstract A randomized-trials design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of a preschool mathematics program based on a comprehensive model of research-based curricula development. Thirty-six preschool classrooms were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: experimental (Building Blocks), comparison (a different preschool mathematics curriculum) or control. Children were pre- and post-tested with an individual assessment, between which children participated in 26 weeks of instruction. Two observational measures indicated that the curricula were implemented with fidelity and that the experimental condition had significant positive effects on classrooms' mathematics environment and teaching. The experimental group score increased significantly more than the comparison group score (effect size, .47) and the control group score (effect size, 1.07). Focused early mathematical interventions, especially those based on a comprehensive model of developing and evaluating research-based curricula, can increase the quality of the mathematics environment and teaching and can help preschoolers develop a foundation of informal
Interpretation of Results / Discussion The main purpose of this research was to measure the effectiveness of a preschool mathematics program based on a comprehensive model of developing research-based curriculum in larger contexts with teachers and students of diverse backgrounds. Question 1: Can Building Blocks be implemented with high fidelity, and does the measure of fidelity predict achievement gains? Teachers implemented both intervention curricula, Building Blocks, and the comparison mathematic curriculum, with acceptable fidelity across the three measurement periods, and no evidence of change across those periods (Fall, Winter, Spring). In summary, results indicate that research-based mathematics preschool curricula can be implemented with good fidelity from the beginning of the year, at least if teachers are provided training and support to the extent involved in the present study. This involved 34 hours of focused group work and about 16 hours of in-class coaching. Question 2: The Building Blocks curriculum had a significant positive effect on the quality of the preschool mathematics observed in the classroom environment and teaching relative to the control condition. Building Blocks teachers provided a greater number of different activities, more computer activities, and interacted with children in the context of those activities more than the other groups. Question 3: The achievement gains of the Building Blocks group compared to the control group exceeded those considered large. This confirms the first summary evaluation and is particularly significant considering that the present study involved a greater number of, and more diverse, classrooms and that research staff were not present in classrooms on a daily basis, as they were in the previous study. The comparison curriculum also produced significantly more achievement gain than the control condition. Thus, preschool math curricula can lead to gains.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#300. Updated January 22, 2010 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	A Study of the Effectiveness of a School Improvement Intervention
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Stephanie Wilkerson President stephanie@magnoliaconsulting.org
Other Key Staff:	Dr. Lisa Shannon
Start Date:	January 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	Institute for Education Sciences
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Researchers are conducting this study with 52 participating schools in the following three areas: St. Louis, Missouri; Springfield, Missouri; and St. Paul, Minnesota. Selection criteria included: 1) public elementary schools serving at least grades 3-5; 2) schools that had not made AYP (or that were at risk of not making AYP) in the three years prior to the intervention; 3) at least two classrooms each in grades 3, 4, and 5; 4) average student demographics; 5) not already involved in a comprehensive school reform including an emphasis on the change process and collective efficacy; 6) available and ready to complete all study requirements.
Intervention The intervention is Success in Sight, a two-year comprehensive school improvement intervention that seeks to help schools understand and address specific school, teacher, and leadership practices associated with high levels of student achievement. The intervention focuses on achievement gaps, improving classroom instruction, alignment of standards, fostering strong leadership, and infusing technology into pedagogy and curriculum. In the delivery process, a school leadership team (comprised of the principal, teachers across grade levels and subject areas, and non-instructional staff) work with a Success in Sight mentor to develop the team's capacity to engage in change. The interventions' specific components include face-to-face professional development, onsite mentoring, online support, and fractal change experiences.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian, White, American Indian or Alaska Native Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The study sample includes 52 elementary schools, an estimated 1,575 teachers (approximately 30 per school) and a student sample of approximately 7,800 "stayers plus in-movers" for the benchmark impact analyses and s student sample of 5,720 "stayers" for a sensitivity analysis.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study involves an experimental design with random assignment of 52 schools to the treatment or control condition over a two-year period. The school is the unit of analysis, and the primary purpose of the study is to provide an unbiased estimate of the effect of Success in Sight on school-level student achievement. Researchers will use HLM analyses (with baseline school achievement as a covariate) to examine the effects of Success in Sight after two years. For the study's secondary purpose, researchers will use HLM analyses to examine the impact of the intervention on school improvement practices, with a baseline measure of these practices used as a covariate. Researchers will compare baseline school achievement, school improvement practices, and contextual factors across treatment and control groups to examine the pretest comparability of groups.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The counterfactional for this study is a group of schools randomly assigned to continue with their regular school improvement activities and conduct all school business as usual. Control schools do not receive additional support provided by Success in Sight.
Data Analytic Strategy Researchers will estimate confirmatory impact analyses at the school level using multilevel modeling to account for the sources of variability in the data that result from the nested structure of the school environment. Analyses will include two-tailed t-tests (p < .05) to assess the significance of the impact estimates, as well as procedures to correct for multiple comparisons. After running the planned HLMs, researchers will standardize the estimates obtained in each HLM to put the estimates on the same metric. Evaluators will weight the separate effects and combine the weighted effects by computing the weighted mean effect using the new S.E. Researchers will use Comprehensive Meta-analysis (CMA) software to compute the overall, weighted mean effect. Power analyses for student achievement benchmark analyses assumed 52 schools, 56 students per school, an intraclass correlation coefficient of .10, 50% of variance explained by the cluster-level covariate, an alpha level of .025. Results indicated statistical power of .80 to detect an impact on student achievement of approximately .20 standard deviations, assuming the most conservative correction for testing two confirmatory hypotheses (.05 / 2). Power analyses for school improvement assumed 52 schools, an intraclass correlation coefficient of .10, 30% of variance explained by the cluster-level covariate, a minimum of 20 teachers per school, and an alpha level of .025. Results indicated statistical power of .80 to detect an impact on the four school improvement practices of approximately .30 standard deviations, assuming the most conservative correction for testing two confirmatory hypotheses (.05 / 2).
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Two years after intervention, analyses will examine extant student achievement measures administered by schools and states for the NCLB accountability purposes (student achievement data obtained from regularly administered state reading and math assessments in grades 3, 4, and 5).
Intended Secondary Outcomes Two years after intervention, analyses will examine measures of school improvement practices derived from the Teacher Survey of Policies and Practices (McREL, 2005) and the Collective Efficacy Scale (Goddard, 2002).
Summary of the Study / Abstract This study: A Study of the Effectiveness of a School Improvement Intervention addresses the regional and national need to assist schools that fail to meet the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) provision of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The two-year comprehensive school improvement intervention, Success in Sight (SiS), has been field-tested in various settings; however, there is no experimental evidence regarding its effectiveness when fully implemented. This randomized controlled trial study examines the effectiveness of SiS in 52 elementary schools with low to moderate student achievement. Data collection includes a teacher survey assessing school-level reform practices (data-based decision-making, shared leadership, and purposeful community) and student achievement data. Researchers will use HLM to determine the effects of SiS on school-level student achievement and school-level reform practices after two years. The following research questions guide this study: 1) Does implementation of Success in Sight have a significant impact on student achievement in reading or mathematics? 2) Does implementation of Success in Sight have a significant impact on the extent to which schools engage in data-based decision-making? 3) Does implementation of Success in Sight have a significant impact on the extent to which schools develop and maintain a purposeful community? 4) Does implementation of Success in Sight have a significant impact on the extent to which leadership is shared in schools?

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#301. Updated January 27, 2010 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Content-Focused Coaching� for High Quality Reading Instruction
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Lindsay Clare Matsumura Assistant Professor lclare@pitt.edu
Other Key Staff:	Donna DiPrima Bickel, Brian Junker and Lauren Resnick
Start Date:	July 1, 2006	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Matsumura, L.C., Garnier, H., Resnick, L.B. (in press). Implementing literacy coaching: The role of school social resources. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis. Matsumura, L.C., Garnier, H.E., Correnti, R., Junker, B., & Bickel, D.D. (in press). Investigating the effectiveness of a comprehensive literacy-coaching program in schools with high teacher mobility. Elementary School Journal. Matsumura, L.C., Sartoris, M., Bickel, D., & Garnier, H. (2009). Leadership for literacy coaching: The principal's role in launching a new coaching program. Educational Administration Quarterly, 45(5), 655-94.
Study Setting The study was conducted a medium-sized urban district in the Southwest. The schools (N=29) were selected from the lowest-achieving elementary schools in the district serving very high numbers of minority and English language learning (ELL) students from low-income families.
Intervention The Content-Focused Coaching� (CFC) program engages literacy coaches in three days of professional development a month. The goal of the program is to develop coaches' knowledge of the theory underlying reading comprehension instruction, pedagogical skill, and ability to work effectively with teachers. District staff and principals also participate in portions of the coach professional development to build their support for the coaches' work in schools. Coaches are intended by the CFC program developers to meet with fourth- and fifth-grade teachers in grade-level team meetings to study the theory underlying effective reading comprehension instruction, and to meet with teachers individually to engage in a cycle of lesson planning, enacting, and reflecting on instruction. School participation in the program is expected to increase teachers' engagement in coaching and improve the quality of their reading comprehension instruction. Higher quality comprehension instruction, in turn, is expected to improve students' reading comprehension skills.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian, White, American Indian or Alaska Native Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information We estimated that we would recruit 30 schools with approximately 200 teachers evenly distributed between comparison and treatment conditions. We also estimated that there would be approximately 200 students per school (N=6000 students total). Schools had to satisfy four primary criteria to enter the study: Eligible for Title 1 funds, Strong principal support for the intervention and study; willingness of teachers to participate; and stable outcomes prior to baseline. At the beginning of year 1 we recruited 29 schools (n=15 treatment, 14 comparison, by random assignment). Initially, 193 fourth- and fifth- grade teachers in the study schools agreed to participate in the trial and 177 continued to participate through year one. The primary reason teachers left the trial in year one was to take maternity leave or personal leave. Compared to teachers who remained in the trial, those who left differed significantly on only one of the above measures; they reported less experience teaching reading (four years compared to eight years teaching reading, on average). Within the group of teachers remaining in the study, comparison and intervention teachers did not differ on years teaching reading. Of these teachers, 98 continued to participate through year two (cohort one teachers). Comparisons between teachers who stayed and teachers who were no longer in the trial at year two detected no differences in education, teaching experience, or certification backgrounds with one exception: 73% of teachers who left taught their classes in English only, compared to 53% of the teachers who remained in the trial (p<.05). Of the teachers who left the trial, both the CFC and comparison groups reported similar background characteristics. The rate of teacher attrition did not differ between the treatment and comparison groups.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This is a cluster-randomized trial with school as the cluster. We experienced no school attrition, but some teacher attrition within schools. This was handled as described in response to question 5. Means and percentages were compared to assess the comparability of teachers in groups for years teaching, years teaching reading, education, grade-level and certification status. The teacher attrition rate also was compared across conditions.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Schools were either assigned to participate in the CFC program (treatment) or to continue with the professional development resources that are standard practice in the district (comparison).
Data Analytic Strategy We will build multi-level models (MLM's, Bryk & Raudenbush, 1992), to analyze data from this trial. The unit of observation is teachers in the model to assess impact of the intervention on instructional quality, and students in the model to assess impact of the intervention on achievement. In addition to answering primary questions about efficacy of the coaching intervention, we are also interested in a variety of secondary questions, such as: examining instructional quality as a mediating variable in the link between intervention and achievement; and exploring the covariation of multiple outcome measures. These can be incorporated, e.g., as random coefficient or growth curve models (Murray, 2001) and various forms of MANOVA/MANCOVA and profile analyses. Based on past studies, we targeted effect sizes of 0.35 for student achievement outcomes and 0.50 for instructional quality outcomes. We have selected sample sizes to yield 80% power to detect effects of these sizes with type I error (alpha) of 0.05. Because of the group-randomized design we must consider correlation between observational units (students, teachers) within the same treatment assignment units (schools). We anticipate ICCs in the range 0.05 to 0.20. Adjusting the model for pre-treatment covariates (student achievement and instructional quality at baseline) should reduce the ICCs by about half, similar to ICCs reported in other studies. Analysis with the OD software of Raudenbush et al. (2004) shows that a sample of 30 schools with 8 teachers per school, equally divided between intervention and comparison conditions, will allow us to detect effects of size 0.45 to 0.52 for instructional quality, depending on the ICC for teachers within schools, and effects of size 0.18 to 0.35 on student achievement, depending on the ICC for students within schools. These effect sizes are well within the range of effect sizes found in the literature.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The same measures and procedures to collect data were used in each trial year. The primary outcomes for this study are students' reading achievement assessed on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills administered annually in the spring of each study year and the Degrees of Reading Power (DRP) assessment administered in the fall and spring of each study year (Touchstone Applied Science Associations, Inc., 1995). The DRP is a group-administered test comprised of nonfiction paragraphs and/or passages on a variety of topics. Within each passage, words are deleted and the student is asked to select the correct word for each deletion in the text. The test is designed to measure the process of reading rather than the specific skills or strategies often associated with reading (e.g., identification of a main idea or author's purpose). The DRP is a criterion-referenced and norm-referenced test; raw scores are converted to DRP scores which indicate the most difficult text a student can read independently, with assistance, and the level of text at which a student would reach their frustration level.
Intended Secondary Outcomes The secondary outcomes for our study include teachers' experience of coaching, and instructional quality. Teachers' coaching experiences were assessed on surveys administered at baseline and at the end of each academic year. Survey questions focused on teachers' level of participation in different literacy coaching activities, the focus of the coaching activities in which they participated, and their perception of the usefulness of coaching for improving their practice. Instructional quality was assessed based on teachers' self-reported descriptions of their practice on surveys, and through independent observations of their instruction.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This study investigates the effect of a comprehensive literacy-coaching program (Content-Focused Coaching�, CFC) on reading comprehension instruction and student learning. Elementary schools (N=29) serving predominantly low-income, Hispanic, and English language-learning (ELL) students were randomly assigned to treatment and comparison conditions. We expected that teachers in the CFC schools would increase their participation in coaching and improve in the quality of their observed classroom text discussions relative to the teachers in the comparison schools. We also expected that students in the CFC schools would increase in their reading achievement relative to their peers in the control schools. We would not be surprised to see interactions between experimental condition and students' demographic and educational variables (e.g., prior achievement and language).

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#303. Updated January 27, 2010 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Mathematics Learned by Young Children in an Intervention Based on Learning Trajectories: A Large-scale Cluster Randomized Trial
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Douglas Clements SUNY Distinguished Professor douglas.clements@du.edu
Other Key Staff:	Julie Sarama, Jaekyung Lee, Mark Lipsey, Dale Farran
Start Date:	January 1, 2005	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	IES
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Clements, D. H., & Sarama, J. (2008, March). Scaling-up interventions: The case of mathematics. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association, New York. Clements, D. H., & Sarama, J. (2008). Experimental evaluation of the effects of a research-based preschool mathematics curriculum. American Educational Research Journal, 45, 443-494.
Study Setting Participants were 1305 preschoolers and their 106 teachers in 42 schools in Buffalo, NY and Boston, MA. All kindergarten-intending preschoolers were eligible. All schools in Boston were eligible; all schools in Buffalo were eligible except that previously participating in earlier Building Blocks research projects.
Intervention The intervention was predicted to increase math achievement in young children, especially those at risk, by means of a high-quality implementation of the Building Blocks math curriculum, with all aspects of the curriculum based on a common core of learning trajectories through which children develop. Building Blocks is a research-based mathematics curriculum that addresses (a) geometric and spatial skills and (b) numeric and quantitative ideas and skills. The approach of Building Blocks is finding the mathematics in, and developing mathematics from, children's activity. Off-and on-computer activities are designed based on children's experiences and interests, with an emphasis on supporting the development of math activity.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information At the time of the posttest, there was only 5% attrition of children included in the study (from control, 12 from Buffalo and 6 from Boston and from the experimental group, 37 in Buffalo and 15 from Boston, for a total of 70), most of whom moved out of state, leaving a total of 1305 children with complete data on both pretest and posttest). Analyses revealed no significant difference between those who left and remained in mean pretest achievement (F= 2.09(2), p = .148; ES < .01).
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Schools within each district were ordered on the basis of their average scores on state-based mathematics achievement tests (for five early childhood schools that did not have fourth grades, we used the scores from the elementary schools to which most of the students attended) and then publicly (2 school administrators and 3 staff members) assigned to one of three treatment groups using a randomized block design (using a table of random numbers, with blinded pointing to establish the starting number). The two experimental groups differed only in that one included a follow-through component which was implemented as the children moved to kindergarten and first grade; therefore, at the pre-K level, the focus of this study, there were only two distinct groups, with 2/3 of the schools in the Building Blocks intervention group and 1/3 on the control group. From each pre-K classroom, we randomly selected up to 15 children from the pool of all kindergarten-intending (in the entry range for kindergarten) preschoolers who returned Institutional Review Board consent forms (the range was 5 to 15). The randomized block assignment procedure was reasonably effective in producing equivalent groups (see Table 1). The few anomalies (e.g., more Asian/Pacific or White in one condition at one site) were due to assignment at the school level, and the greater frequency of those groups in a single school. SES is close to identical for the two conditions. Most important is that achievement scores are within about a point of each other. Results of a 3-level HLM, with child at level 1, teacher at level 2, school at level 3, and treatment group entered in the model at level 3, showed no difference in pretest REMA scores between the Control and Building Blocks groups (Coeff. = 0.12, SE = .10, t = 1.15, df = 40, p < .25).
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Curricula in control classrooms In Buffalo, there was a greater focus on math during the data collection period than in prior years, due to the introduction of new literacy programs that had math components. In Buffalo, control classrooms implemented the mathematics component of the Houghton-Mifflin prekindergarten literacy curriculum, Where Bring Futures Begin (along with activities that had been part of their previous district-wide, informal math curriculum). The mathematics component included nine topics: geometry and spatial sense, patterns, time concepts, measurement, classification and data collection, numbers and operations, problem solving, reasoning, and communication. Mathematics activities were usually taught during small group time, and sometimes during whole group. There was an increased focus on math in Boston, as compared to prior years, due to the introduction of a formal mathematics curriculum embedded in the just-adopted, all-day Opening the World of Learning program. OWL mathematics activities were presented as small group activities, such as "Watch Me Count." Components included suggested vocabulary, with procedures provided for extra support as well as extension activities. Five of the ten control teachers reported adapting mathematics activities from the Kindergarten Investigations curriculum; one mentioned combining it with some mathematics from OWL; three mentioned combining Investigations with Developmental Learning Activities (DLM), another name for an earlier version of Building Blocks. Teachers reported teaching many of the mathematics topics included in Building Blocks, including counting, number recognition and subitizing, comparing number and sequencing, number composition, and some addition/subtraction, shape recognition, shape comparison, patterning and sorting/classifying. They reported some instruction on shape composition and measurement, and less emphasis on instruction on transformations and probability.
Data Analytic Strategy Questions were answered with hierarchical linear modeling. To answer the main question, What are the effects of the scale up intervention, as implemented under diverse conditions, on achievement?, the first level of the HLM analyses is the child model, in which achievement is considered a function of child-level characteristics, including child SES , ethnicity/home language, and initial knowledge. The second level is the classroom/school level variables such as treatment status (experimental vs. control), fidelity of implementation, percent minority, school SES, administrative support, and teacher expertise. Inspecting interactions between preexisting child characteristics and treatment identified child variables that differentiated the effectiveness of the treatment and allowed us to measure the extent to which the intervention closed the achievement gap.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Previous studies have supported the efficacy of the Building Blocks curriculum and this approach to its implementation. However, each of these involved only a relatively small number of teachers (volunteers) and students. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a similar implementation of the curriculum would have similar effects at a large scale and in contexts distal from the developer/researchers and to document in detail what mathematics is learned in the Building Blocks and control classrooms in these contexts.
Summary of the Study / Abstract We used a cluster randomized trial design to evaluate the effectiveness of a research-based model for improving the mathematics education of very young children. This model includes the Building Blocks mathematics curriculum, which is structured in research-based learning trajectories, and congruous professional development emphasizing teaching for understanding via learning trajectories and technology. Forty-two schools serving preschoolers from low-resource communities in two cities were randomly selected from eligible schools and were assigned to three treatments groups using a randomized block design, blocking on 4th grade math scores. From 106 preschool classrooms, 1,635 children returned signed consents, from which a random sample of 1375 were selected. Pre- to posttest scores revealed that the Building Blocks children learned more mathematics than the control children (effect size, .71). High levels of observed fidelity of implementation resulted in consistently higher gains in intervention classrooms. Classroom observations of the quantity and quality of mathematics environment and teaching in intervention and control classrooms.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#305. Updated August 6, 2010 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	The Indiana Diagnostic Assessment Study: Measuring the Impact of Indiana's System of Diagnostic Assessments on Student Achievement and Teacher Instruction
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Shazia Miller Director of Evaluation miller-shazia@norc.org
Other Key Staff:	Spyros Konstantopoulos; Arie J. van der Ploeg
Start Date:	July 1, 2009	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	Institute of Education Sciences
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting 100 public elementary schools, including Grades K-8, in the state of Indiana
Intervention The intervention is a system of diagnostic assessments that the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) is making available to its schools, which volunteer to participate in the program. The diagnostic assessment system is comprised of two commercial products (selected by IDOE): Wireless Generation mCLASS (grades K-2) and CTB/McGraw-Hill Acuity (grades 3-8). Both products provide teachers with student and classroom level data on academic strengths, weaknesses, and progress; the products also provide on-line resources for instructional activities and strategies to improve student performance. Teachers administer the assessments at three (or four) windows during the school year and may choose to do additional administrations for struggling students.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School, Elementary School, Kindergarten Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The schools for the study are randomly selected from those that volunteered for the diagnostic assessment system, and each selected school is randomly assigned to a condition. There are two distinct RCTs in the study, one in 2009-10 and another in 2010-11. Each RCT targets 50 schools (20 control and 30 treatment).
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The study sample is randomized by school into treatment and control groups with two consecutive cohorts of schools. The core RCT tests will be conducted as t-tests of means between treatment and control conditions. Both intent-to-treat and treatment-on-the-treated effects will be examined. During the RCT year, the study includes the following data collection methods: teacher logs of instruction provided to randomly selected students; mCLASS and Acuity server logs indicating rates of use of the diagnostic tools and resources; teacher surveys (including the Surveys of the Enacted Curriculum) regarding past and current instruction in math and ELA; end of the year administrator and teacher interviews; student-level ISTEP+ results (for all four years of the study as well as several years prior to study inception); and demographic data on students, teachers, and schools.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition During the RCT school year, the schools in the control group did not use the Acuity, mCLASS, or any similar diagnostic assessment systems. These schools had requested the intervention (by volunteering for the system) but were delayed in receipt of it by way of their selection for the control group for the study. They will be able to use the system beginning in the school year following their participation in the RCT.
Data Analytic Strategy The primary outcomes of the diagnostic assessment systems to be examined are differences in student performance (measured by Indiana's ISTEP+ state tests) and differences in teacher instructional behavior (indexed primarily by Acuity and mCLASS server logs and by teacher logs). Data is collected from teachers and students over all grades (K-8) and aggregated to the school and condition levels. To reduce costs, data collection for the study focuses strongly on Grades 2 and 5, particularly for exploratory studies of mediating and moderating variables. Students, teachers, and schools can all be linked. Tests of the core RCT hypotheses will be implemented first in ordinary least squares and modeled in multilevel terms. The study will extend the RCT findings by following the ISTEP+ performance of students in the RCT schools for several additional years, making use of Indiana's longitudinal data system. This will permit the study to implement a number of non-experimental designs, particularly replicated interrupted time series, to capture future effects as students move through the grades.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes This study will measure the effectiveness of diagnostic assessments in improving test scores and changing teacher instructional practices.
Intended Secondary Outcomes The non-experimental aspect of the study will include exploratory analyses, particularly regarding fidelity issues and teacher practices. Differences between student groups, school type, and teachers (by qualifications or experience) will be explored.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The purpose of this study is to estimate the impacts of Indiana's diagnostic assessment system on schools, as measured by students' performance on state accountability tests and by change in teachers' instructional behaviors. The study will also include exploratory analyses of fidelity issues and teacher practices. Study findings will be useful to policymakers and educators in Indiana and nationwide in understanding the strengths and weakness in the system and its overall effectiveness.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#306. Updated October 22, 2010 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Experimental Field Study of Cognitive Tutor Geometry Curriculum
Principal Investigator:	Dr. John Pane Senior Scientist jpane@rand.org
Other Key Staff:	Daniel McCaffrey, Laura Hamilton, Gina Ikemoto, Jennifer Steele
Start Date:	June 1, 2005	End Date:	May 31, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19345741003681189
Published Report Citation: Pane, J. F., McCaffrey, D. F., Steele, J. L., Ikemoto, G. S., & Slaughter, M. E. (2010). An Experiment to Evaluate the Efficacy of Cognitive Tutor Geometry. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 3(3), 254-281.
Study Setting Baltimore County Public Schools, in the urban fringe of Baltimore, serving students from a wide range of racial/ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. The district has 25 high schools, with a total enrollment of about 32,000 students. Minority enrollment is 39% (5% to 98%), and low-SES enrollment is 17% (0% to 42%).
Intervention The Cognitive Tutor Geometry curriculum was selected for study because it has shown promise in quasi-experimental studies; and because a related curriculum for Algebra I was shown to have significant positive effects in a randomized field trial. The curriculum is designed to promote understanding of geometric concepts and principles, and to enhance abstract and spatial reasoning skills. Students spend 40% of their class time using individualized tutorial software built on a detailed computational model of student thinking, and 60% in classroom activities that involve teacher-guided group work and problem solving. Teachers receive four days of training, a set of teacher training materials, and a teacher text.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Female Students, Not Applicable, Male Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Asian, White, Not Applicable, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino Student Level(s) of Education: High School, Not Applicable Student Disability: Not Applicable, Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information There were 950 students in the eligible randomized sample. The attrition rate from the eligible randomized sample to the final analysis sample was 26.4 percent, with a difference of 1.2 percentage points between the attrition rates in the treatment and control groups (27.0 and 25.8 percent, respectively). We conducted tests of group equivalence in the final analysis sample using pretest scores and a variety of demographic characteristics, including gender, ethnicity, grade level, special education status, English language learner status, and FARMS eligibility. Within the final analysis sample, there were no statistically significant differences in any of these characteristics between the experimental and control groups.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The experiment used a relatively complex cross-over, blocking design, which improved both the power to estimate treatment effects and the precision of the estimates by removing variability attributable to teachers, schools, and time of day. The classes were arranged in two pairs, such that two classes occurred concurrently during an early period of the day, and two additional classes occurred concurrently during a single period later in the day. For both the earlier and later class periods, each of the school's participating teachers was available to teach either class. One of the teachers was then randomly assigned to use the Cognitive Tutor Geometry curriculum during the class period earlier in the day, and the other was assigned to use the district's existing geometry curriculum during that period. The teachers switched curricula during the later class period, so the teacher who used Cognitive Tutor Geometry in the early period taught the district's existing geometry curriculum during the later period, and the teacher who taught the district's geometry curriculum in the early period taught the Cognitive Tutor Geometry curriculum during the later period. Students who were enrolled in geometry in a given period were individually randomly assigned to either the experimental or control class offered that period.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The district's existing geometry curriculum (business as usual).
Data Analytic Strategy To estimate the causal impact of the treatment on student geometry achievement and attitudes, we compare the performance of the experimental (Cognitive Tutor) and control (standard geometry) groups on the geometry final exam and survey scales, using a hierarchical linear model with students nested in classes nested in schools, and controlling for pretest scores. We also use a randomization test to test the null hypothesis that the causal effect of the Cognitive Tutor curriculum is zero. Because of the possibility of a learning curve for teachers using the Cognitive Tutor, we also fit models that include a time-varying indicator of each teacher's years of experience with the treatment curriculum. In addition, we explore models that allow treatment effects to be moderated by (or interacted with) the school's discipline environment (high or low, as described by the classroom observers) and by the school's average mathematics proficiency on the state algebra assessment. Also, we explore whether students' individual prior achievement in mathematics moderates the treatment effect.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes We find that the curriculum had a significant (p<0.05) negative effect on student achievement, and this result holds for both the Wald test and the randomization test. We estimate that students' achievement on the standardized posttest score following a year of instruction with the Cognitive Tutor curriculum is about 0.19 standard deviation units less than it would have been had they been taught with district's standard curriculum.
Secondary Outcomes We find no evidence of an effect on students' confidence in using mathematics or in their perceptions of the utility of mathematics as a result of exposure to the Cognitive Tutor curriculum rather than the standard curriculum.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This randomized, controlled field trial estimated a negative causal impact of a technology-based geometry curriculum on students' geometry achievement.
Interpretation of Results / Discussion In contrast to previous work with the Cognitive Tutor Geometry curriculum, we find a significant and substantial negative effect for the curriculum in our sample. This result needs to be interpreted in light of the school contexts. On average, students in the sample schools showed weak baseline skills in both mathematics and reading. Thus, they may have lacked the mathematics and reading skills necessary to succeed with this challenging curriculum. In addition, a large majority of teachers in the sample were unfamiliar with the curriculum's learner-centered approach to classroom activities and often struggled with faithfully implementing the curriculum in a way that engaged students. Therefore, the negative effect we estimated might not generalize to other student populations or to teachers who are more familiar with the curriculum or its general approach. However, our results do suggest that teachers in the study struggled to implement the learner-centered, inquiry-based curriculum in a way that engaged their students. Moreover, the curriculum's effectiveness did not appear to increase as teachers gained experience using it. Despite the promise of this novel curriculum and tutoring software, schools in similar circumstances to those in our study might expect lower student achievement in geometry following a switch to the Cognitive Tutor curriculum, at least in the initial years of implementation.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#309. Added March 14, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	A Randomized Trial of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) in Rural Educational Settings: Efficacy for Elementary Students With Disruptive Behaviors
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Susan Sheridan ssheridan2@unl.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Social and Behavioral Outcomes to Support Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will occur in 90 Kindergarten to 3rd grade classrooms in rural elementary schools in Nebraska.
Intervention CBC focuses on improving student behaviors through structured problem solving and collaborative, consistent implementation of evidence-based interventions across home and school settings. In CBC, parents and teachers serve as joint consultees, and the consultation process is conducted with parents and teachers as partners in addressing student behavior problems that interfere with learning. Problems are identified, defined, analyzed, and treated through mutual and collaborative interactions between parents and teachers with the guidance and assistance of a consultant. In this project, consultants will implement the CBC intervention through a sequence of interviews and activities during pre-consultation and four formal stages: a) conjoint problem identification (Week 1), conjoint problem analysis/plan development (Week 2), behavior plan implementation and fidelity support (Weeks 3-6), and conjoint plan evaluation (Weeks 7-8).
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Specific Learning Disability (LD)
Additional Study Sample Information Elementary schools in rural Nebraska will be randomly assigned to either the intervention condition or the typical classroom service model. Approximately 270 Kindergarten through 3rd grade students with disruptive, externalizing behaviors will participate in the study.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study will utilize a three-cohort cluster-randomized trial with repeated measures design, where classrooms serve as the unit of randomization, and classrooms are nested within schools. Classrooms will be randomly assigned to the CBC intervention or to typical classroom services. The immediate and long-term (i.e., one year following participation) effects of CBC will be evaluated.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Participants in the control condition will receive typical services currently available through the school's district for students with behavioral concerns.
Data Analytic Strategy Latent growth modeling with repeated measures nested within children, children nested within classrooms, and classrooms cross-classified within consultants and schools will be used to will be used to analyze differences between the growth rates of treatment and control students' behavioral and academic functioning. In addition, the researchers will investigate potential mediators (e.g., fidelity) and moderators (e.g., parent and teacher beliefs) of intervention effects.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Multiple measures will be used to assess student behavioral (e.g., social-emotional functioning) and academic outcomes, and parent/teacher beliefs and practices (e.g., perceptions of parent efficacy) and the family-school relationship. Also, the researchers will collect data on the fidelity of the intervention implementation.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The purpose of this project is to test the efficacy of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) in rural Nebraska elementary schools. Students with social-behavioral problems early in their school careers are at high risk of developing long-term pervasive behavioral and academic problems. CBC is an indirect intervention that allows for individuation of parent- and teacher-delivered behavior plans that are grounded in ecological-behavioral theory, supported by empirical evidence, and implemented across multiple setting (e.g., home and school). Evidence for the efficacy of CBC exists, including small-n experimental designs and randomized trials in urban and suburban school settings. However, the CBC intervention has never been tested for efficacy in rural settings, where schools struggle to access specialized services, including consultation and parent involvement programs. Elementary schools in rural Nebraska will be randomly assigned to either the intervention condition or the typical classroom service model. Approximately 270 Kindergarten through 3rd grade students with disruptive, externalizing behaviors will participate in the study. The CBC intervention will be implemented for eight weeks. Multiple rating scale and observational measures will be used to assess student behavioral and academic outcomes, and parent/teacher beliefs and practices and the family-school relationship. Researchers will also examine how fidelity of implementation influences treatment outcomes.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#310. Added March 14, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	A Randomized Trial of the SCERTS Curriculum for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Early Elementary School Classrooms
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Amy Wetherby amy.wetherby@med.fsu.edu
Start Date:	March 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	February 28, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Autism Spectrum Disorders
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Participating students will be from Florida and California.
Intervention The SCERTS Curriculum incorporates behavioral and developmental approaches to address the social communication and emotional regulation deficits in children with autism spectrum disorder. The intervention focuses on building children's capacity to engage in reciprocal social interactions and the use of language in a range of natural settings. Challenges in social communication are addressed in a developmental continuum which encompasses the ability to communicate with intent, the acquisition and use of conventional gestures, use of words and word combinations, acquisition of grammar, and conversational discourse. Self regulation difficulties are addressed by enhancing children's capacity to use sensory motor and cognitive or linguistic strategies to support attention and engagement. The third component of the intervention is the use of transactional supports, such as a communicative partner adjusting their language use or the use of visual supports, to optimize social interactions and maximize learning and participation in a variety of settings.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School, Kindergarten Student Disability: Autism
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 320 children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders in 160 kindergarten to 2nd grade classrooms in 40 schools will participate in the study.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The research team will utilize a cluster randomized design with repeated measures to evaluate the developmental outcomes of children being served in classrooms that utilize one of the two types of treatment models. Schools will be randomly assigned to either the SCERTS or typical classroom service model.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control condition will be the typical classroom service model.
Data Analytic Strategy Growth curve modeling will be used to analyze differences between the growth rates of treatment and control students' adaptive behavior, active engagement, social characteristics and academic outcomes. In addition, the researchers will investigate potential mediators (e.g., fidelity) and moderators (e.g., age of treatment entry) of intervention effects
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The curriculum will be evaluated using commercial and non-commercial measures. Outcome measures include the Vineland Behavior Adaptive Scales -II, Social Responsiveness Scale, Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revise, Children's Communication Checklist-2, Child Behavior Checklist. Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test; Expressive One Word Picture Vocabulary, The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills; Test of Word Reading Efficiency and the Stanford Achievement Test - 10. Observational measures of children's active engagement and fidelity measures will also be administered.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Over the past two decades the prevalence of children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder has risen significantly. Current prevalence rates indicate that 1 in every 110 children has an autism spectrum disorder. Few studies to date have evaluated comprehensive interventions in early elementary school for students with autism. Schools are left with the significant challenge of meeting the educational needs of students with autism spectrum disorders and resource allocation. Researchers in this study are evaluating the SCERTS Curriculum, a fully-developed and comprehensive treatment model that targets individualized intervention goals and objectives for students with autism in the domains of social communication and emotional regulation. Environmental and interpersonal supports are also provided to optimize learning in the classroom. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the intervention against a typical classroom service model serving students with autism spectrum disorders. Approximately 320 children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders in 160 kindergarten to 2nd grade classrooms in 40 schools will participate in the study. Schools will be randomly assigned to either the intervention condition or the typical classroom service model. Schools in Florida and California will participate. The intervention will be implemented for one academic year. Students' active engagement, social, communication, behavioral, and academic outcomes will be evaluated for the children in the intervention and the typical classroom service model. Researchers will also examine how child characteristics and fidelity of implementation influence treatment outcomes.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#311. Added March 14, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	An Efficacy Study of Project GLAD
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Theresa Deussen theresa.deussen@educationnorthwest.org
Start Date:	October 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	September 30, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - English Learners
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The evaluation will take place in 25 elementary schools in Idaho.
Intervention Project GLAD is a K-12 instructional model consisting of 35 well-articulated strategies that teachers can use to help students develop academic English and learn grade-level academic content at the same time. The strategies help teachers provide differentiated instruction in classrooms that serve native speakers as well as ELLs at various levels of English proficiency, and they are designed to be incorporated with existing science or social studies curricula. The 35 strategies fall across four broad components: motivation (setting behavior standards and building engagement), input (providing information in multiple formats), guided oral practice strategies (scaffolding student understanding, use of key vocabulary and language structures) and reading/writing (scaffolding student academic literacy). Project GLAD was developed in California in the 1980s and has been used as a fully developed model since 1991.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The study participants will be both native English speakers and ELLs in fifth grade.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The efficacy of Project GLAD will be tested using a cluster randomized design, with 75 teachers from 25 schools randomly assigned to treatment or control conditions. In the first year of implementation, the treatment group will receive standard GLAD training, consisting of a two-day workshop, five days of demonstration and lesson planning, followed by three days of expert coaching spread over the school year. Training and coaching will be provided by certified GLAD trainers. Implementation and outcome data will be collected both during this first year of training as well as the following year (with a second cohort of fifth-grade students).
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers in control classrooms will receive the standard professional development provided by their district and teach using their standard instructional routines.
Data Analytic Strategy Student outcomes will be analyzed using multilevel modeling to account for student nesting in classrooms. Analyses will be conducted to determine whether GLAD shows differential impact for ELL and non-ELL students. Teacher levels of implementation will be summarized across and within GLAD strategies to identify both the overall level of implementation as well as which strategies were fully implemented.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Student outcomes will be measured by the Gates-MacGinitie vocabulary and reading comprehension assessments, a 6-Traits expository writing assessment, and the Idaho state assessment of science. Implementation will be measured by monthly surveys of teachers in treatment classrooms and three classroom observations per year in treatment and control conditions.
Summary of the Study / Abstract In U.S. schools, English language learners (ELLs) receive most of their instruction in mainstream classrooms. Their teachers need to be able to help them access grade-level content and meet state standards while also developing their English language proficiency. This study will test the efficacy of Project GLAD (Guided Language Acquisition Design), an instructional model specifically designed to help classroom teachers integrate the development of academic English with content area instruction for non-native English speakers. The model is designed to benefit all students in a mainstream classroom with many ELLs. Fifth-grade teachers will be trained to implement Project GLAD in their classrooms to improve acquisition of academic English for ELLs as well as native-English speaking students. Specifically, teachers will use GLAD to improve learning in science and social studies. Teachers will participate in workshops and receive classroom demonstrations and coaching support in the use of GLAD. The efficacy of GLAD will be studied during the training year as well as the following year by examining student performance in literacy and science. This study will produce evidence of the efficacy of Project GLAD in improving student outcomes in literacy and science for both ELLs and their native-speaking peers in the classroom.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#312. Added March 14, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	DeepTutor: An Intelligent Tutoring System Based on Deep Language and Discourse Processing and Advanced Tutoring Strategies
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Vasile Rus vrus@memphis.edu
Start Date:	October 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	September 30, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Education Technology
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study will take place in Shelby County Schools, a suburban school district surrounding Memphis, TN.
Intervention DeepTutor is a dialog-based tutoring system focused on high school physics which is intended to increase the effectiveness of existing intelligent tutoring systems that hold a conversation in natural language. In particular, researchers will address the five frequent illusions mentioned above-illusion of grounding, illusion of feedback accuracy, illusion of discourse alignment, illusion of student mastery, and illusion of knowledge transfer-through a combination of deep language and discourse processing, recent advances in instructional and curriculum design, and advanced tutoring strategies. Based on technological advances, DeepTutor is expected to provide accurate assessment, better communication, and advanced tutoring and instructional strategies. With these revisions, the team expects to observe higher quality interaction between computer tutor and tutee and therefore increased effectiveness on learning gains beyond the interactivity plateau.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Participants for this study include high school students in conceptual physics.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The development of DeepTutor will follow an iterative systems engineering approach guided by a mixed-process software model. The team will use a mixed-model process and randomized controlled trials to evaluate the components of the system and the system as a whole. Students will be randomly assigned to participate in one of three conditions: DeepTutor, AutoTutor, or standard classroom instruction. All students will take a pretest, be exposed to one of three conditions, and then take a posttest. Information gleaned from the experimental findings will be used to revise and improve the design and implementation of the DeepTutor system.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Students in the classroom condition will be taught the same content using a standard classroom method. Students in the AutoTutor condition will be taught the same content using the intelligent tutoring system AutoTutor.
Data Analytic Strategy An analysis of variance (ANOVA) will be conducted to detect any main effect of experimental condition or interactions. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) will be conducted to detect any differences or interactions among conditions with the pretest as a covariate.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes DeepTutor is intended to improve student outcomes in science relative to current state of the art in ITSs. Key measures include pretests and posttests related to the DeepTutor and AutoTutor interventions. Evaluations such as the Force Concept Inventory (FCI), a widely used multiple-choice test for evaluating understanding of introductory physics and the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation (FCMI), which is a similar multiple-choice test to the FCI, will be used. The main dependent variables will be the pretest scores, posttest scores, and time to complete the training problems. Researchers will also use both multiple-choice and essay tests to measure learning gains.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Researchers focusing on the tutor-tutee relationship have identified a number of illusions that occur during the tutoring process, and those affecting the meta-cognitive and meta-communicative knowledge of tutors and tutees have been identified to include: illusion of grounding, illusion of feedback accuracy, illusion of discourse alignment, illusion of student mastery, and illusion of knowledge transfer. These illusions are thought to result in the tutoring process being less efficient for a number of reasons, such as: the tutor believes the tutee understands more than he really does; the tutor provides feedback that is more concerned with remaining polite than providing constructive criticism; and the student does not fully understand what tutor is saying (e.g., understand the hints). The goal of this project is to address these illusions in order to improve tutoring quality and learning. This research team believes that tutoring quality and learning will improve by penetrating these five illusions of tutoring. Researchers will develop and evaluate an intelligent tutoring system (ITS) which will address these illusions, and which will integrate recent advances in instructional and curriculum design. Called DeepTutor, the system is intended to improve student outcomes in science relative to a current state-of-the art tutoring system, called AutoTutor, and standard classroom instruction. The evaluation will focus primarily on learning gains (curriculum-based post-test scores are significantly higher than pre-test scores) as well as on usability and students' perception of the system. The effects of DeepTutor will be compared to a state-of-the-art tutoring system, AutoTutor, and to classroom instruction. Students in the two tutoring conditions, DeepTutor and AutoTutor, will undergo prerequisite mastery and pre-training periods to build needed some prior knowledge before solving problems with the tutors.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#314. Added March 14, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Developing and Evaluating a Technology-Based Fractions Intervention Program for Low-Achieving and At-Risk Students
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Ted Hasselbring t.hasselbring@vanderbilt.edu
Start Date:	October 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	September 30, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Education Technology
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The participating schools will be selected from the Warren County Public Schools District in Bowling Green, Kentucky and the Williamson County Schools District in Franklin, Tennessee.
Intervention The HALF system will integrate anchored instruction, adaptive computer-based instruction, teacher-led instruction based on student performance data, and small group problem solving. The anchored instruction will be a five-minute video-viewed by the whole class-where a realistic problem-solving situation is presented. This video provides a meaningful context for developing and applying skills in the use of fractions to solve authentic problems. The HALF computer-based adaptive instructional system will use instructional principles from both direct instruction and deliberate practice, and will follow a specific set of instructional procedures designed to develop competent levels of performance for all learners. As students interact with the system, it will collect and analyze performance data. The system will provide this feedback to teachers, who will then be able to provide individualized and small-group instruction.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The sample includes over 300 students in Grades 5-6 who are at-risk and low-achieving. In addition, approximately 10 teachers will participate in the project.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The three-year project involves both the development and testing of the intervention. In Year 1, researchers will employ iterative design, where they will utilize fidelity checklists and student assessment data during the process to determine if components of the intervention are operating as intended. In Year 2, researchers will focus on re-designing the intervention using analyses of qualitative data collected from field observations, interviews with students and teachers, and teacher journals. In Year 3, the research team will conduct a between-subjects pilot study comparing students and teachers using the HALF intervention with students and teachers in the control condition. Random assignment is at the classroom level. This pilot evaluation will help determine the promise of the intervention and the feasibility of implementing HALF with fidelity in math classrooms.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control condition will consist of four teachers and their classrooms. The teachers will use a commercially available fractions intervention that fully integrates physical manipulatives into instruction.
Data Analytic Strategy Quantitative data from the pilot study will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and a mixed regression model, including calculating effect sizes for the treatment and control groups. Qualitative data will be coded by two researchers, allowing for inter-rater reliability, which will allow for categories to emerge from the data.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Student assessments on math performance will be drawn from the large-scale evaluation of the Rational Number Project curriculum. Topics covered in this assessment include basic fraction concepts, fraction equivalence, fraction order, addition and subtraction, estimation, and number line. Additionally, the team will gather data using fidelity checklists, computer log files, student and teacher interviews, audio and video recordings, and observations.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The purpose of this project is to develop an intelligent tutoring system intended to promote students' understanding of fractions, an area that many students find difficult to master. The HALF (Helping At-risk and Low-achieving students in Fractions) system will present learning problems in conjunction with virtual manipulatives and videos designed to anchor to-be-learned concepts within already-familiar topics. After students attempt to solve these new problems, the system will diagnose gaps in student understanding and provide feedback to teachers intended to support individualized instruction and practice in basic concepts of fractions. During the initial years of the project, the research team will follow an iterative design process to develop, test, and redesign the HALF system. In addition, the team will develop a webinar presentation for teachers to support their use of the software package. In the last year of the project, the team will conduct a between-subjects experiment to test the effectiveness of the new intervention with a commercially available software program and real (i.e., not virtual) manipulatives. At the end of this project, the research team will have developed two main products: (1) an intelligent tutoring system, HALF, designed to provide instruction to students in fractions; and (2) a professional development webinar intended to increase teachers' familiarity with and understanding of the software package. Articles describing the research outcomes of the development and testing process will also be prepared.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#315. Added March 14, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	ECHOS: Early Childhood Hands on Science
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Judy Brown jabrown@miamisci.org
Other Key Staff:	Daryl Greenfield, University of Miami
Start Date:	October 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	September 30, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Early Learning Programs and Policies
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will take place in 90 urban Head Start preschool classrooms in Florida.
Intervention The ECHOS curriculum is a comprehensive early childhood science curriculum and professional development program. The curriculum consists of nine units, focused on Life, Earth, and the Physical Sciences. Each unit is delivered over a month-long period, providing curriculum for an entire year .Each unit includes an Overview; Teacher Background Information; four lessons with detailed setup instructions and scripts; and Integration Cards (i Cards) that guide activities for teachers, teacher's aides or volunteers. The i Cards are designed to integrate language, literacy, math, and creative arts related to the science content. Units are sequenced to present increasingly more complex science process skills. A learning sequence provides teachers with a logical structure to follow when delivering lessons. The curriculum approach combines direct instruction with guided inquiry-based science experiences and exploration.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Study participants will include 90 Head Start teachers and approximately 1800 children, most of whom are African-American (55%) and Hispanic (35%).
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Ninety Head Start teachers and their classrooms will be selected to participate in the study- 45 randomly assigned to the Treatment Group (High Scope + ECHOS) and 45 to the business-as-usual Control Group (High Scope + High Scope Science). In Year 1, participating teachers will be asked to complete a measure of teachers' attitudes towards science. Baseline classroom observations will be conducted in treatment and control group classrooms. Curriculum materials and researcher-developed measures will be finalized for use during Years 2 to 4 of the study. In Years 2 and 3, teachers and teaching assistants in the treatment condition will receive training to implement the ECHOS curriculum. Teachers in the control group will receive training to implement the High Scope curriculum. In Years 2 and 3, two cohorts of children will be recruited and assessed .Each year, ten children will be randomly selected from each of the 90 participating classrooms to participate in the student assessment protocol .Participating children will be pretested at the beginning of the school year. Their progress in science will be measured throughout the year, with post testing at the end of the preschool year .Data will be collected to examine teachers' attitudes toward science and their classroom teaching practices. Teachers will be asked to complete curriculum implementation logs and observational data will be collected to examine fidelity of implementation.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition In the control condition, children will receive the High Scope plus High Scope Science curriculum. High Scope is a comprehensive preschool curriculum that is widely used in preschool programs. The curriculum includes a set of teaching practices, curriculum content areas (approaches to learning; language and literacy; social and emotional development; physical development; health and well-being; arts and sciences), assessment tools and a teacher training program model. Teachers will receive professional development based on the High Scope curriculum model. In the intervention condition, science instruction will be delivered weekly through scripted lessons and integrated activities. In the control condition, there is no specified time for science instruction. Teachers will receive general information about science instruction as part of the High Scope curriculum model.
Data Analytic Strategy The research team will use hierarchical linear modeling to examine the impact of the ECHOS curriculum on children's science, math and language and literacy achievement. Analyses will also be conducted to examine the impact of the professional development on teachers' attitudes towards science, their science knowledge, and their teaching practices.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The measures include direct child assessments, teacher ratings of participating children, a teacher survey, and classroom observations. Children's understanding of science content knowledge and science process skills will be assessed using the Science Direct Assessment. The Learning Express will be used to assess children's vocabulary, mathematics, listening comprehension, and alphabet skills. Teachers will use the Galileo System for the Electronic Management of Learning, an online system will be used to track children's development and growth, to record child-level school readiness data in fall and spring of the preschool year. Teachers will be asked to complete the Early Childhood Teachers' Attitudes Toward Science Questionnaire. Classroom observations will be conducted in both treatment and control classrooms using the Preschool Science Classroom Observation Tool.
Summary of the Study / Abstract In recent years, early childhood education has emphasized children's school readiness in the domains of language, literacy, and mathematics. To date, there has been limited systematic focus on science education in preschool. There is a need for the development, implementation, and evaluation of preschool science curricula that will promote young children's understanding of basic science concepts. The purpose of this project is to conduct an efficacy study of a comprehensive early childhood science curriculum and professional development program. The research team will evaluate the efficacy of the Early Childhood Hands-On Science (ECHOS) curriculum. The curriculum will be delivered by Head Start classroom teachers who will be randomly assigned to implement the ECHOS curriculum or typical instruction. Members of the research team will collect data at the child, teacher and classroom levels, and conduct analyses to evaluate the effect of the ECHOS preschool science curriculum on children's academic outcomes, and on teachers' attitudes about science, science knowledge, and science teaching. Products include data which describe the effects of the ECHOS curriculum on children's academic outcomes and teachers' science knowledge and instructional practices. The study findings will be presented at research conferences and in published papers.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#316. Added March 14, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Efficacy of a Parent-Mediated Intervention for One-Year-Olds at Risk for Autism
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Linda Watson lwatson@med.unc.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Early Intervention and Early Learning in Special Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will take place in North Carolina.
Intervention The researchers will evaluate a parent-mediated, home-based intervention called Adapted Responsive Teaching. Adapted Responsive Teaching targets behaviors linked to the later development of more complex functions (pivotal behaviors) in domains of social-communication and sensory-regulatory functions. An interventionist meets with families for approximately 30 1-hour home visits over a period of 6-8 months to provide them with information, demonstration, and coaching on use of responsive teaching strategies to promote targeted pivotal behaviors for their child. Responsive teaching strategies emphasize reciprocity, contingency; shared control, positive affect, and matching the child's developmental level and behavioral style. Family action plans are formulated at the end of each session to promote the use of Adapted Responsive Teaching by parents during daily, routine interactions with their child.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Not Applicable Student Disability: Autism
Additional Study Sample Information Over one hundred infants and their families will participate in this research. The infants will weigh more than 2,500 grams at birth and have been determined to be at risk for autism based on parent ratings using the First Year Inventory screening tool.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Families will be randomly assigned to receive the Adapted Responsive Teaching treatment or a business as usual control group. Both groups will be assessed pre-intervention and post-intervention. An Intervention Coordinator will monitor Adapted Responsive Teaching implementation and services received by children in the control group.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Adapted Responsive Teaching will be compared to a business-as-usual condition in which families of eligible children are referred to community services for early intervention.
Data Analytic Strategy An intent-to-treat strategy will be used for data analyses. Analysis of Covariance will be used to evaluate the effects of Adapted Responsive Teaching on infant outcomes and identify potential mediators or moderators of intervention effects.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Researchers will measure children's social communication, regulatory function, general development, and presence or severity of autism symptoms. In addition, data will be collected on fidelity of treatment implementation, parent and child demographics and parental responsiveness and use of other community services.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Early intervention with children with autism may promote better long-term outcomes and preempt more serious consequences associated with this disorder. There is little research about the efficacy of interventions with infants and toddlers who, at this point, have not yet demonstrated all of their autism diagnostic symptoms. The purpose of this project is to assess the efficacy of an early intervention program called Adaptive Responsive Teaching with one year olds most at risk for autism spectrum disorder. The intervention is intended to improve developmental outcomes and ameliorate symptom severity. A randomized control trial design will be used to study the efficacy of Adaptive Responsive Teaching intervention for improving social communication, regulatory functioning, and general development and ameliorating the presence or severity of autism symptoms. Families will be randomly assigned to receive the Adaptive Responsive Teaching or a business as usual control group. Both groups will be assessed pre-intervention and post-intervention. The products of this project will be published reports on the efficacy of Adapted Responsive Teaching and mediators or moderators of intervention effects.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#341. Added October 10, 2011 Updated October 31, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	A Study of the Effects of a Three-Tier Model of Interagency Collaboration on Transition Outcomes for Students with Disabilities
Principal Investigator:	Dr. David Test dwtest@uncc.edu
Start Date:	May 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	April 30, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Transition Outcomes for Special Education Secondary Students
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will be conducted in six school districts located in North Carolina.
Intervention CIRCLES involves three levels of interagency collaboration (i.e., community-level team, school-level team, and individual-level team). The community-level team provides administrative leadership for the array of transition services offered and assists in finding solutions for problems that may arise in service delivery. The school-level team provides each student with access to an array of representatives from community agencies that may provide services to the student after graduation. The individual-level team writes the IEP including the transition component.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Multiple Disabilities
Additional Study Sample Information Participants in this study are high school students with disabilities between the ages of 14 and 21.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The study will use a cluster randomized trial design to examine the efficacy of CIRCLES. A total of 58 schools are randomly assigned to the CIRCLES or the comparison group condition. Hierarchical linear models are applied to collected data.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control condition will be existing "business as usual" transition programs for students with disabilities.
Data Analytic Strategy For school-level outcomes, repeated measures across 3 years of intervention are modeled and examined at the end of 3 years using two-level hierarchical linear modeling. For student-level outcomes, the students within both treatment and control schools will be examined annually with two-level hierarchical linear modeling. Student and school structural characteristics will be included in the model to examine the effects on student outcomes. An index of Achieved Relative Strength will be calculated to examine differences between causal components in the CIRCLES and comparison conditions. Social validity of CIRCLES will be examined using data from stakeholders' focus groups and surveys.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Measures used to determine the outcomes are: (a) North Carolina's Indicator 14 data collection instrument for post-school outcomes; (b) North Carolina's Indicator 2 data collection instrument for dropout rates; (c) North Carolina's Indicator 1 data collection instrument for graduation rates; (d) AIR Self-Determination Scales for level of self-determination; (e) participation in IEP meetings measured using a Likert rating scale completed by IEP team members; and (f) number of absences, office referrals, suspensions, and course performance and completion for academic performance for in-school outcomes.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Although post-school outcomes for students with disabilities have improved in the past 10 years, students with disabilities still consistently experience poor outcomes in the areas of education, employment, and independent living when compared to their peers without disabilities. To improve transition outcomes, the researchers will examine the efficacy of a three-tier model of interagency collaboration, called the Communicating Interagency Relationships and Collaborative Linkages for Exceptional Students (CIRCLES), on transition outcomes for students with disabilities. They will provide empirical information about the CIRCLES intervention as compared to the business-as-usual services provided to students with disabilities.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#317. Added March 14, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Efficacy of Broad Target Speech Recasts on Students with Down Syndrome
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Paul Yoder paul.yoder@vanderbilt.edu
Start Date:	September 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	August 31, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Professional Development for Teachers and Related Services Providers
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will occur in Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools.
Intervention Broad Target Speech Recasts (BTSR) speech therapy assumes the source of the child's speech difficulties lies in inaccurate or incomplete sound templates, not merely in production of individual sounds. This sound template is not just a store for phonemic information, but also pitch, rate, and stress. The presumed "active ingredient" in BTSR is speech recasts. A speech recast is an adult utterance that immediately follows a child utterance. It gives a neutral or positive evaluation of the meaning of the child's utterance, and is an exact or reduced imitation of the word(s) that the child attempted to say using adult pronunciation. That is, speech recasts provide indirect information about accuracy of the child's production and provide models of accurate pronunciation, pitch, stress, and intonation. For example, if the child says, "Ah wa du," the speech recast might be "You want juice." The "broad target" part of BTSR is that the therapist uses speech recasts for any word the child attempts to say that is inaccurately produced and affords a developmentally appropriate recast. The delivery of at least four speech recasts per minute is the primary active ingredient in BTSR.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School, Kindergarten, Preschool Student Disability: Mental Retardation
Additional Study Sample Information The target population is students ages 5-12 with Down Syndrome who have less than 75 percent speech comprehensibility and scores below the 10th percentile in measures of speech accuracy.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The proposed research design is a longitudinal randomized control trial. Sixty-three children will be randomized at the student level into one of the two treatment groups. Children in both groups will be offered two 1-hour sessions per week for 6 months in their schools. Treatments will be delivered by project-provided speech language therapists. Children in both groups will be assessed at five time points (before treatment, 2 and 4 months into the treatment phase, immediately after intervention, and at 2 months after the treatment phase). Half of all treatment sessions will be videotaped, and these will be coded for treatment fidelity.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Easy Does It for Articulation (EDI) is a program that emphasizes guided practice in producing individually targeted speech sounds. The EDI model assumes the source of the child's speech difficulties is the child's inability to accurately produce sounds due to difficulties in motor execution or motor planning. EDI attempts to increase the child's oral motor execution through repetition and guided practice, and this approach addresses targeted speech sounds one at a time. The presumed "active ingredient" in EDI is child production of target sounds through massed-trial practice. This approach mirrors techniques that are currently employed by related services personnel who treat speech disorders.
Data Analytic Strategy Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) will be used to assess the growth of speech comprehensibility and the intervention's impact on the level of speech accuracy at follow up.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes A variety of measures will be used to assess outcomes and potential moderators including narrative and conversational speech samples, a measure of verbal imitation, and a measure of verbal short-term memory. Standardized measures include the Arizona Articulation Proficiency Scale, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, and the brief form of the Stanford-Binet-V intelligence test. Fidelity measures include treatment session records and therapists' rating of methods used in the treatment sessions, as well as coding of videotaped treatment sessions.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The goal of this project is to evaluate the efficacy of a promising speech therapy compared to traditional speech therapy. The research team will test the efficacy of Broad Target Speech Recasts (BTSR) compared to the Easy Does It for Articulation (EDI) program in improving speech comprehensibility of elementary school students with Down Syndrome. BTSR focuses on the speech context through speech recasts (adult repeats words child is attempting to say, providing a model of correct pronunciation, pitch, stress, and intonation). The comparison program emphasizes drill and practice of individual sounds and sound combinations, reflecting typical services provided in school settings. A randomized clinical trial will be conducted with approximately 63 children ages 5-12. The children will be randomly assigned into one of two treatments groups: Broad Target Speech Recasts or Easy Does It for Articulation. Students in both groups will be offered two 1-hour sessions per week for 24 weeks. Treatment will be provided to individual students by speech language therapists. All students will be assessed at five time points to allow for analysis of treatment effects on growth of speech comprehensibility. The products of this project include evidence of the relative efficacy of the Broad Target Speech Recasts intervention over the standard Easy Does It for Articulation intervention, as well as published reports and presentations.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#318. Added March 14, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Efficacy of Rich Vocabulary (RVOC) Instruction for Classrooms
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Patricia Vadasy patriciav@ori.org
Other Key Staff:	Joseph R. Jenkins (University of Washington)
Start Date:	October 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	September 30, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Reading and Writing
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The evaluation will take place in elementary schools in a large urban area in Washington State.
Intervention RVOC instruction occurs daily during teachers' regular language arts block for 30 minutes per day for 14 weeks. RVOC instruction includes multiple and varied encounters with words and opportunities to practice words through defining tasks, sentence generation tasks, classification tasks, oral and written production tasks, games under timed conditions, and tasks that stress the semantic or affective relationships between the target words and previously acquired vocabulary. The treatment instruction will be coordinated with the reading of two grade-level novels, which will be provided to both the treatment and control classrooms.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The study participants will be 60 fourth- and fifth-grade teachers and their students.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods In this efficacy study, teachers will be randomly assigned to the treatment or the control group. Three cohorts of 20 fourth- and fifth-grade teachers will participate each year. All students from participating classrooms with parental consent will be assessed prior to the implementation of the intervention and following the completion of the 14-week intervention period. All teachers will be observed during their language arts instruction block at the beginning, middle, and end of this 14-week period to assess fidelity in the treatment condition and quantify vocabulary and comprehension instruction in the control condition. All students will be assessed on measures of vocabulary and comprehension.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers who are assigned to the control group will implement their typical, business-as-usual instruction during the language arts block.
Data Analytic Strategy Multilevel modeling will be used to test direct and conditional cross-level treatment effects of classroom RVOC instruction on student outcomes.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Vocabulary and comprehension will be assessed using the Iowa Test of Basic Skills and experimenter-designed tasks using the taught words. Instructional content and student grouping arrangements (e.g., vocabulary instruction in small groups versus individualized word study) in both the treatment and control classrooms will be measured with the Instructional Content Emphasis-Revised (ICE-R).
Summary of the Study / Abstract The ability to understand written text is highly dependent on knowing the meaning of individual words. The well-established positive relation between vocabulary and comprehension suggests that high quality vocabulary instruction should benefit comprehension. In this efficacy study, the research team will test the efficacy of rich vocabulary (RVOC) instruction compared to typical (i.e., business-as-usual) vocabulary instruction for students in fourth and fifth grade. RVOC instruction is intensive, provides frequent and varied encounters with targeted vocabulary words, and has been found to improve reading comprehension in prior quasi-experimental research conducted with small samples. The current study will attempt to replicate this prior research using more methodological rigor, including the use of random assignment and a larger and more diverse sample. The efficacy of RVOC will be tested using a multi-cohort randomized design. In each of three years, 20 fourth- and fifth-grade teachers (and their students) will be recruited and randomly assigned to treatment (implementation of RVOC) or control (teachers' regular, business-as-usual classroom vocabulary instruction) conditions. The expected products of this study include published reports on the effects of rich vocabulary (RVOC) instruction on the vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension of students in fourth and fifth grade. Products will also include findings on whether students' baseline skills in vocabulary and comprehension, or the amount of instructional time on vocabulary and comprehension activities, moderate any treatment effects.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#319. Added March 14, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Evaluating the Long-Term Effects and the Costs of Two Community College Interventions
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Thomas Brock thomas.brock@mdrc.org
Other Key Staff:	Michael Weiss
Start Date:	October 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	September 30, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Postsecondary and Adult Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The evaluation will take place in two large, publicly funded community colleges - Chaffey College in Southern California and Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn, New York.
Intervention The intervention at Chaffey, the "Enhanced Opening Doors Program," was designed to help probationary students perform better in college and move off probation. It consisted of a required "College Success" course, enhanced academic supports, and enhanced counseling. The intervention at Kingsborough was a "learning community" program that placed groups of freshmen into three linked classes their first semester. Participating students at Kingsborough also received enhanced counseling and a voucher to pay for their textbooks. The goal of Kingsborough's program was to improve students' academic experience and performance. Both programs operated between 2003 and 2007 and their short-term effects were evaluated as part of the multisite Opening Doors Demonstration.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Postsecondary Education Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information At Chaffey College, the study includes 444 students between the ages of 18 and 34 who were on academic or progress probation and who had earned fewer than 35 credits. At Kingsborough, the study includes 1,534 incoming freshmen between the ages of 17 and 34 who planned to attend college full-time during the day.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods At each college, students were randomly assigned to participate in the program or to a control group that did not participate in the program activities. Long-term impacts of the programs are assessed up to 6 years after participation.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition In the control condition, students received standard college services.
Data Analytic Strategy Standard statistical tests, such as t-tests, will be used to compare average outcomes of the program group and control group members within each study site. Cost analysis will examine data from institutional data sources, the National Student Clearinghouse, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, and interviews with college staff. Financial outcomes include instructional costs per credit hour, cost of administering the Opening Doors program, and cost of providing supplemental services. A cost effectiveness measure will be calculated by subtracting the gross cost per control group student from the gross cost per program group student.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Credits earned and probation status (for Chaffey only), persistence, certificate and degree completion, and transfers to a four-year institution will be used to study student success. Cost effectiveness will be evaluated by comparing the gross costs of operating Opening Doors and regular college services, as well as net costs.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Community colleges serve as an important doorway to higher education for a growing number of minority and low-income students, working adults, parents, and first-generation college students. A large number of such students who enter with the goal of completing a college degree are not successful. To address this problem, a number of innovative programs have been developed to support entering community college students at-risk for dropping out. This project will evaluate the long-term educational effects of two promising community college programs operated as part of the Opening Doors Demonstration, an efficacy study of programs aimed to help community college students succeed. It will also estimate the costs of operating the programs in comparison to the usual college services. This project will analyze data from student transcripts, institutional data, and data from the National Student Clearinghouse to estimate program impacts on student persistence and success in community college. Institutional data will also be used to estimate the cost effectiveness of the programs by comparing cost per average program member to cost per average control group member. Products include published reports on the evidence of the long-term efficacy and cost effectiveness of two community college interventions designed to increase student success in college.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#320. Added March 14, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Evaluation of a Video-Based Modeling Program to Promote Effective Teacher Classroom Management Practices
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Wendy Reinke reinkew@missouri.edu
Other Key Staff:	Keith Herman, Melissa Stormont
Start Date:	October 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	September 30, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Social and Behavioral Context for Academic Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting A large urban school district in Missouri that implements Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS).
Intervention The Incredible Years teacher training (IY TT) program provides strategies for effectively managing classroom behavior through a process of active engagement and support as teachers implement the strategies learned. The training model used in this program has three core components: (1) video-based modeling, (2) opportunities for practice and rehearsal, and (3) teacher consultation. In this study, teachers attend six one-day workshops offered over the course of the school year. Teachers learn how to (1) encourage and praise students, (2) motivate students through the use of incentives, (3) proactively prevent problem behaviors, (4) decrease inappropriate and off-task behavior, and (5) build positive relationships with all students in the classroom and their parents. During the workshops, teachers view and discuss videotaped vignettes of unrehearsed teacher-student classroom interactions to observe effective and ineffective classroom strategies. IY TT trainers then model the effective strategies, after which teachers break out into small groups and role play what they have learned. Trainers provide further support by visiting teachers in their classrooms twice during the school year to observe and provide consultation as needed. In addition to the workshops and ongoing coaching and consultation, an IY TT Buddy System allows teachers to problem solve and support one another as they implement strategies in the classroom.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School, Kindergarten Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Study participants are students and teachers in 100 kindergarten through third grade classrooms situated in 20 public elementary schools.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods In this efficacy study, 100 kindergarten through third grade teachers are randomized within school by cohort into either the IY TT condition or the control condition (30 classrooms in Year 1, 40 in Year 2 and 30 in Year 3). Data are collected on teacher classroom practices and students' academic and social behavior. Assessments of students' academic achievement and social behavior occur pre- and post-post intervention, and in the spring of the following school year.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers who are assigned to the control group will receive the standard teacher continuing education program that is currently provided in the school district.
Data Analytic Strategy Analysis of Covariance will be used to compare treatment and control conditions. Structural equation modeling will be used to examine mediated effects. Latent growth curve analyses and latent profile modeling will be used for exploratory analyses of moderated effects.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Student academic achievement is measured with the Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement, 3rd Edition (WJ-III) and school records (e.g., grades). Disruptive and off-task student behavior is measured using the Multi-Option Observation System for Experimental Studies (MOOSES), the Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation-Revised (TOCA-Revised), , and school records (e.g., discipline referrals). Student prosocial behaviors are measured using the Behavior and Emotional Rating Scale 2nd Edition (BERS-2) and the Social Competence Scale-Teacher (T-COMP). Potential teacher-level mediators are also assessed (e.g., Teacher Sense of Self Efficacy Scale (TSSES), the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI)). Intervention fidelity will be measured using MOOSES and the Classroom Ecology Checklist (CEC).
Summary of the Study / Abstract Although much is known about effective classroom management strategies, many teachers are not adequately trained to deal with behavior problems in the classroom. The Incredible Years teacher training (IY TT) program is an innovative video-based modeling program that incorporates active learning of classroom management skills. In this efficacy study, the research team will examine the effects of IY TT on the academic performance of students in kindergarten through third grade and determine the extent to which classroom behavior mediates the relationship between teacher classroom management skills and students' academic performance in the classroom. The IY TT program is designed to promote teachers' knowledge and use of good classroom management practices, including effective praise, proactive teaching strategies, consistent consequences, and effective reprimands. Teachers learn to promote students' social skills and self-regulation abilities, and to be sensitive to students' developmental and individual differences. Teachers also learn strategies for working closely with parents. Skills are introduced and practiced through video-based modeling that includes brief vignettes of authentic teacher-student interactions, followed by opportunities for role-play of similar scenarios with feedback from IY TT trainers and fellow teachers. On-going support is provided in the classroom through coaching, consultation, and collaboration with peers. In this study, teachers are randomly assigned within schools to participate in the IY TT intervention or a control group. Assessments occur at the beginning and end of the intervention year to examine the short-term impact of the program, and again in the spring of the following school year to determine sustained and longer-term impacts of the program on student behavior and academic outcomes.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#321. Added March 14, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Ohio Department of Education's Literacy Core Curriculum for Early Childhood Educators
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Shayne Piasta piasta.1@osu.edu
Other Key Staff:	Laura Justice
Start Date:	October 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	September 30, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Evaluation of State and Local Education Programs and Policies
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study tracks four cohorts of teachers and students from school districts throughout Ohio.
Intervention The intervention in this study has two components: the Literacy Core Curriculum for Early Childhood Educators ("Core") professional development program and a complementary Teacher Leader Program. Depending on a participating teacher's treatment group, he or she will receive either the Core or the Core plus the Teacher Leader program. The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) Core program, administered by the Early Childhood Quality Network (ECQ-net), is a 10-week, 30-hour professional development program that aims to raise educators' knowledge of current research on children's language and literacy development, increase teachers support of best practices for literacy development and feelings of efficacy in respect to creating environments to support literacy development, and increase teachers' use of effective classroom practices. The five topics covered by Core include: (1) Environments, (2) Play, (3) Oral Language Development, (4) Early Reading, and (5) Early Writing. Each session within the Core program is structured around three components: Explorations during which teachers share experiences and brainstorm about the session's topic, Implications and Demonstrations during which the instructor provides information to the teachers and leads a discussion on the session's topic, and Connections to Teaching and Learning during which teachers are able to discuss and design classroom plans for using what they have learned. In addition to Core, ODE sponsors a companion program called the Teacher Leader Program, which is also administered by ECQ-net. Teachers in the program receive 4 to 6 hours of monthly mentoring from seasoned teachers for approximately 6 months. The mentors are teachers who have participated in Core and have received an additional 30 hours of training. Mentors and mentees work together to address the individual needs of the mentee by observing, discussing, and improving classroom practices.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The sample of early childhood educators (preK teachers) are to represent various subgroups of teachers working in state-sponsored preschool programs, including early childhood special education classrooms and standard early childhood education classrooms; publically and privately funded classrooms; center-based and home-based classrooms; rural, urban, and suburban classrooms; and credentialed and non-credentialed teachers in order to determine possible moderating effects of teacher or class environment characteristics. Children in the study are all students of teachers in the study, enrolled in state-sponsored preschool programs, native speakers of English, and expected to enter kindergarten in the following fall.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Over a 4-year period, teachers who voluntary apply to attend professional development sponsored by the ODE will be asked to take part in the study. Demographic and employment data will be obtained from the consenting teachers who will then be randomly assigned to one of the treatment groups: (1) Core, (2) Core plus Teacher Leader Program, and (3) an alternative ODE program. Purposely sampling will be used to distribute equal numbers of teachers from specific subgroups across the three treatment groups. The project will collect data from each of the four cohorts of teachers at four points over an 18-month period: the fall (baseline data), spring, and winter of the treatment year and the fall of the subsequent year. These data include measures of teacher knowledge, dispositions, and practices. Field assessors will also visit the teachers' classrooms four times: once during the fall, spring, and winter of the training year and once during the fall of the subsequent year. These all-day, in-class observations will be videotaped for later coding and scoring. The project will also recruit five students for each teacher from among the teacher-identified eligible students (i.e., the students who the teacher has identified as being native speakers of English and who will enroll in kindergarten the following year). After parental consent is obtained, the researchers will collect data about the child from the child's parent/guardian, the teacher, and the child at three points over the 18-month period: the fall (baseline data) and spring of the teacher's training year and the fall of the subsequent year when the child enters kindergarten. These data include demographic/background information; language, literacy, and school readiness assessments; kindergarten readiness assessments; and other measures such as home literacy, student-teacher relationship, and child temperament and behavior.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers in the control condition receive courses approved by the OED and administered by EDQ-net in non-literacy-development based domains, such as math or science. They will not receive the Teacher Leadership Program.
Data Analytic Strategy Data analysis will be conducted using hierarchical linear models (HLMs). For teachers, growth curve analysis will be done to examine repeated measures nested within teachers. The student analysis will have students nested within schools and examine student gains from the pre-test to the end of pre-K and to the start of kindergarten. A subgroup analysis will re-estimate the teacher and child analyses for: early childhood educators versus early childhood special educators; publically funded/needs-based, privately funded center-based, and privately funded home-based classrooms; rural, urban, and suburban classrooms; and teachers with and without credentials. A moderator analysis will explore possible program, teacher, and child variables, beyond the aforementioned subgroups, that may moderate the effects. The project will also complete a cost analysis of Core and the Teacher Leader Program.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Teacher measures will be collected to determine teachers' knowledge of age-appropriate literature, language and literacy development, and pedagogy; their dispositions and beliefs concerning literacy development and pedagogy, general practices in preschool classrooms, adult- versus child-centered instruction, and self-efficacy in promoting language and literacy development; and their use of effective classroom practices including elements such as instructional and emotional support, classroom management, and amount of time spent focusing on literacy. These data will be collected from questionnaires and videotaped in-class observations. Measures will be collected during the fall, winter, and spring of the training year and during a follow-up in the fall of the subsequent year. Child measures will be collected to assess the child's expressive and receptive language; phonological, alphabet, and print knowledge; emergent reading and writing abilities; and classroom readiness, including social behavioral and academic readiness. These data will be collected from teachers and also from students by hired assessors during the fall and spring of the child's first year of participation and during the fall of his or her kindergarten year as a follow-up. During the first year, parents/guardians will provide data on the child's home environment (e.g. parental/guardian beliefs about child literacy and frequency of literacy practices at home), the child's temperament, and the quality of the student-teacher relationship. Additional data will be collected from the statewide kindergarten readiness assessment for literacy during the fall of the child's kindergarten year. Fidelity of implementation measures for the teachers will also be collected. This data track the attendance and participation of a teacher in his or her professional development courses and will include mentoring logs, if applicable.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This project will evaluate the Ohio Department of Education-sponsored professional development course for early childhood educators known as the Literacy Core Curriculum for Early Childhood Educators ("Core") program. Nearly 1,200 Ohio pre-K educators have been trained in Core since 2008; however; the effectiveness of this program and its companion mentoring program, the Teacher Leader Program, to increase educators' literacy-related knowledge and practices has not been tested against other state-sponsored professional development courses (e.g., those that focus on math or science). Similarly, the effects of such literacy-based programs on literacy-related skills of children in participating teachers' classes are unknown. This research team will address both of these questions by conducting an independent evaluation of Core and the Teacher Leader Program using a randomized controlled trial. During the project, 960 early childhood educators will be randomly assigned to participate in the Core program, Core plus the Teacher Leader Program, or an alternative state professional development program in such subjects as math or science. Teachers will be assessed, including a pre-assessment, four times over an 18-month period to assess changes in their literacy-related knowledge and instructional skills. Students will be assessed on their literacy and related skills twice during pre-K and once in the fall of kindergarten. The project will also document the fidelity of implementation of the professional development programs and determine their costs. The results from this evaluation of the effectiveness Core professional development program will be directly provided to the Ohio Department of Education through the participation of department personnel on the project team and to the research community and other education practitioners and policymakers through presentations and publications.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#322. Added March 14, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Examining the Efficacy of Banking Time: A Teacher-Child Early Intervention to Improve Children's Emotional and Behavioral Development
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Amanda Williford apw2c@virginia.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Early Intervention and Early Learning in Special Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research project will take place in private, state, and Head Start preschool classrooms in Virginia and North Carolina.
Intervention Banking Time is a structured intervention targeted to improve teacher-child interactions and the quality of the teacher-child relationship. Banking Time sessions are brief, regular, play-focused and interactive. Teachers will implement Banking Time with the target child three times per week for eight weeks. During each Banking Time session, the teacher and child engage in an activity chosen by the child. The session is led by the child as the teacher watches, listens, and responds. Teachers work weekly with a consultant to support intervention implementation.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Emotional Disturbance (ED)
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 500 three and four year olds from over 170 classrooms will participate in this research. The children will be most at risk for developing a disruptive behavior disorder and receipt of special education services due to serious emotional disturbance.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Teachers will be randomly assigned to one of three conditions: the Banking Time experimental condition; a time-control comparison, or a business as usual condition. Teachers will implement Banking Time in eight week intervals, three times a week, with one student at a time. Three students in each classroom will be randomly assigned to receive Banking Time in the fall, winter, or spring. Children's behavioral and social emotional skills will be measured prior to and immediately after the intervention as well as at their entry into the next academic year. Information on the fidelity of intervention implementation will be collected.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Two comparison groups will be part of this research. In the time-control comparison group, teachers will be asked to meet with individual children for the same frequency and duration as the Banking Time condition, but the teacher will select the activities. In the second group, students will be provided with "business as usual." Researchers will document activities of both of these groups so that comparisons with the Banking Time can be made.
Data Analytic Strategy A series of data analysis techniques, including hierarchical linear modeling and regression, will be used to estimate the effect of Banking Time on students' behavioral and social emotional outcomes, teacher-student relationship, and teacher practices. Additional analyses will be conducted to determine variables that may influence the strength of the relation between the interventions and student outcomes.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Key outcomes of behavior and social emotional skills will be administered including the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory, the Sutter-Eyberg Student Behavior Inventory-Revised, Emotion Regulation Checklist, and Teacher-Child Rating Scale. Data will also be collected on school disciplinary actions, requests for parent-teacher conferences, referrals for participation in behavioral or psycho-educational assessment or special education services, formal diagnosis of a disruptive behavior diagnosis, and use of medication to treat child's behavior. Finally, the researchers will collect data on teacher-student relationships, teacher practices, and fidelity of implementation.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Strong and supportive relationships between teachers and their students can be important to academic and social development. Children with significant problem behaviors, though, are less likely to develop close, positive, high quality relationships with their teachers. The purpose of this project is to assess the efficacy of a preschool program called Banking Time with preschoolers most at risk for developing a disruptive behavior disorder and receipt of special education services due to serious emotional disturbance. The intervention is intended to strengthen teachers' interactions with their students, reduce problem behaviors, and improve the students' behavioral and social emotional skills. Teachers will be randomly assigned to one of three conditions: the Banking Time experimental condition; a time-control comparison, or a business as usual condition. Teachers will implement Banking Time in eight week intervals, three times a week, with one student at a time. Three students in each Banking Time classroom will be randomly assigned to receive Banking Time in the fall, winter, or spring. In the time-control comparison group, teachers will be asked to meet with individual children for the same frequency and duration as the Banking Time condition, but the teacher will select the activities. In the second comparison group, students will be provided with "business as usual." Children's behavioral and social emotional skills will be measured prior to and immediately after intervention as well as at entry into their next academic year. The products of this project will be published reports on the efficacy of the Banking Time intervention for improving teacher and student relationships and students' behavioral and social emotional outcomes.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#323. Added March 14, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Improving Students' Skill at Solving Equations Through Better Encoding of Algebraic Concepts
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Julie Booth julie.booth@temple.edu
Other Key Staff:	Kenneth R. Koedinger, Carnegie Mellon University; Kristie J. Newton, Temple University
Start Date:	October 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	September 30, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Cognition and Student Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Research for this project will be conducted in rural and urban school districts affiliated with the Pittsburgh Science of Learning Center (PSLC).
Intervention The proposed study will develop a computer program designed to overcome misconceptions through the use of incorrect examples and self-explanation exercises. The intervention will provide students with different types of self-explanation exercises: typical self-explanation (designed to help them discover and strengthen correct strategies) and corrective self-explanation (designed to help them understand why ineffective strategies are incorrect).
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Participants in the studies for this project will be high school students (approximately 13 years or older) who are in an Algebra I class that uses the Algebra I Cognitive Tutor curriculum. Approximately 160 students will participate in the studies carried out during Phase 1 and Phase 2. Currently, PSLC LearnLab schools range from 5-44% low income, and 2-91% minority population.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The primary research method used will be in vivo experimentation, with individual students within classrooms randomly assigned to receive a given version of the intervention during their everyday classroom activities. Overall, there are two phases to the project activities. Phase 1 involves the development of the assessments and computer program through several iterations in the classroom. During this phase students will be randomly assigned to one of three versions of the intervention: typical self-explanation, corrective self-explanation, or both. Researchers will evaluate which version works best for students with different levels of background knowledge. Phase 2 is a pilot study with all of the materials developed and tested in Phase 1. This pilot study will provide the optimal version of the exercises to individual students based on their prior conceptual and procedural knowledge, which is assumed to affect outcome. In the pilot study, one half of the students in each participating class will be randomly assigned to receive the intervention, while the other half will be assigned to a "business as usual" control group. All students will take the full online pretest and begin each intervention session with the concise assessments. After completing all modules, all students will take the online posttest.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition In the pilot study, the intervention will be tested against a "business as usual" control group. Control students will complete the relevant tutor sections as typically administered-containing only problem-solving exercises without examples or self-explanation prompts. Having control students solve more problems than the experimental students will be used to control time-on-task.
Data Analytic Strategy The researchers will analyze gains in outcome measures using repeated-measures ANOVAs, and will evaluate process data using microgenetic analysis. By examining pretest-posttest differences between groups, the researchers will begin to determine whether the intervention can improve conceptual and procedural learning over typical instruction and practice. By analyzing log data collected when students complete later units in the Tutor, researchers can evaluate whether intervention-induced improvements in conceptual understanding and procedural fluency accelerated students' learning in future, related content areas.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The key measures that will be used to inform development of the intervention are: 1) data logs and field observations of student interactions with the intervention exercises; 2) survey and focus group data on student and teacher views of the intervention; 3) performance on pretest and posttest measures designed to assess conceptual understanding and procedural fluency for solving algebraic equations; and 4) log data from students' computerized interactions during normal instruction time. The latter two measures will be used to assess individual differences in the usefulness of the different types of exercises for students with varying background knowledge in order to provide appropriate experience with the intervention exercises for optimal learning.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Students and teachers have considerable trouble overcoming misconceptions in algebra. These misconceptions, if not addressed, will have long-term negative consequences for students' mathematics achievement. There is a growing body of research showing that students benefit from instruction that includes incorrect examples. The proposed study will develop a computer program designed to overcome misconceptions through the use of incorrect examples, which will be compared to the use of correct examples. There are two phases to the project activities. Phase 1 involves the development of the assessments of student misconceptions and of the computer program designed to overcome these misconceptions. The computer program will be developed through several iterations, where the team will examine whether typical self-explanation strategies (designed to help students discover and strengthen correct strategies), corrective self-explanation (designed to help students understand why ineffective strategies are incorrect), or both techniques improve learning. The team will identify which strategies are most effective for individual students as a function of their prior conceptual and procedural knowledge. During Phase 2 the team will complete a pilot study of a final version of the materials developed and tested in Phase 1, using an experimental design. By examining pretest-posttest differences between groups, the researchers will begin to determine whether the intervention can improve conceptual and procedural learning over typical instruction and practice. In addition, the researchers will collect log data when students complete later units with the Tutor to begin to evaluate whether intervention-induced improvements in conceptual understanding and procedural fluency accelerated students' learning in future, related content areas.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#324. Added March 14, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Improving the Teaching and Learning of English Language Learners: The Instructional Conversational Model
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Pedro Portes portes@uga.edu
Other Key Staff:	Karen Samuelsen
Start Date:	October 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	September 30, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - English Learners
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will take place in 18 schools in Northeast Georgia.
Intervention The IC model is designed to increase the rate and intensity of vigorous interactions with peers and expert teachers. Instructional Conversations occur as regularly scheduled, teacher-led events with three to seven students, and typically last about 20 minutes. The IC model is intended to provide intensive and differentiated experiences for students in key areas for second language acquisition and academic development.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic or Latino Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Participants will include third and fifth grade ELLs who are predominantly Latino and who attend schools with a high percentage of ELLs.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Third and fifth grade teachers within each school will be randomly assigned to the IC or control condition. Teachers will receive professional development and coaching to improve implementation of IC and will also complete an online course from the National Education Association on effective teaching in diverse classrooms. A critical elements checklist will be developed to assess fidelity of implementation. A full year of practice with feedback will be provided to teachers, and the impact of the IC model will be assessed in the following school year. Pre- and post-test measures of student outcomes will be collected.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Students in control classrooms will receive instruction from teachers who have not received IC professional development.
Data Analytic Strategy The impact of IC will be assessed using a multilevel model that takes into account the grouping of students in classrooms and schools. To investigate whether students in IC classrooms exhibit qualitative differences in response to questions than students in control classrooms, item responses from the ITBS or CRCT will be analyzed using a mixed Rasch model to identify latent classes.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The key student outcome measures include Georgia's Criterion-Referenced Competency Test, the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, state English proficiency test scores , and the large-scale test, Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners. Other student outcome measures include the Psychological Sense of School Membership inventory, Harter's Self Perception Profile for Children, and the Cognitive Abilities Test. In addition, a fidelity checklist will be developed and implemented.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This study will examine the effects of the Instructional Conversation (IC) model for improving the academic development and achievement of upper elementary English language learners (ELLs) from high poverty schools. In the IC model, the teacher structures small-group instruction to stimulate and guide a conversation with students on a current topic from the curriculum. The teacher listens carefully to student views and judgments and provides guidance through questioning and restating of student comments. Each small-group meeting has a clear instructional goal. The main purpose of this project is to study the efficacy of this model to improve reading comprehension and other areas of academic development for ELLs. In previous quasi-experimental studies, the IC model was found to improve the academic achievement of both ELLs and native-English speaking students, but a rigorous experimental evaluation of this model has not been completed to date. In addition, researchers will explore hypotheses surrounding the mechanisms through which affective, cognitive, and English language development influence the impact of the IC model on student achievement. Teachers will be trained to implement the IC model in their classrooms with both ELL and non-ELL students. This training will take place during a summer workshop and will be reinforced with weekly coaching throughout the academic year. Teachers will participate in 2 years of training in the IC model, and efficacy in improving student outcomes will be evaluated in Year 2.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#325. Added March 14, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Increasing Adolescent Engagement, Motivation, and Achievement: Efficacy of a Web-Based, Teacher Professional Development Model
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Joseph Allen allen@virginia.edu
Other Key Staff:	Anne Gregory (Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey), Robert C. Pianta and Amori Mikami (The University of Virginia)
Start Date:	October 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	September 30, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Social and Behavioral Context for Academic Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Four high schools in a large urban school district in Virginia.
Intervention My Teaching Partner (MTP) is a web-based system of professional development for teachers. At the secondary school level, this program uses a validated observational system, the Classroom Assessment Scoring System-Secondary (CLASS-S), to provide teachers with feedback on the nature and effectiveness of their interactions with adolescent students. The secondary school version is fully developed and manualized, adapting principles of the preschool and elementary school program, but modified to be sensitive to the unique needs of teachers of adolescents. Combining information about adolescent social development and motivation with web- and video-conferencing, MTP is designed to enhance the social and behavioral context for learning at the secondary level. The program is based on a five-stage consultancy cycle that repeats twice per month over the course of the first school year of implementation, with each cycle extending across a two-week period. In the second year of implementation, consultations occur once per month. The school year begins with a one-day workshop in the first year of implementation, and a half-day booster workshop in the second year of implementation. Teachers provide videotapes of their classrooms to the consultant, who then provides feedback about the interactions using the CLASS-S observation system.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Study participants are 100 high school teachers and approximately 4,500 students.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods In this efficacy study, teachers are randomly assigned to treatment or control group. Treatment teachers will receive the intervention in the first two years of the project. In the third year, no intervention will occur in order to assess the generalizability of effects. Across these three years, all treatment and control teachers provide data on their lowest academic level regular class.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers who are assigned to the control group will receive the district's standard in-service training.
Data Analytic Strategy Using data collected throughout the school year, latent growth curve analyses will be used to determine whether MTP produces changes in student engagement, motivation, disruptive behavior, and academic achievement. Exploratory growth curve analyses will be used to identify critical process mediators of intervention effects.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The quality of classroom interactions will be assessed using the CLASS-S and survey responses from teachers and students (e.g., the Student Trust in and Obligation to Teacher Authority scale, the Behavioral Expectations scale, and the Student Reported Engagement scale). Student academic achievement will be measured pre- and post-intervention using the Virginia Standards of Learning test for the relevant course content of the focal classroom. Student behavior will be assessed using the Cheating Behavior scale, the Disruptive Behavior scale, and school records (e.g., attendance, disciplinary referrals).
Summary of the Study / Abstract By the time adolescents enter high school, more than half report that they do not take school or their studies seriously. Many adolescents also report that their interactions with teachers are not satisfying or motivating, suggesting that teachers may be uniquely positioned to promote student engagement in school. Because disengagement and lack of motivation are often expressed through disruptive and uncooperative classroom behavior, their negative effects on learning are compounded by missed instructional time due to office discipline referrals and in-school suspensions. My Teaching Partner (MTP) is designed to change the quality of teacher-student interactions in ways that enhance student engagement, reduce problematic behaviors, and increase student achievement. The MTP teacher training program for the secondary level focuses on three developmental needs of adolescents: (1) relational support, (2) autonomy and competence, and (3) relevant and meaningful learning. In this efficacy study, high school teachers are randomly assigned within schools to participate in the MTP intervention or a control group. MTP teachers receive a one-day introductory workshop, followed by 16 bi-weekly consultation cycles over the course of the school year-all focused on the same specific classroom of students, their lowest academic level regular class. In the second year, these same teachers participate in a half-day booster workshop, followed by eight consultation cycles spaced monthly, with data collection on a new classroom of students. Control teachers will also provide data on their lowest academic level regular class but otherwise are exposed only to the district's standard in-service training. In the third year, both treatment and control teachers will participate in data collection with a new class, but no intervention will occur in order to assess the generalizability of effects.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#326. Added March 14, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	My Life: Evaluation of Self-Determination Enhancement for Transitioning Students in Special Education and Foster Care
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Sarah Geenen geenens@pdx.edu
Start Date:	June 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	May 31, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Transition Outcomes for Special Education Secondary Students
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will take place in a large school district in Oregon.
Intervention The My Life model includes: (1) instruction and coaching for youth around the identification and achievement of academic goals; (2) in-service training for professionals, delivered by youth, foster parents and project staff, that is focused on supporting the unique needs of foster youth with disabilities; (3) workshops and ongoing technical assistance for foster parents to support improved education and self-determination of foster youth; and (4) formation of an Interagency Partnership Council that will assist youth to address barriers to their educational success, clarify agency roles and increase collaboration between systems.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Specific Learning Disability (LD)
Additional Study Sample Information The sample will be comprised of 210 youth aged 16.5 years or older who receive special education services and are in foster care. During each of the first three years of the project, 70 such youth will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group or a control group.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A randomized control trial design is being used, with three cohorts of students randomly assigned to experimental or control conditions on an individual basis.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The comparison group will receive typical educational services (business-as-usual), including general and special education classes, related services, interaction with special education case managers, individualized educational planning and extracurricular activities.
Data Analytic Strategy The researchers will compare baseline data in both conditions to evaluate comparability of groups. The researchers will conduct multiple regression and two level hierarchical linear modeling focusing on achievement, quality of life, employment, and independent living outcomes to assess the efficacy of My Life. In addition, mediation analyses will be conducted to determine if self-determination mediates intervention-outcomes relationships. Moderator analyses will examine gender and ethnicity.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Key measures will include a Fidelity of Implementation Checklist, participant demographics and student performance data collected from school records, Arc's Self-Determination Scale, AIR Self-Determination Scale, Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Children, Teacher Report Form, Woodcock-Johnson III-R, School Attitude Measure, Transition Planning Assessment, Quality of Life Questionnaire, Adolescent Risk Inventory, Child Behavior Checklist, Ansell-Casey Life Skills Assessment, and the Career Decision Self-Efficacy Scale.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Enhanced self-determination has been shown to be associated with transition success for students with disabilities. Self-determination may be even more important for students with disabilities in foster care settings who are transitioning into adulthood. Although interventions have been developed to address self-determination among students with disabilities, there is a lack of empirical evidence to conclude that such interventions directly lead to better transition outcomes such as employment and educational achievement. The purpose of this project is to determine the efficacy of the My Life intervention for improving self-determination, academic achievement, quality of life, employment, and independent living outcomes. The program has been developed to target self-determination among students with disabilities and has shown promise in two randomized studies for improving transition outcomes. Of particular interest in this study is how the My Life program functions for foster students, who often face a difficult transition as they age out of foster care and into adulthood. The researchers will conduct an experimental study to determine the efficacy of the My Life intervention for students who receive special education services and are in foster care. Researchers will collect data for three consecutive cohorts of foster youth randomly assigned to the My Life and control conditions.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#328. Added March 15, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Peer Support and Peer Network Interventions to Improve Peer Relationships and School Engagement
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Erik Carter erik.carter@vanderbilt.edu
Start Date:	June 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	May 31, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Transition Outcomes for Special Education Secondary Students
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will take place in 10 high schools across 9 districts in Wisconsin.
Intervention The study will investigate the efficacy of two fully developed interventions: peer support and peer network. The peer support intervention involves one or more peers without disabilities providing social and/or academic support to a student with severe disabilities within an inclusive classroom. Support provided to special needs students includes collaboration on assignments, encouraging involvement and interactions, reviewing work, and offering feedback. The peer network intervention involves target students being matched with a peer group of four to six students. Peer networks establish regular meetings and promote the target student's involvement in school activities.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Specific Learning Disability (LD), Mental Retardation
Additional Study Sample Information The sample will be comprised of 150 students with severe intellectual disabilities.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A randomized control trial design is being used, with students randomly assigned to one of the two experimental conditions (peer support and peer network) or the control conditions on an individual basis. Peer students will be recruited by participating teachers based on prior interactions, relevant activities and interests, and the educational needs of the target student. Peer students will be given guidance on appropriate peer roles, coordinating schedules with the target students, and strategies for promoting and maintaining a strong peer network. Data collection of study participants takes place before, during, and after the intervention and is followed by delayed measures in subsequent semesters.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The comparison group will receive typical educational services (business-as-usual), which frequently involves one-to-one paraprofessional support for the students.
Data Analytic Strategy Student outcome data will be analyzed using a two-level (student and school) hierarchical linear model which combines the three study cohorts across time. For research questions focusing on delayed effects, a similar two-level data analytic strategy will be used with the outcome data collected six months after intervention. Interviews will be recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using constant-comparative procedures to examine the feasibility, practicality, acceptability, and outcomes associated with the two intervention strategies.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Data collection approaches include direct classroom observations, skill assessments, teacher and parent reports, interviews, and record reviews. The measures to be used include the Multiple Option Observation System for Experimental Studies, Social Skills Improvement System, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale-2, Goal Attainment Scaling, and the School-based Social Network Form.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Secondary students with severe intellectual disabilities often have difficulty gaining access to the social and academic experiences that can better equip them for life after high school. Current research suggests that social interactions between students with intellectual disabilities and their peers without disabilities may promote academic, functional, and social skill development, improve social competence and friendship development, and improve quality of life. Despite the adoption of more inclusive service delivery models to promote social interaction, these efforts have not been informed by empirically validated strategies. Therefore students' inclusive experiences are often marked by social isolation and limited engagement; opportunities for meaningful peer interactions are often elusive for students with disabilities. The purpose of this project is to evaluate the efficacy of two peer interaction interventions (peer network and peer support) for improving outcomes for students with severe intellectual disabilities. The researchers will conduct a randomized controlled trial of two interventions targeting students with severe intellectual disabilities. Students in three consecutive cohorts will be randomly assigned to one of the two treatment conditions (peer network or peer support) or a business-as-usual comparison condition. Data collection activities include direct observations of participants, interviews, surveys, and multiple measures of student skills.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#330. Added March 15, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Promoting Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Competence in Adolescents with Disabilities: A School-wide Inclusive Violence Prevention Model
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Terri Sullivan tnsulliv@vcu.edu
Start Date:	March 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	February 1, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Social and Behavioral Outcomes to Support Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Public middle schools in southern Virginia.
Intervention The student curricula will address three broad skill areas including (a) emotion management, (b) communication, and (c) problem-solving. The three components are the same for each grade but the context for their application will be modified to address developmentally relevant issues as students mature. The student curricula will be implemented by health and physical education teachers in conjunction with research staff members (violence prevention specialist assigned to each school). Instructional strategies will also be incorporated into the curriculum, including for example instructional strategies on praise, error correction. The student curricula will be integrated with school level components, including teacher training on bullying prevention.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School Student Disability: Specific Learning Disability (LD)
Additional Study Sample Information Across the 3 years of the project, the target population will be 65 teachers and school staff and 315 middle school (6th, 7th, and 8th grade) students with disabilities.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods During the first two years of the study, the individual and school-level components of the intervention will be developed, revised and implemented through interviews and focus groups with school staff and students, and quantitative data which will provide preliminary data on the relationship between the intervention and student outcomes. For the pilot study, the revised curriculum will be implemented at two middle schools; 4 classrooms within each grade at each school (total of 24 classrooms) will be randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (a) the revised student curriculum with the standard delivery model, (b) the revised student curriculum with the enhanced delivery model (i.e., including enhanced instructional strategies), and (c) comparison condition.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control classrooms will receive the school-level intervention, but students will have access only to typical school services.
Data Analytic Strategy Qualitative data from focus groups will be coded into themes by type of intervention component. Growth curve analyses will be used determine patterns of change in student outcomes. During the pilot year, pre-post comparisons will also be analyzed to compare changes in the two intervention conditions to the control condition, and the two intervention conditions to each other. A feasibility study will be conducted in the final phase of the project to assess the final iterations of the fully developed intervention.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes To answer research questions regarding the development, feasibility, sustainability, and utility of the school-based intervention model, the research team will collect and analyze (a) qualitative data from student interviews and focus groups to review and revise program content, assess barriers and supports to implementation and the perceived usefulness and helpfulness of intervention components, (b) quantitative data to provide preliminary data on links between intervention participation and anticipated outcomes that will be used to guide further program revisions, and (c) process data to track intervention fidelity including dosage and adherence. Key constructs measured include problem and prosocial behavior, academic achievement and academic competence, and potential mediating variables such as student communication skills, emotion regulation, and problem solving skills.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Although many schools in the United States implement violence prevention programs, the vast majority of these interventions were developed with typically developing youth in mind. Generally, programs are either assumed to generalize to youth with disabilities or they exclude these youth because programs were not designed to meet their needs. Unfortunately, prior research indicates that youth with disabilities are at higher risk than their typically developing peers for experiencing victimization and/or engaging in aggressive behavior. The aim of this research is to develop a comprehensive school-based violence prevention program that combines individual-level skill-building curricula with school-level components to promote social, emotional, and behavioral competence in adolescents with disabilities. The research team will modify existing evidence-based individual and school-level violence prevention programs to meet the needs of adolescents with disabilities, and help bridge the gap between prevention and special education research by incorporating components of effective instructional practices for youth with disabilities into the development of this intervention. Across the 3 years of the project, approximately 65 teachers and school staff and 315 middle school (6th, 7th, and 8th grade) students with disabilities will participate. Data from focus group participants (including teachers, school personnel, and parents), student interviews, and surveys including student- and teacher-reports will be conducted prior to and after intervention implementation to continually review, critique, and revise the intervention model. The research team will also track students' development of skills related to social, emotional, and behavioral competence with a curriculum-based measure, using it to make modifications to the curricula and delivery model as needed.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#331. Added March 15, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Promoting Transfer of the Control of Variables Strategy in Elementary and Middle School Children via Contextual Framing and Abstraction
Principal Investigator:	Dr. David Klahr klahr@cmu.edu
Other Key Staff:	Stephanie Ann Siler
Start Date:	October 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	September 30, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Cognition and Student Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will take place in 10-12 public, private, and parochial schools in western Pennsylvania.
Intervention The researchers will develop TED2, a web-based computer tutor that supports the conceptual understanding and procedural skills of designing and interpreting scientific experiments.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Black or African American Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School, Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The target population will include approximately 240 elementary and middle school students and 12 science teachers. The participating schools serve either urban children living in impoverished neighborhoods (greater than 90 percent free or reduced lunch, 95 percent African American) or middle to upper-middle-class students (15 percent free or reduced lunch, and less than 15 percent African American).
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A series of six studies will be conducted. The ordering of studies will be partly contingent upon the effectiveness of the instructional modifications introduced in each study. Studies will explore the effects of varying instructional methods used by TED1 and identified in the cognitive science literature as likely to promote student learning. These instructional methods include using alternative instructional framings to scaffold student understanding of the instruction and varying the level of abstraction of instructional materials to determine which better supports robust learning and transfer. All instruction will be delivered by variants of TED1. Most of the studies will randomly assign students to receive CVS instruction using TED1 with the instructional method being tested (e.g., abstract instructional materials) or to receive CVS instruction using the current TED1. As findings of the most effective instructional variants emerge, they will incrementally become permanent features of TED2, a fully developed web-based computer tutor that promotes CVS learning and transfer.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Control conditions depend on the research question asked and vary with each study.
Data Analytic Strategy The effects of instructional manipulations and their relationship to a variety of student factors will be determined using univariate and repeated measures analyses of covariance. Repeated measures analysis comparing students' follow-up and final post-test scores will be used to compare the relative effectiveness of each condition for promoting far and distant transfer.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Measures of near, far, and distant transfer of CVS will be collected in all of the studies.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Students from third to seventh grade have a surprisingly poor understanding of the basic procedural and conceptual aspects of experimental design (simply labeled here as "CVS," for the Control of Variables Strategy). Although students' understanding of CVS does improve as a result of direct instruction, students' performance is typically low, even when a repeated tutoring cycle of instruction is used. The purpose of this project is to determine which elements are critical to support the teaching and learning of CVS. Throughout the proposed studies, the researchers will use direct instruction coupled with student-constructed responses, but plan to vary the framing and context in which instruction and assessment occur. All instruction will be delivered by variants of a computer tutor ("TED1" for "Training in Experimental Design") developed and evaluated under the researchers' previous 2006 Cognition and Student Learning grant. A series of six studies will be conducted in which different instructional methods will be included in the computer tutor TED1 and tested for effects on student outcomes. These instructional methods will include using alternative instructional framings to scaffold student understanding, and varying the level of abstraction of instructional materials. Participants will include elementary and middle school students and science teachers. Most of the studies will incorporate a single-variable, randomized, between-subjects design. Measures of near, far, and distant transfer of CVS will be collected in all of the studies, and the effects of instructional variations and their relationship to a variety of student factors will be determined. As findings of the most effective instructional variants emerge (including those which are differentially effective for sub-sets of students), they will incrementally become permanent features of TED2, a fully developed web-based computer tutor that supports CVS learning and transfer.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#332. Added March 15, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	SmartSign: Learning Sign Language via Mobile Phone
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Thad Starner thad.starner@cc.gatech.edu
Start Date:	March 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	February 28, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Professional Development for Teachers and Related Services Providers
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Initial development activities will occur at Georgia Tech. Parents will be recruited from the adult sign classes at the Atlanta Area School for the Deaf
Intervention SmartSignAlert will present parents with short sign lessons on their mobile phone, spaced throughout the day to best encourage learning. Besides signs, Tidbits of Information for Parents and Siblings (TIPS) will be delivered to parents. TIPS will be developed to cover American Sign Language (ASL) grammar and culture, parent-deaf child interaction, and might also include local deaf events to try to introduce parents to deaf adults and other parents of deaf children. TIPS represent the types of information parents have requested from professionals to assist them in learning sign language and about deafness. SmartSignExpress will allow parents to ask for the appropriate sign or phrase in spoken English (e.g., "time to go to bed") when communicating with their deaf child. A video of the appropriate sign appears on the parent's mobile phone, and the parent can then repeat the phrase to the child.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Not Applicable Student Disability: Hearing Impairment including Deafness
Additional Study Sample Information Hearing parents of young deaf children who are 6 years old or younger.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The research team will employ an iterative design process to develop SmartSignAlert and SmartSignExpress. In this process, the prototypes of each system will be developed and then individually tested with Georgia Tech students and small groups of parents. Through the iterative design process, the participants will participate in ongoing pilot tests and provide feedback on the signs presented, as well as on the usability and feasibility of the system. In Year 1, the rapid prototyping of SmartSignExpress and SmartSignAlert will begin. This will involve a development and an evaluation cycle (sign vocabulary, phrases, and sentences will be selected and prototypes will be tested). During Year 2, the research team will deploy mobile systems in homes and evaluate these systems followed by incorporation of refinement upgrades to the design. In Year 3, the research team will finalize the sign vocabulary/phrases/lessons, and SmartSignExpress will be integrated technologically with SmartSignAlert into one comprehensive SmartSign program. The final pilot study will be a randomized trial with 60 parents to test the promise of SmartSign for improving parent and student use and retention of signs.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control condition is the sign language instruction parents typically receive in classroom settings (i.e., "business as usual").
Data Analytic Strategy A repeated measures analysis of variance will be used to evaluate improvements in test scores, number of parent-reported signs, and the number of signs produced by the children. Descriptive data from the interviews will be summarized to explore program usability and feasibility.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Measures across conditions include class retention, improvements in sign language recall scores, and self-report measure of sign language usage. When the children are ages 2 or more, children's sign recall will be tested using standard picture inventories. The research team will also track usage data (e.g., number of sign alerts, usage time). Usability and feasibility measures will include parent interviews.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Almost 95 percent of deaf children are born to hearing parents who may not know sign language or who have low levels of proficiency in sign language. Although 75 percent of hearing parents eventually decide to use sign language with their deaf child, they typically struggle to learn a second language in a visual modality. Deaf children of hearing parents remain significantly delayed in language development throughout their lives when compared to hearing children or deaf children of deaf parents. This is due in part to a lack of language exposure at home. To address the need for effective interventions to promote sign language learning among hearing parents of deaf children, researchers are developing and conducting an initial evaluation of SmartSignAlert and SmartSignExpress. These interventions are designed to help hearing parents of deaf children to learn sign language through the video delivery of signing on mobile phones. The research team will use an iterative process to develop and refine SmartSignAlert and SmartSignExpress over the 3-year project period. The first year of the project is devoted to rapid prototyping of SmartSignExpress and SmartSignAlert. The prototypes will then be used with 10 parents and data collected will be used to further develop the interventions. The final year of the project will include integrating SmartSignAlert and SmartSignExpress into a unified SmartSign application. The new application will then be examined through a pilot study comparing three groups of parents who receive either (1) SmartSign alone, (2) typical in-person sign language class instruction, or (3) in-person sign language class instruction plus SmartSign. The researchers will analyze the impact of the program on parents and students' use of sign language.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#333. Added March 15, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	The Connected Chemistry Curriculum
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Mike Stieff mstieff@uic.edu
Other Key Staff:	Philip DeShong
Start Date:	October 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	September 30, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Mathematics and Science Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The setting for this study includes high schools in Maryland located in a low socioeconomic status, urban-fringe community, and in Chicago.
Intervention The Connected Chemistry curriculum will focus on 10 chemistry units: (1) Particulate nature of matter; (2) Acid-Base chemistry; (3) Chemical equilibrium; (4) Stoichiometry; (5) Pressure; (6) Gas laws; (7) Solubility; (8) Kinetics; (9) Thermodynamics; and (10) Nuclear processes. Each Connected Chemistry unit consists of three modules (Laboratory/Demonstration; Simulation; Discussion) that students can complete in three to five 40-minute sessions. In the Laboratory/Demonstration module, students perform a standard laboratory experiment or teachers may demonstrate the experiment. In the Simulation module, pairs of students explore a simulation to understand the nature of the sub-microscopic interactions that are responsible for the macro-level events observed in the laboratory. In the Discussion model, the teacher leads students through a synthesis of their observations to discuss the conceptual underpinnings that link the sub-microscopic interactions with their macro-level observations. Connected Chemistry is not meant to replace or supplant the role of the teacher, but instead relies on the teacher to connect the three modules and help facilitate student learning. Teacher professional development materials with each activity will help teachers draw connections between each module, emphasize important chemistry concepts, and assess student understanding.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The sample includes 12 high schools with at least 20 chemistry teachers, 40 classrooms and 1,268 students. Approximately 74% of the students in the schools are African-American, and 48% of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The researchers will use a work-circle approach for the development and testing of the chemistry units and supporting materials. First, a small group of five students, randomly selected from the population of chemistry students at partner high schools, will test the usability of each chemistry simulation module. The researchers will observe individual students complete each module to identify sources of confusion, problems with the computer interface, and clarity of the activity. Researchers will also probe students' learning by questioning each student and their understanding before, during, and after each activity. Second, the teacher participants will complete Connected Chemistry activities in their classrooms on two separate occasions. During each implementation, the researchers will visit the classrooms and observe the activity in use. Data collected from the classroom implementation will be used to revise the units and activities. Finally, to assess the promise of the Connected Chemistry curriculum, five high school chemistry teachers and their students will participate in the pilot study. Two of the teachers' chemistry classes will be randomly assigned to the Connected Chemistry condition, and two will be assigned to the business-as-usual control condition. Students will complete pre- and post-test measures at the beginning and end of the school year, and after each Connected Chemistry unit.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition To assess the promise of the Connected Chemistry curriculum, students in control classrooms will receive business-as-usual, textbook-centered chemistry instruction.
Data Analytic Strategy Analysis of covariance models focusing on pre-to-post gain scores with several post-hoc analyses will be conducted to analyze learning outcomes from this pilot study.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The key measures for the project include classroom observations, embedded assessments within each chemistry unit, researcher developed pre- and post-test achievement measures, and the American Chemical Society (ACS) High School Chemistry exam.
Summary of the Study / Abstract One proposed avenue for improving both student understanding and achievement in science emphasizes the use of computer-based curriculum activities in the science classroom. At all levels, chemistry deals with concepts and phenomena that are not directly observable to students. Therefore, instructors often encourage students to engage in visualization of mental images for learning and problem solving in chemistry. Visualization is difficult and complex, and educational software designers have promoted the use of technology to address students' difficulty with visualizations in chemistry. To that end, the researchers will develop a curriculum, Connected Chemistry, which makes central use of computer-based visualization tools. The researchers propose to develop a curriculum, Connected Chemistry, using computer-based visualization tools following an iterative design process. The curriculum will use NetLogo simulations and Adobe Creative animations to guide students through linking reactions seen at the submicro-level to their everyday experience at the macro-level. A pilot study exploring the promise of this curriculum to improve student outcomes in chemistry will be carried out in the final year of the project.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#334. Added March 15, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Tools of the Mind: Promoting Self-Regulation and Academic Ability in Kindergarten
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Clancy Blair clancy.blair@nyu.edu
Other Key Staff:	Cybele Raver, New York University; Jennifer Hill, New York University; Carolyn Layzer, Abt Associates; Elena Bodrova, Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL); Deborah Leong, Metropolitan State College of Denver (MSCD)
Start Date:	October 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	September 30, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Cognition and Student Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will be conducted in kindergarten and first grade classrooms in three geographically distinct school districts of the northeast.
Intervention The intervention, an innovative curriculum known as Tools of the Mind, is grounded in the Vygotskian theory of development in which teachers scaffold children's learning with the aim of improving self-regulation abilities, particularly executive functions, as a means to increase academic learning and achievement. Self-regulation building activities are embedded in literacy and math instruction and in language and social-emotional competence building exercises.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, White Student Level(s) of Education: Kindergarten, Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The population from which participants will be sampled is children enrolled in classrooms in the school districts in which the participating schools are located. The schools in these districts vary widely in socio-economic status (6%-75% free or reduced lunch) and ethnicity (17%-95% White, 5%-53% Hispanic, 0%-14% African American).
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The team will carry out a multisite, cluster randomized controlled trial involving three school districts and two cohorts of kindergarteners in each district. Twenty schools will be randomly assigned at the school level in kindergarten to either the treatment (Tools of the Mind) or the control (business-as-usual) using a stratified assignment, and students who take part in these groups will be followed through first grade. Within each school, two teachers and their classrooms will be randomly selected, and within each classroom, six students will be randomly selected and an array of self-regulation, social-emotional, and academic skills measures will be obtained from the students in the fall and spring of kindergarten. In the following year, using the same set of treatment and control schools and the same teachers selected for the study, a new cohort of kindergarteners will be studied, while the students from the first cohort will be tested in the spring of Grade 1.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The efficacy of the Tools of the Mind curriculum in increasing self-regulation, academic achievement, and social-emotional competence will be examined in relation to standard curricula and practice in classrooms assigned to the control condition of the experiment.
Data Analytic Strategy Data analysis will be conducted using hierarchical linear modeling to account for the nesting of students within classrooms and classrooms within schools. The analysis will generate unbiased standard errors of the estimates of the impact of the Tools of the Mind curriculum on child outcomes. In addition, the mediating role of self-regulation measures will be investigated.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Primary outcome measures include direct child assessments of executive function, effortful control, and self-efficacy attributions, as well as standardized assessments of language, literacy, and mathematics. Children's teachers will report on child emotion regulation, effortful control, and social competence. Classroom observations will be conducted to assess teacher-child and child-child interactions and to document the quality of teaching strategies. Assessments of fidelity of curriculum implementation and documentation of activities in control classrooms will be conducted. Teacher, classroom, and family demographic information will be obtained.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Appreciable numbers of children are entering school without the necessary self-regulation needed to support learning and academic achievement in the early grades of schooling. The purpose of this project is to experimentally evaluate the efficacy of an early childhood curriculum, Tools of the Mind, in improving the self-regulation abilities, academic achievement, and social-emotional development of young children. The goal is to determine if the Tools of Mind curriculum leads to improved academic achievement relative to current practices and, moreover, to determine if this improvement can be accounted for (or mediated by) changes in students' executive functions, self-regulation, and social-emotional development. Unlike other self-regulation development programs, Tools of the Mind integrates activities intended to promote self-regulation with instructional activities intended to develop skills in literacy, mathematics, and social competence. The project team will conduct a multisite, cluster randomized controlled trial involving three school districts and two cohorts of kindergarteners in each district. Twenty schools will be randomly assigned to either the treatment (Tools of the Mind) or the control (business-as-usual), and students who take part in the study in their kindergarten year will be followed through first grade. Within each school, two teachers and their classrooms will be randomly selected, and within each classroom, six students will be randomly selected and administered an array of tests during the course of the study. In the following year, using the same set of treatment and control schools and the same teachers selected for the study, a new cohort of kindergarteners will be studied. Analyses will focus on differences between treatment and control group students at the end of kindergarten and at the end of Grade 1 on the various measures. In addition, the mediating role of self-regulation measures will be investigated.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#335. Added March 15, 2011 Updated March 18, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Transforming Algebra Assignments
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Mary Suzanne Donovan sdonovan@serpinstitute.org
Other Key Staff:	Julie Booth, Kenneth Koedinger, Andrew Elliot, and Juliana Par�-Blagoev
Start Date:	June 1, 2010	Anticipated End Date:	May 31, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Mathematics and Science Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study takes place within a group of inner-ring suburban and small urban middle schools and high schools that are members of the Minority Student Achievement Network in the states of Illinois, Ohio, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Intervention The intervention will consist of sets of algebra assignments that interleave worked examples and prompts for self-explanation. The correct and incorrect examples used in the assignments will be designed to directly target key mathematical concepts and common misconceptions that students hold about those concepts. The team will develop 10 blocks of assignment worksheets, with each block corresponding to the level of a unit within the textbook. The four assignments within a block will align in turn with the level of the chapters within a unit. Each assignment will consist of approximately eight items (two correct examples, two incorrect examples, and four problems for the students to solve). Together, the 40 new assignments will replace the assignments that teachers would typically give to their students. In addition, the intervention will include a teacher professional development workshop and teacher materials to accompany the assignments and assessments.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Asian, Hispanic or Latino, Black or African American Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School, High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information At the high school level, 64 teachers and their students from 15 schools will participate in the study. At the middle school level, 30 teachers and their students from 18 schools will participate. The schools are diverse: 37% to 50% of the students are African-American, Hispanic or Asian, and 29% to 46% come from low-income backgrounds.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The team will develop 10 Algebra I assignment blocks with corresponding assessments. The teachers will review and comment on those materials and the team will make further revisions accordingly. Materials will then be tested in two classroom-based studies to assess usability and feasibility. In the first study, each assignment block will be tested with four teachers and their students. For each teacher, one class will be randomly assigned to participate in the experimental condition and one to the control condition. In the second study, the intervention will be tested with six teachers and their students. Classrooms assigned to the experimental condition will use two assignments blocks, with the second unit content building on the content learned in the first unit (e.g., linear equations and quadratic equations). Assignments, assessments, and teacher professional development materials will be revised based on analyses of data from each study. Finally, a pilot study will be conducted to assess the promise of the intervention as a whole. In the pilot study, classrooms of 10 participating Algebra I teachers will be randomly assigned to the experimental or control condition. In the experimental condition, classes will use all 10 assignment blocks throughout the school year.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition To assess the promise of the intervention, students in the control condition will receive comparable assignments with problems to solve from their textbook.
Data Analytic Strategy The promise of the intervention will be analyzed using a series of 2-level hierarchical linear models, with student effects measured at Level 1 and classroom/teacher effects measured at Level 2. Separate analyses will be conducted for each outcome measure (e.g., conceptual knowledge; procedural knowledge; end of chapter exam), and students' pre-test level on that measure will be included as a covariate. Mediational analyses will also be conducted to examine the role of motivational factors in Algebra I classrooms.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Classroom observation data, student artifacts (e.g. completed assignment worksheets), student and teacher surveys, and focus group data will be collected for each of the classroom-based studies and for the pilot study. The team will develop measures of conceptual and procedural knowledge in algebra that will be administered as pre- and post-tests for each of the 10 Algebra I units. In addition, student data on end-of-chapter exams developed by their teachers will be collected. Brief measures of student achievement motivation in algebra will also be administered at pre-test, mid-unit, and post-test.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Research within the domains of cognitive science and mathematics education suggests that students develop a better understanding of mathematics concepts and learn more quickly when half of their practice problems are replaced with worked-out example solutions. Learning is further enhanced when students are prompted to provide explanations for key steps in the worked examples. Despite an accumulation of evidence, typical Algebra I textbooks contain few worked-out example solutions and few prompts for student explanations. To address this gap, a working group comprised of researchers and education professionals will develop a set of Algebra I assignments that interleave worked examples and prompts for self-explanation with problems that students must solve on their own. The working group will develop and revise 40 Algebra I assignments spanning 10 units of instruction. In addition, the working group will develop teacher professional development materials (PD) and assessments to accompany the assignments. The assignments and PD materials will be iteratively developed, tested, and refined.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#337. Added October 7, 2011 Updated October 31, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	A Longitudinal Study of 3-D Spatial Skills and Mathematics Development in Elementary School Children
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Martha Carr mmcarr@uga.edu
Other Key Staff:	Natalia Alexeev
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Cognition and Student Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study will take place in elementary schools in Georgia.
Intervention The proposed work will include an experiment designed to determine whether a 5-week training program can improve second and fourth grade students' spatial skills. The training program will be implemented during students' afterschool program and will include exercises to improve students' spatial skills through use of isometric drawings, orthographic drawings, flat patterns, rotation of objects about single and multiple axes, and cutting planes. Each topic will be trained for two half-hour sessions a week for a total of 5 weeks. For each session, the spatial manipulations will be described to the students using three dimensional objects and two dimensional diagrams. The instructor will describe and map the relationships between the three dimensional objects and the two dimensional diagrams. The students will be given the exercises to complete and feedback and instruction will be provided by the instructor as the students complete the exercises.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information For the experimental study, 60 second and 60 fourth grade students will participate. For the longitudinal study, 300 second grade students (150 boys and 150 girls) will be recruited and followed longitudinally through the fourth grade. Students with a range of abilities and mixed ethnic groups will be included (25 percent African-American, 10 percent Hispanic, 2 percent Asian and 63 percent Caucasian). Half of the children are eligible for free or reduced lunches.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The 3-year longitudinal study will include 300 second grade students followed through fourth grade. Assessment of spatial skills, number sense in the form of assessments of number magnitude, place value, the ability to decompose number, to solve complex word problems, and cognitive strategy use will occur at five points in time during the 3 year period(fall/spring of second grade; fall/spring of third grade; and fall of fourth grade). Students' scores from the state mandated mathematics test during the spring of fourth grade will be used as an outcome measure. In addition, during Year 2, an experiment will be conducted to determine whether spatial skills are malleable. The experiment will include 60 second grade and 60 fourth grade students participating in afterschool programs. All students will be pretested on verbal working memory, inhibition, and spatial measures. Students will be matched on the spatial measures and then randomly assigned in pairs to the treatment or control condition. Students in the treatment group will receive 5 weeks of instruction (twice a week for 30 minutes each session) for a total of 10 hours of instruction designed to improve spatial visualization and perception. The researchers will compare the treatment and control post-test means on the individual spatial measures controlling for pretest spatial scores, verbal working memory, and inhibition. All data collection will be done individually outside of the classroom.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition For the experimental study, students in the control condition will receive the instruction and activities they typically receive as part of their afterschool program.
Data Analytic Strategy Growth mixture modeling will be used to analyze the longitudinal data. In preparation for the growth mixture modeling, researchers will use factor analysis to determine whether the spatial measures and the number sense measures possess underlying constructs. To determine whether spatial skills are malleable, researchers will compare treatment and control posttest means on the individual spatial measures controlling for pretest spatial scores, verbal working memory and inhibition. Researchers will examine the impact of instruction on each of the three measures of spatial skills.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Spatial skills will be measured using a two-dimensional mental rotation task, a water level task, and a matching parts visualization task. To assess number sense, students will be given mathematics problems focusing on place value, decomposition, number magnitude, and solving complex word problems. Students' mathematics competency will be measured using the scores from the mathematics portion of the Georgia Criterion Referenced Competency Test administered to students at the end of fourth grade. Assessments of students' verbal working memory and inhibition will also be collected.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Researchers know little about the relationship between spatial skills and mathematics skills in elementary school populations. The research to date on the relationship between mathematics skills and spatial skills has primarily focused on older students and adults. The goal of this project is to explore the development of mathematics and spatial skills in early elementary school students. Specifically, the study will examine: (1) how spatial skills develop and change over the early elementary school years; (2) how the development of spatial skills is linked to the development of mathematics number sense; (3) whether gender and income moderate the relation between spatial skills and mathematics competency and between number sense and mathematics competency; (4) whether verbal working memory and inhibition moderate the relation between spatial skills and mathematics competency and between number sense and mathematics competency; (5) how the pattern of development of spatial skills and number sense influence performance on 4th grade state mandated mathematics competency test; and (6) whether development trajectories vary as a function of gender, income status, inhibition and verbal working memory. If so, the researchers will study what relations these variable trajectories have to mathematics competency.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#339. Added October 10, 2011 Updated October 31, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	A Randomized Controlled Trial of Student Success Skills: A Program to Improve Academic Achievement for All Students
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Linda Webb lwebb@fsu.edu
Other Key Staff:	Greg Brigman, Elizabeth Villares, and John Carey
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Social and Behavioral Context for Academic Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will take place in schools located in two large school districts in Florida.
Intervention Student Success Skills (SSS) was developed to teach fundamental learning, social, and self-management skills to students to improve cognitive engagement, behavior, self-efficacy, and the ability to perform under pressure. SSS skills and strategies are introduced by school counselors through five classroom lessons. Teachers are also trained in the facilitation of SSS and will model, cue, and coach the use of SSS strategies in daily learning activities to help students master the curriculum throughout the school year. The program is fully developed, in widespread use, and supported by structured manuals.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Thirty elementary schools will be selected from each of the two districts for a total of 60 schools. Students in these districts represent diverse ethnic backgrounds and a high percentage of students come from low socioeconomic backgrounds.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study will use an experimental design with random assignment of schools within district to either treatment or comparison conditions. The first year is devoted to start up activities including random assignment of schools and training for school staff. In Year 2, the SSS intervention will be implemented in 5th grade classrooms in the treatment schools and data will be collected at three time points: (1) before implementation of the intervention, (2) two months after the completion of the five SSS lessons, and (3) again at the end of the school year. School record data will be collected at the beginning and end of the 5th grade year. In Year 3, school record data will be collected at the end of the 6th grade year for students who participated in the study during 5th grade. Electronic activity logs will be used to monitor fidelity of implementation and practices in the comparison schools. Fifth grade teachers and school counselors in comparison schools will be offered the opportunity to receive SSS training and materials following the final data collection point in Year 3. In the final year of the project, SSS will be provided to control group teachers and school counselors as requested.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Comparison schools will conduct and record business-as-usual activities.
Data Analytic Strategy Hierarchical linear models will be used to assess the effects of SSS on proximal student outcomes (e.g., social skills and behaviors) and student achievement.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Measures include teacher reports (e.g., the Student Participation Questionnaire), student self-reports (e.g., the Self-Efficacy for Self-Regulated Learning Scale), and institutional data (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test-FCAT standardized test scores, attendance, and grades). Process measures will assess fidelity of intervention implementation and level to which teachers model, cue, and coach students to use SSS strategies throughout the year.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The Student Success Skills (SSS) program was developed to teach students fundamental learning, social, and self-management skills that have been demonstrated to support improved academic achievement. SSS is based on a strong body of theoretical and empirical research and uses developmentally appropriate student lessons, activities, and teaching strategies. The program has been widely used in elementary, middle, and high schools across the country for the past 7 years. Four previous studies have supported the efficacy of the SSS program in impacting academic outcomes for students who participate in the whole-class and small group components of the intervention. This project will evaluate Student Success Skills (SSS) implemented as a whole-class intervention only in 5th grade, to determine effects on social, behavioral and academic outcomes for students who participate.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#340. Added October 10, 2011 Updated October 31, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	A Randomized Trial of a Tutor-Based Mathematics and Attention Intervention for Low-Performing Pre-Schoolers at Risk for Mathematical Difficulties in School
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Marcia Barnes marcia.barnes@austin.utexas.edu
Start Date:	September 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	August 31, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Early Intervention and Early Learning in Special Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research project will take place in state-funded preschool classrooms in Texas and California.
Intervention Pre-K Mathematics Tutorial. Pre-K Mathematics Tutorial is adapted from a mathematics curriculum, Pre-K Mathematics, which has evidence of efficacy for improving mathematics outcomes of low-performing preschool children. Pre-K Mathematics Tutorial is a year-long program comprised of 21 scripted activities that will be delivered in small, ability-matched groups by a tutor outside of the classroom for 4 days a week (15-20 minutes per session). Children's progress within the small group will be monitored frequently, and difficulty levels of the activities can be adjusted as needed. Once a week, the children will use games also used in the attention training intervention described below. However, the children will not receive explicit training designed to improve their attention skills. Pre-K Mathematics Tutorial plus attention training. Children receiving the Pre-K Mathematics Tutorial plus attention training will participate in Pre-K Mathematics Tutorial 4 days a week. Once a week, the children will also receive attention training which involves computer-based activities designed to reinforce and challenge their ability to sustain attention and resolve conflict. Each attention training session lasts between 15 and 20 minutes, and sessions can be adapted based on a child's individual progress.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 528 children from 88 preschool classrooms will participate in this research. The children will be low performing in mathematics and most at risk for mathematical difficulties in later grades.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A randomized control trial will be used to study the efficacy of the Pre-K Mathematics Tutorial and Pre-K Mathematics Tutorial plus attention training interventions. Children who are identified as low performing in mathematics and most at risk for mathematical difficulties in later grades will be randomly assigned to one of three conditions: Pre-K Mathematics Tutorial, Pre-K Mathematics Tutorial plus attention training, or a business-as-usual control condition. Children will be assessed pre-intervention, immediately after intervention, and in kindergarten. Information on the fidelity of intervention implementation will be collected.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Children who receive the business-as-usual condition will be provided with instruction typically provided by the schools.
Data Analytic Strategy A series of data analysis techniques, including multi-level modeling, will be used to estimate the effects of Pre-K Mathematics Tutorial and Pre-K Mathematics Tutorial plus attention training on children's mathematics, attention, working memory, and beginning literacy outcomes at the end of preschool and kindergarten. Additional analyses will be conducted to determine variables that may influence the strength of the relation between the interventions and child outcomes. Finally, potential profiles will be modeled to determine whether some children respond to the interventions differentially within the domain of mathematics rather than generally across the domain.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Key outcomes include measures of mathematics, attention, working memory, and beginning literacy. Ratings will be completed by the teacher on children's focused attention, inhibition of behaviors, and impulsivity. The researchers will also collect data on teacher practices, including the amount of classroom time devoted to mathematics, fidelity of implementation, and treatment dosage.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Mathematical knowledge at school entry is an important predictor of later academic achievement. Children who are especially low performing on measures of mathematical knowledge at the beginning of preschool often show less growth in mathematical knowledge over the preschool year, remain well below school readiness benchmarks for mathematics, and continue to struggle in mathematics in later grades despite receiving high-quality classroom instruction. These students require more intensive interventions focused on mathematics instruction at an early age. The purpose of this project is to assess the efficacy of a preschool program, Pre-K Mathematics Tutorial, and the combination of this program with attention training, for improving the mathematical knowledge of preschool children who are especially low performing in mathematics. The Pre-K Mathematics Tutorial is an intensified version of Pre-K Mathematics, a classroom program that has evidence of efficacy when implemented at scale. The researchers will compare the relative efficacy of the Pre-K Mathematics Tutorial with a condition that includes the Pre-K Mathematics Tutorial plus attention training and with a business-as-usual control condition.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#342. Added October 10, 2011 Updated October 19, 2015 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Advancing Social-Communication and Play (ASAP): An Intervention Program for Preschoolers with Autism
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Brian Boyd brian_boyd@med.unc.edu
Other Key Staff:	Linda Watson
Start Date:	July 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Early Intervention and Early Learning in Special Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will take place in public preschool classrooms serving at least one child with autism in North Carolina, Florida, Minnesota, and Oregon.
Intervention The recently developed and piloted ASAP intervention is based on two core content components, social-communication and play skills. More specifically, the program works on three key areas of social-communication skills-joint attention, social interaction, and requesting behaviors-and four primary levels of play skills-exploratory, relational, functional, and symbolic. ASAP is implemented directly by the children's educational team, comprised of the children's classroom teacher, teaching assistant, and at least one related service provider if children in the classroom are receiving such services. The intervention takes place in two core contexts. The one-to-one context is believed to promote more efficient skill acquisition, and the children will receive 40 minutes of this type of intervention distributed across each week. The group context is believed to foster better generalization and maintenance of skills, and will consist of at least three group activities per day in which there are embedded opportunities to learn and practice the skills targeted in the one-to-one sessions. Overall, the intervention will continue throughout one school year.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Autism
Additional Study Sample Information Children participating in this study will be preschool children, below the age of 6 years, with an autism spectrum disorder. There will be 80 classrooms randomly assigned to intervention and control conditions, with an average of two to three children with autism per classroom.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This research is a cluster randomized trial, with children nested within classrooms. Classrooms will be randomly assigned to the ASAP intervention or the control (business-as-usual) condition. Baseline (pre-test) data will be collected on all child and teacher/classroom measures. At two additional points in time, including during the post-test at the end of the year, the investigators will collect data on the social-communication and play skills of the children. At the end of each school year, the investigators will also collect post-treatment data on child language and engagement skills. Intervention fidelity will be measured in all classrooms three times per year.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control group will be comprised of children with autism in business-as-usual classrooms (no special intervention is introduced beyond the typical services).
Data Analytic Strategy Data on proximal outcomes, and potential moderators, will be analyzed using multilevel or mixed growth models to account for repeated outcome measures as well as clustering of individuals within classrooms. For the distal outcomes measured at pre-test and post-test, multiple level analysis of covariance will be utilized to examine intervention impact and potential moderators. Fidelity of implementation as a mediator will be examined through a parallel-process growth model.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) will be administered to each child at the beginning of the study to confirm the diagnosis of autism. Proximal child outcome measures include the ADOS (for social-communication skills) and Structured Play Assessment (for symbolic play). Child-level moderators include the Child Behavior Checklist (for behavior problems) and Mullen Scales of Early Learning (for developmental level). In addition, there will be rating scales and checklists to assess teacher burnout, quality of classrooms serving children with autism, and instructional strategies used to educate children with autism. Fidelity of intervention (knowledge of social-communication and play goals, instructional delivery, dosage, team planning, and progress monitoring) will be measured with audiotape interviews, videotape coding, and document review.
Intended Secondary Outcomes Distal outcomes will be measured with the Individual Child Engagement Record-Revised and the Preschool Language Scale, 5th Edition.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Core diagnostic features of autism include deficits in social-communicative functioning. Two pivotal skills for young children with autism include joint attention and pretend play, which constitute early foundations upon which later social-communicative skills are built. Joint attention (characterized by behaviors such as pointing, showing, and coordinated looking to share attention toward objects or events with another person) and symbolic play (characterized by the ability to pretend), play important roles in language development and social engagement with peers. Children with autism show deficits in these skills. Advancing Social-Communication and Play (ASAP) is an intervention that has recently been developed to help preschool children with autism learn and practice these important skills. The purpose of this research is to conduct a cluster randomized trial to evaluate the efficacy of ASAP. The major goals of the project include investigating whether children experiencing the intervention, when compared to those who do not, demonstrate greater gains in the proximal child outcomes of social-communication and play skills as well as the more distal outcomes of language development and engagement with classroom objects and peers. The study will also examine whether child-level (i.e., developmental level, problem behaviors) and teacher-level (i.e., teacher burnout, general classroom quality) characteristics moderate the impact of the intervention, and whether the level of implementation fidelity mediates its impact on child outcomes.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#343. Added October 10, 2011 Updated October 31, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	An Efficacy Trial of Two Interventions Designed to Reduce Stereotype Threat Vulnerability and Close Academic Performance Gaps
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Geoffrey Borman gborman@education.wisc.edu
Other Key Staff:	Adam Gamoran
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Education Policy, Finance, and Systems
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will take place in 11 middle schools serving Grade 7-9 students in Madison, Wisconsin.
Intervention The two treatment interventions are writing exercises that take 15 minutes to complete and will be administered four times over a 2-year period. Students assigned to the self-affirmation intervention will receive a list of 10 values such as relationships, grades, art, and independence. Students will be asked to circle the two to three values most important to them and write a paragraph about why these values are important. They will then be asked to answer five questions in a Likert scale asking them to indicate how important those values are to them personally. Students assigned to the group-boundary intervention will receive a set of questions asking them to think of three ways that all people are alike, no matter who they are-rich or poor; Black, White, Latino, or Asian; boy or girl. Examples of these similarities will be provided (e.g. eating, having fun, playing sports, reading and writing, and having friends). Students will be asked to think about these shared characteristics for a minute, then write a paragraph on why the characteristics they selected matter to them. They will then indicate on a Likert scale how important each of these characteristics is to them personally.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, White Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School, High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The proposed research will be conducted in the 7th and 8th grades of the Madison (Wisconsin) Metropolitan School District. On average, the student population in the district's middle schools is between 40% to 60% non-White. In the districts 8 most diverse schools, the student population is approximately 40% White, 30% African American, and 20% Hispanic/Latino. Nearly 50% of students are from low-income families.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Under an experimental design, two cohorts of 7th grade students (approximately 1,250 students per cohort) will be randomly assigned to the self-affirmation condition, group-boundary condition, or control condition and followed for two school years. Researchers will collect two waves of data in the fall and spring of each of two school years. Data to be collected include: (a) the writing exercises to be administered in each of the three experimental conditions; (b) district administrative data including student demographics and standardized test scores; (c) a survey designed to measure stereotype vulnerability; and (d) qualitative measures of the fidelity of implementation.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Students in the control condition will be given similarly formatted materials that ask them to write about a neutral topic, such as their daily routine. They will then be asked to answer five neutral questions presented in Likert-scale form.
Data Analytic Strategy Ordinary least squares regression analysis will be used assess the impacts of the interventions on post-treatment stereotype vulnerability, test scores, and grades. The primary comparison will be between each stereotype threat-reduction intervention to the neutral control condition. In addition, a comparison of the outcomes of the interventions will be done. Subgroup analyses will be done for each racial/ethnic group. Exploratory analyses will examine the relationship of the fidelity of implementation with variations in the interventions' associations with student outcomes and estimate the complier average causal effect.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The students' 6th through 8th grade scores on the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination (Wisconsin's high-stakes assessment) and student grades will be used to measure achievement. The five-item stereotype vulnerability survey (Aronson and Inzlicht, 2004) will be used to measure the extent to which students feel stereotype threat. The survey will be given in the fall and spring of 7th grade and the spring of 8th grade. Fidelity of implementation data will be obtained from classroom observation of a random sample of classrooms during the writing exercises and from the student written responses.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This project will test the efficacy of reducing gaps in academic performance between minority and White students and between students of lower and higher socioeconomic status through two types of interventions aimed at reducing stereotype threat. Stereotype threat refers to the apprehension individuals experience when confronted with a personally relevant stereotype that threatens their social identity or self-esteem. Prior work has proposed that the phenomenon could help explain group differences in performance on standardized tests and in school. Stereotype threat is predicated on the notion that people often fear behaving in a way that fits the negative cultural image associated with a group stereotype, thereby marking them as inferior. This largely unconscious fear elicits anxiety and other counterproductive responses that can severely interfere with thinking and performance on standardized tests or other evaluative activities in the classroom. This project team proposes to determine the impacts of two similar but theoretically distinct stereotype threat-reduction interventions. The first intervention is a self-affirmation intervention and the second is a group boundary-blurring intervention. Both interventions are carried out through student writing exercises. The self-affirmation intervention is based on protecting the self from perceived threats and the consequences of failure by encouraging affirmation of self-worth. The group boundary-blurring intervention is based on blurring group boundaries by focusing on characteristics that are shared between groups in an effort to equalize groups. Prior research has found promising evidence regarding student achievement for both interventions.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#345. Added October 17, 2011 Updated October 31, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Assessing the Efficacy of Check & Connect for Improving Outcomes for At-Risk High School Students
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Jessica Heppen jheppen@air.org
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Social and Behavioral Context for Academic Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Ten high schools in the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) will participate in the study.
Intervention Check & Connect is an individualized program that pairs a trained mentor with each participating student. The mentor closely monitors the students' attendance and progress in school and matches them with appropriate supports. The "check" component is designed to facilitate continuous assessment of students' level of engagement with school as reflected in attendance, academic performance, and behavior. The students' level of risk is used to guide the intensity of the "connect" component. Basic intervention includes one-on-one conversations between mentor and student at least monthly. More intensive interventions are individualized, ranging from academic support to direct teaching of coping strategies and problem-solving meetings with the student's family.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Participants in the study will include a total of 600 at-risk 9th grade students. In the 2008-2009 school year, SDUSD had a dropout rate of 23.5% overall. That rate was higher than the state average (21.5%) and SDUSD also had a larger dropout rate for ethnic/minority groups (27.4 to 30.5%).
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The study uses a within-school random assignment design where students who meet established criteria for risk (e.g., low attendance rates, failing courses, a grade point average of 2.0 or lower) will be assigned either to participate in the Check & Connect program or not. Within each school, one-half of students identified in the spring of their 9th grade year as at-risk for dropping out will be randomly assigned to treatment and the rest to a business-as-usual control group. Students assigned to treatment will receive Check & Connect services for 3 years, beginning in the summer after their 9th grade year and ending in spring 2014 (at the time of their scheduled 4-year graduation from high school). Baseline and outcome measures (e.g., academic performance, attendance, disciplinary referrals) will be collected directly from the district. Site visits will occur in the fall of 2011, 2012, and 2013 to conduct focus groups with program mentors and a sample of treatment students to monitor implementation. The cost-effectiveness of Check & Connect relative to other similar programs will be assessed throughout the study. All students will complete a survey in the spring of 2012 and 2014 to measure different aspects of student engagement.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Students in the control condition will receive the ordinary set of counseling and support services to which these students have access in SDUSD, but will not have contact with the Check & Connect program or mentors.
Data Analytic Strategy To carry out the main impact analysis, researchers will estimate multiple regression models that account for the clustering of students within schools. Subgroup analyses will be conducted to test whether Check & Connect is differentially effective for different types of students (e.g., those with different levels of risk). Corrections for student-attrition and mediation analyses will also be conducted. Researchers will conduct a set of implementation analyses to address application of the intervention to at-risk students in varied settings. As part of these analyses, the researchers will examine treatment fidelity, service contrast with the control group, and program costs.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The study outcomes include engagement (e.g., connection to school and participation in school programs, supports, and activities), attendance, course performance (i.e., credit accrual, grades), standardized test scores, and behavioral measures. Key outcomes include progression through school, persistence, dropout status and, ultimately, graduation status. Implementation will be measured through Check & Connect monitoring sheets, intervention logs, and feedback forms.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Because the dropout problem has persisted in the United States over the previous decades, much work has focused on the development and implementation of dropout prevention programs in and outside of school. A review of the research on these programs suggests that some, but not many, dropout prevention programs have positive effects on school persistence and completion. Check & Connect is a dropout prevention program with demonstrated effectiveness for students with disabilities. The research team will carry out an efficacy trial testing the effect of Check & Connect for general education students (i.e., students who do not receive special education services) who show signs that they are at-risk for dropping out of high school. This 4-year study has two specific aims: (1) to generate rigorous evidence about the effects of Check & Connect on engagement, school completion, and academic outcomes of general education students who meet specific criteria for dropout risk; and (2) to document the implementation of Check & Connect with at-risk high school students.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#346. Added October 17, 2011 Updated October 31, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Assessing the Efficacy of Online Credit Recovery in Algebra I for At-Risk Ninth Graders
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Jessica Heppen jheppen@air.org
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Education Policy, Finance, and Systems
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The setting is the Chicago Public Schools system with a focus on high schools with freshman Algebra I failure rates of 20% or higher.
Intervention The intervention is an online Algebra I course used for credit recovery during the summer after 9th grade. The course is provided by Aventa and runs 4 hours per day, 5 days per week, 4 weeks per session. The course will run for a total of 80 hours and provides one-half credit. It includes both an online teacher and a site-based mentor who help personalize instruction for each student. Students take the course together in a computer lab but work at their own pace on topics they need to learn. The course allows them to demonstrate knowledge of the topics they already have learned. Students can have access to the course when off-site, but graded assessments will be completed in the lab with the mentor acting as proctor.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The population is first-time CPS high school freshman who fail the second semester of Algebra I within high schools with freshman Algebra I failure rates of 20% or higher. The high school must also be lacking in online summer credit recovery programs (approximately 60 high schools meet this criteria). The sample for the experimental study comparing the online course to the in-class course will include approximately 800 students drawn from the 20 high schools in two cohorts who will take one of the summer credit recovery courses either in 2011 or 2012. The sample for the comparison of schools with and without an online summer course will include 2400 students in up to 60 high schools.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The research team will use a student-level random assignment design to test the impact of a summer online Algebra I versus the in-class Algebra I course for credit recovery. Of the 60 CPS high schools with freshman Algebra I failure rates of 20% or higher and lacking an online Algebra I recovery course, 20 will be randomly selected and invited to join the study (for those that don't join replacements will be randomly selected from the remaining pool of 40 schools). Within the 20 high schools, first-time freshmen who failed second semester Algebra I in two cohorts will be randomly assigned to take the online or in-class course for credit recovery in the summers of 2011 and 2012. This study will also include an examination of the relationship between the implementation of the online course, especially the level of support provided by the mentors and online teachers, and student success in the course. A cohort comparison will be used to examine differences between 9th grade cohorts of freshman who failed Algebra I in schools that had the online course and those that did not. Within the 20 schools of the experimental study, the two cohorts that had access to the online course will be compared to the three preceding cohorts that did not. This comparison will be expanded to the remaining pool of up to 40 schools (excepting those that declined to take part in the first study) with similar freshman failure rates allowing for an examination of changes across cohorts from the pre- to post-treatment years in the treatment schools versus the same changes for the same cohorts in matched control schools (a difference-in-difference estimate).
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control condition is a standard in-class Algebra I course offered for credit recovery during the summer after 9th grade. The course will use the typical curriculum for the district, run for the same 80 hours as the online course, and be taught by a licensed CPS mathematics teacher.
Data Analytic Strategy The data will be analyzed using a series of hierarchical linear models for continuous outcomes (e.g., ACT scores), hierarchical generalized linear models for binary outcomes, and discrete-time survival analysis of dropout outcomes. A mediation analyses will be carried out to examine variation in the impact of online Algebra I by school and student level implementation factors.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Short-term outcomes include end-of-course algebra assessment scores and grades in the summer course, scores on the algebra portion of the PLAN exam (a per-ACT assessment taken by CPS students in the fall of 10th grade) and 10th grade credit attainment in mathematics and science. Longer term outcomes include grades and credits in subsequent mathematics and science courses, 11th grade ACT scores, drop-out status in each subsequent year, and 4-year graduation status of Cohort 1 students.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Failing Algebra I in the first year of high school significantly decreases a student's likelihood of graduating. Getting students back on track is a high priority, yet little rigorous evidence exists about credit recovery options. This study will test the efficacy of offering an online Algebra I course in the summer after 9th grade for first time 9th graders who failed the second semester of Algebra I.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#347. Added October 17, 2011 Updated October 31, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Data Modeling Supports the Development of Statistical Reasoning
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Richard Lehrer rich.lehrer@vanderbilt.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Mathematics and Science Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will take place in the Memphis City School district, a large urban school system.
Intervention Students in the experimental classrooms will be instructed in statistical reasoning using the Data Modeling curriculum. These students will investigate data display, statistics, and chance processes. Students will construct models of chance processes and use these to guide inference. Student achievement in these experimental classrooms will be contrasted to achievement in comparable classrooms where students participate in more standard curricular approaches to data and statistics. Teachers in the experimental classrooms will engage in professional development intended to improve their own understanding of statistics while supporting the implementation of the curriculum with high fidelity. Teachers will also be supported through ongoing coaching by teachers who have previously demonstrated high fidelity implementation of the curriculum.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Black or African American Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Forty schools will participate, along with 6th grade teachers and students. The students are predominantly African American (86.5 percent), from low socioeconomic status homes (86.5 percent), and are almost equal proportions of male and female students.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The research is designed as a cluster randomized control trial, with half of the 40 schools randomly assigned to the treatment condition and half to the control condition. Teachers in the treatment condition will use the Data Modeling curriculum to replace the applicable portions of their usual instruction in measurement, data analysis, statistics, and probability. Teachers will remain in the treatment condition for two years, resulting in data from two cohorts of Grade 6 students. By having the same teacher remain in the study for two years, data can be collected to examine the effects of teachers' increased experience with the intervention.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Students in control classes will undergo business-as-usual instruction that includes lessons on data analysis, statistics, and probability supported by one of the following texts: Holt Middle School Math, Grade 6; Everyday Counts Algebra Readiness; and EPGY Stanford Math K-7. Their teachers will not receive professional development from the Data Modeling team before or during the test years.
Data Analytic Strategy The primary analytical approach will be multilevel analyses of the student-level responses with supplementary analyses of moderator effects. A three level model will be used with students nested within classrooms nested within schools. The impact of the Data Modeling curriculum will be estimated for Cohorts 1 and 2 separately, and for both cohorts together.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The primary student-level measures include: (a) summative and formative assessments developed under a previous IES grant that allow for granular tracing of 6 components of statistical reasoning; (b) an independently developed, distal measure of statistical literacy that will assess reasoning about data, chance, statistics, and inference; (c) mathematics subscales of the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP); and (d) a survey of student attitudes toward math. The primary treatment-level measures for assessing fidelity include teacher logs of their practices and contents of instruction, and an observational checklist of key instructional practices and processes that are integral to the data modeling approach that is completed during classroom visits by the research team.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Statistics and data are featured prominently in the emerging national core standards in mathematics at the middle grades, but instruction in the middle grades typically isolates data from chance and fails to focus on foundations of statistical reasoning. These neglected foundations include structuring variability in data as distributions, relating data distribution to chance, and generating models of chance to guide statistical inference. Under the Data Modeling curriculum, these skills and understandings are integrated into a coordinated, cohesive curriculum. The goal of this project is to examine the efficacy of the Data Modeling curriculum on student learning and attitudes toward the mathematics of data and statistics at Grade 6. The intervention includes a sequence of 7 lessons to guide teachers in teaching key ideas, a set of coordinated formative and summative assessments items used to measure student learning and to inform instruction, and a professional development model and tools for teachers.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#348. Added October 17, 2011 Updated October 31, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Development of an Empirically Based Intervention for Childcare Teachers to Promote Language Skills in At-Risk Toddlers
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Cathy Guttentag Cathy.Guttentag@uth.tmc.edu
Start Date:	June 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	May 31, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Early Intervention and Early Learning in Special Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The project will take place in community childcare centers in Texas.
Intervention The researchers will develop a professional development intervention called Toddler Language in the Classroom. The program will include two group teacher training sessions, 8 to 10 individual onsite didactic sessions, and 8 to 10 weekly in-class mentoring sessions. The group sessions will bring together all participating teachers for presentations of intervention concepts and strategies (e.g., responding to children's communicative signals, exposing children to rich language, and encouraging children to talk) and discussion among participating teachers. During each onsite didactic session, a mentor will meet with individual teachers for about an hour and a half each week to review feedback, present additional concepts and strategies, and review video segments for self-critique. During each in-class mentoring session, the mentor will spend approximately 2 hours with each teacher, model interactions with children and use of target strategies, and provide additional coaching. The mentoring sessions will be videotaped, and following each session, the mentor will choose two examples of the teachers' successful use of the target strategies and two examples of less successful attempts at the target strategies. These examples will be reviewed with the teachers during the next didactic session. A monitoring tool will also be created to systematically record and live-code teachers and their use of the targeted strategies.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Speech or Language Impairment
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 30 childcare teachers and their students will participate in this research. Targeted students will be between 18 and 36 months of age and have low language skills as measured by the Early Communication Indicator.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The researchers will use a multi-stage, iterative process to develop, test, refine, and pilot test the professional development intervention sessions. During the third year, a pilot test comparing the feasibility and promise of the Toddler Language in the Classroom program will be conducted in 20 classrooms. Classrooms will be randomly assigned to the Toddler Language in the Classroom program or to a business-as-usual condition.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The comparison classrooms will be provided with age-appropriate children's books and toys that are also being provided to Toddler Language in the Classroom classrooms. Teachers in the comparison group, however, will not receive additional professional development.
Data Analytic Strategy Analysis of covariance will be used to determine whether teachers' knowledge and use of the strategies improve after exposure to Toddler Language in the Classroom. Multilevel analyses will be used to determine whether the language, social emotional, and nonverbal cognitive skills of children in the intervention classrooms improve compared to their peers in the control condition.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Outcomes include measures of teachers' use of the Toddler Language in the Classroom strategies as well as improvements in teacher knowledge and practice promoting their students' language skills. Students' receptive and expressive language skills, social emotional skills, and nonverbal cognitive skills will also be measured.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Strong oral language skills can lay the foundation for later school achievement. Children who have delayed oral language skills by age three are less able than their typically developing peers to take advantage of preschool readiness curricula and are at risk for later learning difficulties in reading and math. Typical language interactions between teachers and students in early learning environments may not be of adequate quality for reducing language or academic difficulties. The purpose of this project is to develop and document the feasibility and promise of a professional development intervention, called Toddler Language in the Classroom, designed to improve language skills of toddlers who exhibit or are at risk for language delays. The program is intended to increase the quality of language and literacy experiences in the childcare setting by training teachers to respond to children's communicative signals, expose children to rich language, and encourage children to talk.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#353. Added October 18, 2011 Updated October 31, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Efficacy of the Interactive Strategies Approach-Extended as a Small Group Intervention for Intermediate Grade Struggling Readers
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Lynn Gelzheiser lgelzheiser@uamail.albany.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Reading, Writing, and Language Development
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will take place in New York.
Intervention The Interactive Strategies Approach-Extended is a set of instructional goals, approaches, and materials that can be tailored to meet the reading and writing needs of individual students. The instructional goals will be used to customize students' interventions and include motivation to read and write, phonological skills, word identification, comprehension and general knowledge, and vocabulary. Approximately 50 to 60 40-minute sessions will be given to groups of three students during one semester. Sessions will begin with a mini-lesson, devote a majority of time to reading and discussion, and end with reflection or writing.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Specific Learning Disability (LD)
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 300 third and fourth grade students who have disabilities or are struggling readers will participate in this research. To qualify as a struggling reader, students must demonstrate adequate verbal ability on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-4 but weak reading comprehension on the STAR Reading assessment.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A randomized control trial design will be used to study the efficacy of the intervention. Students who are identified as struggling readers will be randomly assigned to Interactive Strategies Approach-Extended or a business-as-usual control group. The business-as-usual control group will serve as a "wait list" control and will receive intervention during the spring semester. Both groups will be assessed pre-intervention, frequently throughout the school year, and post-intervention in the fall and spring. In addition, a subsample of students who are not struggling readers will be randomly sampled so that the progress of students who receive the Interactive Strategies Approach-Extended can be compared to their typically developing peers.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The Interactive Strategies Approach-Extended administered in the fall will be compared to a business-as-usual condition in which students participate in the classroom and supplementary reading instruction typically provided by the school.
Data Analytic Strategy Multi-level modeling will be used for data analyses to evaluate the effects of Interactive Strategies Approach-Extended on reading achievement, to compare student growth rates in reading, and to identify potential moderators of intervention effects.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The efficacy of Interactive Strategies Approach-Extended will be evaluated on a continuum of reading measures, including measures of oral reading comprehension, accuracy, and fluency; silent reading comprehension; listening comprehension; basic reading skills; vocabulary; and engagement.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Instructional approaches for improving reading and writing skills of older students may address deficits in knowledge, vocabulary, comprehension, and basic reading skills. Often the approaches feature a standard treatment that does not differentiate instruction based on individual student needs. The research team proposes to investigate the efficacy of the Interactive Strategies Approach-Extended with third and fourth graders who have disabilities or are struggling readers. The intervention is a set of instructional goals, approaches, and materials that supplement classroom reading instruction and can be tailored to the reading and writing needs of individual students. The intervention is intended to accelerate students' basic reading skills, vocabulary, and listening and reading comprehension.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#351. Added October 17, 2011 Updated June 1, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Efficacy of Supplemental Early Vocabulary Connections Instruction for English Language Learners
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Patricia Vadasy Senior Research Scientist patriciav@ori.org
Other Key Staff:	Dr. J. Ron Nelson, Dr. Elizabeth A. Sanders
Start Date:	July 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - English Learners-R305A110343
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Nelson, J.R., Vadasy, P.F., & Sanders, E.A. (2011). Efficacy of a Tier 2 supplemental root word vocabulary and decoding intervention with kindergarten Spanish-speaking English learners. Journal of Literacy Research, DOI:10.1177/1086296X11403088 Vadasy, P.R., Nelson, J.R., & Sanders, E.A. (2011). Longer-term effects of a Tier 2 kindergarten vocabulary intervention for English learners. Remedial and Special Education, DOI:10.1177/0741932511420739
Study Setting The study will take place in 15 public elementary schools in Seattle. Students will be identified by parent reports that English is not the home language.
Intervention Designed to be implemented as a supplemental instructional program, Connections integrates instructional components within each lesson to build students' vocabulary knowledge and reinforce decoding skills being taught in the core beginning reading curricula. The instructional components provide students multiple exposures to words to ensure their learning of word meanings. In addition to word blending and spelling activities, the newly learned words are then used in interesting, meaningful, and fully decodable texts to provide students with scaffolded decoding practice. The texts are written to illustrate the meaning of the word in a context that is meaningful to a young reader. The curriculum provides the teacher with a 12 inch by 10 inch presentation manual to present the lesson to small groups of children. Instructional prompts for the teacher are included and the instructional components in Connections have a predictable format. One target word is taught each day, a rate of direct instruction for vocabulary at which K-2 students can learn and retain word meanings. Teachers use a dialogic process to help students understand the meaning for target words through active engagement. The teacher alternates between being the listener or the questioner for students' explanations of the meaning for target words.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Kindergarten Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The sample includes 432 ELLs in kindergarten whose parents report that English is not the home language, and if tested for bilingual services, who score below level 4 on the state English language placement test. Students represent over 28 language backgrounds, including Spanish, Vietnamese, Somali, Chinese, and Tagalog.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A two-cohort design will be utilized in which one cohort of kindergarteners in the 15 schools will participate in Year 1. The second cohort from many of the same schools will participate in Year 2. Students within classrooms will be assigned to participate in either a treatment or control condition. Each cohort will be pre-tested in the fall, post-tested in the spring, and given a follow-up test one year after the intervention. A sample of tutoring sessions will be audiotaped, and a random sample of 20 percent of tutors' session will be analyzed for adherence to critical components of the treatment, such as following the lesson and activity sequence and requesting choral and individual responding by students.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Students in the control condition will receive pull-out instruction for the same frequency and duration that consists of interactive book reading, with storybooks selected to feature the same target vocabulary word taught in the Connections treatment.
Data Analytic Strategy Researchers will use multilevel modeling to account for the nesting of students within classrooms. Analyses will test for direct and indirect effects of Connections on student outcomes, as well as examine the moderating effects of such variables as English language proficiency, pretest skills, home literacy factors, and classroom vocabulary instruction time.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Key measures include collecting student demographic data and demographic data for tutors (paraeducators). Researchers will use a parent survey of the home literacy environment and measure English language proficiency using the Washington Language Proficiency Test. In addition, the research team will measure reading vocabulary and word reading at pre-test, post-test, and at one-year follow up testing. The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Expressive One-word Picture Vocabulary Test, curriculum-based measures of definitional vocabulary, WRAT-4 spelling, and the Woodcock Reading Mastery Test word comprehension and basic skills subtests will also be administered.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The goal of this project is to study the efficacy of a supplemental reading intervention for English language learners (ELLs) in kindergarten called Early Vocabulary Connections (Connections). This intervention is designed to coordinate the development of beginning decoding skills, spelling, and vocabulary knowledge in English. In addition to immediate effects on word reading and vocabulary, participation in Connections is hypothesized to improve learning of new vocabulary and general comprehension outcomes. An initial efficacy study of this intervention found positive effects on both word reading and vocabulary. This study is designed to replicate these findings. In this study, Connections will be implemented with a more diverse sample of ELLs, will follow students for an additional year, and will examine the effect of participation in this instruction on a broader range of assessments.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#352. Added October 17, 2011 Updated October 31, 2011 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Efficacy of the BEST in CLASS Intervention for Young Children at High Risk for Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Maureen Conroy mconroy@coe.ufl.edu
Start Date:	August 15, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	August 15, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Social and Behavioral Outcomes to Support Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Two hundred and forty early childhood classrooms across urban cities in Florida and Virginia will be included in this study.
Intervention BEST in CLASS is a strengths-based, manualized intervention model that targets the prevention and amelioration of problem behaviors demonstrated by young children at risk for or with emotional/behavioral disorders in early childhood classrooms. This intervention combines evidence-based behavioral strategies with a coaching model designed to optimize implementation by teachers of preschool-age children. BEST in CLASS increases teachers' use and quality of specific behavioral and instructional strategies, provision of positive attention, general classroom management skills, and sense of self-efficacy to enhance the quality of teacher-child relationships and the classroom environment. Intervention components include seven teacher learning modules and a coaching model. Each teacher learning module includes key definitions, principles for effective usage, steps and strategies for implementation, examples (written and video), and application exercises (a case story and knowledge check). The modules include: (1) Basics of Behavior and Development; (2) Home-School Communication; (3) Rules, Expectations, and Routines; (4) Behavior Specific Praise; (5) Precorrection and Active Supervision; (6) Opportunities to Respond and Instructional Pacing; and (7) Teacher Feedback. The BEST in CLASS coaching model provides comprehensive instructions for coaches to support and enhance teachers' acquisition, implementation, and maintenance of the BEST in CLASS strategies. Weekly coaching sessions include classroom-based direct observational data collection and coaches provide feedback to teachers through in-vivo coaching during ongoing instruction and coaching meetings that occur outside of classroom instruction. Participating teachers receive a 1-day overview training followed by 14 weeks of classroom-based coaching.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Not Applicable Student Disability: Emotional Disturbance (ED)
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 720 children (approximately 3 students at elevated risk for emotional and behavioral disorders per classroom) will participate. The Early Screening Project will be used to identify children. Children who demonstrate cognitive developmental delays will be excluded.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study will utilize a multi-site, four-cohort cluster randomized trial in which classrooms serve as the unit of randomization (approximately 60 classrooms per cohort). Classrooms will be randomly assigned to the BEST in CLASS intervention or to a business-as-usual comparison condition. The immediate and short-term (i.e., one month following participation) effects of BEST in CLASS will be evaluated.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers in the comparison group will provide instruction as typically provided in their classrooms.
Data Analytic Strategy The researchers will use hierarchical linear modeling to test the general impact of the intervention as well as mediating effects.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Measures include the Social Skills Improvement System Rating Scales, the Caregiver-Teacher Report Form, and the Bracken Basic Concept Scale-3: Receptive to assess student academic and behavioral outcomes. The Teacher-Child Interactions Direct Observational System will be used to examine the occurrence of teacher behavior and focal children's adaptive and problem behaviors. The Classroom Assessment Scoring System, Pre-K will examine classroom atmosphere and inClass: Individualized Classroom Assessment Scoring System will be use as a standardized measure of individual child-teacher interactions. Treatment fidelity will include measurement of both adherence and quality of implementation. Teacher self-efficacy, measured with the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale and the Teachers' Self-Efficacy Beliefs Scale, and teacher-child relationships, measured via the Student Teacher Relationship Scale, will be examined as potential mediators.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The prevalence rates of young children at elevated risk for emotional and behavioral disorders is concerning, with data indicating that approximately 12-25 percent of young children display chronic problem behaviors that impact their current and future performance in school. There is a need to intervene early with young children before the severity and intensity of their problems increase. BEST in CLASS was developed with IES funding as a secondary level intervention for teachers in early childhood classrooms. The focus of the intervention is on improving student social, emotional, and behavioral functioning, and concomitantly, the pre-academic competence of 4 year olds at high risk for the development of emotional and behavioral disorders. BEST in CLASS has demonstrated feasibility of implementation by early childhood educators as well as promise for preventing and ameliorating problem behaviors demonstrated by high-risk children in early childhood settings, but the efficacy of the intervention has not yet been tested.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#354. Added October 18, 2011 Updated May 22, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Efficacy of the WINGS After-School Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Program
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Andrew Mashburn mashburn@pdx.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Social and Behavioral Context for Academic Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will take place in four elementary schools in South Carolina.
Intervention WINGS for Kids (WINGS) is a structured after-school social and emotional learning (SEL) program for children attending low-performing schools in high-risk neighborhoods in South Carolina. At each school, the program is organized in groups or "nests" of 12 students, with 2 nests based on gender per grade. Each nest is assigned a WINGS leader who serves as mentor and teacher for the entire school year. WINGS leaders receive 65 hours of training along with a detailed instructor manual. The curriculum for WINGS is focused on five person-centered SEL competencies chosen to intentionally align with the theory of change proposed by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL): (1) self-awareness; (2) self-management; (3) responsible decision-making; (4) social awareness; and (5) relationship skills. "Hot WINGS" are the specific social skills activities that define WINGS, and are the activities through which WINGS staff model, teach, and reinforce SEL competencies during the daily after-school program. Leaders are taught to stop negative behavior before it escalates, to avoid the use of punishment, and to provide specific and clear instructions about expectations for behavior. The WINGS program includes software to document and measure each student's social and emotional progress and leaders' use of teachable moments. It also includes a variety of formats for communication with parents, teachers, and school administrators.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Black or African American Student Level(s) of Education: Kindergarten Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Participants include kindergarteners in the study across three cohorts. Over 90 percent of the students are African-American and free or reduced price lunch-eligible.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods In this study, kindergarten children are randomly assigned to WINGS or control within each school, cohort, and gender "nest." The program is oversubscribed in each school and typically has a wait-list of kindergartners each year. Researchers will estimate impacts of WINGS after one year of participation in the program for Cohorts 1, 2, and 3; after two years for Cohorts 1 and 2; and after three years for Cohort 1.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control group is a no-treatment control condition.
Data Analytic Strategy Results of this mixed methods study will estimate the effects of this after-school SEL program and help identify the pathways and mechanisms that produce the effects. A variety of statistical modeling techniques will estimate main, mediated, and moderated effects of WINGS on child outcomes, including fixed-effects models in an OLS regression framework and random-effects models in a multi-level framework. Qualitative analyses of parent/guardian interviews will involve content coding within four major themes: (1) child relationships and behaviors at home; (2) family characteristics; (3) home environment; and (4) after-school experiences for children in the control group.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Children's person-centered competencies will be assessed using the Wally Child Social Problem-Solving Detective Game and a Delay of Gratification Task. Children's relationships and behaviors will be measured through observation (the Individualized Classroom Assessment Scoring System-Child Version) and teacher report (e.g., the Social Skills Improvement System). School outcomes will be assessed through administrative records (e.g., attendance) and district administered Measures of Academic Progress. Academic outcomes will be assessed using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test - 4th Edition and the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement. Program fidelity will be assessed at the child-level using measures of WINGS attendance and engagement in WINGS activities, and assessed at the setting-level using standardized observations of the quality of program implementation (the Out-of-School Time Observation Instrument).
Summary of the Study / Abstract The goal of this project is to evaluate the efficacy of the WINGS for Kids (WINGS) after-school social and emotional learning (SEL) program. WINGS is a fully developed and highly structured after-school SEL program that has been serving children who experience extraordinarily high levels of social and economic risks for the past 10 years. The program currently operates in four elementary schools, serves 24 children in each grade (K to 5) at each school, is offered for 3 hours per day and 5 days a week during the academic year, achieves daily attendance rates of 95 percent per day, and retains 95 percent of participants from year to year. Non-experimental and case studies have found evidence of the program's promise in improving children's social skills and academic outcomes, but experimental evidence of efficacy has not yet been gathered.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#355. Added October 18, 2011 Updated May 22, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Efficacy Study of Check and Connect to Improve Student Outcomes
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Carl Sumi carl.sumi@sri.com
Start Date:	September 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	August 31, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Social and Behavioral Outcomes to Support Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will take place in four high schools in an urban city in California.
Intervention The Check and Connect program is intended to promote student engagement in school and with learning. Fundamental to the intervention is the development of a relationship of mutual trust and open communication between the targeted student and a mentor. The mentor regularly (often several times a week) checks on the school adjustment, behavior, and educational progress of the student and intervenes to reestablish and maintain his or her connection to school and learning and to enhance his or her social and academic competencies. The mentor's relationship-building extends to the student's family and school staff involved with the student. The mentor works with students to increase their use of problem solving via a cognitive-behavioral approach to acquiring skills to resolve conflict, identify solutions, and develop productive coping strategies. Students receive Check and Connect mentor support for up to 3 years. Basic intervention services for all Check and Connect participants include students' regular meetings with their mentor, during which the importance of attending to school work, staying in school, and problem solving is emphasized. Students who show increased signs of disengagement from school receive more intensive individualized intervention to address the specific issues identified through monitoring data (e.g., tutoring to address grade issues, anger management training to address aggressive behavior). The intervention manual provides guidance on how mentors can match strategies to the issues individual students confront.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Emotional Disturbance (ED)
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 375 incoming 9th-grade students will participate. Eligible students include those who (a) are identified for special education services in the category of emotional disturbance, (b) have learning disabilities or ADHD and have behavior improvement goals on their IEPs, or (c) are at risk of referral for special education services and school failure because they have at least one indicator each in the categories of behavioral risk, academic risk, and school participation risk (e.g., numerous office discipline referrals, failing courses, and multiple absences per month).
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study will utilize a randomized trial where students serve as the unit of randomization. Students will be randomly assigned to the Check and Connect intervention or to services as usual.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The comparison group will receive the school program (including special education services if appropriate) that would normally be provided to those students.
Data Analytic Strategy The researchers will use hierarchical linear modeling to test the general impact of the intervention on student engagement and progress toward a high school diploma, as well as mediating and moderating effects. Survival curve modeling of dropout status and growth curve modeling of student engagement will also be conducted.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The researchers will measure student outcomes for the experimental and control groups using the Student Engagement Survey to assess cognitive and affective engagement. They will also obtain students' school records to assess behavioral and academic engagement as well as progress toward and achievement of a high school credential. In addition, teachers will complete the Social Skills Improvement System-Teacher Form to assess academic and behavioral engagement. Measures of implementation fidelity, mentor-student alliance, and social validity will be used to assess these potential moderators of intervention effect, as well as student, family, and school context factors. Dosage, adherence, and quality of implementation will also be assessed. Measures will be repeated each spring for the three intervention years as long as students remain in school; dropouts will be tracked to assess return to school or enrollment in alternative degree programs.
Summary of the Study / Abstract There is a compelling need to more effectively intervene with youth with emotional and behavioral disorders to change their pattern of negative behavioral and academic experiences in high school. Importantly, there is a need to engage them in their school programs so they persist through graduation and are well prepared for success in their adult lives. This research team will conduct a randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of the Check and Connect intervention, a promising, comprehensive student engagement intervention developed to promote school success and completion for secondary students at high risk for school failure and dropout. Although the intervention has been studied previously, the impact of the program has not been evaluated specifically with students with emotional disturbance.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#356. Added October 18, 2011 Updated May 22, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Efficacy Trials with a New Early Literacy and Language Curriculum for Preschool Children with Developmental Speech and/or Language Impairment
Principal Investigator:	Dr. M. Jeanne Wilcox mjwilcox@asu.edu
Start Date:	March 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	February 28, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Early Intervention and Early Learning in Special Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study will be conducted in preschool classrooms in Arizona.
Intervention TELL is designed so that language and early literacy goals and explicit teaching practices are integrated and implemented within the context of social emotional, math, science, art, and fine and gross motor activities. The TELL curriculum package includes a scope and sequence of instruction, scripted teaching activities, materials for implementation of oral language and early literacy activities, and professional development for teachers. TELL professional development includes 25 hours of formal training and weekly coaching for teachers and teaching assistants to implement the curriculum in experimental classrooms across the project period.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Speech or Language Impairment
Additional Study Sample Information The study will target 4-year-old children with DSLI receiving services through Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The research design for this study is a randomized controlled trial in which 72 preschool classrooms will be randomly assigned to either the TELL or "business as usual" comparison condition. Data on child outcomes and teacher's instructional practices will be collected in three cohorts (corresponding to project years 1, 2, and 3), and all children will be followed into the first quarter of kindergarten. Focus groups, individual structured interviews, and surveys will be used to gather data from teachers on the perceived value and feasibility of TELL.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Classes assigned to this condition will represent standard practice (i.e., "business as usual") in their districts. During the study, the research team will gather information about the teaching content and use of practices by these classroom teachers to inform the comparisons that will be made to TELL classrooms.
Data Analytic Strategy The primary analysis of quantitative outcome variables will be a mixed-model analysis of covariance, or hierarchical linear model. Growth curve models will be used to compare differences in growth trends between TELL and comparison students. Structural equation models will be used to test whether certain variables serve as mediators of the intervention effect on outcomes. Qualitative interview and focus group data will be audio-recorded and sent to a transcription service to create word documents. These documents will serve as the data source to be imported into qualitative research analyses programs to search for emergent themes.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Selected measures include those designed to (a) evaluate the impact of the TELL curriculum on children's school readiness in early literacy and oral language skills; (b) evaluate teachers' use of oral language and early literacy instructional practices; (c) evaluate the quality of the classroom language and literacy environments; and (d) determine the extent to which the TELL curriculum impacts children's readiness for kindergarten success.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Eighty-two percent of children receiving special education services demonstrate a developmental speech and/or language impairment (DSLI) either as a primary diagnosis (i.e., DSLI is the sole impairment) or as a condition secondary to another primary diagnosis (e.g., developmental delay, mental retardation). Regardless of the underlying diagnosis, children with DSLI often fail to develop crucial pre-literacy skills, such as oral language skills, which can lead to later literacy difficulties and reading failure. The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of a recently developed preschool oral language and early literacy curriculum package, Teaching Early Literacy and Language Across the Curriculum (TELL), for children with DSLI either as a primary or secondary impairment. TELL targets skills that have been shown to be important in reading decoding and comprehension: phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge, print concepts, writing, vocabulary, and sentence length/complexity.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#358. Added October 18, 2011 Updated May 22, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Evaluating the Success of Undergraduates in the U-Pace Intervention to Improve Academic Achievement for All Postsecondary Education Students
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Diane Reddy reddy@uwm.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Postsecondary and Adult Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The project will take place at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee (UWM), the major urban public doctoral university in the University of Wisconsin System with over 28,000 undergraduates.
Intervention U-Pace combines self-paced online learning with mastery learning and amplified assistance. In a U-Pace course, students cover the same text chapters as a conventionally taught class but cover them through a self-paced module approach (each module is about half a chapter) and must display mastery of the material in a module before moving to the next one. After each module, students take an electronic, 10-item multiple choice quiz and must score 90% before they can move on to the next module. Students receive their scores and instructor feedback on which concepts they have not learned (but not which questions they missed). Students can retake the quiz an unlimited number of times but they must wait at least one hour between quizzes (to allow time to study) and the questions are changed each time. Instructors initiate the amplified assistance by monitoring student activity in the course quizzes. Instructors then send electronic messages identifying the concepts needed to be learned to pass a quiz and encouragement to continue working on mastering the material.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Postsecondary Education Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The population is undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. The UWM undergraduate population includes more students who are more likely to be first-generation college students, employed, members of a minority, and require remediation than other University of Wisconsin institutions. Sample selection criteria include students taking introductory course in psychology, sociology, or political science who are over 18 years of age, have not previously failed the introductory course, have not participated in a U-Pace pilot study, and who agree to take part in the study.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The researchers will conduct three experiments in which students are randomly assigned to either conventional instruction or U-Pace instruction. This randomization will occur so that academically underprepared students (defined as having a composite ACT score below 19 or an undergraduate GPA below 2.0) and disadvantaged students (defined as having a federal Pell grant or belong to a racial/ethnic group with low postsecondary success) are distributed evenly across the instructional conditions. The instruction will take place in introductory psychology, sociology, and political science courses. Each experiment will have two instructors who will teach all the conditions in both the fall and spring semesters. All instructional conditions will use the same curricular materials. To minimize contamination of instructional method to the other condition(s), instructors will receive intensive training, follow explicit instructional manuals for each instructional approach, and fidelity will be monitored throughout the semesters. The first experiment will be carried out in Year 1 with 960 first-year undergraduates in introductory psychology assigned to one of four instructional conditions: conventional instruction, U-Pace instruction with the amplified assistance component only, U-Pace instruction with the mastery component only, and U-Pace instruction with both the amplified assistance component and the mastery component. The results of this experiment will determine which form of U-Pace, if any, leads to the highest student gains. This form will be used in the two subsequent experiments. In Year 2, the second experiment will randomly assign 480 students in the introductory sociology course to either the U-Pace condition identified in Experiment 1 or to the control group. In Year 3, the third experiment will randomly assign 480 students in the introductory political science courses to either the U-Pace condition or the control condition.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition A "business-as-usual" control group will receive conventional instruction in each course that covers the same material and uses the same textbook and review activities. Its exams will draw from the same pool of questions as used with the treatment group. The control group's instruction will differ in that it will be provided through three 50 minute lectures per week at a pace set by the instructor that does not include determining student mastery of material before allowing them to move to the next topic. It will also not include instructor-initiated personalized feedback on exams (though students may initiate such feedback) or instructor-sent motivational messages.
Data Analytic Strategy For Experiment 1, the outcome on the 50-item multiple choice test will be analyzed through an analysis of variance with pairwise follow-up tests to identify the most efficacious U-PACE treatment. In all three experiments, ordinal logistic regression will be used to analyze the grade outcomes, binary logistic regression will be used to analyze retention, and ANOVA will be used to analyze the multiple-choice test scores. Subgroup analyses will be done for gender, academically unprepared students, and disadvantaged students.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes University and class administration data will be used to collect three measures of student academic success: (1) final course grades, (2) scores on a 50-item multiple-choice cumulative exam that does not contribute to students' grades and is taken by a randomly selected subsample of 120 students in each discipline, and (3) one-year retention rates.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee has developed an instructional approach, known as U-PACE, for its introductory psychology course that combines self-paced online learning with mastery learning and amplified assistance (in which the instructor initiates support to student on both course material and to increase student motivation). The goal of this instructional approach is to improve student achievement in these courses and increase student retention. This project will evaluate U-PACE through experiments carried out in introductory courses within psychology, sociology, and political science.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#359. Added October 18, 2011 Updated May 22, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Evaluation of a Comprehensive Community-based Intervention for Toddlers with ASD
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Bonnie McBride bonnie-mcbride@ouhsc.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Early Intervention and Early Learning in Special Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will take place in a community-based child care setting in Oklahoma City and a clinical intervention development setting in Seattle. These sites, which are state-funded early intervention programs, represent diversity in setting, staffing, and recruitment characteristics.
Intervention The Project DATA-Toddler model is designed to be feasible for community and early intervention education settings and blends practices from the fields of applied behavior analysis, early childhood education, and early childhood special education. It includes home-based, center-based, and early education setting services delivered by paraprofessional interventionists with supervision from certified professional staff. Each child receives 17 hours of focused intervention each week, as well as an additional 5 hours of parent-delivered intervention at home, for two years. The model has five major components, including an integrated early childhood experience (integrated play group with supports to facilitate interactions), intensive one-to-one instruction, technical and social support for families, collaboration and coordination across services, and support for planning and transition.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Autism
Additional Study Sample Information The population will consist of 80 toddlers, aged 18 to 30 months, diagnosed with ASD and meeting standardized symptom criteria.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The study will follow a simple two-arm randomized controlled trial. Each child and their linked caregiver(s) will be randomly assigned, stratified by site, to either the experimental condition (DATA-Toddler) or a comparison condition (standard care). The project will use procedural monitoring to maintain treatment fidelity, balancing of key baseline group differences, blinded data collection with inter-rater reliability checks, and multiple core symptom assessments. Data on child outcomes and parent reports will be collected pre-intervention and quarterly thereafter.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The children in the control group will receive standard (business-as-usual) care, including services offered through their state early intervention system.
Data Analytic Strategy The study will model change over time with a mean and covariance structural analysis, using latent growth curve modeling when appropriate. For measures capturing categorical change (developmental stages captured by measures of early learning and communication), ordinal-ranked stages will be analyzed using generalized linear mixed modeling. Mediation and moderation analyses will be incorporated into the models to examine potential explanations for variation in size of individual change and to generate hypotheses worth investigating in larger trials.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The intervention will be evaluated using both standardized and non-standardized measures administered to the child, direct observation, and parent report. Measures used include diagnostic assessments such as the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS); Mullen Scales of Early Learning; MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory (CDI); Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale-Survey Edition; Aberrant Behavior Checklist; Brief Infant Toddler Social Emotional Assessment (BITSEA); and measures of engagement and play, parent and family stress, and consumer satisfaction.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Prevalence rates for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have risen dramatically in recent years and children are being identified earlier (i.e., under the age of 3). This has placed pressure on state early intervention systems to serve young children with ASD. However there are few treatment models available that are both feasible across different types of community settings and have demonstrated effectiveness. The overarching purpose of the current project is to conduct a randomized trial to evaluate the efficacy of a previously developed and pilot-tested model for very young children with ASD called Project DATA (Developmentally Appropriate Treatment for Autism)-Toddler. The major goals will be to examine whether children receiving this intervention show greater gains in cognitive functioning, language, social relatedness, and adaptive behavior; whether parents of these children demonstrate gains in recommended parenting strategies and decreased stress; and whether the intervention is acceptable in terms of general satisfaction and ability to work effectively within the context of different cultures. The ultimate aim of the research is to enable feasible and beneficial community-based services for toddlers with ASD.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#361. Added October 18, 2011 Updated May 22, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Follow-Up to the Study of the Efficacy of North Carolina's Early College High School Model
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Julie Edmunds jedmunds@serve.org
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Postsecondary and Adult Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The setting is 19 Early College High Schools in 19 different school districts in North Carolina.
Intervention Early College High Schools (ECHSs) are designed to accelerate the academic progress of students while minimizing the barriers between high school and college. In North Carolina, they are physically located on campuses of higher education (primarily community colleges) and serve a maximum of 400 students in grades 9-12. They are managed by the school district in partnership with the postsecondary institution. Students in ECHSs are expected to graduate in four to five years with a high school diploma and an Associate's degree or two years of transferable college credit. All North Carolina ECHSs are to adhere to a set of five design principles: College Readiness (academic expectations, course-taking requirements, college counseling); Powerful Teaching and Learning (rigorous and relevant instruction, formative assessment); Personalization (forming relationships and student support activities); Professionalism (professional development, staff collaboration, staff decision-making); and Purposeful Design (school autonomy, integration with the college, small size).
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Postsecondary Education Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The 19 schools are distributed across North Carolina and include schools in rural and urban areas and schools with predominantly White or predominantly African-American populations. The initial study included a sample of 3,051 9th grade students. This follow-up study expects to include at least 2,400 of these students in its analyses of high-school outcomes (e.g., course success, graduation, and college-credits obtained in high school) and at least 1,100 students for the analyses of postsecondary enrollment and persistence.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The project will use a longitudinal experimental design by carrying out a follow-up study of students who took part in an earlier experiment in which they were randomly assigned to attend an ECHS or attend the type of school they would normally attend. The project will supplement the data collected under the initial study with longer term student outcomes and use them to estimate the impact of ECHS. Separate analyses will be done for sub-groups targeted by the model, including low-income students, minority students, and students who are the first in their family to go to college. If impacts are found, a cost-benefit analysis will be done.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control group will include students who applied, but were not randomly assigned, to attend the Early College High Schools. Students in the control group experience "business as usual" which is expected to be the normal high school experience in their school district.
Data Analytic Strategy Differences between the experimental and control students will be examined using multivariate regression analysis with randomization blocks to account for clustering. These analyses will be repeated for sub-groups of interest. Impact estimates for graduation rates will be used to create a cost-benefit ratio for the model.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Key student outcome measures will be obtained from North Carolina administrative data and include: college preparatory course taking (courses required for entrance into the University of North Carolina system); scores on and passing of end of course exams for college preparatory courses; attendance, suspensions and expulsions; dropout and continued enrollment status; promotion; graduation; college credits accumulated during high school (from both community college courses and AP courses); enrollment in postsecondary education; and persistence in postsecondary education (over 3 years for the pilot cohort and 1 year for Cohort 2).
Summary of the Study / Abstract This project will carry out a follow-up of students already taking part in an evaluation of North Carolina's Early College High School program. Early College High Schools are intended to increase the number of students graduating from high school who are prepared for and who enroll in postsecondary education. In this follow-up study of an earlier IES grant (R305R060022) that found significant initial impacts on 9th and 10th graders, impacts will be estimated for longer-term outcomes including success in college preparatory courses, high school graduation, college credit attainment during high school, and enrollment and persistence in postsecondary education.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#362. Added October 18, 2011 Updated May 22, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Impact of the WRITE Program on English Learner Achievement and Teacher Instructional Practice
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Eric Haas ehaas@wested.org
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - English Learners
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The evaluation studies will be completed in 160 middle and/or high schools in California.
Intervention The WRITE Tier 2 writing program uses a curriculum with integrated assessments aligned to English Language Arts standards that are specifically designed to prepare ELL students to think critically and use academic English. The WRITE Tier 2 program uses a three-pronged approach in teaching writing with ELL students. Students are taught meta-cognitive strategies regarding 'what good writers do'; about the genre-specific nature of academic discourse; and explicit writing skills. The WRITE Institute trains teachers to use their ELL students' writing to inform and target their instruction through a trainer-of-trainers model that includes quarterly instructional practice training and group grading, across schools and districts, of anchor writing assignments.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Not Applicable Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 210 English Language Development teachers and 4,000 English Learners with intermediate to advanced English language skills will be participants in the two efficacy studies.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Eighty middle schools will be recruited to participate in the RCT. Half of these schools will be randomly assigned to participate in the WRITE Tier 2 program, and the remainder will continue with business as usual. All English Language Development teachers in the treatment group will participate in the WRITE Tier 2 training in the summer of Year 1 and Year 2. A subset of these teachers will attend Lead Trainer workshops and will serve as trainers in their schools. The control group will be offered the opportunity to participate in the WRITE Tier 2 program in Year 3 of the study. Student assessments will be collected the fall and spring of Years 1 and 2 in both the treatment and control schools. Students will complete surveys to measure meta-cognition in the spring and fall of each school year, and teachers will complete surveys about teaching writing and other instructional practices at the beginning and end of each school year. Fidelity of implementation will be measured by collecting information on training attendance, teacher surveys and interviews in the spring and fall, and through a school survey administered at the beginning of each school year. The quasi-experimental study will randomly select 40 middle and high schools in California that have used the WRITE Tier 2 program for at least two years. A comparison group will include schools with similar characteristics in regard to student demographics and English language proficiency that have not used the WRITE Tier 2 program. Standardized student assessments collected in the fall and spring will be used to study the relationship between program participation and gains in writing, English language arts, and other academic outcomes.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition In the RCT, middle schools will be randomly assigned to participate in the treatment or control conditions. In the quasi-experimental study, a comparison group of schools will be created using matching criteria of student demographics and English language proficiency.
Data Analytic Strategy The effectiveness of the WRITE Tier 2 program will be examined primarily by comparing the performance on state assessments of ELL students in the treatment group with their counterparts in the control group. Multilevel analysis will be used to study the treatment impact. Student gains in Year 1, Year 2, and across both years in the treatment versus control group will be evaluated using a two-tailed test. Transcripts from student and teacher interviews will be independently coded by two coders using constant comparative methodology with an emphasis on the respondent's natural language. Coding will be refined until satisfactory levels of inter-rater reliability are obtained. Following analysis of the ELL student outcome data, a causal process analysis will be conducted using survey and interviews of participating teachers.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Teacher will complete surveys and interviews to measure implementation and treatment fidelity. Student outcomes include achievement in writing (based on the California state standardized tests in English proficiency (CELDT) and English Language Arts (CST)); English Language Arts (vocabulary, reading comprehension, and literary response and analysis); California state standardized tests in math, science, and social science; and tests of meta-cognition.
Summary of the Study / Abstract English language learners (ELL) consistently score below grade-level on state standardized tests in all content areas, and much below non-ELL students. The persistent performance gap between ELLs and non-ELLs increases as the level of language demand increases. Even ELL students who have progressed beyond basic levels of English proficiency continue to struggle with academic demands. The Writing Reform Institute for Teaching Excellence (WRITE) Tier 2 program is designed to transition ELL students to fluency in academic English writing, including instructional foci on specific content knowledge, critical thinking, and meta-cognitive skills, so they can successfully learn in English-only classrooms. This project will test the efficacy of the WRITE Tier 2 program in meeting this goal with middle-school students.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#364. Added October 18, 2011 Updated May 22, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Japanese Structured Problem-Solving As a Resource for U.S. Elementary Mathematics Teachers: Program Development and Testing
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Catherine Lewis clewis@mills.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Teacher Quality: Mathematics and Science Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study will take place in elementary schools in different regions of the United States, serving a wide range of students (with respect to urbanicity, socioeconomic status, and race/ethnicity).
Intervention The proposed intervention has many aims: (a) provides SPS resources to teachers, (b) supports teachers to engage in repeated cycles of classroom experimentation using these resources, (c) provides opportunities to revise the resources based on their use, and (d) develops a national community of SPS implementers through summer institutes and webinars. The problem-solving orientationwill be derived from the written commentary submitted by teachers with the videos of their lessons. It will be designed to capture the teacher's ideas about mathematical problem-solving experiences that foster student problem-solving capacity. The measure of problem-solving practices will assess the video of teacher lessons for presence of key instructional strategies to support problem-solving. Examples of such strategies include use of blackboard, journals, questioning strategies, and discussion and comparison of student solutions to elicit and promote refinement of student thinking. The measure will also rate the level of task demand of the mathematical task as implemented. The intervention during the pilot study will involve a 1-week Summer Institute; 4-classroom-based assignments during the school-year, each focused on an element of SPS and each requiring participants to submit a lesson video; and 4 webinars, each focused on supporting preparation of one of the assignments, with electronic exchanges prior to and subsequent to the webinar. Electronic contact with project investigators will be supported on an as-needed basis.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Participants for this study will include upper elementary teachers (Grades 3&ndash:5) and their students. Cohort 1 will include 10 teachers; Cohort 2 will include approximately 36 teachers; Cohort 3 will include 72 teachers (half assigned to the treatment condition and half assigned to a waitlist control condition). Participating teachers will have at least 3 years of experience of teaching grades 3&ndash:5 and will have shown a commitment to improving student learning by joining lesson study groups or through other professional activities. Students from the classrooms of participating teachers will also be included in the study (approximately 2,240 students across three cohorts of participating teachers).
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Following an iterative design process, the first two years of the project will include two successive rounds of development and revision of the English language SPS program. The first year will include collaboration with individual educators and the second year will include collaboration with lesson study groups. Video of a classroom lesson and artifacts of teacher work (e.g., lesson plans, student work, reflections on their use of resources) will be analyzed and summarized to detect whether the teachers show progress over time. The project team will draw implications from what they see about the type of revisions needed in the professional development program. During the final year, researchers will test the SPS program Version 2 (a resource kit supported by four webinars) with a new cohort of 36 upper-grade elementary teachers and compare them to a randomly assigned control group. Problem-solving outcomes as described above will be quantified and analyzed statistically. Researchers will also continue to study how the resources are used as well as their impact on instruction, teacher knowledge and student problem-solving.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition In Phase 3 of the study, 72 individual teachers will be randomly assigned to the treatment (structured problem-solving program) or waitlist no-treatment control.
Data Analytic Strategy Hypotheses about the effects of the use of the materials on students will be investigated using hierarchical linear modeling to address the nested data structure of students within classrooms. T-tests and linear regression will be used to study the effects of the use of the materials on teachers.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Key measures include the use of the SPS resources in Phase 1 and Phase 2. Video and artifacts of resource use will be used for resource revision. Phase 3 will additionally focus on effects of the use of SPS resources on teacher and student outcomes. Teacher portfolios will yield measures of teachers' problem-solving orientation and problem-solving practices during instruction. The general mathematics knowledge of teachers will be measured by the Learning Mathematics for Teaching (LMT) assessment. A student problem-solving assessment will include mathematical problem-solving tasks and survey items on beliefs about mathematics.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Problem-solving is a central component of mathematics but not one that U.S. students master well. This research team intends to develop and refine English language resources for "structured problem solving" (SPS), an approach to teaching through problem-solving that is successfully used by a broad spectrum of elementary teachers in Japan. The resources will be developed and refined over a 2-year period and tested in Year 3 with a new group of U.S. educators.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#366. Added October 18, 2011 Updated May 22, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	LEAP-USA Follow-up Project
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Phillip Strain phil.strain@ucdenver.edu
Start Date:	September 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	August 31, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Autism Spectrum Disorders
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will take place in elementary school classrooms in multiple states and districts across the country, primarily in Colorado, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Florida, and Utah.
Intervention LEAP is an inclusion model that uses a variety of science-based learning techniques. Typically developing children are taught how to use facilitative social and communicative initiations with their peers with autism, with the goal of inducing higher rates of communicative interactions for the children with autism spectrum disorders. The program can be embedded within existing high-quality preschool models and curricula designed for typically developing children. The intervention relies on naturally-occurring incidental teaching, which can lead to more cost-effective treatment than direct one-to-one instruction. LEAP also includes a parent skills training component aimed at teaching parents to use communication skills with their child in naturalistic contexts and decreasing the stress experienced by the family. The treatment condition experienced the full-scale intervention with training and mentoring by LEAP staff, which included a 2-week intensive teacher training, written presentations, discussions, observations, feedback, evaluation, follow-up training, and on-site support.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School, Kindergarten Student Disability: Autism
Additional Study Sample Information The population will consist of prior participants (N = 285) of the original LEAP RCT. These children had been diagnosed with autism and attended an inclusive preschool classroom participating in the evaluation.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study is a follow-up investigation of a randomized controlled trial. The original RCT randomized 56 preschool classrooms into the intervention and comparison groups. The current project aims to recruit all the children who participated in those original classrooms. The researchers will collect data on child development outcomes (cognition, language, social skills, symptom severity) longitudinally, both at the start of the study and at the end of each school year. Data on child outcomes in the educational system (classification, classroom placement, services received) will also be obtained annually. Observational data on classroom quality will be collected three times each school year.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Preschools in the original control group were provided with LEAP manuals and other training materials on family skills training, social skills training, and operating an inclusive classroom. Teachers in these classrooms did not receive any training from LEAP staff. Fidelity data from the original RCT indicate that these classrooms implemented far fewer components of the LEAP model compared to the classrooms in the experimental condition.
Data Analytic Strategy Hierarchical linear modeling will be used to answer the research questions about child outcomes in cognition, language, and social skills; the quality of the contemporaneous classrooms; and potential child mediating variables.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Child outcome measures include the following: Child Autism Rating Scale; Social Skills Rating System; Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement; Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, 2nd Edition; Test of Language Development-4; Leiter International Performance Scale-Revised; and report cards and/or Individualized Education Plans for data on classroom placement and support services. Quality of the classroom environment will be assessed with an observational protocol, the Professional Development in Autism (PDA) Center Program Assessment, previously developed by members of the research team.
Summary of the Study / Abstract According to the Centers for Disease Control, autism is increasingly becoming a public health crisis with a prevalence that has reached 1 in 110. To provide early intervention, LEAP-USA was developed as a comprehensive intervention model for preschool children with autism. Based on inclusion with typically developing peers, it aims to provide intervention and early education for young children with autism in a manner that does not tax school systems' limited resources. The first randomized controlled trial (RCT) of LEAP has recently been completed, comparing the full-scale model with training to a reduced one. The evaluation demonstrated positive impacts in the areas of child cognition, language, social skills, and symptom severity. The purpose of the current project is to follow these same children who participated in the original RCT over the next three years. The researchers will examine whether: a) the gains demonstrated in the previous evaluation continue to manifest themselves; b) positive impacts are found in additional areas (classroom placement, academic achievement, use of supportive services); and c) contemporaneous classroom quality is related to student outcomes.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#368. Added October 18, 2011 Updated May 22, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Longitudinal Follow-up of Successful Parent/Child Intervention in Pre-school Children At Risk for School Failure
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Helen Neville neville@uoregon.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Cognition and Student Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study will take place in elementary schools in Lane County, Oregon and the Brain Development Lab (BDL) at the University of Oregon.
Intervention In the intervention, PCMC-A, researchers employ two strategies to train attention. In the first strategy, researchers target family stress regulation. A reduction in family stress is achieved by helping parents create predictable home environments with contingency-based discipline routines and positive patterns of adult-child interactions. Parent supervision and monitoring is emphasized to improve adult awareness of shared attention, social interactions, and the characteristics associated with optimized learning. The parent-directed component includes a scaffolded set of 25 strategies delivered in small group format. In addition, parents receive information on the attention activities in which their children participate, with suggestions for home-based modifications to provide further practice. Small-group instruction is supplemented with support calls from the interventionist between meetings. The second strategy is to train children's attention by employing several different exercises/games that children enjoy. Together, the exercises train alertness, sustained selective attention, executive function/self-regulation, and meta-cognitive awareness of attention. In addition, many of the exercises train selection of specific stimuli for further processing using mechanisms of signal enhancement and distractor suppression; processes that are essential for learning and the establishment of flexible, adaptive behavior. The child component includes a set of 20 small group activities designed to address the overarching goals of increasing metacognitive awareness to support self-regulation of attention and emotion states. In line with cognitive models of attention, the activities target aspects of attention including vigilance, selective attention, working memory, and attention/task switching. All activities were tested and developed with input from Head Start teachers at schools not participating in our study.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Not Applicable Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Participants will include approximately180 children and their parents.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods In the initial efficacy trial, researchers used an experimental design featuring random assignment to PCMC-A or control. The research team will gather a battery of behavioral and electrophysiology data from the children on an annual basis for 3 years. The research team will also gather school records data to gather information about academic performance. In addition, parent-child interactions will be videotaped on return visits to the laboratory in order to gather information about family interaction. Researchers will compare and contrast performance in families who participated in PCMC-A during preschool and families who participated in typical Head Start programming. The purpose of this evaluation is to test the hypotheses that children who received the PCMC-A intervention will maintain or accelerate the gains previously made after the original eight-week intervention relative to children in control groups. In addition to directly testing the effectiveness of PCMC-A, researchers will also examine the mechanisms of the intervention using the measures of attention and family stress to test whether changes in these factors are predictive of other school relevant outcomes.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Preschoolers in the control group received Head Start as usual.
Data Analytic Strategy A series of planned comparisons in analyses of covariance will be performed to test the longer term effect of the PCMC-A intervention on children's outcomes at the end of kindergarten, first, and second grades. The researchers will conduct growth curve analyses to test the slopes of growth for children in the PCMC-A and control conditions. Structural equation modeling will be used to examine the relationships between the different components of PCMC-A and the intervention outcomes of reduction in family stress and improvement in children's attention skills.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Key measures include behavioral tests of language, cognition and attention, and electrophysiological (event-related potential) measures of attention for children. Parents and teachers will complete questionnaires documenting child behavior and family stress. Interactions between parents and children will be videotaped and quantified to document parent language, turn-taking and conflict resolution. School records of grades, grade retention and special education will be acquired from children's schools.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Children in poverty are at risk for school failure, which leads to negative long-term consequences both for them and for society. There is a strong need for evidence-based educational programs to ameliorate socioeconomic status disparities in academic achievement. Researchers have developed an intervention, Parents and Children Making Connections-Attention (PCMC-A), based on research on the development and neuroplasticity of attention as well as parenting and family dynamics. Research has shown that PCMC-A improves family dynamics, child cognition, and brain function and that these gains last at least 18 months. In this project, researchers propose a longitudinal follow-up of effects of participating in the intervention during preschool over the next 3 years to determine whether gains persist from preschool to early elementary school.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#369. Added October 18, 2011 Updated May 22, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Longitudinal Study of a Successful Scaling-Up Project: Extending TRIAD
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Douglas Clements douglas.clements@du.edu
Start Date:	May 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	April 30, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Mathematics and Science Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The setting for this study includes elementary schools in New York and Massachusetts.
Intervention The TRIAD intervention consisted of two treatment groups. The general TRIAD intervention included the use of the Building Blocks researched-based pre-Kindergarten mathematics curriculum, teacher professional development, and use of the Building Blocks software and Building Blocks Learning Trajectory web application. The second treatment condition, TRIAD plus Follow-Through, included the same components as the general TRIAD intervention, plus a follow-through intervention with participating teachers during the students' Kindergarten and Grade 1 years. In this condition, teachers were informed about the students' prior mathematical accomplishments and competences, and provided tools (e.g., Building Blocks software and Learning Trajectory web application) to support the students' trajectories of learning in mathematics.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The schools are located in diverse racial and socioeconomic, low-resource communities. The study sample will consist of at least 900 students from the original TRIAD scale-up evaluation.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Participants in the original scale-up evaluation included 1,305 students, 106 pre-Kindergarten teachers, 270 Kindergarten teachers, and 345 Grade 1 teachers. Schools were randomly assigned during pre-Kindergarten to one of three conditions: TRIAD; TRIAD plus Follow-Through at Kindergarten and Grade 1; and control. In the current study, the researchers will follow the original sample of students when they are in Grades 2 through 5 to collect data on the students' mathematics achievement. In addition, the researchers will also follow up with the study's original pre-Kindergarten teachers to examine the sustainability of the TRIAD intervention.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Students in the control condition during the original TRIAD evaluation received business-as-usual instruction in mathematics.
Data Analytic Strategy Data analyses include hierarchical linear modeling to assess the long-term impact of the TRIAD intervention on students' mathematics achievement at Grades 2 through 5. Growth curve modeling will also be conducted to determine which early mathematical knowledge and skills are critical for long-range student success in mathematics.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The measures to be collected include the Tools for Elementary Assessment in Mathematics (TEAM), school records and state mathematics assessments, a teacher and administrator questionnaire and interview, a parent questionnaire, and the Classroom Observation of Early Mathematics Environment and Teaching (COEMET). The researchers will randomly select classrooms for observations, adjusting for the number of TRIAD children in the classroom, with a heavier sampling of classrooms that have more TRIAD children.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Some research has indicated that early childhood interventions have lasting effects, while other research suggests that the effects of early childhood interventions diminish over time. This mixed evidence base warrants further research on the sustainability of early childhood interventions and the need to identify elements of continued support necessary for preserving initial gains from early childhood interventions. To that end, the researchers will assess the long-term effectiveness of the TRIAD (Technology-enhanced, Research-based, Instruction, Assessment and professional Development) program on students' mathematics achievement by extending an IES-funded scale-up evaluation (http://ies.ed.gov/funding/grantsearch/details.asp?ID=113). The original sample of pre-Kindergarten to Grade 1 students in the scale-up evaluation will be followed for four additional years during Grades 2 through 5.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#370. Added October 18, 2011 Updated May 22, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Making Sense of SCIENCE: Efficacy Study of a Professional Development Series for Middle School Science Teachers
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Steve Schneider sschnei@wested.org
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Teacher Quality: Mathematics and Science Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will take place in three urban school districts in the greater Phoenix, Arizona area.
Intervention The Making Sense of SCIENCE model of professional development consists of three 40-hour physical science courses for teachers (30-hours in a core summer course and 10-hours of school-year), followed by the Looking at Student Work formative assessment, which sought to reinforce what was learned in the summer on the topics of force, motion, energy, and matter. The professional development uses Science Investigations; carefully sequenced hands-on explorations designed to engage adult learners in known content dilemmas that surface teachers' own misconceptions and challenge their beliefs about the nature of science. Teachers also learn by reading and discussing written content notes and session reviews as a way to reinforce correct ideas. Literacy Investigations provide structure for teachers to identify and evaluate the literacy supports that guided their own learning, and reflect on the implications for their students (for example, how to present data and encourage student talk). In Science Investigations, teachers plan hands-on activities and collaborate in small-group work as opportunities for developing English proficiency in the context of authentic communication about science knowledge develop. During Teaching Investigations, teachers examine student thinking and critically analyze instruction presented in a written teaching case.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The sample will include grade 8 teachers and students. The sample will include approximately 72 middle schools, 108 teachers, and 7,640 students.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A two-year cluster randomized trial will be conducted among grade 8 teachers and students. To allow for attrition, researchers will recruit 90 schools and grade 8 teachers across the research sites. Half of the schools at each site will be randomly assigned to a treatment group, whose teachers are eligible to participate in the Making Sense of SCIENCE professional development courses, and half will be assigned to a control group, who are excluded from the courses for 2 years, but will receive stipends for data collection. Through this design, the team will address the following research goals: (a) evaluate the efficacy of Making Sense of SCIENCE professional development courses for improving student achievement in science; (b) evaluate the promise of the program for reducing the science achievement gap between students who enter grade 8 at different ability levels; and (c) evaluate the impact of the program on teacher content knowledge in physical sciences. The team will also gather descriptive information in order to examine relationships among gains in teacher knowledge, changes in classroom practice, and evidence of student learning.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Control teachers and students will experience business- as-usual school years. During the academic year, they will have the opportunity to participate in any local professional development opportunities that they choose, with the exception of Making Sense of SCIENCE courses. Following the data collection phase of the study, control teachers will have the opportunity to take the courses and receive stipends for participation.
Data Analytic Strategy Multilevel linear regression models will be estimated to provide evidence related to the research hypotheses for each year of the study. Post-intervention outcomes for students and teachers in the intervention group will be compared to the outcomes for their counterparts in the control group. The primary hypothesis-testing analyses will involve fitting multilevel linear regression models, with random intercepts to account for the nesting of individuals within higher units of aggregation.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Key outcomes will be measured for teachers and their students during both the 2012-13 and 2013-14 school years. Student outcomes will be measured using the Misconceptions-Oriented, Standards-Based Assessment Resources (MOSART) Physical Science Test for Grade 5-8 Students and state standardized tests. Teacher outcomes will be measured using the MOSART Physical Science Test and a previously developed and tested teacher survey. Teacher interviews and classroom observations will also be conducted using the Horizon Research Inc.'s Classroom Observation Protocol.
Summary of the Study / Abstract In the United States, districts do not generally have coherent, coordinated professional development programs, nor are they likely to have the internal resources and capacity to meet their teachers' content-specific needs in science. Examination of the TE-MAT website (http://www.te-mat.org), a database of nearly 600 professional development resources in mathematics and science run by the National Science Teacher Association's NSTA Recommends program, reveals that only a handful attend to deepening teacher's content knowledge, and a rare few consider the critical overlap between science content and classroom practice that is needed to develop teachers' pedagogical content knowledge. Given this need, WestEd developed the Making Sense of SCIENCE professional development program. The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of this program. The study evaluates the program's series of physical science courses for middle school teachers, a coherent program that covers nearly 100 percent of the physical science standards for students. The WestEd courses are designed to help teachers: learn major concepts in science; examine how children make sense of those concepts; analyze and improve teaching practice; and support student reading, writing, and discussion in science. Each individual teacher course has been iteratively developed, field tested, and evaluated separately, showing significant impact on student learning in the elementary grades and somewhat more modest gains in middle school grades in addition to evidence of scalability. The professional development model has been revised to incorporate a substantial literacy component and hopefully improve the middle school outcomes. This study examines cumulative effects of the full series of courses.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#372. Added October 18, 2011 Updated May 22, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Numbers Plus Efficacy Study
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Larry Schweinhart lschweinhart@highscope.org
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Early Learning Programs and Policies
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The sample for this project is drawn from five early childhood programs across three states (Michigan, Maine, and Ohio). The Michigan programs are suburban and tuition based. The Maine programs are rural and received mixed funding. The Ohio program is urban and serves Head Start children.
Intervention The Numbers Plus preschool mathematics curriculum includes a set of 120 small- and large-group activities, with ideas for expanding mathematics learning throughout the program day. Aligned with the standards and focal points of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the activities address five content areas: number and operations, geometry, measurement, algebra, and data analysis. In Numbers Plus, children's mathematical learning is sequenced within (rather than across) activities. Each activity has a built-in progression and associated adult scaffolding strategies so children of all developmental and ability levels can participate successfully and have a valuable learning experience.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, White Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The sample for this study includes 22 sites and 59 classrooms. The teacher sample size is 118. The teachers will be recruited from preschool programs that require teachers to have a bachelor's degree, preferably in early childhood education. Ten children per classroom will be randomly selected to participate in the study. Across all three research sites, the final child sample will include approximately 590 children. On average across the program partner sites, children are 79 percent Caucasian, 17 percent Black, 1 percent Hispanic/Latino, and 9 percent with individualized education programs . None of the children are English language learners. Thirty-eight percent of the children are low income.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Researchers will use a 4-level MSCRT design. Within state blocks, sites will be assigned to either a delayed treatment control or the treatment condition. In the treatment condition, teachers will receive 10 days of in-depth training on preschool mathematics and early childhood development and 20 coaching sessions to help them implement the Numbers Plus curriculum. The research team will collect child-, parent-, teacher-, and classroom-level data to address two primary research questions: (1) treatment and control group differences in child outcomes at the end of the prekindergarten year; and (2) the relationship between fidelity of implementation, teacher supports and child outcomes. Researchers will implement the intervention in preschool classrooms in three states. In each state, the research team will recruit and randomly assign programs to treatment and delayed-treatment control (DTC) conditions. In Year 1, the research team will implement the curriculum in Michigan; in Year 2, the intervention will be implemented in classrooms in Maine and the researchers will provide curriculum materials to teachers in the DTC classrooms in Michigan; and in Year 3, the researchers will implement the curriculum in preschool classrooms in Ohio and offer the intervention materials to teachers in the DTC classrooms in Maine. In Year 4, teachers in the delayed treatment control group at the Ohio research site will receive training and support to implement the curriculum.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition All of these partner programs use the HighScope preschool approach.
Data Analytic Strategy Hierarchical linear modeling will be used to test whether the treatment makes a difference in children's math outcomes while accounting for differences in children's background, as well as teacher, class and site characteristics. Two sets of analyses will be conducted to test whether teacher professional development support activities have an impact on teacher's knowledge and confidence in teaching mathematics, and the strategies teachers use in the classroom. Researchers will also conduct analyses to test for mediators of the effects of the intervention on teacher and child outcomes.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The research team will conduct a document review and collect site-level data at each of the research sites. Classroom observational data will be collected using the HighScope Preschool Program Quality Assessment and the Mathematics Program Assessment. Teachers will complete a teacher background survey. Parents will be asked to complete a family background questionnaire. The Applied Problems Subtest of the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement and the Early Mathematics Assessment System will be used to assess child outcomes. Fidelity of implementation measures of adherence and exposure will be incorporated into the analyses (e.g., measures of teacher training attendance, teacher use of curriculum materials and teaching strategies).
Summary of the Study / Abstract Improving the math proficiency of children, especially those from low-income backgrounds, depends upon two factors. One is an appropriate curriculum that sequences early learning in key content areas. The second critical variable in improving math ability is the instructional competence of teachers. Unfortunately, the ability of teachers to deliver appropriate math instruction is hampered by their anxiety about teaching math, attitudes about math's importance in the curriculum, lack of knowledge regarding early math development, and inability to identify and apply appropriate teaching strategies. This project will gather information about the efficacy of the research-based Numbers Plus curriculum that is possible when teachers are given appropriate professional development support.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#373. Added October 19, 2011 Updated June 29, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Performance-Based Scholarship Demonstration - An Alternative Financial Aid Program to Incentivize Academic Success
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Lashawn Richburg-Hayes rhayes@mdrc.org
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Postsecondary and Adult Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The Performance-Based Scholarship (PBS) data will be collected on students in three states including: one urban and two suburban community colleges in Ohio; one four-year public university in New Mexico; and a statewide program in California.
Intervention While the specifics of the PBS Demonstration differ by state, the underlying approach is similar. Performance benchmarks that are to be met in every term are set for students. These benchmarks can include attendance, meeting with an adviser, grades, and credits completed. The performance-based scholarships (PBS) are linked to meeting these benchmarks. Aid is disbursed either in multiple payments over each term of the scholarship, or in one payment at the end of each term of the scholarship. The scholarships range in length from 1-4 academic semesters and 1-6 academic quarters. Performance in one term does not affect payments in future terms. The payments go directly to the student rather than to the institution. In general, students receiving PBS have to enroll at least half-time and earn a "C" or better average in order to receive scholarship payments. Depending on the site, maximum possible scholarship amounts range from $1,000 to $4,000.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Postsecondary Education, High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The PBS Demonstration enrolled over 12,000 students in six states (students in three states will be followed in this project). These students represent different target populations including low-income mothers eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) in Ohio, low-income students aged 16 to 26 years old in New Mexico, and low-income high school seniors in California. The sample to be followed in this project includes approximately 2,300 students in Ohio, 1,100 students in New Mexico, and 5,200 students in California.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This project will collect follow-on data of students who were randomly assigned to PBS or a control group by the PBS Demonstration. Demonstration-eligible students agreeing to participate in the Demonstration were randomly assigned to the PBS group or the control group using an assignment ration of 50/50 in New Mexico and 60/40 in Ohio. In California, students who attended program workshops, met the eligibility requirements, and agreed to take part were assigned to one of six treatments or the control group. The original California sample included over 5,000 students and about two-thirds were randomly assigned to the control group.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Control group students do not receive PBS but can receive financial aid for which they qualify.
Data Analytic Strategy The primary analytic method to determine program impacts will be comparing average outcomes for program and control group members using standard statistical tests such as t-tests and ordinary least squares regression. Separate analyses will be carried out by state and students will be pooled within state. Mediator analyses, using survey data collected by the PBS Demonstration, will be conducted to examine the role of increased student effort (increased study time or reduced work hours), adoption of a positive stereotype from receiving a scholarship, and use of the scholarship to address financial barriers to academic success (e.g., child care expenses, transportation).
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The primary outcome measures will be student persistence including continued enrollment, credits attempted and earned, transfer to four-year institutions by community college students, and receipt of certificates and degrees. The sources for these measures will be the student transcript data from the National Student Clearinghouse, the colleges, and the state intermediaries.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The project will extend an ongoing randomized control trial, known as the Performance-Based Scholarship (PBS) Demonstration that is evaluating the impacts of incentive scholarships on postsecondary outcomes for low-income college students. The PBS Demonstration began in 2008 and has recruited over 12,000 students across six states. Funded by other sources, the PBS Demonstration tracks college students' academic outcomes for up to two years after random assignment. This project will further examine two years of outcome data for students who took part in the demonstration in three of the states.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#374. Added October 19, 2011 Updated May 22, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Project Early Vocabulary Intervention
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Michael Coyne mike.coyne@uconn.edu
Start Date:	April 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	March 31, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Reading, Writing, and Language Development
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will take place in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Virginia.
Intervention The Early Vocabulary Intervention is intended to be implemented within a tiered instruction approach. It supplements classroom instruction by reinforcing words introduced in whole class activities and providing more explicit instruction and opportunities to practice with immediate corrective feedback. Interventionists reintroduce students to words taught during classroom instruction and provide students with interactive activities to maximize exposure to words in multiple contexts. The intervention is provided to small groups outside the classroom for 20 minutes per day, 5 days per week, for 24 weeks.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Not Applicable Student Disability: Speech or Language Impairment, Specific Learning Disability (LD)
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 1,500 students most at risk for language and learning disabilities will participate in this research. These students will be those who perform below the 30th percentile on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-4.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A randomized control trial will be used to study the efficacy of the intervention. All classroom teachers will implement the Elements of Reading: Vocabulary program, a classwide vocabulary program that uses 15- to 20-minute daily sessions that progress in a 5-day sequence from read-alouds, to viewing photo cards, to increasingly challenging discussion and activity prompts, to a weekly quiz. Students who are identified as at risk for disabilities will be randomly assigned to Early Vocabulary Intervention or a business-as-usual control group. Both groups will be assessed pre-intervention, immediately after intervention, and followed through the end of second grade. In addition, a subsample of students who are not at risk in each participating kindergarten classroom will be randomly sampled so that the progress of students who receive the Early Vocabulary Intervention can be compared to their typically developing peers.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Early Vocabulary Intervention will be compared to a business-as-usual condition in which students will receive only the Elements of Reading: Vocabulary classwide program and any vocabulary intervention typically provided by the school.
Data Analytic Strategy Multi-level modeling will be used to evaluate the effects of Early Vocabulary Intervention on vocabulary and listening comprehension outcomes, as well as to identify potential moderators of intervention effects.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The efficacy of the intervention will be evaluated on a continuum of outcome measures that are proximal and distal to the intervention, including target word learning, listening comprehension, and overall vocabulary knowledge.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Early vocabulary development has long been recognized as being important to future reading success. Although there is some research on direct vocabulary instruction in early grades, there are few investigations of its effects on students identified as at risk for disabilities. The purpose of this project is to assess the efficacy of Early Vocabulary Intervention with kindergartners most at risk for language and learning disabilities. The intervention is designed to supplement classroom vocabulary instruction and intended to accelerate students' vocabulary and listening comprehension skills.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#388. Added March 26, 2012 Updated March 26, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Math Education for Adult Learners and College Remediation Using Artificial Intelligence
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Benny Johnson johnson@quantumsimulations.com
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	Quantum Simulations, Inc.
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The United States
Intervention The web-based artificial intelligence tutor will target adult learners and college students in developmental math courses. After development is complete, a pilot study will be conducted in 15 adult learning classrooms with approximately 150 students.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Adult/Continuing Education, Postsecondary Education Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information 150 students
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods lf of the students will be randomly assigned to use the tutor to supplement classroom activities while half will not have access to the system.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The regular curriculum.
Data Analytic Strategy No information provided.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Formative evaluation questions to guide the iterative development process will focus on ease of use, problems encountered, and student engagement
Summary of the Study / Abstract Recent international comparative studies report declining levels of numeracy skills among the adult population (16 to 65 year olds) in the United States. When individuals have below basic mathematics skills, they require extensive remediation as adults and in college. The purpose of this project is to extend artificial intelligence methodologies to an on-demand tutor focused on developmental mathematics for adult learners and underprepared college students requiring remediation.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#375. Added October 19, 2011 Updated May 22, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Promoting College Enrollment among Disadvantaged Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Two Low-Cost Interventions
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Tiffani Chin edboost@edboost.org
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Postsecondary and Adult Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will take place in several urban and outlying school districts in Southern California, including the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), that serve a large percentage of low-income, minority students.
Intervention The original SOURCE program was a 15-month program that includes a college-application curriculum and one-on-one college advising focused on helping students with college selection, essay writing, application completion, financial aid, and deciding among college acceptances. It cost about $1,000 per student. V-SOURCE was developed to address lessons learned from SOURCE and in addition it also includes: (1) a SAT curriculum for students scoring below the national average on any of the three sections of the SAT; (2) small financial incentives for students upon completion of important milestones in the college application process (e.g., registering and taking the SAT or ACT, submitting applications to colleges, and applying to FAFSA); and (3) high school students have advisor-advisee interactions with a team of college student advisers through virtual technologies (e.g., phone, text, email, MySpace, Facebook, instant message, and Skype). As a result, V-SOURCE is expected to reduce the cost to about $400 per student. Under Milestones, students receive automated reminders, basic instructions, and small financial incentives to complete the key college application steps on time at a cost of about $140 per student.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Participants for this study include high school juniors who attend low-income, mostly minority schools. Researchers plan to recruit a total of 6,400 students across two cohorts. Of these students, 1,600 will receive V-SOURCE, 2,400 will receive Milestones, and 2,400 will serve as the control group. The programs are designed for students who academically qualify to attend a 4-year college, so participants must, minimally, be on track to qualify for admission to a California State University campus.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods An experimental design will be used to determine whether V-SOURCE increases college enrollment compared to both the control condition and the Milestones program, and whether Milestones increases college enrollment compared to the control. Approximately 6,400 high school juniors (two cohorts of about 80 juniors at each of 40 schools) who have expressed an interest in taking part in the study and who are eligible to take part will be randomly assigned to either the V-SOURCE program, the Milestones program, or to the control group. Randomization will include blocking on key variables for which subgroup analyses will be done: gender, parents' first language, and whether parents attended college. Students will be followed through their expected first year of college.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Students in the control condition will employ a "business-as-usual" approach with access to resources that are normally available to high school students applying for college (e.g., access to college counselors and college centers at their high schools).
Data Analytic Strategy Researchers will estimate regressions of key outcomes and intermediate outcomes on indicators for each treatment group using both fixed effects models (using a school fixed effect) and random effects model (using a two-level model of students in school). For binary outcome variables, probit or logit models will be used. Subgroup analyses will be done using interaction terms between the treatment indicator and the subgroup variables. Fidelity of implementation will be examined according to five criteria (adherence; exposure; quality of delivery; participant responsiveness; and program differentiation) using advisor logs, observations and interviews, technology records, and a survey of high school seniors.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Key outcome variables include enrollment in 4-year college and persistence through the first year of college and are to be obtained from the National Student Clearinghouse. A student survey will be used to collect information on students' demographic and academic backgrounds, plans for the future, educational expectations and expectations for returns to education, and understanding of the college application process. Additional student information (e.g., standardized test scores, GPA, and eligibility for attending a 4-year CA public college or university) will be collected from district data. Intermediate outcomes (mediators) on SAT registration, SAT taking, Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) submission, college application and acceptance, and college selectivity will be collected through surveys and administrative data.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The research team will test the efficacy of V-SOURCE (Virtual Student Outreach for College Enrollment), a 15-month program designed to increase college access among academically eligible, disadvantaged high school students by providing support for the college application process. The project will also test the efficacy of a less intensive variant of the program, Milestones, which focuses on getting students to complete key college-application milestones using automated reminders and incentives. Both programs are based on an earlier program known as SOURCE that used one-on-one mentoring to support students as they applied for college and was tested in a prior randomized control trial.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#376. Added October 19, 2011 Updated May 22, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Relative Effectiveness of Contrasting Approaches to Response-Contingent Learning Interventions
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Melinda Raab mraab@puckett.org
Start Date:	July 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Early Intervention and Early Learning in Special Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will take place in the homes of children participating in early intervention programs in North Carolina and Tennessee.
Intervention In the ability-based intervention, an early interventionist and parents will select targeted behaviors based on behaviors the child already has in his or her repertoire. The selected reinforcing consequences are based on observations and interviews on what the child enjoys and what maintains the child's attention. The combination of the targeted behavior and the reinforcing consequences inform the development of the active learning games. Parents learn to implement active learning games with their child in their home. The interventionist will visit the family every other week to monitor progress and make changes to the active learning games.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 120 infants and toddlers with profound developmental delays will participate in this research. The participants will be children who are functioning at less than a 5- to 6-month level and do not use behavior intentionally to produce consequences.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The study will use a randomized trial design to examine the relative efficacy of two contrasting approaches to response-contingent learning interventions. A total of 120 young children will be randomly assigned to an ability-based intervention or the comparison condition (needs-based intervention). Over an 8-month period, children and their families will be visited every other week and participate in response-contingent learning games. Data will be collected on the child developmental progress at baseline, 4 months, and 8 months. Parental implementation logs will be kept daily.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The comparison group is a business-as-usual model in which children receive the needs-based intervention. Targeted behaviors a child needs to learn will be selected based on the results of a development assessment. The selection of reinforcing consequences and the development and implementation of the active learning games will be similar to the ability-based treatment condition.
Data Analytic Strategy Multivariate hierarchal linear modeling analysis will be used to examine the efficacy of the ability-based approach compared to the needs-based approach for improving child outcomes. Separate multivariate hierarchal linear modeling analyses will be conducted for each child outcome.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Data will be collected on child outcomes-child response-contingent learning, social-emotional behaviors during the learning games, non-targeted behaviors used outside the learning games, and child developmental progress-using a variety of measures (e.g., Active Learning Observation Survey, Carolina Record of Individual Behavior, Mullen Scales of Early Learning). Data will also be collected on parental responsiveness (Maternal Behavior Rating Scale) as well as child and family background characteristics, including child and parent's age, child's gender, type of disability, child developmental status, parent education, parent work status, and income level. Fidelity of implementation data will be measured through daily implementation logs.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Young children with profound developmental delays often do not draw associations between their actions and the resulting effects. Young children gain understanding of the relationship between their behavior and its consequences through response-contingent learning opportunities. These learning opportunities involve the use of a targeted behavior to produce interesting social or nonsocial responses. Understanding these associations is a building block for future adaptive behaviors, and it is foundational for further learning. Early intervention service providers typically use strategies that target behaviors a child needs to learn despite their current levels of functioning. The researchers in this study are testing the efficacy of an ability-based intervention. Ability-based interventions build upon behaviors that children are already capable of doing but may not use intentionally to affect consequences. The researchers are evaluating whether the ability-based approach to targeting behavior leads to greater improvement in current skills/associations when compared to a needs-based approach commonly used by service providers.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#377. Added October 19, 2011 Updated May 22, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Scale-up Evaluation of Reading Intervention for First Grade English Learners
Principal Investigator:	Dr. David Francis dfrancis@uh.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Reading and Writing
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study will take place in elementary schools in urban Texas, border Texas, small suburban Colorado, and an urban site outside of Texas.
Intervention The interventions to be tested are two early reading interventions for Spanish-speaking students, one in Spanish (Proactiva) and one in English (Proactive). These interventions have roots in SRA's Early Interventions in Reading, a comprehensive, integrated reading, intervention program. Proactive/Proactiva includes a language development component and is more appropriate for ELLs. The Proactive/Proactiva intervention is targeted to first-grade English language learners experiencing early reading difficulties. The 120 lesson intervention curriculum for both English and Spanish is implemented as small group daily reading instruction. The intervention programs for both English and Spanish are composed of 6-10 short daily activities. This typically includes word games designed to promote phonemic awareness, practice with letter-sound correspondence for letters or letter combinations, and practice writing letters. Other activities include learning the sound of a new letter or letter combination, reading and writing words and sentences, and comprehension. The intervention has been rigorously tested in both languages and found to have good efficacy in two separate trials for each language.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Students participating in the study are Spanish-speaking, bilingual first graders who may be receiving their literacy instruction in either English or Spanish at the school's discretion. Data will be gathered from approximately 400 first-grade students, and their 40 first-grade teachers.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Both effectiveness studies will use random assignment of schools to either an experimental treatment or a "business as usual" control. Two studies will be carried out (close extension and near-far extension), each comprised of two cohorts of 10 schools (20 schools per study) and 5-10 students per classroom, with four classrooms per school. Students participating in the study are all Spanish-speaking, bilingual first graders who may be receiving their literacy instruction in either English or Spanish at the school's discretion. The research team will screen all first grade students in the school, but schools will decide using their own data and decision rules which students are at-risk and merit intervention in addition to their core reading program. The research team will follow all students meeting research criteria for intervention, regardless of whether the school has identified them for intervention. Additionally, the research team will also follow all students identified by the school for intervention, and a small group of students not identified by the school or research team as in need of services in order to assess outcomes for typically developing children in the same classrooms. Observations of intervention and core reading curriculum will take place in treatment and control schools using the same observation instruments, and on the same schedule. Students will be assessed individually at the start of the school year (screening/pre-test), and at the end of grade one (immediate post-test) and two (follow-up).
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Schools assigned to the "business-as-usual" control condition will continue to deliver their first grade reading curricula, including supplementary interventions, as they typically do.
Data Analytic Strategy Research hypotheses will be tested using a three-level repeated measures analysis of covariance following an intent-to-treat model. Subsequent to these analyses, researchers will examine the role of student and school characteristics as moderators of intervention effectiveness.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Effectiveness of the treatment in improving students' word level reading skills, reading comprehension, and oral language skills will be tested using well-accepted, standardized measures from the Woodcock-Johnson III and the Woodcock Mu�oz III. Phonological awareness will be measured using the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing and the Test of Phonological Processing in Spanish. Word reading fluency will be assessed using the AIMSWeb first grade benchmark stories. Researcher-developed observation protocols will be used to gather fidelity of implementation information.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The purpose of this project is to determine the effectiveness of a fully developed first grade literacy and oracy intervention in Spanish and English when implemented directly by school personnel across various settings and populations. In addition, researchers will assess the factors at the student and school levels that moderate intervention effectiveness. The research team also intends to complete a one year follow-up of participants to determine maintenance of effects. Researchers seek to generalize findings from prior efficacy studies. This will be done by carrying out the research in settings and with populations that vary from close to far extensions of the original populations and settings used in the efficacy trials that have been conducted on this intervention.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#379. Added October 19, 2011 Updated May 22, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Students Exposed to Trauma: An Efficacy Study of the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Carl Sumi carl.sumi@sri.com
Start Date:	June 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	May 31, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Social and Behavioral Outcomes to Support Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will take place in eight middle schools in an urban city in California.
Intervention The CBITS program-a structured, symptom-focused therapy-was developed for use with diverse groups of school children (ages 11 through 15) who have experienced significant trauma and suffer from related emotional or behavioral problems. It is designed to be implemented by school-based mental health clinicians in a typical school setting through 10 group therapy sessions and one individual session. The program uses a skills-building, early intervention approach. Activities include training students in relaxation techniques to remedy anxiety, cognitive therapy to reduce negative thoughts and improve self-concept, real life exposure to feared situations to increase positive coping strategies, and social problem-solving to combat anger and impulsivity and improve relationships with peers and family members. CBITS students will participate in a weekly 1-hour group therapy session conducted at school for 10 weeks. Depending on the size of the school, two or more groups may run concurrently, with no group containing more than nine students.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 450 6th grade students who have experienced significant trauma and are suffering from elevated levels of distress will participate.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study will utilize a three-cohort randomized trial where students serve as the unit of randomization (approximately 150 students per cohort). Students will be randomly assigned to the CBITS intervention or to services as usual. The immediate and long-term (i.e., one year following participation) effects of CBITS will be evaluated.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Services as usual
Data Analytic Strategy The researchers will use hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to test the following: (1) the general impact of the CBITS intervention on a wide range of students' behavior and academic outcomes; (2) the effect of CBITS on subgroups defined by potential moderators (e.g., gender, ethnicity, type of trauma experience, diagnosis of depression); and (3) the effect of possible mediation variables (e.g., academic engagement, coping skills, and social skills).
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The researchers will assess student outcomes between the experimental and control groups across three domains with the following methods: (1) trauma symptoms and problem behaviors: students' self-reports of trauma exposure, symptoms of posttraumatic stress and related psychological symptomatology, and problem behaviors, and teacher ratings of problem behaviors; (2) academic outcomes: classroom observations of academic engagement, school performance indicators (e.g., grades, attendance, homework completion), teacher ratings of academic competence, and administration of standardized academic achievement tests in reading and mathematics; and (3) coping and social skills: students' self-reports of coping approaches and social skills, and teacher ratings of social skills. Dosage, adherence, quality of implementation, and social validity will also be assessed.
Summary of the Study / Abstract There is a compelling need for school-based interventions to ameliorate the behavioral and academic challenges of the growing number of students who experience acute or chronic trauma. However, rigorous evidence supporting the use of trauma-focused interventions in schools is scarce, and does not always include student outcomes that may be of interest for school personnel (e.g., teacher ratings of student behavior, academic outcomes). This research team will conduct a randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) intervention, a promising school-based, structured, symptom-focused therapy program to improve behavioral outcomes (e.g., depression, symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder) for at-risk middle school students who have experienced a broad range of exposure to violence and trauma.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#380. Added October 19, 2011 Updated May 22, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Supporting Early Adolescent Learning and Social Success - Project SEALS
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Thomas Farmer tfarmer@vcu.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Social and Behavioral Context for Academic Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research is being conducted in 28 urban middle schools in North Carolina.
Intervention The SEALS program is a universal intervention approach that involves training teachers in strategies to enhance students' (1) instructional preparation, organization, and engagement skills (Academic Engagement Enhancement); (2) productive classroom interpersonal behaviors (Competence Enhancement Behavior Management); and (3) engagement in productive and positive social relationships (Classroom Social Dynamics and Bullying Prevention Training). The SEALS training includes a 2-day summer institute, web-based self-guided modules, and directed-consultation via videoconferencing.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information For each participating school, a minimum of 10 teachers and 175 sixth-grade students will participate.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods In this efficacy and replication study, schools are randomly assigned to intervention and control conditions. Two cohorts of 14 schools each will participate in the study in adjacent years. In Year 1, baseline data on all outcome and process variables will be collected for the first cohort of students in feeder schools during the fifth grade year. In Year 2, the treatment teachers in the first cohort of schools will be trained in the intervention components immediately prior to the transition to sixth grade for participating students. Teachers and students in the intervention and control schools will be assessed in the fall and spring of sixth grade. Baseline assessments for the second cohort of students will be collected during their fifth-grade year. In Year 3, the first cohort of students will be assessed in the fall and spring of the seventh grade to assess the ongoing impact of the intervention. The teachers in the second cohort of intervention schools will be trained in the intervention components immediately prior to the transition to sixth grade for participating students. Teachers and students in the second cohort of intervention and control schools will be assessed in the fall and spring of sixth grade. In Year 4, the second cohort of students will be assessed in the fall and spring of the seventh grade to assess the long-term impact of the intervention. Classroom observations will occur in the sixth-grade intervention year for both cohorts of intervention and control schools at three distinct waves (fall, winter, spring).
Counterfactual (Control) Condition In the control schools, teachers will continue to use typical practices to address academic, behavioral, and social issues.
Data Analytic Strategy Hierarchical linear models and related multi-level models will be used to evaluate the impact of the intervention on student outcomes (e.g., grades, standardized achievement, social and behavior problems), student- and school-level mediators (e.g., peer group affiliations, perceptions of school context, student involvement in bullying), and teacher outcomes (e.g., instructional and classroom management practices, sense of efficacy). These models will also be used to assess how teacher and school variables are related to implementation fidelity.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Constructs to be measured include: (1) teacher mediators (e.g., teacher efficacy); (2) students' academic, behavioral, and social adjustment (e.g., emotional risk, peer behavioral assessment, end-of-course grades and the NC Standard Course of Study End-of Grade [EOG] Assessments); and (3) classroom social networks (Social Cognitive Maps) and perceptions of the school environment (e.g., sense of belonging). The Classroom Assessment Scoring System-Secondary (CLASS-S) and teacher logs will be used to document teacher practices in both intervention and control schools. In addition, school record data will be collected annually for each participating student.
Summary of the Study / Abstract As students begin middle school they are vulnerable to a range of academic, behavioral, and social problems that may negatively impact their school adjustment. Many adolescents experience difficulties during this time due to a poor fit between their developmental needs and the demands of the school environment. Children develop as an integrated whole suggesting that difficulties in one domain (e.g., academic, behavioral, social) may have consequences for functioning in other domains. The Supporting Early Adolescent Learning and Social Success (SEALS) model uses these concepts to address the unique needs of young adolescents during the transition to middle school. The SEALS program consists of professional development to prepare sixth-grade teachers to provide a social and instructional context that supports all students, including those who are at increased risk for school adjustment problems. Pilot randomized control trials and a cluster randomized trial have been conducted with SEALS in rural schools in nine states, and results suggest that SEALS effectively supports early adolescents during this period of vulnerability. In these studies, SEALS was found to increase teachers' understanding of social dynamics and their efficacy for working with at-risk students, promote a positive classroom context and at-risk students' affiliations with productive peers, increase students' sense of bonding and belonging in school, reduce students' feelings of emotional risk for academic effort and risk of being bullied, and increase at-risk students' grades and performance on standardized achievement tests. In this replication study, the SEALS program will be evaluated in urban schools to determine whether similar positive results are found for students transitioning to middle school in urban environments.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#381. Added October 19, 2011 Updated May 22, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Testing an Integrated Preschool Curriculum for English Language Learners
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Susan H. Landry susan.landry@uth.tmc.edu
Start Date:	March 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	February 28, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Early Intervention and Early Learning in Special Education
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study will be conducted in preschool classrooms in Texas.
Intervention The Spanish adaptation of Literacy Express is a comprehensive, small-group focused, school readiness curriculum for improving literacy, language, and math in ways that also support social skills for at-risk preschool children. The teachers and aides in the Literacy Express condition will receive training at the beginning and across the school year (five days total) in how to implement the curriculum. This training includes using data to inform the formation of the small groups that will occur across four 15-minute modules (90 minutes total) and two 15-minute curriculum-linked center activities four days each week. Content topics for training will include: 1) professional practices (including classroom management and supportive teaching styles); 2) language building activities; 3) conducting book readings in ways that promote language/literacy skills (e.g., word repetition); 4) using effective teaching strategies to build language comprehension and expression (e.g., linking words to literature); 5) print and book awareness; 6) motivation to read; 7) phonological awareness; 8) alphabet knowledge and early word recognition; 9) written expression; and 10) mathematics. The training will include didactic information, discussion, role playing of the instructional activities and specialized dual-language scaffolding techniques. It also will include guidance on using a personal digital assistant (PDA) progress monitoring system to inform the formation of the small learning groups and guide instruction. Further support for teachers' and teacher aides' effective use of PDA monitoring information will come from monthly mentor visits.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Multiple Disabilities
Additional Study Sample Information The study will target 4-year-old ELL children from low-income families who are at risk for developing disabilities.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study will utilize a three-cohort cluster randomized trial. One classroom will be selected per school, and children will be nested within classroom. Classrooms will be randomly assigned to the Literacy Express intervention or to the business as usual SCEP condition. Eight children will be recruited from each classroom. Pre- and post measures will assess immediate effects of the intervention, and follow-up in kindergarten will assess sustained effects of the intervention.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Classrooms assigned to this condition will represent standard practice (i.e., "business as usual") in their districts. They will receive the Scholastic Early Childhood Program (SECP) curriculum, which focuses on large group and center-based activities. They will also receive paraprofessional support 90 minutes per day, four days per week.
Data Analytic Strategy To test the efficacy of the Spanish adaptation of Literacy Express while adequately addressing the nested structure of the data, the team will conduct multilevel analyses that account for repeated measurements of individuals across time. Researchers will test hypotheses with mixed-model analysis of covariance. These analyses will include variables that may moderate or mediate the outcomes.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Multiple measures will be used to assess child literacy, language, math, and social skills, as well as teacher instructional practices. The researchers will also collect data on the fidelity of the intervention implementation.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The number of English language learners (ELL) has grown considerably in recent years, and the number of children classified as limited English proficient rose 76 percent in a 10-year span. The ELL population is also impoverished: over three-quarters of Spanish-speaking ELL children in the United States come from low-income families. Many of these children are at risk for developing disabilities and special education referrals. Yet there is a lack of empirically validated instructional approaches and effective tools for helping teachers deliver individualized instruction to this population. The current study will evaluate the use of a Spanish adaptation of a comprehensive curriculum, Literacy Express, which focuses on cognitive instruction in small groups in preschool classrooms. It will be compared to a "business as usual" condition with teachers using the Scholastic Early Childhood Program (SECP) curriculum, developed for large group and center-based activities without attention to the use of small group instruction. Both conditions will receive paraprofessional support for 90 minutes, four days each week. In the treatment condition, paraprofessionals will be trained on the implementation of small group activities using Literacy Express. In the business as usual condition, teachers will use the paraprofessionals in any way they want in their classrooms.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#382. Added October 19, 2011 Updated May 22, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Training Attention in At-risk Preschoolers: Expansion of our Successful Program to a Wider Population within Head Start
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Helen Neville neville@uoregon.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Cognition and Student Learning
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study will take place in Head Start schools in Oregon and the Brain Development Lab at the University of Oregon.
Intervention Researchers will adapt the intervention, PCMC-A for Latino families. PCMC-A is based on cognitive neuroscience research describing the development and neuroplasticity of attention, and on parent training research designed to reduce family stress levels by targeting family dynamics. The PCMC-A intervention is an attention training intervention with parent child components. The parent-directed component includes a scaffolded set of 25 strategies delivered in small group format to address the overarching goals of: (a) regulating family stress with predictability, planning, and problem-solving strategies; (b) creating and maintaining consistent family structure with contingency-based discipline strategies; (c) providing cognitive facilitation with iconic visualization strategies; (d) enriching the language environment of the home; and (e) increasing parents' knowledge of age-appropriate behavior and achievement across multiple domains, with a focus on attention. Parents also receive information on the childrens' attention activities, with suggestions for home-based modifications to provide further practice. Small-group instruction with parents is supplemented with support calls from research and program staff between meetings. The child component includes a set of 20 small group activities designed to address the overarching goals of increasing metacognitive awareness to support self-regulation of attention and emotion states. The activities target aspects of attention including selective attention, working memory, and attention/task switching.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic or Latino Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Participants will include 150 Latino and 150 non-Latino preschoolers enrolled in Head Start and their parents.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Within each subgroup (Latino and non-Latino), preschoolers will be randomly assigned to either PCMC-A or Head Start as usual. Low SES Head Start preschool children and parents in the treatment group will receive the 8-week attention training program (PCMC-A). In the first six months of Year 1 and prior to beginning the efficacy study, researchers will finalize training materials and intervention fidelity procedures and begin training additional staff who will deliver the intervention (for both parents and children). The adaptation of PCMC-A for Latino families will be carried out, and procedures will be established for recruiting and evaluating program staff from the bicultural/bilingual Latino community. In the second half of Year 1, researchers will pilot the training materials and the treatment fidelity procedures. Also in Year 1, the researchers will evaluate the program staffs' fidelity of instruction and assess family and child outcomes. Researchers will deliver the intervention and collect data from the winter and spring quarters of Year 1 and during all three quarters of Years 2-4. Thus, over the course of this project, researchers anticipate obtaining full data from 11 quarters. Out of approximately 300 children, 150 will receive PCMC-A and 150 will attend Head Start as usual; approximately 75 of each group will be Latino and 75 non-Latino.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Preschoolers and parents in the control group will not receive the PCMC-A intervention and will participate in Head Start as usual.
Data Analytic Strategy A series of planned comparisons using analyses of covariance will be performed to test the relative effects of PCMC-A on outcomes for Latino and non-Latino children and families. Structural equation modeling will also be used to examine the effects of the different components of PCMC-A on intervention outcomes.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Behavioral tests of language (e.g., Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-Preschool: Second Edition-CELF-P2 and Get it, Got It, Go!), cognition and attention (e.g., Forward Word Span-a measure of working memory; Computer Stroop and Gift Delay Tasks- measures of executive function), and electrophysiological measures of attention will be administered. Parents and teachers will complete questionnaires documenting child behavior and family stress and interactions between parents and children will be videotaped and quantified to document parent language, turn-taking and conflict resolution.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Children from low socioeconomic backgrounds often begin formal schooling at greater risk for negative social and academic outcomes. In recent years, researchers have identified children's early development of attention skills as an important indicator of later school success. For example, recent research has shown that attention skills such as working memory and selective attention are related to children's language and literacy skills. This research team developed an evidence-based intervention, Parents and Children Making-Connections-Attention (PCMC-A), under a previous IES grant award. The intervention led to improvements in children's early literacy skills, receptive language abilities, and nonverbal intelligence. Although the researchers reported significant findings, the original study population did not include Latino families. There is a need for the development and evaluation of intervention models that are designed to address the attention skills of children from Spanish speaking families, a growing segment of the preschool population. The purpose of the current study is to: (1) adapt and implement the intervention with a sample of Latino families, and (2) replicate the efficacy of the intervention with this sample. Adapting the intervention for Latino families and testing its efficacy in this large and growing segment of the population who are at high risk for school failure is a next step before scaling up the intervention to reach additional Head Start programs and, ultimately, all at-risk preschoolers.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#383. Added October 19, 2011 Updated May 22, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	WORLD Efficacy Study
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Jorge Gonzalez jegonzalez@tamu.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Grant Program - Early Learning Programs and Policies
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study will take place in four demographically similar school districts and one Head Start consortium located in southern Texas.
Intervention WORLD is a fully developed, interactive, shared book-reading intervention designed to develop and accelerate vocabulary and background knowledge for young children with restricted vocabularies. The WORLD intervention was developed and pilot tested through a previous IES Development grant. WORLD is organized around science and social studies themes. Four themes serve as the content foci of the 18-week intervention with daily 20-minute lessons designed for each theme in 5-day instructional cycles. The themes include two science themes (Nature and Living Things), and two social studies themes (Places Where We Live and Go and Earth-Land and Water). The daily lessons are based on the themes, a selection of books, and targeted vocabulary words. Over a 5-day instructional cycle: (a) the teacher will introduce new words and concepts during a book reading session (days 1 and 3); (b) review previously taught knowledge and reread the book (days 2 and 4); and (c) integrate new words and science and social studies concepts across two books in a cumulative review of the new vocabulary words and content.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic or Latino Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Participants include approximately 500 preschool classrooms with a potential pool of over 5,000 preschoolers who would be eligible to participate. Demographically, over 90 percent of the preschoolers qualify for free and reduced lunch, over 50 percent are Hispanic/Latino, and over 35 percent are considered English language learners.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Each year, a new cohort of 60 preschool classes will participate in the study. In each cohort, a randomized cluster design will be used, with class being the unit of randomization. Teachers in the treatment group will receive training and support to implement the WORLD intervention. In Year 1 of the study, the research team will compare the WORLD intervention to a business-as-usual (BAU) control group. The WORLD intervention is intended to improve receptive and expressive vocabulary performance of individual students, so these are the variables that will be measured for each student. In Year 2, the researchers will compare the WORLD intervention to a comparison group in which instruction is delivered using BAU techniques, but the teachers receive copies of the books used in the WORLD intervention. The research team will also follow the Year 1 sample of children into kindergarten. In Year 3, the research team will compare the WORLD intervention to a comparison group in which instruction is delivered using BAU, and teachers in the BAU group are asked to implement the WORLD Explicit Vocabulary Instruction components only. The research team will follow the Year 1 sample of children into spring of first grade and follow the Year 2 sample into kindergarten. In Year 4 of the study, the research team will follow each cohort of children into elementary school and collect school records data.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The WORLD intervention will be contrasted to business-as-usual and robust comparison conditions.
Data Analytic Strategy Multilevel modeling will be used in order to take the clustered nature of the data (students nested within classrooms) into account. These models will allow for both classroom level variables (e.g., teacher's years of experience) and student-level variables (e.g., age) to be taken into account. The data analysis will be performed separately for each year of the study, as each year involves a comparison of WORLD against a different comparison group.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Over the course of each project year, a battery of standardized, norm-referenced, and researcher-developed measures will be used to assess language, behavior, and classroom climate. For example, the Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test (EOWPVT) is a standardized measure that will be used to assess a child's expressive vocabulary by requesting the child to name objects, actions, and concepts pictured in illustrations. To assess concept knowledge, researchers will use the Conceptual Thinking subtest of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children-2nd Edition. In addition, teachers will be asked to report on children's attention skills and behavior. A classroom observation system will also be used, along with a teacher-child engagement coding system. Parents will complete a family demographic survey. The research team will also collect fidelity of implementation data at three time points during Years 1-3 of the study.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The Words of Oral Reading and Language Development (WORLD) is a shared book reading intervention previously developed, piloted, and refined through an IES Development grant. This intervention is designed to develop and accelerate science and social studies content-related vocabulary and background knowledge in preschool-aged children for later reading with comprehension. WORLD incorporates explicit and implicit shared book-reading strategies (e.g., prompting, elaborating, inferencing) in rich books contexts. These strategies are intended to build sustained word and domain knowledge in young children. Through a scaffolded delivery design, lessons begin with highly specified language and progress to less specific instructional dialogue. This scaffolding is designed to facilitate independent generalization and use of the strategies among teachers. The research team will conduct a randomized study to evaluate the impact of the WORLD intervention on school readiness outcomes for children enrolled in public prekindergarten and Head Start preschool programs.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#387. Added March 26, 2012 Updated March 26, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Computer Adaptive Triarchic Assessment and Instructional Activities for Early Childhood
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Eugene Galanter eg53@columbia.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	Children's Progress, Inc.
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting To assess the implementation feasibility and technological usability of the technology, and to gather data on the promise of the product to identify gifted students and support learning, a series of pilot studies will be conducted with approximately 6,000 students from a current pool of 200,000 users of the company's existing core product.
Intervention The Computer Adaptive Triarchic Assessment and Instructional Activities for Early Childhood will be integrated within Children's Progress' core product, the Children's Progress Academic Assessment. The new software will identify gifted children in pre-kindergarten to 2nd grade through computer adaptive methods that measure children's ability profiles in analytic, practical, and creative domains.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School, Kindergarten, Preschool Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information 6,000 students
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Half of the students will be randomly assigned to receive the intervention as a supplement to the curriculum whereas half will be in the business-as-usual group.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The regular curriculum.
Data Analytic Strategy No information provided.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Analyses will compare student performance on standardized assessments in literacy and mathematics.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Prior research has shown that students who are considered to be gifted generally have high levels of academic performance, motivation, creativity, critical thinking skills, and positive self-concepts. Perhaps because the general perception is that gifted students will flourish under any conditions, support for gifted children may be limited within some schools. The purpose of this project is to develop an early intervention software program to assess and provide support to gifted children in social and intellectual domains.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#389. Added March 26, 2012 Updated March 26, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Project NumberShire: A Game-Based Integrated Learning and Assessment System to Target Whole Number Concepts
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Marshall Gause mgause@thoughtcycle.net
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	July 1, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	Thought Cycle, Inc.
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study setting is the classroom. The participants are students with or at risk for mathematics disabilities.
Intervention The web-based product, Numbershire, will include narrative based mini-games to support 1st grade students with or at-risk for disabilities in understanding whole numbers. Gaming content will be aligned to relevant standards. In the game, students will build an idyllic fairytale village by applying math concepts. Tasks will include setting goals, advancing to more challenging levels, and engaging in competition. The system will provide individualized formative assessment scaffolding when students do not know the answer to a question.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Specific Learning Disability (LD)
Additional Study Sample Information 120 students
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Half of the students will be randomly selected to play the game as a supplement to classroom learning whereas the other half will not have access
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The regular curriculum
Data Analytic Strategy No information provided.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Analyses will compare pre and post math scores.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Prior research points to several features of technology-based math games that may be important for supporting the learning needs of students with or at-risk for disabilities. These include games that engage students in highly motivating narratives, provide focused foundational knowledge and scaffolding of learning whole numbers concepts, and provide performance monitoring capabilities. This project will develop an integrated learning and assessment gaming system to assess and teach whole number concepts to 1st grade students with or at risk for mathematics disabilities.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#390. Added March 26, 2012 Updated March 26, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Readorium Software for Improved Reading Comprehension of Non-fiction Science Text
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Harriet Isecke hisecke@yahoo.com
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	Mtelegence Corporation
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Middle school science classrooms.
Intervention Readorium will be a web-based product for middle school students to improve reading comprehension of science content. The product will include an avatar to explain all functions and guide learning. Through the intake assessment, students will be assigned to the appropriate level of challenge. Customized science articles will populate the site and will serve as the basis for instruction. Students will be engaged through game-like features such as earning virtual money for correct answers and purchasing hints. A final test will measure overall progress. Teachers will have access to strategy lessons and to individual and class-level reports to guide further instruction. The product will supplement middle school science curricula.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information 18 middle school classrooms.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Half of the classrooms will be randomly assigned to use the intervention as a supplement to the curriculum and half will continue to use business-as-usual practices.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The regular curriculum.
Data Analytic Strategy No information is provided.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes A standardized science assessment will be used to compare learning across the two conditions.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Prior research indicates that reading difficulties in childhood become more problematic as students move to middle and high school where increasingly challenging material must be learned. Although some older students still struggle with decoding, many more have difficulty constructing meaning from text. Despite research that has identified strategies for teaching students to comprehend what they read, many teachers do not have the training or resources to utilize such techniques. The purpose of this project is to develop a web-based product to support struggling readers in understanding nonfiction text in the area of science.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#391. Added March 26, 2012 Updated March 26, 2012 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Virtual Labs for High School Physics
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Jeanne Finstein jfinstein@polyhedronlearning.com
Start Date:	January 1, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	January 1, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	Polyhedron Learning Media, Inc.
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting High school physics classrooms
Intervention The online virtual physics labs for high school students will be used when equipment is not available or as a supplement before or after using real equipment. The product will include 24 virtual labs to overlap with year-long curricular goals that align to physics standards. The simulations feature interactive, real-time 3D representations of laboratory equipment along with data collection, analysis, graphing, and reporting features that allow users to perform all phases of the experiment online. The labs will include embedded feedback when students use a process or generate results that are not reasonable.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Not Applicable Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information 120 physics students from six classrooms in three high schools
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A randomized trial. The groups will be assigned to one of three treatments. One group of students will use the virtual labs as a replacement to traditional labs; one group will use the virtual labs as a supplement to a traditional hands-on lab experience; and one will be used as a control and will complete traditional hands-on labs only.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Traditional hands-on labs only
Data Analytic Strategy No information provided.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Analyses will examine students' performance on a standardized physics exam before and after a semester long course.
Summary of the Study / Abstract With national attention on the shortage of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) professionals, enrollment in science is expected to be on the rise in the years to come. Laboratory work is seen as an essential part of many STEM courses, because labs enable students to interact with natural phenomena and analyze collected data. Funding adequate labs, however, has become a challenge and many schools indicate they are not well equipped for laboratory science. It is estimated that a single classroom physics lab can cost $40,000 to $55,000, with an additional annual replacement and repair budget of $2,000 to $3,000. The purpose of this project is to develop a set of cost-effective and maintenance free web-based virtual labs that can fully replace or supplement hands-on labs in a typical high school physics course.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#416. Added March 17, 2013 Updated December 3, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Primary school Intervention to Improve Number Representation
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Patrizio Tressoldi patrizio.tressoldi@unipd.it
Other Key Staff:	Francesco Sella
Start Date:	March 25, 2013	Anticipated End Date:	June 10, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	Dipartimento di Psicologia Generale
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting All students attending the first and second grade of Saonara (PD) primary school
Intervention Intervention consists in two sessions a week of training with s software specifically designed to facilitate the quantity representation and manipulation on the number line, for the experimental group, or to play with numbers, for the control group
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The experimental and the control group are 33 participants
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Main outcomes direct comparison between the experimental and the control group
Counterfactual (Control) Condition exact time of training with a software without any facilitation on the number line representation
Data Analytic Strategy We estimated an average effect size of 0.50
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Mental and written calculations; Number comparisons and ordering
Summary of the Study / Abstract The main hypothesis is that a specific training for the representation of number quantity on a number line, will improve number comparison and arithmetical skills with respect to a training with numbers or quantities without such a representation.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#393. Added April 17, 2012 Updated May 22, 2012 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Effects of the Kentucky Virtual Schools' hybrid program for algebra I on grade 9 student math achievement Final Report
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Linda Cavalluzzo cavallul@cna.org
Start Date:	September 1, 2006	End Date:	April 1, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL Appalachia
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/appalachia/pdf/20124020.pdf
Published Report Citation: Cavalluzzo, L., Lowther, D., Mokher, C., and Fan, X. (2012). Effects of the Kentucky Virtual Schools' hybrid program for algebra I on grade 9 student math achievement. (NCEE 2012-4020). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting This study was set in 47 Kentucky schools, where algebra I is taught in grade 9, and no more than 60 percent of students are proficient in math.
Intervention The Kentucky Virtual Schools' hybrid program for algebra I seeks to boost student achievement and increase grade 10 math course-taking by improving classroom instruction. The program intends to achieve these goals by introducing into the classroom online courseware that provides lessons and exercises as part of regular instruction and by intensive and sustained professional development intended to help teachers integrate online resources with their lessons and improve their content knowledge and instructional practices.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian, White, American Indian or Alaska Native Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information This sample comprised 6,908 students from 47 schools, 61.4 percent of whom attended rural schools.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study examined Kentucky public schools with grade 9 algebra I classes. A volunteer sample of 47 schools (30 of which are in rural areas) was randomly assigned to the treatment and control conditions. The intervention was applied in one school year and evaluated the next fall. A power analysis was conducted under a range of assumptions to determine the appropriate sample size. Allowing for potential attrition of 20 percent at the school level, the power analysis indicated that a sample of at least 47 schools, with approximately 6,000 students was needed. In the actual sample, there was no attrition at the school level, meaning that the confirmatory tests had greater than 80 percent power to detect true impacts of .20 standard deviations or larger.4 The study enrolled 25 schools in the 2007/08 school-year (13 treatment and 12 control) and 22 schools in 2008/09 (11 and 11). Randomization occurred at the school level. All algebra I teachers and students in a school were assigned to the school's treatment condition, and all algebra I teachers in a treatment school were asked to use the intervention. School-level randomization was chosen, as opposed to within-school randomization, because it minimizes the potential for spillover effects from the treatment to control classrooms, which could lead to underestimating the impacts of the hybrid program. In addition to the formal statistical analysis of grade 10 achievement and grade 10 math course enrollment, information was collected from teacher surveys and classroom observations describing classroom activities. This information was used to describe the extent to which the treatment was implemented with fidelity, as well as to compare the classroom activities in treatment and control classrooms.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Study application materials indicated that the algebra I teachers in control schools would teach algebra I in a "business as usual" manner. Follow-up discussions with eligible schools clarified that control schools would not be asked to change their teaching plans or practices to participate in the study.
Data Analytic Strategy A power analysis was conducted under a range of assumptions to determine the appropriate sample size. Allowing for potential attrition of 20 percent at the school level, the power analysis indicated that a sample of at least 47 schools, with approximately 6,000 students was needed. In the actual sample, there was no attrition at the school level, meaning that the confirmatory tests had greater than 80 percent power to detect true impacts of .20 standard deviations or larger. The analyses used two-level hierarchical linear models to nest students within schools and assess differences in outcomes between the treatment and control schools.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes Two primary confirmatory outcomes were evaluated. The first outcome measure was the score on the pre-algebra/algebra portion of the American College Testing (ACT) PLAN� assessment (PLAN), which measures students' math achievement in the fall of grade 10. The second outcome is an indicator of the students' math course enrollment in grade 10. The confirmatory analysis included two primary confirmatory research questions: 1. What is the impact of the Kentucky Virtual Schools' hybrid program for algebra I on math achievement levels in pre-algebra/algebra in the fall of grade 10? 2. What is the impact of the Kentucky Virtual Schools' hybrid program for algebra I on students' math course enrollment in grade 10? The findings indicate that the treatment has no statistically significant effect. Students in the treatment group did not achieve scores on the pre-algebra/algebra portion of the PLAN that were significantly different (higher or lower) than did students in the control group. Nor were students in the treatment group significantly more or less likely than students in the control group to enroll in a math course above algebra I the year after the intervention. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to help establish the robustness of the impact estimates, but none produced a change from the results of the confirmatory impact analysis.
Secondary Outcomes Exploratory analyses were conducted to determine whether the impact of the hybrid program differed by student gender, student cohort, or school rural status. No statistically significant differences were observed for these study subgroups for the impacts of the intervention on math achievement in pre-algebra/algebra on the PLAN or on grade 10 math course enrollment.)
Summary of the Study / Abstract This study, through a rigorous randomized controlled trial (RCT), quantifies the effectiveness of the Kentucky Virtual Schools' hybrid program for algebra I, an intervention combining online instruction with face-to-face classroom teaching to increase student learning and achievement in grade 9 algebra I, a course required by Kentucky for high school graduation. In this program, teachers engage in ongoing professional development-through online content used in face-to-face and distance settings-to learn how to teach an algebra I course structured on research-based strategies in a hybrid classroom.
Interpretation of Results / Discussion There are limitations due to the fidelity of implementation as 4 of the 24 treatment schools were noncompliant, which means they did not participate in the intervention. This study also has several limitations relating to the generalizability of the findings to other settings and contexts. One limitation is that the sample schools volunteered to participate. Another limitation is that the student courseware was meant to be the latest version available from the National Repository of Online Courses when the intervention began. However, the Virtual School mistakenly installed an early version of the student courseware. Other limitations pertain to the students. Data were missing on the PLAN outcome for students who were not promoted, left the Kentucky public school system, or missed testing in grade 10. Finally, the results of the study apply only to grade 9 students enrolled in courses leading to algebra I credit.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#394. Added April 19, 2012 Updated May 22, 2012 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Effects of curriculum and teacher professional development on the language proficiency of elementary English language learner students in the Central Region
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Sheila Arens sarens@mcrel.org
Start Date:	November 1, 2007	End Date:	April 1, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL Central
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/central/pdf/REL_20124013.pdf
Published Report Citation: Arens, S. A., Stoker, G., Barker, J., Shebby, S., Wang, X., Cicchinelli, L. F., & Williams, J. M. (2012). Effects of curriculum and teacher professional development on the language proficiency of elementary English language learner students in the Central Region. (NCEE 2012-4013). Denver, CO: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning.
Study Setting The sample for the study consisted of 52 schools in Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska, and 2,612 students in these schools who were students of teachers who taught English language development to native Spanish-speaking ELL students in grades 2- 5
Intervention The study design was conceptualized to test the effectiveness of a dual intervention, comprising an ELL-specific student curriculum and an aligned teacher professional development program, in improving the English language proficiency of Spanish-speaking ELL students. The classroom materials used in this study were On Our Way to English (OWE). The professional development program used was Responsive Instruction for Success in English (RISE). OWE is a curriculum for K-5 ELL students developed to provide simultaneous access to English oral language development, comprehensive literacy instruction, and standards-based content area information in science and social studies. RISE was selected for this study in order to provide teachers with foundations in language acquisition and communicative competence, which form the foundation for ELL instruction. Teachers in the intervention group were provided with OWE and RISE training and materials. In schools in the control group, English as a second language teachers in grades 1-5 used their existing strategies and materials in teaching ELL students. Schools were blocked before random assignment to ensure that each participating district contained both intervention and control schools and that the distributions of schools across districts were similar. During Year 1, the training year, the publisher provided professional development for teachers in the intervention group on the use of OWE in their classrooms and intervention teachers were trained in the use of RISE strategies. Materials for both programs were distributed during this year. During Year 2, the implementation year, teachers in the intervention group were asked to use OWE each day for at least 30 minutes per class and implement the RISE techniques fully in their classrooms.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic or Latino Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The sample for this study consisted of 52 schools in Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska, and 2,612 students at these schools who were students of teachers who taught English language development to native Spanish-speaking ELL students in grades 2- 5.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods To investigate the impact of OWE in combination with RISE, the study employed a randomized-controlled trial design based on voluntary school participation. Fifty-two elementary schools from 13 districts in three Central Region states were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. To determine the teacher sample, site coordinators were asked to identify all English as a second language teachers who instructed native Spanish-speaking ELL students in grades 1-5. At sites without a designated English as a second language teacher, the research team asked site coordinators to identify all literacy teachers who taught native Spanish-speaking ELL students in grades 1-5. These teachers were subsequently asked to voluntarily participate in the study. Schools in the intervention group were provided with OWE and RISE training, one set of RISE professional development materials per grade level, one set of OWE materials per grade level, and one teacher's guide per study teacher. In schools assigned to the control group, teachers in grades 1-5 used their existing strategies and materials for teaching ELL students. This randomized control trial was implemented over the course of two years, with the first year considered a training year. Conducting the experiment over two years allowed teachers in the intervention group to be exposed to the RISE professional development program for a full year before implementation as recommended by Harcourt Achieve. Designing the study with a training year and an implementation year helped ensure that the study estimated the impact of the intervention, not just the introduction of and training on a new program. During Year 1, teachers were also trained in the use of OWE materials and received OWE materials.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition In schools in the control group, English as a second language teachers in grades 1-5 used their existing strategies and materials in teaching ELL students.
Data Analytic Strategy Consistent with the random assignment of schools to either the intervention or control group, effects were analyzed at the school level, with outcome data collected at the student level. Intervention effects were estimated at the school level to account for the sources of variability in the data that result from the nested structure of the school environment. Moreover, because of the clustered nature of the data, with students nested within schools, we used multilevel modeling (with level 1 reflecting the individual level and level 2 reflecting the school level). Power analyses were conducted for fixed effects. They were augmented by blocking by district because of the random assignment of schools to intervention groups and adjusted to reflect the use of covariates to increase precision. In conducting the power analysis for the main impact analysis, schools were considered to be the unit of assignment and student achievement the dependent variable. In the absence of research suggesting an appropriate effect size for the combined intervention of On Our Way to English (OWE) (by David Freeman, Yvonne Freeman, Aurora Colon Garcia, Margo Gottlieb, Mary Lou McCloskey, Lydia Stack, and Cecilia Silva and published by Rigby in 2003) and Responsive Instruction for Success in English (RISE) (by Clara Amador-Watson and published by Harcourt Achieve in 2004), we proposed that an effect size of at least 0.35 standard deviation was needed. We considered this value a conservative estimate based on the literature on effective interventions with English language learner (ELL) students addressing English language acquisition and academic achievement (U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, What Works Clearinghouse 2008).
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes The impact analysis revealed no statistically significant difference between the composite IPT scores of students in the intervention group (who were taught by teachers trained in RISE and who used OWE materials) and students in the control group. The exploratory analyses revealed no statistically significant differences between the intervention and control groups. The combination of OWE and RISE did not have a significant impact on teacher-reported student engagement in ELL-specific educational materials, teachers' self-reported instructional practices, or teachers' self-reported instructional responsiveness and assessment practices. The study found no statistically significant difference between the IPT scores of students in the intervention and control groups. Results of sensitivity analyses revealed that this finding was invariant to the inclusion of covariates in the analytic model, the method used to treat missing data, and the use of a composite score.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The widespread adoption of OWE and RISE in conjunction with the incomplete and inconsistent results from studies on the effectiveness of the interventions indicate a need for research on their effectiveness. This experimental study evaluates the effectiveness of the OWE program for ELL students in conjunction with the RISE program for teachers in developing student listening, reading, and writing skills in English. The study addresses one confirmatory research question and three exploratory questions. The confirmatory question is: • Does implementation of OWE in conjunction with the use of RISE have a significant impact on the acquisition of English language skills for ELL students as measured by the IPT composite score (based on scores for listening comprehension, reading/vocabulary comprehension, and writing subtests)? Because the focus of this study was on the impact of the combined interventions, the study was not designed to investigate impacts of the two interventions separately. We collected data from teachers on pedagogical practices and the materials they use in their classrooms. These data provided contextual information about differences in intervention and control group teachers' behaviors, skills, and resources related to teaching ELL students.
Interpretation of Results / Discussion Several limitations should be considered when interpreting the study findings: • This study relied on a volunteer sample of schools that may not be representative of schools across the United States. • Findings apply only to similar implementation scenarios. • Study findings are applicable only to the acquisition of English listening, reading, and writing by Spanish-speaking ELL students in grades 2-5. Moreover, only one outcome measure (the IPT) was used to assess student gains. • The impact analysis sample was defined as Spanish-speaking ELL students enrolled in study schools on the day of testing in spring 2010. Students defined as ELL students at the start of the 2009/10 school year who tested out of English as a second language services during the school year were excluded from the analysis. • This study was not designed to have the statistical power to detect effects smaller than 0.35 standard deviation. • Most teachers in the intervention group received their RISE training from a publisher-trained site coordinator rather than directly from the publisher. • Implementation analyses relied upon self-reported measures of teacher training, professional qualifications, classroom environment, and classroom use of instructional strategies. Responses to these items may have been influenced by self-report biases.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#395. Added April 24, 2012 Updated May 22, 2012 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Evaluation of Quality Teaching for English Learners (QTEL) Professional Development
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Bos Johannes jbos@air.org
Start Date:	May 1, 2006	End Date:	March 1, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL West
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/west/pdf/REL_20124005.pdf
Published Report Citation: Bos, J., Sanchez, R., Tseng, F., Rayyes, N., Ortiz, L., and Sinicrope, C. (2012). Evaluation of Quality Teaching for English Learners (QTEL) Professional Development. (NCEE 2012-4005). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting A sample of teachers and students from 52 middle schools across 8 California school districts participated in this study.
Intervention Quality Teaching for English Learners (QTEL), developed by WestEd, is an approach to improving the teaching of English language learner students at the secondary level. It aligns with the broader democratic goals of equal access and equal opportunity for all students. QTEL targets the teachers of English language learner students classified as limited English proficient and those reclassified as fluent English proficient and placed in mainstream classrooms. The evaluation of QTEL uses an experimental design in which middle schools in eight districts were randomly assigned to the intervention group or the control group. In intervention schools, all English language arts and English language development teachers were offered the opportunity to participate in the three components of QTEL professional development: summer institutes, coaching, and lesson design meetings. The intervention was staggered across three years: grade 6 teachers were the target group in Year 1, grade 7 teachers were the target group in Year 2, and grade 8 teachers were the target group in Year 3. In the 12 middle schools that offered grade 7 and grade 8 only,9 grade 7 teachers were the targets of implementation in Years 1 and 2 and grade 8 teachers were the targets in Year 3. Thus, in all intervention schools, students in each of the school's grades were exposed to English language arts and English language development teachers who were offered QTEL. The researchers designed the study to follow two cohorts of students. The first cohort included students whose teachers had access to QTEL summer professional development and coaching in each year the students were in middle school. The second cohort enrolled in middle school a year later and encountered the same teachers the year following the teachers' first access to QTEL (when its impact on teacher instruction might have either matured or worn off).
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The analyses included test scores of students in grades 6, 7, and 8. These data included students who moved into the schools after the study started. The study began with test scores for 6,382 grade 6 intervention students and 6,000 grade 6 control students in Year 1. In Year 2, the sample included test scores for 9,230 grade 7 intervention students and 8,272 control students. In Year 3, the sample included test scores for 9,555 grade 8 intervention students and 8,625 grade 8 control students. Attrition occurred for both study groups; however, it was not statistically significantly different between the intervention and control groups.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The evaluation of QTEL uses an experimental design in which middle schools in eight districts were randomly assigned to the intervention group or the control group. In intervention schools, all English language arts and English language development teachers were offered the opportunity to participate in the three components of QTEL professional development: summer institutes, coaching, and lesson design meetings. The researchers designed the study to follow two cohorts of students. The first cohort included students whose teachers had access to QTEL summer professional development and coaching in each year the students were in middle school. The second cohort enrolled in middle school a year later and encountered the same teachers the year following the teachers' first access to QTEL (when its impact on teacher instruction might have either matured or worn off). This design therefore allowed the cumulative impact of QTEL on students to be tested both during and immediately after the year in which their teachers were first offered it. Note that even though different cohorts of students were followed over time, this design is not longitudinal in nature. All inferences about program impacts are based on cross-sectional comparisons of student outcomes within a given year and cohort.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers in the control group participated in non-QTEL professional development, as if not involved in the study.
Data Analytic Strategy To measure the effects of QTEL on student achievement, the scores of grade 7 and grade 8 students in intervention schools on the 2009/10 (Year 3) California Standards Test of English Language Arts (CST-ELA) were compared with those of students in control schools. The difference for the grade 7 students is a cumulative estimate of the effect of two years of QTEL on students whose teacher was exposed to QTEL the year before teaching them (or the effect of one year of QTEL on students for whom grade 7 was the first middle school year in the study school and whose grade 7 teacher was exposed to QTEL the year before teaching them). The difference for the grade 8 students is a cumulative estimate of the effect of three years of QTEL on the English language arts achievement of students whose teacher was exposed to QTEL during the year teaching them (or the effect of two years of QTEL on students who began middle school in grade 7 or of one year of QTEL on students who transferred into the study school in grade 8).
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes No significant effects were found on student achievement, as measured by the CST-ELA, or on English language development, as measured by the CELDT. That is, there were no meaningful or significant differences in academic performance or language proficiency skills, as measured by these assessments, between the intervention students and the control students. No significant effects were found on teacher attitudes, teacher knowledge, or teacher practice, as measured by the teacher survey, teacher knowledge assessment, and the SIOP, respectively.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The goal of this study was to determine whether QTEL is effective in improving academic outcomes for English language learners in U.S. middle schools. The results intend to inform policy decisions on professional development for teachers of English language learner students. Six primary research questions focused on students: 1. What is the impact of QTEL on students' standardized test scores in English language arts among all grade 8 students attending intervention schools at the end of Year 3 (2009/10)? 2. What is the impact of QTEL on students' standardized test scores in English language arts among all grade 7 students attending intervention schools at the end of Year 3 (2009/10)? 3. What is the impact of QTEL on English language learner students' standardized test scores in English language arts among all grade 8 English language learner students attending intervention schools at the end of Year 3 (2009/10)? 4. What is the impact of QTEL on English language learner students' standardized test scores in English language arts among all grade 7 English language learner students attending intervention schools at the end of Year 3 (2009/10)? 5. Focusing on the subgroup of English language learner students who were classified as limited English proficient in 7th grade in study Year 2 (2008/09) and who were still in intervention schools and took the CELDT in 8th grade (in the fall of study Year 3, 2009/10), what is the impact of QTEL on standardized test scores in English language proficiency (i.e., on 8th grade CELDT scores)? 6. Within the subgroup of English language learner students who were classified as limited English proficient in 6th grade in study Year 2 (2008/09) and who were still in intervention schools and took the CELDT in 7th grade (in the fall of study Year 3, 2009/10), what is the impact of QTEL on standardized test scores in English language proficiency (i.e., on 7th grade CELDT scores)?
Interpretation of Results / Discussion This study exemplifies the challenges in examining the effectiveness of a nonscripted professional development intervention tailored to participant needs. The study tested a version of QTEL implemented under specific conditions. These analyses did not detect significant impacts on student achievement, teacher knowledge, teacher attitudes, or teacher practice. Future research on schoolwide implementation of the more complete QTEL model would be beneficial. In-depth case studies may be useful for improving QTEL implementation and offering the field promising practices. It is also possible that interventions like QTEL take more than three years to show impact on the achievement of English language learner students. Longitudinal studies may provide information about these potential effects.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#396. Added April 24, 2012 Updated May 22, 2012 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Effects of the Connected Mathematics Project 2 (CMP2) on the Mathematics Achievement of Grade 6 Students in the Mid-Atlantic Region
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Taylor Martin taylormartin@mail.utexas.edu
Start Date:	January 1, 2008	End Date:	March 1, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL Mid-Atlantic
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/midatlantic/pdf/REL_20124017.pdf
Published Report Citation: Martin, Taylor, et al. (2012). Effects of the Connected Mathematics Project 2 (CMP2) on the Mathematics Achievement of Grade 6 Students in the Mid-Atlantic Region (NCEE 2012-4017). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting Prior to recruitment (2008), the CCD (NCES n.d.a) was used to identify all public and charter schools enrolling grade 6 students in the Mid-Atlantic region. A total of 105 schools across 80 districts submitted letters of interest. Of these, 73 schools had not previously used CMP or CMP2 and expressed a willingness to abide by the guidelines for participating in the study. These schools were invited to sign a memorandum of understanding in March 2008. The number fell to 70 before randomization due to schools merging or withdrawing.7 In May 2008, the 70 schools were randomly assigned within jurisdiction8 to study conditions, 36 to the intervention group and 34 to the control group. The imbalance in group size was due to chance. Between the point of random assignment and the start of the impact year (2009/10), five schools were lost due to school-level administrator decisions to withdraw schools from the study and district-level decisions to close and merge campuses with low enrollment. The schools that dropped out or merged were not statistically significantly different from the remaining sample of 65 schools on any of the measured baseline school characteristics.
Intervention At the time of this study, CMP2 was the latest version of the Connected Mathematics Project (CMP). Designed for use in grades 6-8, CMP2 allows students to be responsible for their learning by exploring different solution pathways, sharing their ideas with other students, listening to the ideas of others, and questioning each other. Teachers ensure that the mathematics goals of the lesson are addressed and that students develop conceptual understanding and procedural skills, by asking them questions and encouraging them to share their thinking, compare their thinking with others, and make connections between representations of problems and solutions. Schools were the unit of random assignment in this study, and CMP2 was implemented at the school level. The study spanned two years: An implementation year, in which teachers were trained in CMP2 and began using it in the classroom (2008/09). The focal year for the impact evaluation, which we refer to throughout as the "impact year," in which teachers implemented CMP2 and student-level achievement data were collected (2009/10).
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The study was implemented in 65 volunteer schools across the Mid-Atlantic region over two years. Of the 70 eligible schools and 6,956 baseline-eligible students (3,249 intervention and 3,707 control), 65 schools and 6,168 students (3,184 intervention and 2,984 control) were included in the pretest sample, and 5,994 of the pretest sample completed at least one pretest measure (table 2.4). The students included in the posttest administration were pretest eligible and remained eligible at posttest (table 2.5). Sixty-five schools (5,689 students) participated in the posttest data collection.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The current study is a cluster RCT designed to evaluate the effect of CMP2 on the mathematics achievement of grade 6 students. Schools were the unit of random assignment in this study, and CMP2 was implemented at the school level. The study spanned two years: An implementation year, in which teachers were trained in CMP2 and began using it in the classroom (2008/09). The focal year for the impact evaluation, which we refer to throughout as the "impact year," in which teachers implemented CMP2 and student-level achievement data were collected (2009/10). Random assignment was conducted at the school level-with participating schools assigned to either the intervention group (CMP2) or the control group (business as usual)-because curricular implementation is typically at this level. This level of assignment also reduces the risk of sample contamination, as all teachers in a particular school will be in the same study group. To increase statistical power, student pretest scores and other variables found to be statistically significant at baseline were included in the analytic model as covariates (see chapter 2). This study also used classroom observations to determine whether the intervention was being implemented in the intervention schools and what differences, if any, could be observed between the intervention and control schools during the impact year (see chapter 3).
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Control schools in this study were expected to continue business as usual; that is, to continue using their respective mathematics curricula.
Data Analytic Strategy A statistical power analysis indicated that a minimum of 67 schools and 4,623 students26 were required for a minimum detectable effect size (MDES) of 0.20 standard deviations. This MDES was considered reasonable based on the CMP research available when this study was designed. The average of the absolute values of the effect sizes reported in Schneider (2000), Riordan and Noyce (2001), and Ridgeway et al. (2003), was 0.24 standard deviations (see appendix B for more information on this analysis). To buffer against potential attrition, the study team planned to recruit 70 schools. At the beginning of the impact year, 65 schools (93 percent of the randomized sample) and 6,195 students remained in the sample, including 35 intervention schools (97 percent) with 3,198 students and 30 control schools (88 percent) with 2,997 students. No schools were lost during the impact year. Although the number of schools in the analytic sample was less than the 67 called for in the statistical power analysis, the final number of students (5,689) was 1,066 more than the target.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes The impact of CMP2 on student TerraNova posttest scores was less than one point (0.60), and was not statistically significant (effect size = 0.02; p = .777). Results for the secondary research question indicate that CMP2 was also no more effective than business as usual in improving students' mathematics PTV (effect size = 0.09; p= .109). Sensitivity analyses found no changes in the direction or magnitude of the intervention effects.10 A lack of correlation between pretest and posttest scores on PTV could indicate problems with either the measure or the underlying construct itself. The secondary research question findings should thus be interpreted with caution. Data from the spring 2010 (year 2) classroom observations showed statistically significant differences between the intervention and control schools on all six measured variables,11 indicating a contrast in instruction between the two groups. In particular, the percentage of class time dedicated to activities seen as more like those promoted by CMP2 was statistically significantly higher in intervention schools (34 percent; p = .000). More intervention teachers were observed engaging in behaviors intended to foster student responsibility for learning and complex thinking (difference of 3.24 of 11 points, p = .000), and more intervention students were observed demonstrating responsibility for learning and complex thinking in class discussion (a difference of 1.00 of 5 points, p = .004) and in groups or pairs (a difference of 2.80 of 5 points, p = .000). Data from teacher self-reports showed that 68 percent of intervention teachers met the publishers' recommended 50 minutes per day and 64 percent completed the recommended six units per school year. There was also a statistically significant difference between intervention and control groups in the amount of time teachers reported spending on math, with intervention teachers spending an average of 1.18 more hours per week (p = .002).
Summary of the Study / Abstract Mathematics proficiency is critical for student success (Bailey 2009; Grubb and Cox 2005), access to postsecondary education (Greene and Forster 2003), and preparation for future employment (Bishop 1988). In the United States, middle school mathematics is a gateway to mathematics in high school (Useem 1992), required for acceptance into many four-year colleges (Adelman 2006). Students' success in mathematics in high school and college is associated with better employment prospects (Steen 2007) and more money earned over their lifetimes (Betts and Rose 2001). Mathematical literacy is a growing need in our increasingly technological society (Meaney 2007). The National Research Council and the American Association for the Advancement of Science stress the importance of improving mathematics instruction and achievement to improve students' abilities-not just in mathematics but in science, technology, and engineering as well (Augustine, Vagelos, and Wulf 2005). This study examines the effects of Connected Mathematics Project 2 (CMP2) on grade 6 student mathematics achievement and engagement using a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) design. It responds to a need to improve mathematics learning in the Mid-Atlantic Region (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC). This study addresses the following primary research question: What is the impact of being in a school randomly assigned to adopt CMP2 on grade 6 student mathematics achievement? A statistically significant difference in outcomes in favor of CMP2 would support the use of CMP2.
Interpretation of Results / Discussion CMP2 did not have a statistically significant effect on grade 6 mathematics achievement as measured by the TerraNova, which answered the primary research question.12 Indeed, grade 6 mathematics students in schools using CMP2 performed no better or worse on a standardized mathematics test than did their peers in schools not using it. The results for the secondary research question were similar. There was no statistically significant difference between groups in PTV, and the small effect size is unlikely meaningful. These results were insensitive to alternative model specifications. The lack of statistically significant effects is consistent with prior research on CMP2 rated in the 2010 WWC review as meeting standards "with reservations" (Schneider 2000) and the Eddy et al. (2008) RCT. The intent-to-treat analytical approach used in this study, which analyzes participants based on how they are randomly assigned, yielded unbiased estimates of program effectiveness as implemented. To estimate the effect of CMP2 under typical conditions, teachers were provided all the typical materials and PD that a normal school adopting CMP2 would have. However, while CMP2 use was tracked, the study team did not ensure a particular amount or quality of CMP2 instruction. So, the curriculum impact reflects the effect of a school being assigned to use CMP2 or to continue use of their regular curriculum, not necessarily of actually using CMP2. The results apply to the implementation of the CMP2 curriculum, after typical PD, in schools with grade 6 students. Use of a volunteer sample limits the findings to the schools, teachers, and students that participated in the study in the Mid-Atlantic region. The conclusions drawn in this study about the effects of CMP2 on student math achievement are limited to student math achievement as measured by the TerraNova, and do not generalize to any other standardized test.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#398. Added May 3, 2012 Updated May 22, 2012 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Effects of Making Sense of SCIENCE^TM professional development on the achievement of middle school students, including English language learners
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Joan Heller jheller@edservices.org
Start Date:	September 1, 2008	End Date:	March 1, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL West
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/west/pdf/REL_20124002.pdf
Published Report Citation: Heller, J.I. (2012). Effects of Making Sense of SCIENCE^TM professional development on the achievement of middle school students, including English language learners. (NCEE 2012-4002). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting The study sample included 181 teachers from 137 schools in 55 districts who were randomly assigned to an intervention or control group (90 to intervention and 91 to control). The trial was conducted at six regional sites, five in California and one in Arizona. Each site was comprised of multiple school districts in the region from which teachers were drawn, and the intervention was implemented once at each of these six sites.
Intervention The Making Sense of SCIENCETM approach focuses on developing teachers' pedagogical and content knowledge. The model is based on the premise that, to develop this specialized knowledge, teachers must have opportunities to learn science content knowledge in combination with analysis of student thinking about that content and they need instructional strategies for helping students learn that content (Duschl, Schweingruber, and Shouse 2007; Shinohara, Daehler, and Heller 2004; Shymansky and Matthews 1993; Van Driel, Verloop, and De Vos 1998).
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The student sample was identified at the class level through random selection of two grade 8 physical science classes per retained teacher. All physical science classes were considered eligible except those that included only special education students. 5,130 eighth grade students from schools in Claifornia and Arizona were included in the final sample.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study was an experimental trial designed to test the effects of a Making Sense of SCIENCETM course on force and motion on grade 8 students' knowledge of course content, as measured by the Assessing Teacher Learning About Science Teaching (ATLAST) Test of Force and Motion (http://www.horizon-research.com/atlast/; Smith and Banilower 2006a) Impacts on these outcomes were estimated for all grade 8 students in the study sample and for the subsample of English language learners. The study also estimated program effects on teachers' content knowledge of force and motion, as measured by the ATLAST Test of Force and Motion for Teachers (http://www.horizon-research.com/atlast/; Smith and Banilower 2006b) and by their self-reported confidence in teaching force and motion. Multilevel regression models that accounted for the nesting of students within teachers and teachers within sampling blocks were used to estimate the impact of the professional development. When warranted, statistical significance levels of the impact estimates were adjusted to account for multiple comparisons within domains. To deal with item-level missing values in constructed measures, the research team created total scale scores by averaging items with non-missing values. It used the missing indicator method to account for missing values in the impact analysis models (White and Thompson 2005). Then, the analytic models included categorical variables to denote whether or not the value of a particular variable was missing.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Control group teachers received only the typical professional development offered in their schools and districts and did not teach the curriculum.
Data Analytic Strategy Greater numbers of teachers participated in the study than anticipated during planning. The final analytic sample included 133 teachers providing teacher survey data and 131 teachers providing student data. On average, data were eligible for analysis for 40 students per teacher (5,251 students total with at least posttest data on the ATLAST Test of Force and Motion). The intraclass correlations for the student outcomes were 0.19 for the ATLAST scores and 0.35 for the scores on the California Standards Test physical science reporting clusters (see table A1). The estimated within-teacher R2 values were smaller than anticipated at the planning stage, and the between-teacher R2 values were larger than expected. The greater than expected number of teachers participating, combined with higher R2 values, resulted in statistical power gains for the overall student sample, with a minimum detectible effect size of 0.15 for the ATLAST and standardized test scores (see table A2). The minimum detectible effect size for teacher intermediate outcomes was 0.28-substantially lower than estimated during the study planning stage because of the larger proportion of variation explained by covariates than originally assumed. Fewer English language learner students were available for analysis than anticipated, with an average of 3 (rather than 10) students per classroom with valid data. For the English language learner subsample, the minimum detectible effect sizes were 0.28 for the ATLAST Test of Force and Motion and 0.27 for the standardized test scores.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes Results for the primary confirmatory analyses indicate that after adjusting for multiple comparisons, there were no statistically significant differences between the test results on science content of students in intervention group classrooms and students in control group classrooms. Intervention group students in neither the full sample (effect size = 0.11) nor the English language learner subsample (effect size = 0.31) scored significantly higher on the ATLAST Test of Force and Motion than did their control group counterparts. Similarly, intervention group students in neither the full sample (effect size = 0.03) nor the English language learner subsample (effect size =0 .09) scored higher on the physical science reporting clusters of the California Standards Test than did their control group counterparts. Results for the intermediate confirmatory analyses indicate that after adjusting for multiple comparisons, teachers who received the professional development course outscored their control group counterparts on the ATLAST Test of Force and Motion for Teachers (effect size = 0.38), as well as on their ratings of confidence in their ability to teach force and motion (effect size = 0.49). With one exception, the study findings were not sensitive to variations in specification of the estimation models. The exception is that, for teacher content knowledge, inclusion of the pretest in the impact analysis model (basic model plus pretest) decreased the point estimate from 9.8 to 6.1 and the effect size from 0.61 to 0.38. In exploratory analyses, the study investigated whether there were differential impacts on student and teacher content knowledge outcomes across the six research sites. The estimated impacts were most pronounced at two of the six sites. For the full sample of students, point estimates for student and teacher content knowledge of force and motion followed exactly the same rank order at all sites.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This study evaluated an approach to professional development for middle school science teachers by closely examining one grade 8 course that embodies that approach. Using a cluster-randomized experimental design, the study tested the effectiveness of the Making Sense of SCIENCETM professional development course on force and motion (Daehler, Shinohara, and Folsom 2011) by comparing outcomes for students of teachers who took the course with outcomes for students of control group of teachers who received only the typical professional development offered in their schools and districts. The study estimated impacts on student science achievement for all grade 8 students in the study sample as well as for the subsample of English language learners. It also estimated impacts on teacher science and pedagogical knowledge. The study examined two primary confirmatory questions: What is the impact of the Making Sense of SCIENCETM professional development course on students' content knowledge of force and motion and of physical science more generally? What is the impact of the Making Sense of SCIENCETM professional development course on English language learners' content knowledge of force and motion and of physical science more generally?
Interpretation of Results / Discussion There are three main limitations of this study. First, there was high sample attrition: 48 of the 181 teachers who were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups left the study before data collection was completed. However, there is no evidence that attrition resulted in significant differences at the baseline between the intervention and control samples used in the analysis. Second, the study did not include analyses of classroom implementation of course-related practices. As a result it is not possible to infer whether the lack of student effects is due to a failure of treatment group teachers to modify classroom practices or a failure of modified practices to affect student outcomes. Third, the findings are based on volunteer teachers and students whose parents provided consent. It is possible that the findings would have been different had teachers been required to participate in the intervention, and all students been tested.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#399. Added May 4, 2012 Updated May 22, 2012 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Lessons in Character Impact Evaluation
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Thomas Hansen Dr. Barbara Dietsch, Principal Investigator thanson@wested.org
Start Date:	September 1, 2007	End Date:	March 1, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	IES-REL West
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/west/pdf/20124004.pdf
Published Report Citation: Hanson, T., Dietsch, B., and Zheng, H. (2012). Lessons in Character Impact Evaluation. (NCEE 2012-4004). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting Designed as an experimental trial, the study took place from spring 2007 to spring 2010 in 50 California elementary schools with teachers of grades 2-5. This implementation period corresponded with an economic recession in California (and the nation as a whole) and substantial school spending reductions and teacher layoffs due to state budget shortfalls in California.
Intervention The intervention involved a one-day training course for teachers in year 1; teachers who participated in the course were expected to incorporate 19-25 supplementary lessons into their classroom instruction each year for two academic years. No LIC professional development activities or coaching occurred in year 2 of implementation.3 Two cohorts of elementary schools participated in the intervention. Cohort 1 implementation took place in 2007/08 and 2008/09, with teacher professional development and coaching occurring in late summer and early fall of year 1 (2007). Cohort 2 schools were recruited in spring 2008, with teacher professional development occurring in summer/fall 2008/09 and 2009/10. Teachers in control group schools, meanwhile, continued with their regular professional development activities and instructional practices. Both cohorts were pooled in the data analyses.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The study was conducted in 50 public elementary schools in California-34 in the Los Angeles and San Diego Metropolitan Statistical Areas, 13 in northern California, and 3 in central California. Half of the recruited schools were randomly assigned to an intervention group that had the opportunity to implement LIC in their 2nd-5th grade classrooms for two consecutive years, and half were assigned to the control group. The primary impact analyses included 4,683 students who were in grade 4 or 5 in year 2, and the exploratory analyses included 5,674 students who were in grade 4 or 5 in year 1. Students in the primary analytic sample were present and obtained parent consent to participate by the beginning of year 1 and were in participating classrooms when spring year 2 data were collected. Those in the exploratory analytic sample obtained parent consent by the beginning of year 1 and were in participating classrooms when spring year 1 data were collected. Students who were enrolled in non-participating teachers' classrooms-460 students in year 1 and 300 students in year 2-were not included in the analytic samples. 3 Teachers who joined the study in year 2 did not receive any training on the use of the curriculum. Thirty schools were in a large city or on the urban fringe of a large city, six in a mid-size city (population of 25,000-250,000), and fourteen in a small town or rural area. Each school served an average of 354 students. Nine schools had fewer than 150 students, and two had more than 600 students. Approximately 59 percent of the students were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, 49 percent were classified as Hispanic, 32 percent were classified as non-Hispanic White, and 31 percent were classified as English language learner students (California Department of Education 2009).
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods To estimate program impacts, outcomes for students and classrooms in intervention group schools were compared with those for students and classrooms in control group schools. Multilevel regression models were used to estimate the effects of the LIC program and to account for data clustering by school and classroom (Goldstein 1987; Raudenbush and Bryk 2002; Murray 1998). The impact analyses controlled for baseline (pretest) measures of outcome variables and other student- and school-level covariates.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers in control group schools, continued with their regular professional development activities and instructional practices.
Data Analytic Strategy In order to determine the appropriate sample sizes required for the study, minimum detectible effect sizes were calculated (see Bloom 1995) based on the unit of randomization, the level of clustering, the availability of baseline explanatory variables, and other design characteristics using the procedures described by Donner and Klar (2000), Murray (1998), Raudenbush (1997), and Schochet (2005). Minimum detectible effect size estimates represent the smallest true program impacts in standard deviation units that can be detected with high probability (Bloom 1995). As defined in the design work, the minimum detectible effect size of a particular study is the smallest effect size that has at least an 80 percent probability of being found statistically significant with 95 percent confidence.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes Implementation The LIC core curriculum consists of 25 lessons (24 core principal lessons and one STAR lesson), of which intervention group teachers were asked to implement 19 during the academic year. Teachers implemented an average of 12.40 LIC lessons in year 1 and 9.56 LIC lessons in year 2. In year 1, 16 percent of teachers reported that they did not implement any lessons, while 40 percent implemented 16 or more lessons. Teachers' reported use of the curricular materials declined after year 1: in year 2, 28 percent did not implement any LIC lessons, and 28 percent implemented 16 or more lessons. The supplementary curricular materials were used less frequently than the LIC core materials: in year 1, two-thirds of teachers used at least some of the Daily Oral Language with Character or Writing with Character materials in their classrooms, and in year 2, about half of teachers reported using these materials. Estimated impacts The primary confirmatory impact analyses indicated that grade 4 and 5 students who attended schools in the LIC program intervention group did not exhibit higher scores on measures of academic achievement and social competence, or lower scores on measures of problem behaviors after two academic years of potential LIC exposure than grade 4 and 5 students who attended schools in the control group. Moreover, the intermediate impact analyses indicated that there were no statistically significant LIC program impacts on the school environment measures of school expectations and student feelings of belonging. Exploratory analyses suggested that there were no statistically significant LIC program impacts on grade 4 or 5 student outcomes or on measured school environment outcomes after the first year of program implementation.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Do students in grades 4 and 5 who attend schools in the LIC intervention group exhibit higher scores on measures of academic achievement after two academic years of potential LIC exposure than their counterparts who attend schools in the control group? Do students in grades 4 and 5 who attend schools in the LIC intervention group exhibit higher scores on measures of social competence after two academic years of potential LIC exposure than their counterparts who attend schools in the control group? Do students in grades 4 and 5 who attend schools in the LIC intervention group exhibit fewer problem behaviors after two academic years of potential LIC exposure than their counterparts who attend schools in the control group? Do teachers and students in the LIC intervention group report greater levels of student belongingness after two years of program implementation than their counterparts in the control group? Do teachers and students in the LIC intervention group report greater levels of school expectations consistent with character development after two years of program implementation than their counterparts in the control group?
Interpretation of Results / Discussion The impact analyses did not find that LIC improved student academic achievement, social competence, or problem behaviors on any of the analyzed measures. Nor were statistically significant impacts on the school environment measures of expectations and student belonging detected. Moreover, analyses of teacher reports of program implementation indicated that 30 percent of teachers reported that, in year 1, they implemented the number of core lessons recommended by the developer and that, in year 2, 23 percent reported having done so. The failure to detect program impacts on student and school environment outcomes could be due to the weak implementation of the program, an intervention design that simply does not work in bringing about changes in student and school environmental outcomes, or methodology limitations of the study. An important limitation of the study was that retention rates differed between teachers in intervention and control schools. Although participation rates in intervention and control schools did not differ and there were no statistically significant differences in the baseline characteristics of teachers or students in the intervention and control schools, it is possible that there were important unobserved differences between intervention and control samples that could have resulted in biases in estimated program impacts.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#400. Added May 8, 2012 Updated May 22, 2012 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Does a summer reading program based on Lexiles affect reading comprehension?
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Chuck Wilkins cwilkins@edvanceresearch.com
Start Date:	May 1, 2009	End Date:	March 31, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL southwest
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/southwest/pdf/REL_20124006.pdf
Published Report Citation: Wilkins, C., Gersten, R., Decker, L., Grunden, L., Brasiel, S., Brunnert, K., and Jayanthi, M. (2012). Does a summer reading program based on Lexiles affect reading comprehension? (NCEE 2012-4006). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting The study was conducted in the summer of 2009. It focused on economically disadvantaged students in four Texas school districts who were reading below the 50th percentile nationally. These design decisions responded to recommendations by Kim (2006, 2007) that economically disadvantaged students be the focus of future research and that more than one district be examined. The final analytic sample, which included 1,571 students in 110 elementary schools, was larger than that of any of the previous seven studies, which ranged from 48 students to 1,330. This study focused on students transitioning between grade 3 and 4 for three reasons: (1) independent reading demands increase dramatically in grades 3 and 4 (Chall 1983; National Research Council 1998), (2) the grade 3 to grade 4 transition was not a focus of previous studies, and (3) Texas state assessment data is available for the first time for students beginning in grade 3, which was used to control for baseline differences in this study. The National Research Council report (1998, p. 207) on beginning reading notes that in "fourth grade and up, it is taken for granted that [students] are capable-independently and productively-of reading to learn."
Intervention During the summer of 2009, students in the treatment group were sent eight books matched to their reading level and interest areas (matched books) in one shipment along with an explanatory letter, followed by a postcard each week for six weeks. Neither books nor postcards were sent to students in the control group during the summer, but eight matched books were sent to them after posttesting was completed in the fall. Participating students completed the Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI; a reading comprehension measure) and a summer reading survey during the following fall semester.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information This study is a multidistrict randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating the effect of a summer reading program on the reading comprehension scores of economically disadvantaged third grade students reading below the 50th percentile nationally. The analytic sample included 1,571 students in 110 elementary schools in four Texas school districts.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Students participating in the current study took the English language TAKS-Reading in spring 2009. Lexile measures corresponding to students' TAKS scaled scores (Texas Education Agency 2005a) were used at baseline to determine student eligibility and to match reading level of students to books. The SRI, used as the outcome measure in this study, is a computer-adaptive assessment for students in grades K-12 that measures reading comprehension. In an adaptive test, items presented to a student are based on the student's performance on earlier items; over time, the difficulty of the questions adjusts to the student's ability (Weiss and Kingsbury 1984). During the fall 2009 semester, the SRI was administered to students in both treatment and control groups at the students' school by the students' teacher or reading coach. The summer reading survey was designed to collect descriptive information on students' summer school participation, their reading activities during the summer, and the amount and types of reading materials in their homes. This paper-and-pencil survey was adapted from surveys used in previous summer reading programs, eliminating survey questions that were irrelevant for this study (Kim 2006, 2007; Kim and White 2008; MetaMetrics, Inc. n.d.a). No attempt was made to collect data to examine the psychometric properties of this modified survey. The summer reading survey was administered by a teacher or reading coach to students in both the treatment and control groups on the same day as the SRI test. Surveys were collected in conjunction with SRI post-testing, and, therefore, were collected from September through December, with the majority of survey data being collected in October and November.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Neither books nor postcards were sent to students in the control group during the summer, but eight matched books were sent to them after posttesting was completed in the fall.
Data Analytic Strategy The target sample size for the current study was established based on a target minimal detectable effect size (MDES), which represents the smallest true program impact in standard deviation units that can be detected with high probability (Bloom 2005). Based on prior research (Kim 2006, 2007; Kim and White 2008) and feedback from the current study's technical working group members, an effect size of approximately 0.12 was determined to be appropriate for testing the confirmatory hypothesis (see appendix D). We expected low parent consent rates, because consent forms were distributed at the end of the school year, with little time for teacher follow-up. This led to a target recruitment sample size of 3,032 students to yield an analysis sample of 1,516 (758 treatment and 758 control students).
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes The confirmatory analysis found that the summer reading program did not have a statistically significant impact on student reading comprehension (effect size=0.02, p=0.62). Seven sensitivity analyses showed the confirmatory impact result to be robust to different analytic approaches. The first exploratory analysis identified a statistically significant effect of the summer reading program on the number of books students reported reading over the summer (effect size=0.11, p=0.01). On average, this is equivalent to students in the treatment group having reported reading 1.03 more books over the summer (mean=8.76 books) than did students in the control group (mean=7.73 books). The second exploratory analysis did not find a statistically significant differential effect of the summer reading program on reading comprehension for students at three different levels of baseline reading proficiency (p-values for comparisons of different levels ranged from 0.64 to 0.98).
Summary of the Study / Abstract The study was designed to answer the following confirmatory research question: For economically disadvantaged students reading below the 50th percentile nationally, does being sent eight free books in the first part of the summer (June/July 2009) matched to reading level and interest area, along with six reminder postcards, result in significantly better reading comprehension scores in the fall? The study was designed to answer the following exploratory research questions: Did students in the summer reading program (treatment group) report reading more books over the summer than did students in the control group? Did the summer reading program have differential effects on reading comprehension, depending on baseline reading proficiency?
Interpretation of Results / Discussion The summer reading program examined in this study did not include teacher support, instructional components, or parent involvement, which several previous studies had included to varying degrees. These other components could potentially account for differences in observed effects across studies. Also, the program examined in the current study spanned a single summer, whereas the program examined in Allington et al. (2010) spanned three summers. Further, the current study sample consisted of economically disadvantaged students reading below the 50th percentile nationally, while the samples in the studies with statistically significant results consisted of students with economically diverse backgrounds (Kim 2006, 2007; Kim and Guryan 2010; Kim and White 2008) and were not composed exclusively of students reading below the 50th percentile nationally (Allington et al. 2010; Butler 2010; Crowell and Klein 1981; Kim 2006, 2007; Kim and Guryan 2010; Kim and White 2008). One possible inference to draw from this study, is that personalized teacher encouragement of each student to read the books during the summer and brief, small group lessons on strategies for reading-may be essential components to success. Future scale-up research could continue to examine the issue of varied types of teacher and parent support components that Kim included (Kim 2006, 2007; Kim and Guryan 2010; Kim and White 2008). Allington (2010) found that when students were provided books over a period of three summers, even without any additional support components, student reading significantly improved. Therefore, it may be that teacher and parent support components are necessary for a summer reading program to be effective during a single summer, but may be less important if students participate in summer reading programs over a longer time period.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#401. Added May 8, 2012 Updated May 22, 2012 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Evaluation of Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC): An On-site Training of Caregivers
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Phyllis Weinstock pweinstock@impaqint.com
Start Date:	October 1, 2007	End Date:	March 31, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL West
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/west/pdf/REL_20124003.pdf
Published Report Citation: Weinstock, P., Bos, J., Tseng, F., Rosenthal, E., Ortiz, L., Dowsett, C., et al. (2012). Evaluation of Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC): An On-site Training of Caregivers (NCEE 2012-4003). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting The study targeted children who received child care from a participating provider in California and Arizona for at least 20 hours per week and were younger than 27 months at the time of enrollment.
Intervention Treatment group programs were offered the full on-site caregiver training component of Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC) intervention. PITC is informed by brain development research that emphasizes early relationships as the foundation for healthy child development. Its approach incorporates six essential policies: primary care (assignment of a primary caregiver to each child), small groups, continuity of care, individualized schedules and routines, inclusion, and cultural sensitivity. The training imparts information on infant-toddler development. It encourages practices that facilitate healthy development and sensitivity to children's home communities, cultures, and languages. The training includes program policy recommendations and addresses program operation and environmental arrangements.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Preschool Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The full sample was recruited as of summer 2008. Final sample numbers slightly exceeded the targets: 92 child care centers, 159 family child care homes, and 1,009 children were enrolled. However, 73 children left their child care settings before random assignment, reducing the child sample to 936. Although children who left their child care settings prior to random assignment were followed throughout data collection, they were excluded from analyses.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Data were collected at baseline (before random assignment) and in two follow-up rounds. The average follow-up period for program-level data collection was 14.97 months after random assignment for the first follow-up and 21.79 months after random assignment for the second. The average follow-up period for child cognitive and language assessments was 14.77 months after random assignment for the first follow-up and 23.18 months after random assignment for the second. No significant differences were found between treatment and control group follow-up periods for data collection, for either programs or children.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Control group programs were excluded from the intervention but could participate in other professional development programs as usual.
Data Analytic Strategy The original sample targets were set at 240 child care programs (90 centers and 150 family child care homes) and 1,170 children, allocated equally to treatment and control groups. With an assumption of 10 percent attrition for programs and 20 percent attrition for children, this sample would have a minimum detectable effect size of between 0.20 and 0.23 for children and 0.38 for programs. The effect size for children was deemed reasonable given that an impact study of Early Head Start (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families 2002) found child effects between 0.1 and 0.2 and the Head Start impact study found child effects between 0.2 and 0.3 (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2005).
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes The PITC did not have a statistically significant effect on a composite measure of children's cognitive/language scores, measured approximately 6 months (on average) after it ended. The PITC did not have a statistically significant effect on children's composite behavior scores, measured at 6 months after it ended. Sensitivity analyses, conducted with two alternative approaches to missing data treatment, had results consistent with these findings.
Secondary Outcomes The PITC did not have a statistically significant effect on global program quality, as measured by trained observers administering the ITERS-R and the FCCERS-R. The PITC did not have a statistically significant effect on staff-child interactions, a composite measure incorporating interactions items from the environment rating scales and from the PITC-PARS. Results of sensitivity analyses were consistent these findings.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The primary questions focus on child outcomes: What is the impact of the PITC on a composite measure of children's cognitive and language skills, at least 6 months after its full delivery to the children's child care programs (within an average of 23 months after random assignment)? What is the impact of the PITC on a composite measure of children's social and behavioral skills, at least 6 months after its full delivery to the children's child care programs (within an average of 23 months after random assignment)? The secondary questions focus on child care quality: What is the impact of the PITC on global child care quality at least 4 months after the PITC ends (within an average of 21 months after random assignment)? What is the impact of the PITC on a composite measure of the quality of child care programs' staff-child interactions at least 4 months after the PITC ends (within an average of 21 months after random assignment)?
Interpretation of Results / Discussion The PITC incorporates a number of the features that preliminary research and expert opinion in the field suggest are most likely to have a positive effect: focus on relationships, on-site consultation, opportunities for assessment and feedback, and application to practice. However, this study finds no positive main effects and also underscores the difficulties of sustaining participation in an intensive, long-term intervention in a large number of community child care settings across geographically dispersed locations. More research on the PITC and other training interventions is needed for fuller examination of both implementation and impacts. Increased understanding of the "transfer" between training strategies, program quality, and child development would inform improved child care training design and implementation.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#403. Added May 8, 2012 Updated May 22, 2012 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	An Evaluation of Number Rockets: A Tier-2 Intervention for Grade 1Students at Risk for Difficulties in Mathematics
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Eric Rolfhus ericrolfhus@westat.com
Start Date:	October 1, 2007	End Date:	February 29, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL southwest
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/southwest/pdf/REL_20124007.pdf
Published Report Citation: Rolfhus, E., Gersten, R., Clarke, B., Decker, L., Wilkins, C., and Dimino, J. (2012). An evaluation of Number Rockets: A Tier 2 intervention for grade 1 students at risk for difficulties in mathematics. (NCEE 2012-4007). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting Seventy-six schools in four urban school districts in four states in the REL Southwest Region participated in this study. The target student population was grade 1 students at risk for mathematics difficulties who received mathematics instruction in English in a regular education classroom.
Intervention Number Rockets, a scripted program available only in English, consists of 63 lessons across 17 mathematics topics (3-6 lessons on each topic). Each lesson lasts about 40 minutes (30 minutes of instruction and 10 minutes of fact practice). The intervention is delivered to groups of two or three students, similar to the intensive systematic small group instruction suggested for use in Tier 2 instruction (Gersten et al. 2009). Number Rockets is a supplemental intervention, provided in addition to core classroom mathematics instruction and not intended to replace it. So schools implementing Number Rockets should not remove students from regular mathematics instruction to participate in tutoring sessions. Students can, however, be pulled out of regular instruction in other subjects to attend Number Rockets lessons. Number Rockets was designed to emphasize the development of number sense13 and to build conceptual understanding and procedural fluency14 with whole numbers, both critical to mathematics progress after grade 2 (National Research Council 2001, 2009; National Mathematics Advisory Panel 2008). The intervention stresses both concepts and operations involving whole numbers including number sense, computation, and place value. Rather than span the entire grade 1 mathematics curriculum, it has a narrow focus so that critical topics can be taught in depth (Lynn Fuchs, Professor and Nicholas Hobbs chair in special education and human development, Vanderbilt University-personal communication, August 6, 2009).
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Several criteria determined district and school eligibility to participate in the study. District size and free and reduced-price lunch (FRPL) participation rates were the first criteria considered. Only medium and large districts (14 or more elementary schools with 3 or more grade 1 classrooms per school) with FRPL participation rates of 40 percent or greater were contacted. Thirty-nine matched pairs of schools (78 of the 82 candidates for inclusion in the study) were created and placed in the random assignment pool as study participants. After random assignment, but before screening, a control school attrited, causing this pair to be dropped.28 The final analytic sample consisted of 76 schools in 38 pairs.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The screener used in this study consisted of six individually administered subtests. All six subtests measure a construct that prior research has indicated is predictive of success in first grade mathematics outcomes. Three types of fidelity measures were collected during Number Rockets implementation. Lesson fidelity checklists were coded from audio recordings of tutoring sessions. Instructional logs were used to track administrative information about each tutoring group session. The TEMA-3, an individually administered mathematics test, was used as the primary outcome measure. The TEMA-3 assesses a broader set of mathematics skills than those represented in the pretest screener measures. To examine the possible influence on reading proficiency of reducing the classroom time devoted to reading instruction, data were collected at posttest using the WJ-III Letter/Word subtest (Woodcock, McGrew, and Mather 2001). A commonly administered measure of letter and word identification.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control group did not miss regular classroom instruction for the Number Rockets program.
Data Analytic Strategy The statistically significant effect sizes observed in the Fuchs et al. (2005) study (ranging from 0.40 to 0.70) were used as the starting points to conduct power analyses. It was determined that the current study should be powered conservatively to detect an MDES of approximately half the midrange observed in the Fuchs et al. study, and an MDES of 0.30 was targeted to meet this goal. Preliminary power calculations indicated that approximately 60 schools would be needed. However, because of a better than anticipated response to early recruiting activities, and in part to provide some insurance against school attrition, a minimum target sample size of 70 schools was established19 and the power analysis was conducted. The power analysis was based on assumptions of the intraclass correlation (ICC) ranging from 0.10 to 0.15, the correlation between the pretest and posttest ranging from 0.30 to 0.70, and the average number of at-risk students in a school being 10 (see appendix B). Under the range of power analysis assumptions evaluated, a target of 70 schools results in a range of MDES values from of 0.15 to 0.27.20 As a result, using the most conservative assumptions, an MDES of 0.27 was established for this study.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes This study's confirmatory finding was that at-risk grade 1 students participating in Number Rockets had significantly higher TEMA-3 scores than at-risk grade 1 students in the control group (effect size = 0.34, p < .001). Six sensitivity analyses were conducted and found that the confirmatory impact estimate was robust to the analytic choices examined. None of the three exploratory analyses found significant effects .
Summary of the Study / Abstract The current study addresses the following confirmatory research question: Do grade 1 students at risk in mathematics who participate in Number Rockets perform better than at-risk control students on the Test of Early Mathematics Ability-Third Edition (TEMA-3; Ginsburg and Baroody 2003)? The study also investigated three exploratory research questions: Does Number Rockets have a differential impact on grade 1 students at risk in mathematics, based on baseline mathematics proficiency? Do grade 1 students who participate in Number Rockets score differently than control students on the Woodcock-Johnson-Third Edition Letter/Word (WJ-III Letter/Word; Woodcock, McGrew, and Mather 2001) subtest? Do the impacts of Number Rockets vary significantly depending on the average number of lessons delivered within a school?
Interpretation of Results / Discussion The main finding of this effectiveness study is that grade 1 students at-risk for difficulties in grade 1 mathematics benefited from participation in the Number Rockets intervention. The results of all three exploratory analyses (related to differences in baseline mathematics proficiency, performance on a reading test, and number of tutoring sessions) were not statistically significant. Limitatons: The counterfactual condition in this study consisted of regular classroom instruction and no added mathematics instruction for at-risk students. It cannot be stated whether the intervention effect was due to additional mathematics instruction time delivered in any manner or to the design of Number Rockets. Requiring parent consent introduced a potential student selection bias after schools were randomly assigned, and differential consent form return rates were observed between the intervention and control schools. Because districts and schools volunteered for the study, the districts and schools are not statistically representative of a larger population. Number Rockets is not available in Spanish. This study does not provide evidence on the persistence of the benefits of Number Rockets, and it is unknown whether students who benefited in grade 1 would be better prepared for success in mathematics at the beginning of grade 2 or beyond. Tutors were instructed not to communicate information about individual student performance to classroom teachers, a constraint imposed to prevent contamination of Number Rockets strategies into the classroom. This rule might be relaxed in a real-world implementation of a Tier 2 intervention, allowing classroom teachers to have regular communication with tutors about how students from their classrooms are performing.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#404. Added May 8, 2012 Updated May 22, 2012 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	A Study of the Effectiveness of a School Improvement Intervention (Success in Sight)
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Stephanie Wilkerson stephanie@magnoliaconsulting.org
Start Date:	September 1, 2007	End Date:	February 29, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL central
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/central/pdf/REL_20124014.pdf
Published Report Citation: Wilkerson, S. B., Shannon, L. C., Styers, M. K., and Grant, B. (2012). A study of the effectiveness of a school improvement intervention (Success in Sight). (NCEE 2012-4014). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting This study's target population was low- to moderate-performing elementary schools located in states served by McREL under its Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) contract from the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and Comprehensive Center grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. Low- to moderate-performing schools were defined as schools that did not make AYP for any of the three school years prior to the 2008/09 school year or were at risk of not making AYP as reported by school personnel. Among the states served by McREL's regional programs, Minnesota, Colorado, Missouri, and Kansas had the most schools that did not make AYP in 2004/05. From this set of four states, recruitment efforts for this study focused on Minnesota and Missouri.
Intervention Success in Sight focuses on the interrelated parts of an education system. This systemic school improvement intervention is designed to address schools' specific needs while building their capacities to plan, implement, and evaluate school improvement practices. It is intended to help schools, leadership teams, and teachers systematically and systemically engage in continuous school improvement practices to advance the learning of all students (Cicchinelli et al. 2006). Success in Sight facilitators work directly with school leadership teams, which comprise five to seven members, including the principal, teachers, and other staff. As leadership teams increase their capacities for implementing school improvement practices, they expand their efforts to include more teachers. As teachers collaborate with leadership team members in planning and implementing Success in Sight school improvement practices, it is expected that they will also increase their capacities for carrying out school improvement practices, thus increasing schoolwide capacity. The program is based on school improvement research (Marzano 2000; Marzano, Waters, and McNulty 2005) and targets five main school capacity-building areas: Data-based decisionmaking, Purposeful community, Shared leadership, Research-based practices, and Continuous improvement process. Success in Sight is delivered through four components: six large-group professional development sessions with consortia of schools, 10 onsite mentoring sessions with leadership teams, distance learning and support, and fractal improvement experiences
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The final student impact analysis sample for reading achievement includes 4,403 students in treatment schools and 3,779 students in control schools. The final student impact analysis sample for mathematics achievement includes 4,413 students in treatment schools and 3,800 students in control schools. The final impact analysis sample of 815 teachers from treatment schools and 701 teachers from control schools resulted from natural teacher mobility characteristic of all schools regardless of programming strategies.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Specifically, state reading and mathematics assessments, administered in the spring of 2008 and 2010, were used to gauge student achievement in reading and mathematics at baseline and posttest. A teacher survey was administered in 2008 and 2010 to gauge teacher capacity for school improvement practices at baseline and posttest. To describe the fidelity of Success in Sight delivery and participation in treatment schools, researchers collected data from Success in Sight professional development facilitators throughout the study period. Researchers also collected interview and focus group data from principals, leadership team members, and teachers to provide information about the local contexts of the treatment and control schools. Except for fidelity measures for treatment schools, all data collection efforts represented staff in treatment and control schools.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control group conducted "business as usual"
Data Analytic Strategy The sample sizes yielded enough statistical power (that is, greater than 0.80) to detect an effect size of 0.20 for the benchmark impact estimates regarding the primary student achievement outcomes and an effect size of 0.30 for the benchmark impact estimates regarding secondary outcomes related to teacher capacity for school improvement practices. Researchers conducted preliminary analyses to examine the baseline equivalence of treatment and control groups on reading and mathematics tests, student demographic characteristics, mean baseline teacher capacity for school improvement practice scores, teacher demographic characteristics, and general school characteristics (such as school size). These analyses revealed no statistically significant differences between treatment and control groups.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes Results indicated that Success in Sight did not have a statistically significant impact on teacher capacity for data-based decisionmaking (adjusted posttest mean difference = 0.03, standard error = 0.02, p = .13), purposeful community (adjusted posttest mean difference = 0.03, standard error = 0.04, p = .49), or shared leadership (adjusted posttest mean difference = 0.16, standard error = 0.07, p = .02, which is not significant after applying the Benjamini-Hochberg correction for multiple comparisons). The sensitivity analyses with no baseline covariates supported these findings.
Secondary Outcomes statistically significant negative association between teachers' posttest ratings of their capacity for shared leadership and posttest student reading achievement (p = .03). Neither teacher capacity for data-based decisionmaking nor purposeful community was statistically significantly associated with posttest student reading achievement (p = .60 and p = .77, respectively). For mathematics achievement, there was a statistically significant negative association between teachers' posttest ratings of their capacity for data-based decisionmaking and shared leadership and posttest student mathematics achievement (p = .04 and p < .01, respectively), indicating that higher ratings of teacher capacity in data-based decisionmaking was statistically significantly associated with lower student mathematics scores, and higher ratings of teacher capacity in shared leadership was statistically significantly associated with lower student mathematics scores. Findings also revealed a statistically significant positive association between teachers' posttest ratings of their capacity for purposeful community and posttest student mathematics achievement (p < .01), indicating that higher ratings of teacher capacity in purposeful community was statistically significantly associated with higher student mathematics scores. It was not within the scope of these exploratory analyses to generate explanations of the associations between teachers' self-reported ratings of their capacity for data-based decisionmaking, purposeful community, or shared leadership and students' reading and mathematics achievement
Summary of the Study / Abstract The primary research questions focus separately on reading and mathematics student achievement outcomes: Does implementation of Success in Sight have a significant impact on student achievement in reading? Does implementation of Success in Sight have a significant impact on student achievement in mathematics? The secondary research questions focus separately on teacher capacity related to data-based decisionmaking, purposeful community, and shared leadership: Does implementation of Success in Sight have a significant impact on teacher capacity for data-based decisionmaking? Does implementation of Success in Sight have a significant impact on teacher capacity for purposeful community practices? Does implementation of Success in Sight have a significant impact on teacher capacity for shared leadership?
Interpretation of Results / Discussion This study was the first cluster randomized trial to examine the effectiveness of Success in Sight on primary outcomes-student achievement in reading and mathematics-and intermediate teacher outcomes-capacity for school improvement practices in data-based decisionmaking, purposeful community, and shared leadership. The results of the benchmark analyses revealed that Success in Sight did not have a statistically significant impact on student achievement in reading or mathematics or on teacher capacity for school improvement practices in data-based decisionmaking, purposeful community, or shared leadership. Limitations: The study used a volunteer sample of low- to moderate-performing schools in Minnesota and Missouri. Therefore, the results do not generalize to schools that differ systematically from this specific sample of schools. Because the study assessed only reading and mathematics at grades 3-5 using state assessments, the study's findings are not generalizable to other content areas, grades, or assessments. the study findings do not generalize to schools that implement Success in Sight for more than two years. The study also had limitations related to how teacher capacity outcomes were measured. Data from the teacher practice impact analyses were based entirely on teacher self-report collected through an online survey.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#405. Added May 9, 2012 Updated May 22, 2012 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	An Investigation of the Impact of the 6+1 Trait� Writing Model on Grade 5 Student Writing Achievement
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Michael Coe michael@cedarlakeresearch.com
Start Date:	August 1, 2007	End Date:	December 1, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL Northwest
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/northwest/pdf/REL_20124010.pdf
Published Report Citation: Coe, Michael, Hanita, Makoto, Nishioka, Vicki, and Smiley, Richard. (2011). An investigation of the impact of the 6+1 Trait Writing model on grade 5 student writing achievement (NCEE 2012-4010). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting Data for the cluster-randomized experimental study were collected from participating grade 5 teachers and students in 74 Oregon schools.
Intervention Teachers in treatment group schools were offered training in the 6+1 Trait Writing model the summer before the data collection year and during that year. They learned how to apply the model and used it with students for the first time during the year in which student outcome data were gathered. The 6+1 Trait� Writing model (Culham 2003) emphasizes writing instruction in which teachers and students analyze writing using a set of characteristics, or "traits," of written work: ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, conventions, and presentation. The Ideas trait includes the main content and message, including supporting details. Organization refers to the structure and logical flow of the writing. Voice includes the perspective and style of the individual writer and his or her orientation toward the audience. Word Choice addresses the variety, precision, and evocativeness of the language. Sentence Fluency includes the rhythm, flow, and sound patterns in the construction of sentences that may make them pleasant and interesting to read. The Conventions trait, sometimes called mechanics, includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, capitalization, and other rule-based language forms. The trait of Presentation (the "+1" of the 6+1 Trait Writing model), which is focused on page layout and formatting issues, is related to the visual aspects of publishing writing. This trait might not be applied unless the writing project is carried through to publication or presentation in a classroom or public forum. Presentation is not typically measured in large-scale assessments of student achievement, which require students to use particular formatting.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Thirty-nine schools (including 106 teachers) were randomly assigned to the treatment condition, and 36 schools (including 101 teachers) were randomly assigned to the control condition. At the time of random assignment, the number of students that would enroll for the following school year was not known. The final sample included 2,230 students in treatment condition schools and 1,931 students in the control schools. All eligible-to-participate students who completed the pretest and the posttest were included in the analysis. In addition, for students who did not complete a posttest but did complete a pretest, their posttest scores were statistically imputed based on other data. Attrition rates. After random assignment and before any study-related activities began, one school dropped out of the study after it was reconstituted and the staff replaced. The overall school attrition rate was thus 1.3 percent (zero for the treatment group, 2.8 percent for the control group). After random assignment, 10 teachers dropped out of the study, including 3 in the control group school that was reconstituted and 7 others (3 treatment group and 4 control group teachers). The overall teacher attrition rate was thus 4.8 percent (2.8 percent for the treatment group, 6.9 percent for the control group). For the purpose of this study, the student-level attrition rate was defined as the number of eligible-to-participate students who did not complete the posttest divided by the number of eligible-to-participate students who completed the pretest. The overall student attrition rate was 5.5 percent (5.2 percent for the treatment condition, 5.9 percent for the control condition).
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Data collection instruments included student rosters, a student essay booklet, teacher instructions for administering the student essay assessment, and teacher surveys. A multilevel statistical analysis was performed to estimate the treatment impact and to answer the confirmatory research question. Student data were analyzed as part of the experimental group to which they were originally assigned. The analysis involved: • Estimation of the treatment impact as a covariate-adjusted difference between the treatment and the control schools. • Use of a multilevel model to reflect the nesting of students within schools. • Sensitivity analyses to determine whether changes in the statistical model would alter the findings. The multilevel model included two random effects, the school random effect and the student residual. Including the school random effect in the model adjusted the standard error, which was important for calculating an accurate significance test for the treatment effect. The data came from students attending 74 schools. A paired-randomization method was used to assign schools to the treatment or control condition. Within each participating district, pairs of schools were formed based on their similarity in the proportion of students within each school who were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (FRL%). Proper modeling of the paired randomization-a special case of block randomization-is challenging, because each pair contains only two replications, one in the treatment arm and the other in the control arm. Two modeling approaches were considered: 1) use of pair indicator variables, or 2) use of district indicator variables along with FRL%. The first approach was chosen because it is the most direct way to account for the paired randomization in the experimental design and to control between-pair variance.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers in control group schools were not asked to change the instructional methods they would have used had they not participated in the study. The control condition thus represented a "business as usual" counterfactual in schools not already using trait-based writing instruction, with which the first-year implementation among treatment group schools was compared.
Data Analytic Strategy The power analysis indicated that a minimum of 54 schools would be needed in order to have adequate statistical power to detect a difference of at least 0.25 standard deviations between treatment and control schools. This minimum detectable effect size was chosen in order to focus on identifying interventions that have a large enough impact to produce substantial changes in student performance. For comparison, the average effect sizes for adolescent writing instruction strategies reported in the Writing Next meta-analysis ranged from 0.25 for the study of models of good writing to 0.82 for teaching students strategies for planning, revising, and editing their essays (Graham and Perin 2007a, 2007b). For grade 5 students, typical annual growth in reading skill translates to an effect size of 0.32; typical annual growth in mathematics performance translates to an effect size of 0.41 (Bloom 2007). The study reported here was designed to detect a treatment effect that would improve student writing skills as much as other strategies that have been recommended based on reviews of well-designed empirical studies.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes The benchmark estimates indicate that use of the 6+1 Trait Writing model significantly increased student writing scores during the year in which it was introduced to schools. After controlling for baseline writing scores, the estimated average score of students in the treatment group was 0.109 standard deviations higher (p = .023) than the estimated average score of students in the control group. An intervention with this effect size would be expected to increase the average level of achievement from the 50th to the 54th percentile. The findings remained stable when tested using alternative choices for the analytic sample and the model specification. When students with missing data were excluded from the analysis sample, the estimated effect was 0.110 standard deviations (p = .018). Use of an analytic model that did not adjust for baseline measures of teacher experience and instructional practices resulted in an estimated effect size of .081 (p = .048).
Secondary Outcomes In addition to the analysis of holistic writing scores, exploratory analyses found statistically significant differences between control and treatment group students on three of the six specific outcome measures of particular writing traits - organization, voice, and word choice - with effect sizes ranging from 0.117 to 0.144 (p = .031 to .018). For the other three traits - ideas, sentence fluency, and conventions - the mean outcome score of students in the treatment condition was higher than that of students in the control condition, but these differences were too small to be considered statistically significant given the size and sensitivity of the experiment. Additional exploratory analyses of holistic writing scores found no differential effects of the intervention based on student ethnicity or gender.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The study addressed the following confirmatory research question: • What is the impact of 6+1 Trait Writing on grade 5 student achievement in writing? It also investigated two exploratory research questions: • What is the impact of 6+1 Trait Writing on grade 5 student achievement in particular traits of writing? • Does the impact of 6+1 Trait Writing on grade 5 student achievement vary according to student gender or ethnicity?
Interpretation of Results / Discussion Questions about the interaction of the model with any specific writing curriculum were not addressed and cannot be answered using these findings. Questions about curriculum materials designed to fully integrate a trait-based approach to writing were not addressed by this research; the findings presented here cannot be applied to answer such questions. The implementation of recommended classroom strategies by the treatment group and control group teachers was measured using newly developed self-report surveys that have not been validated by observational or other measures. The findings reported here are for grade 5 students in 74 Oregon schools that volunteered to participate. The extent to which these findings may apply to other grade levels, other schools, or other regions is unknown. The extent to which the findings would be replicated in other settings, such as targeted implementations for particular schools or student populations, is unknown and cannot be inferred from these results. The study does not answer questions about what effects might be produced by longer durations of professional development and/or classroom implementation. It is possible that teachers or students in the treatment group may have responded differently to the knowledge that they were participating in an experimental study than did teachers or students in the control group; if so, any difference or lack of difference in the performance of teachers or students in the two groups could have been due in part to this differential response to participation in a research study.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#406. Added May 9, 2012 Updated May 22, 2012 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Accommodations for English Language Learner Students: The Effect of Linguistic Modification of Math Test Item Sets
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Edynn Sato esato@wested.org
Other Key Staff:	Stanley Rabinowitz
Start Date:	January 1, 2007	End Date:	June 1, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL West
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/west/pdf/REL_20094079.pdf
Published Report Citation: Sato, E., Rabinowitz, S., Gallagher, C. Huang, C.-W. (2010). Accommodations for English language learner students: the effect of linguistic modification of math test item sets. (NCEE 2009-4079). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting Demographic data from the California Department of Education were used to identify 13 school districts with high percentages (25 percent or greater) of middle school EL students whose native language was Spanish.
Intervention Linguistic modification is a theory- and research-based process for changing the language in test items in ways that support clarity without simplifying or significantly altering the targeted construct assessed (Abedi 2008; Abedi et al. 2005; Sato 2008). As previously described, linguistic modification is intended to increase student access to tested content by minimizing the language load associated with the text in a test item that could place certain groups of students at a disadvantage, such as aspects of presentation or format of information, aspects of response requirements, and unfamiliar sociocultural contexts or references. This can be accomplished by, for example, reducing sentence length and complexity and using common or familiar words and concrete language (Abedi 2008; Abedi, Lord, & Plummer 1997; Sato 2008; Sireci, Li, & Scarpati 2002).
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The final analytic sample for the study consisted of 4,617 grade 7 and 8 students from the 13 participating schools (figure 3). A multitiered process was used to screen students for eligibility for study analyses and to categorize students into three subgroups: EL, NEP, and EP students.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study followed a 2 x 3 x 2 fully crossed factorial design. The factors were item set (original or linguistically modified) student subgroup (English language learner [EL] students, non-English-language-arts-proficient non-EL [NEP] students, and English language arts-proficient non-EL [EP] students), and student grade level (grades 7 and 8)
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control group was given the original item set.
Data Analytic Strategy The study was powered to detect a difference in modification impacts (difference-in-thedifference) of 0.25 standard deviation units across the three subgroups.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes When scores were constructed based on the 1-PL IRT model, a significant difference in theta scores on the two sets of items (original and linguistically modified) was detected across student subgroups (between EL students and EP students, in particular). This small but significant effect was not detected in the analyses based on raw scores or theta estimates from the 2-PL or 3-PL models. Despite inconsistent significance test results across the four approaches, the mean differences in performance on the two item sets for each student subgroup showed a consistent trend-the mean difference in performance on the two items sets was greatest for EL students, followed by NEP students. For EP students, the difference in raw scores on the original and linguistically modified item set was very close to zero (less than 0.01 standard deviation units). The effect size, or magnitude of the difference in mean scores between the original item set and the linguistically modified item set for EL students, was 0.16 standard deviation units using a raw score metric and 0.17, 0.12, and 0.09 standard deviation units when the scores were derived using the 1-, 2-, and 3-PL models, respectively. Because there is no universal guideline for evaluating the practical importance of a standardized effect size estimate for an educational intervention, it also is useful to compare this estimate to another empirical benchmark that reflects changes in student academic achievement. A standardized difference of 0.17 based on the 1-PL model, for example, is more than half the magnitude of growth in achievement that might be expected from one full year of schooling (.32), as measured by a standardized test (Hill et al. 2008).
Summary of the Study / Abstract This study examined the effect of linguistic modification on middle school students' ability to show what they know and can do on math assessments. To do so, two item sets with 25 multiple-choice items each were developed, one containing original math items and one containing these items with linguistic modifications. Items were selected from two content strands: (1) measurement and (2) number sense and operations. Efforts were made to ensure that both sets of math test items met stringent guidelines for grade and population appropriateness, content rigor, and standardized administration. In developing the two item sets, researchers solicited input from experts and collected data through cognitive interviews and pilot testing.
Interpretation of Results / Discussion In summary, findings from this study suggest that: (1) EL, NEP, and EP differences in the effect of linguistic modification across 25 items measuring math understanding varied, depending on the scoring approach; (2) for each student subgroup, the mean difference in performance on the two item sets was greatest for EL students, followed by NEP students; (3) as implemented in the current study, linguistic modification did not alter the targeted math construct assessed; and (4) for all three student subgroups, one dominant factor (math understanding) was found to underlie both item sets; however, the measurement structure between the underlying factor and the items differed across student subgroups. These findings support future research focused on in-depth item-level analyses. Targeted research in that direction may lead to better understanding of the ways in which item and content characteristics interact with linguistic modification strategies and of possible explanations for the inconsistencies in findings across approaches that emerged in this study.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#407. Added May 9, 2012 Updated May 22, 2012 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Access to Algebra I: The Effects of Online Mathematics for Grade 8 Students
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Jessica Heppen jheppen@air.org
Start Date:	September 1, 2007	End Date:	December 1, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	REL - Northeast & Islands
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/northeast/pdf/REL_20124021.pdf
Published Report Citation: Heppen, J.B., Walters, K., Clements, M., Faria, A., Tobey, C., Sorensen, N., and Culp, K. (2012). Access to Algebra I: The Effects of Online Mathematics for Grade 8 Students. (NCEE 2012-4021). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting Schools in Maine and Vermont that did not typically offer a full section of Algebra I to grade 8 students as of the 2007/08 school year were eligible for the study. Initial recruitment-including determination of eligibility and interest in participation-focused on all public schools in Maine that serve grade 8 students (a total of 224 schools as of fall 2007). Later recruitment focused on approximately 40 schools in Vermont that state administrators and local educators thought would be most likely to be eligible. A total of 68 schools were eligible, agreed to participate in the study, and met the study's requirement to identify their AR students before the schools were randomly assigned to condition. Most of these schools-61out of 68-were classified as rural schools by the Common Core of Data, maintained by the National Center for Education Statistics (http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/). In 76% of the schools, the grade span served was either pre-K-8 or K-8. As of the 2007/08 school year, grade 8 enrollments ranged from fewer than 4 students to nearly 150 students; the average was 32 students. At the beginning of the 2008/09 academic year, 445 students had been identified the prior spring by their schools as AR, with an average of 6.5 AR students per school.
Intervention Algebra ready students in grade 8 were given an online Algebra I course. Class.com classes contain many of the same instructional components as a traditional face-to-face class, including defined learning objectives, curriculum materials, assignments, problem sets, quizzes and tests, and grades. The online Algebra I course used in this study provides a structure and a schedule of requirements throughout the school year. Like traditional courses, courses are structured into major topic units and individual lessons within units. Students are expected to follow a schedule in completing each lesson and to be prepared for quizzes and tests as scheduled.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information By mid-June 2008, 71 schools in Maine and Vermont signed memoranda of understanding indicating their interest in participating in the study. Among the schools that agreed to participate, three schools withdrew from the study before or after random assignment. Reasons for withdrawal included lack of identification of AR students before random assignment and principal turnover. Following these exclusions, 68 eligible schools were randomly assigned to a condition and participated in the study. The 68 schools that were randomly assigned are spread across Maine and Vermont. Sixty-two are rural schools, as defined by the Common Core of Data. As of the 2007/08 school year, grade 8 enrollments ranged from fewer than 4 to nearly 150 students, with an average enrollment of 32 students. Fifty-two schools (76%) served grades pre-K-8 or K-8; 10 schools (14%) served middle grades (grades 5-8, 6-8, or 7-8); and the remaining six schools serve other grade spans including K-12, 7-12, and 3-8.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The analyses for this study compare outcomes for students in treatment schools with their counterparts in control schools at the end of grade 8 (spring 2009) and, for AR students only, at the end of grade 9 (spring 2010). All analyses of outcomes at the end of grade 8 were conducted separately for the AR and N-AR student samples; AR student outcomes were never compared with N-AR student outcomes. Analyses of the algebra and general mathematics posttests used hierarchical linear modeling (Raudenbush and Bryk 2002), accounting for the nesting of students within schools and controlling for student- and school-level covariates. Results are reported both in their original metric and as effect sizes. The analyses of coursetaking sequences used hierarchical generalized linear models that assume a Bernoulli sampling distribution and logit link function (Raudenbush and Bryk 2002; McCullagh and Nelder 1998). These models, appropriate for use with binary outcomes, accounted for nesting of students within schools and included the same student- and school-level covariates as the models used for the achievement outcome measures.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The counterfactual in the study was the "business as usual" grade 8 mathematics class taught in the control schools.
Data Analytic Strategy For the primary analyses, intervention success is achieved if a positive impact on either of the two primary outcomes is detected (criterion 1). For this analysis, an adjustment was applied to account for multiple comparisons. Specifically, to maintain the probability of falsely detecting a statistically significant result (p < .05) if there were no true impact on either of the two primary outcomes, the study team adjusted the statistical significance level for each of the two primary outcomes to 2.5% (Bonferroni correction). For primary analyses in this report, statistical significance is denoted in the tables by an asterisk when the p-value of the impact estimate is less than or equal to 0.025. Minimum detectable effect sizes were calculated based on Bloom (2005, equation 8). As the intervention was designed to have a direct effect on students' mathematics knowledge and skills and a minimum detectable effect size of 0.25 is considered necessary for an intervention effect to have "educational significance" (Bloom et al. 2008), the study team established a target effect size for the analysis of impact of the intervention on AR students of 0.25
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes Access to online Algebra I in grade 8 had a positive impact on AR students' algebra achievement at the end of grade 8. AR students in treatment schools outperformed those in control schools by approximately 5.5 scale score points (model-adjusted mean scores were 447.17 for the treatment group and 441.64 for the control group; p = 0.001; effect size = 0.39). Access to online Algebra I in grade 8 had a positive impact on AR students' high school coursetaking: AR students from treatment schools were significantly more likely to follow an advanced course sequence in high school than their peers from control schools. The average (model-predicted) probability of participating in an advanced course sequence was 0.51 for AR students from treatment schools and 0.26 for AR students from control schools-a difference of 0.25 (p = 0.007). These results mean that AR students from treatment schools were twice as likely to participate in an advanced course sequence than AR students from control schools.
Secondary Outcomes AR students' general mathematics achievement at the end of grade 8 did not appear to be affected by the online Algebra I course. Model-adjusted mean scores were 361.42 for the treatment group and 357.82 for the control group (p = 0.204; effect size = 0.14). N-AR students did not appear to be affected by their schools' adoption of the online Algebra I course (offered to their AR peers) on any of the measured outcomes (algebra posttest: p = 0.443, effect size = 0.06; general mathematics posttest: p = 0.789, effect size = 0.02; planned grade 9 coursetaking: p = .099, difference in predicted probability = 0.10, in favor of students from treatment schools).
Summary of the Study / Abstract The primary goal of the study was to measure the effects of offering an online Algebra I course to algebra-ready (AR) students in grade 8 in schools that do not typically offer the course. The primary research questions asked whether access to online Algebra I improves AR students' knowledge of algebra in the short term and whether it opens doors to more advanced mathematics course sequences in the longer term. What is the impact of offering an online Algebra I course to AR students on their algebra achievement at the end of grade 8? How does offering an online Algebra I course to AR students affect their likelihood of participating in an advanced course sequence in high school?
Interpretation of Results / Discussion The study demonstrates that an online course as implemented is more effective in promoting students' success in mathematics than existing practices in these schools. Limitations: It is not clear whether the study schools represent small rural schools located in other parts of the region or country or the extent to which the results observed in these schools generalize to other schools interested in using online courses to expand access to Algebra I to grade 8 students. Although the consent rates and response rates were high (above 95% in the AR sample and above 85% in the N-AR sample), they were not 100%. Multiple imputation was used to adjust for any bias nonresponse might introduce, but it is not impossible that bias was nonetheless present. The online course chosen, Class.com's Algebra I course, is similar in content and focus to the offerings of other providers. However, it is not clear that similar results would have been observed had another course provider been chosen. Moreover, the results observed in this study cannot necessarily be generalized to more recently developed online courses.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#408. Added May 10, 2012 Updated May 22, 2012 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Effectiveness of a Program to Accelerate Vocabulary Development in Kindergarten (VOCAB): First Grade Follow-up Impact Report and Exploratory Analyses of Kindergarten Impacts
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Barbara Goodson barbara_goodson@abtassoc.com
Start Date:	January 1, 2008	End Date:	December 1, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL southeast
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/southeast/pdf/REL_20124009.pdf
Published Report Citation: Goodson, B., Wolf, A., Bell, S., Turner, H., & Finney, P. B. (2011). Effectiveness of a Program to Accelerate Vocabulary Development in Kindergarten (VOCAB): First Grade Follow-up Impact Report and Exploratory Analyses of Kindergarten Impacts (NCEE 2012-4009). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting The study took place in a rural area of the Mississippi Delta and in surrounding areas with similar characteristics, including high rates of poverty, low student achievement, and predominantly rural and African American communities (see map in appendix D). The target population for the study was all elementary schools in the Mississippi Delta region with at least two kindergarten classes. The Delta Revitalization Act of 2006 identified the counties that comprise the Mississippi Delta region.
Intervention K-PAVE is a recently developed program to promote students' knowledge of vocabulary through multiple pathways, including explicit and embedded instruction of a set of target vocabulary words and incidental exposure to other, novel vocabulary words. The program is designed to train teachers to use enhanced vocabulary instructional practices regularly and systematically. It is a modification of the original preschool PAVE program (Schwanenflugel, Hamilton, Neuharth-Pritchett, Restrepo, Bradley, and Webb 2010), which was designed to enhance early literacy skills in preschool children. K-PAVE was implemented as a 24-week supplement to the regular kindergarten classroom literacy instruction. Teachers were given broad latitude to choose how to integrate KPAVE into their classroom instruction, including conducting K-PAVE activities in multiple curriculum areas across the classroom day and week.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School, Kindergarten Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information In the Delta region at the time of recruitment, there were 32 school districts in high-poverty communities, with 74 schools that had at least 2 kindergarten classrooms. To ensure that a sample of at least 60 schools could be obtained (the sample size goal based on power calculations), we expanded the sampling frame to include schools from districts contiguous and sharing demographic characteristics with the Mississippi Delta region. After including schools from districts neighboring the Delta, the sampling universe comprised 44 school districts with 94 schools that met the eligibility criteria. All kindergarten classes in targeted schools were full-day programs. The characteristics of the final sample of schools in the Delta and those in the surrounding area did not differ significantly on any measured characteristics except that schools in the Delta had a higher percentage of African American students (median = 97%), on average, than schools in the surrounding region (median = 84%; t = -2.28, p = .03). The final sample included 65 schools, including the 33 schools with complete written consent as of July, 24, 2008, and the 32 schools that had complete written consent as of August 7, 2008. The sample included 31 intervention and 34 control schools. 1,132 students (87.3%) in the kindergarten sample were assessed at follow-up in grade 1, including 69% of the students in the kindergarten analytic sample who moved to grade 1 but remained in the same school, 14% of students in the kindergarten sample who moved to grade 1 in other schools in the study sample, and 4% of students in the kindergarten analytic sample who were retained in kindergarten in a study school. The remaining 13% of the kindergarten sample moved out of state, moved to nonstudy schools in the state, or were absent at follow-up. Student attrition was 12.4% in the intervention group and 12.9% in the control group. There was no statistically significant difference in these attrition rates.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Estimating overall impacts of K-PAVE on students. To address each of the confirmatory research questions about the impacts of K-PAVE on all students, we estimated a three-level hierarchical linear model, with school, classroom, and student levels.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control teachers continued with the regular classroom programming
Data Analytic Strategy In determining whether there is an intervention impact on an outcome, there is some chance that the null hypothesis of no impact is rejected even if there is no true impact (that is, some chance of making a Type I error). To limit the likelihood of false positives to an acceptable level, we set the criterion for rejecting the null hypothesis to p = .05 for a single hypothesis test, thereby limiting the probability of a false positive to .05. A a p < .025 criterion was used when testing for an impact of K-PAVE on each of the two secondary outcomes at the end of grade 1. minimum detectable effect sizes at the end of grade 1 were 0.18 for expressive vocabulary, 0.21 for academic knowledge, and 0.27 for passage comprehension.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes The study did not find any statistically significant impacts of K-PAVE at the end of grade 1 on expressive vocabulary, academic knowledge, or passage comprehension. It did not find a statistically significant difference in the estimated impact of K-PAVE on girls and boys on any student outcomes measured in kindergarten or grade 1. no statistically significant difference was found in the average impact of K-PAVE on students with and without low pretest scores on any student outcomes measured in kindergarten or grade 1.
Secondary Outcomes There was a statistically significant difference in the impact of K-PAVE between Reading First and non-Reading First schools on one outcome-academic knowledge measured at the end of kindergarten. The average impact of K-PAVE for students in Reading First schools was 3.8 points lower than for students in non-Reading First schools (t = 3.08, p = .002), a difference of 0.28 standard deviation (the 95% confidence interval around the impact estimate was -7.6 to -0.04 points). In non-Reading First schools, there was a positive and statistically significant impact of K-PAVE on kindergarten students' academic knowledge, with an effect size of 0.22). In Reading First schools, the impact of K-PAVE on kindergarten academic knowledge was not statistically significant. This exploratory analysis suggests that the impact of K-PAVE on academic knowledge is different in non-Reading First and Reading First schools (no impact). There was no statistically significant difference in the impact of K-PAVE in Reading First and non-Reading First schools for other outcomes measured at the end of kindergarten or for any outcomes measured at the end of grade 1.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This study tested the impact of a vocabulary instruction program on students' expressive vocabulary when used by kindergarten teachers in the Mississippi Delta area as a supplement to their regular instructional program. The study examined whether the intervention had impacts on students at the end of kindergarten and whether the impacts were sustained in grade 1, in the absence of additional intervention. Previous research on the program showed that a preschool version of the curriculum was associated with greater student vocabulary acquisition but did not use methods that could establish causal relationships.
Interpretation of Results / Discussion The results apply only to implementation of K-PAVE for one year at the kindergarten level, implemented by teachers who are in their first year of implementation of the program. The findings are not generalizable beyond the Mississippi Delta and surrounding counties.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#409. Added May 10, 2012 Updated May 22, 2012 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Impact of the Thinking Reader Software Program on Grade 6 Reading Vocabulary, Comprehension, Strategies, and Motivation: Final Report
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Kathryn Drummond kathryn.drummond@gmail.com
Start Date:	September 1, 2007	End Date:	April 1, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL northeast and islands
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/northeast/pdf/REL_20104035.pdf
Published Report Citation: Drummond, K., Chinen, M., Duncan, T.G., Miller, H.R., Fryer, L., Zmach, C., & Culp, K. (2011). Impact of the Thinking Reader� software program on grade 6 reading vocabulary, comprehension, strategies, and motivation (NCEE 2010-4035). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting High-need schools were targeted for the study because of the link between high economic need and low reading achievement (National Center for Education Statistics, 2009a). Recruitment was limited to schools with more than 33% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (highpoverty schools). A total of 92 teachers participated from 32 elementary and middle schools in 16 districts in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. With a sample size of 2,407 students and assumptions about the correlation between pretest and posttest scores, the study has the statistical power to detect an effect size of 0.19-0.24 standard deviations.
Intervention Students using Thinking Reader read novels on computers and respond to prompts that support a range of strategies for understanding text. Users can choose from nine novels with a range of difficulty appropriate for middle school readers. The program was designed to embody reciprocal teaching (Brown & Palincsar, 1985; Palincsar, 1982; Palincsar & Brown, 1984), part of a pedagogical approach for explicitly teaching students cognitive strategies to help them understand text. Reciprocal teaching guides students in applying four concrete strategies for comprehending text-summarizing, questioning, clarifying, and predicting. In summarizing, students explain important information from a piece of text. Questioning involves querying a concept in the text to identify key information. Clarifying teaches students to question concepts or words that are unclear. Predicting involves using what is known from the story to hypothesize what will happen next. Intervention teachers received three Thinking Reader digital novels to read with their students during the 2008-09 academic year. Teachers were asked to participate in professional development (two, 6-hour group sessions and three individual coaching sessions totaling 7.5-8.5 hours) to learn the software and how to use the three-phase instructional routine. They were asked to incorporate Thinking Reader into their regular English language arts or reading instruction, which was to last 110-165 minutes a week during the time a novel was being covered. Each novel was to take 4-6 weeks to complete, with two additional class sessions for a culminating activity.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Middle School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The target population for this study was Grade 6 teachers and students in high-need schools in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island that had two or more reading/English language arts teachers in Grade 6 during the 2008-09 school year. Grade 6 was selected because the transition from elementary to middle school is the time when reading for content-area comprehension becomes increasingly important for academic success. Eligible schools had to have the technology to implement the intervention in a whole-group setting, with a computer for each student. With a sample size of 2,407 students and assumptions about the correlation between pretest and posttest scores, the study has the statistical power to detect an effect size of 0.19-0.24 standard deviations.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The final analysis included 90 teachers and a minimum of 2,140 students (89% of the overall baseline sample, 90% of the intervention group, and 88% of the control group). A three-level model of students nested within teachers nested within schools was used to estimate impact. To improve the precision of impact estimates, covariates at Level 1 included students' pretest scores, English language learner status, and special education status; at Level 2 included teacher education and years of teaching experience; and at Level 3 included school poverty and school size. The analysis also explored whether the intervention effect varied for each outcome or was homogeneous across schools. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to test the robustness of the results under different scenarios.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Control teachers used each school's regular curriculum (business as usual). Students in these classrooms engaged in their usual reading/English language arts curriculum and instructional program (e.g., reading short stories, newspaper and magazine articles, and novels).
Data Analytic Strategy With a sample size of 2,407 students and assumptions about the correlation between pretest and posttest scores, the study has the statistical power to detect an effect size of 0.19-0.24 standard deviations.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes The impact results for the primary research questions indicate that Thinking Reader was no more effective than business as usual in improving students' reading vocabulary (effect size of -0.04) or reading comprehension (effect size of 0.03). Results for the ancillary research questions indicate that Thinking Reader was also no more effective than business as usual in improving students' use of reading comprehension strategies (effect size of 0.03) or their motivation to read (effect size of -0.03). None of these results are statistically significant. Sensitivity analyses found no changes in the direction or magnitude of the intervention effects. The data from the classroom observations-conducted twice for each classroom in a subset of classrooms-showed statistically significant differences between the intervention and control conditions on 47 of 57 measured classroom variables, indicating a contrast in the nature of instruction between the intervention and control groups during observations.
Secondary Outcomes The multilevel results revealed that the Thinking Reader program had no statistically significant effects on any of the subgroups formed from baseline scores. In other words, these results confirmed the impact findings. Exploratory findings suggest that there is no strong evidence supporting the hypotheses that the Thinking Reader program might have differential impact effects on students from different achievement and motivation to read subgroups. Eleven out of 12 interactions tested across the four exploratory research questions were not statistically significant. For the reading comprehension outcome, we found one statistically significant interaction (5.77, p =.03). This interaction resulted from the fact that in the lowest tertile, intervention students performed 2.15 points higher than control students while in the middle tertile, control students outperformed intervention students by 3.61 points.
Summary of the Study / Abstract What is the effect of Thinking Reader on students' reading vocabulary? What is the effect of Thinking Reader on students' reading comprehension? What is the effect of Thinking Reader on students' use of reading comprehension strategies? What is the effect of Thinking Reader on students' motivation to read?
Interpretation of Results / Discussion This study was the first randomized controlled trial of Thinking Reader. The study maintained the integrity of the randomization throughout. The lack of statistically significant positive effects contrasts with the findings of a quasi-experimental study by Dalton et al. (2002). The intent-to-treat analytical approach, which analyzes participants on the basis of how they are randomly assigned, yielded unbiased estimates of program effectiveness as implemented. Program impactshould be interpreted as the effect of being assigned to the intervention condition, not necessarily of actually receiving the intervention (Shadish, Cook, & Campbell, 2002). Implementation data show that actual take up of the intervention in the way the developer intended was low. The fact that dosage and usage varied from the developers' recommendations reflects the choices that practitioners make and the challenges they face when implementing an instructional program. The study is limited in that it was not designed to collect more in-depth information on implementation.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#410. Added May 10, 2012 Updated May 22, 2012 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	The Impact of Collaborative Strategic Reading on the Reading Comprehension of Grade 5 Students in Linguistically Diverse Schools
Principal Investigator:	Dr. John Hitchcock jhhitchc@indiana.edu
Start Date:	August 1, 2007	End Date:	March 31, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL Southwest
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/southwest/pdf/REL_20114001.pdf
Published Report Citation: Hitchcock, J., Dimino, J., Kurki, A., Wilkins, C., and Gersten, R. (2010). The Impact of Collaborative Strategic Reading on the Reading Comprehension of Grade 5 Students in Linguistically Diverse Schools. (NCEE 2011-4001). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting Recruitment for the study focused on large urban and suburban districts that serve large numbers of ELL students (25 percent or more) in the Southwest Region. Districts serving large numbers of ELL students were targeted to obtain linguistically diverse schools to address the confirmatory research question and a large enough sample of ELL students to address the exploratory research questions. The final analytic sample included 74 classrooms (37 CSR, 37 control) across 26 schools and 5 districts in Oklahoma and Texas. Parent permission was required for students to participate in data collection for this study, and the final analytic sample included 1,355 students (681 CSR, 674 control).
Intervention Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR) is a set of instructional strategies designed to improve the reading comprehension of students with diverse abilities (Klingner and Vaughn 1996). Teachers implement CSR at the classroom level using scaffolded instruction to guide students in the independent use of four comprehension strategies; students apply the strategies to informational text while working in small cooperative learning groups. The goals are to improve reading comprehension and conceptual learning so that academic performance also improves. Because CSR involves changes to teachers' instructional practices, regardless of subject matter, it can be used with a variety of curricula and in a variety of settings. In this study a CSR codeveloper, Dr. Joseph Dimino, provided an initial two-day training session to teachers; teachers then delivered CSR to students in the classroom. Dr. Dimino also trained coaches, who provided four follow-up coaching sessions to the teachers throughout the year. CSR training included theoretical foundations of CSR strategies, CSR comprehension strategies, strategies for efficiently integrating CSR into social studies lessons, and logistical issues (forming small groups, behavior management, and paperwork).
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information At pretest 1,337 students were testable with parent consent (692 CSR and 645 control). 1,280 of these students were tested (659 CSR and 621 control); this corresponds to a response rate of 95.2 percent CSR students, and 96.3 percent of control students. At posttest 1,255 were testable with parent consent (633 CSR and 622 control). 1,203 of these students were tested (606 CSR and 597 control); this corresponds to a response rate of 95.7 percent CSR students, and 96.0 percent of control students. (Additional response rate data are presented in appendix H.) The final analytic sample includes students for whom multiple imputation results were used to adjust for data missing at either pretest or posttest. The total number of students in the final analytic sample was 1,355 students (681 CSR and 674 control).
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study is a multidistrict cluster RCT designed to evaluate the effect of CSR on reading comprehension in five school districts in Oklahoma and Texas. The final analytic sample used for the analysis of confirmatory impact included 1,355 students at 26 schools. Students' baseline reading comprehension was evaluated using the GRADE.10 An alternate form of the GRADE was used as an outcome measure to evaluate reading comprehension at the end of the study. Measures used to assess fidelity of implementation included fall and spring teacher surveys and the Collaborative Strategic Reading Intervention Validity Checklist (CSRIVC), an observational checklist. A subscale of the Expository Reading Comprehension (ERC) observation instrument, another observational checklist, was used to examine instructional practices in control classrooms. The impact of CSR on student reading comprehension was evaluated using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) (Raudenbush and Bryk 2002).11 Because the random assignment of classrooms to treatment or control condition was done within schools, school-specific impact estimates were obtained and aggregated to provide the overall impact estimate. Missing data were dealt with using multiple imputation.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control group conducted business as usual.
Data Analytic Strategy Based on previous literature syntheses, information from the What Works Clearinghouse, feedback from the study's technical working group members (a group with considerable experience with randomized controlled trials), and other experts in the field, it appeared that an effect size of 0.20 was appropriate for the primary confirmatory hypotheses in this study of Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR). Given that the Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation (GRADE) is a nationally normed test in which scaled scores are normally distributed with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15, an effect size of 0.20 corresponds to a scaled score difference of 3 points on the GRADE.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes The primary finding of this study is that CSR did not have a statistically significant impact on student reading comprehension. Nine sensitivity analyses-including alternative statistical approaches, an alternative approach for handling missing data, and different sample specifications-showed that the findings were robust to different analytic approaches. Three exploratory analyses were also conducted to examine the effects of CSR on FC-ELL and non-ELL students. Statistically significant effects on student reading comprehension were not identified for either subgroup, and no statistically significant differential impacts were identified.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This study focused on the following confirmatory research question: • In linguistically diverse schools, do grade 5 students in CSR classrooms have higher average reading comprehension posttest scores on the Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation (GRADE) than students in control classrooms? In addition, the study examined three exploratory research questions about CSR's effect on two subgroups of students: • Do grade 5 former and current ELL (FC-ELL) students in CSR classrooms have higher average reading comprehension posttest scores on the GRADE than FC-ELL students in control classrooms? • Do grade 5 non-ELL students in CSR classrooms have higher average reading comprehension posttest scores on the GRADE than non-ELL students in control classrooms? • Does CSR have a differential impact on GRADE reading comprehension posttest scores for grade 5 FC-ELL and non-ELL students? The intent of these exploratory analyses was to examine whether there is an effect for each subgroup separately, as well as whether there is a differential effect between the subgroups.
Interpretation of Results / Discussion This study used a convenience sample of volunteer schools. Its findings apply only to schools in the study sample. A second limitation is that language status for participating students was limited to FC-ELL or non-ELL identification because other language status data-such as level of English proficiency, first language, or any specific ELL programs in which students participated-were not collected. Further limitations are that procedural fidelity was assessed based on a single observation, and that the procedural fidelity instrument used measures whether CSR activities were observed but not how well teachers or students implement the procedures. The impacts observed in this study for varied CSR implementation by study teachers within the schools were not statistically significant. Future research might focus on methods for enhancing CSR implementation within classrooms to determine whether impacts would be larger and statistically significant due to greater fidelity. In addition, future investigations could also consider using more intensive training and/or coaching delivery and investigating CSR impact at different grade levels and in different subject areas.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#411. Added May 11, 2012 Updated May 22, 2012 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Impact on Elementary School Mathematics in the Central Region: Final Report
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Bruce Randel brandel@mcrel.org
Start Date:	November 1, 2007	End Date:	April 1, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - REL Central
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/central/pdf/REL_20114005.pdf
Published Report Citation: Randel, B., Beesley, A. D., Apthorp, H., Clark, T.F., Wang, X., Cicchinelli, L. F., & Williams, J. M. (2011). Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: The impact on elementary school mathematics in the Central Region. (NCEE 2011-4005). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Study Setting The target population for this study consisted of public schools in Colorado of sufficient size to have at least one teacher in grade 4 and one teacher in grade 5. Fifty-five of Colorado's 178 school districts had at least six total schools (elementary, middle, and high).
Intervention REL Central provided schools in the intervention group with the complete set of CASL professional development materials at the beginning of the study (November 2007), including a facilitation handbook (Chappuis 2007), CASL textbooks (Stiggins et al. 2004) for every participating teacher, DVD sets, and ancillary books. Teachers in the intervention group also participated in an introductory videoconference with CASL author Richard Stiggins and had access to a facilitator who had attended a training workshop conducted by the CASL developers. The CASL program is designed to be self-executing, without a coach or external facilitator. The handbook provides guidance and developer recommendations for implementing the program (Chappuis 2007). The developers recommended implementing CASL using teacher learning teams, in which teachers meet regularly to discuss and reflect on the content of the program provided in the textbook and DVDs and share their experiences applying the program practices and principles in their classrooms. Teachers in the intervention group implemented CASL naturally, without any involvement of, or requirements from, the research team. Intervention teachers studied the CASL materials and applied the CASL principles, practices, and tools in their classrooms during the 2007/08 school year (the CASL training year). During the 2008/09 school year (the CASL implementation year), intervention teachers implemented the CASL program in their classrooms for one full school year after completing the training year.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: Elementary School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Sixty-seven schools from 32 districts in Colorado participated in the study. These schools were not specifically selected using any sampling methodology; rather, they volunteered to participate in the study. This voluntary sample differed from all eligible Colorado elementary schools on a variety of demographic characteristics, such as percentage of students eligible for free or reduced price lunch and ethnic makeup of the student body. As such, the sample for this study does not represent the population of Colorado elementary schools or any other broader population of schools.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A two-level model in which students were nested within schools was used to estimate the impact of CASL on student mathematics achievement. Classroom-level teacher effects were not included in the analysis of student achievement for several reasons. First, the intervention was implemented over the course of two years, so students were exposed to two teachers over the course of the study. Students, therefore, were not nested in the same classroom during the CASL training year and the CASL implementation year. Second, the student achievement data did not include information linking students to teachers or any information identifying students (other than an encrypted identification number), so grouping students by classroom was not possible. Although the data for this study could be conceived as containing three levels-students nested in classrooms and classrooms nested in schools-not including the intermediate level likely has little consequence for estimation of the impact of CASL. First, the variance components at the intermediate level (in this case, classrooms) is not lost but is distributed over the lower and upper levels (Moerbeek 2004). In addition, not including the intermediate level does not have an effect on statistical power if the variable of interest is at the top level (Moerbeek 2004), as in the case of the analytic models used in this study. Finally, simulation studies have found that clustering within intermediate units has little effect on Type I error (Murray, Hannan, and Baker 1996).
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers in the control group conducted their regular professional development activities.
Data Analytic Strategy Sixty-seven schools from 32 districts agreed to participate in the study. The study sample of elementary schools represented 6.83 percent of all eligible elementary schools in Colorado. Results of statistical power analyses estimated that 67 schools would provide sufficient power (greater than .80) to detect impacts of 0.25 standard deviation on student mathematics achievement.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes Average student mathematics achievement as measured by the mathematics portion of the CSAP did not differ by a statistically significant margin between the intervention group (adjusted mean = 502.49, standard error = 2.53) and control group schools (adjusted mean = 501.91, standard error = 2.44) on the CSAP scale score metric. Follow-up exploratory analyses found that CASL did not have a statistically significant impact on either grade 4 or grade 5 adjusted mean mathematics achievement. At grade 4, the intervention group students' average score was 494.19 (standard error = 3.06) and the control group students' average score was 488.60 (standard error = 2.95), and at grade 5, the intervention group students' average score was 510.13 (standard error = 2.88) and the control group students' average score was 514.68 (standard error = 2.75). Intervention and control schools did not differ at a statistically significant level on the extent to which students were motivated to learn mathematics. For Wave 3 (May 2008), the intervention group students' average rating was 3.29 (standard error = 0.02) and the control group students' average rating was 3.28 (standard error = 0.02) on the survey's 4-point scale where 1 = "not at all true" and 4 = "very true." For the Wave 5 (posttest) motivation outcome, intervention students' average rating was 3.33 (standard error = 0.02) and control students' average rating was 3.32 (standard error = 0.02).
Secondary Outcomes In terms of teacher outcomes, CASL had a statistically significant impact (p = .01) on intervention teachers' knowledge of classroom assessment: intervention teachers answered an average of 41.36 items correctly (standard error = 0.76) on the 60-item test as compared to an average of 38.58 items (standard error = 0.60), a difference of 2.78 items or 0.42 standard deviation. Teachers from the intervention and control schools were similar in the quality of their classroom assessment practices and the extent to which they involved their students in formative assessment; no statistically significant impacts were found on these two intermediate outcomes. For classroom assessment practice, intervention teachers were given an average rating of 1.61 (standard error = 0.05) on the rubric scale where 1 represented low quality and 4 represented high quality, as compared to the control group teachers' average rating of 1.60 (standard error 0.04). For student involvement in formative assessment, intervention teachers' average response on the survey was .39 (standard error = 0.02) whereas the control teachers' average response was .34 (standard error = 0.02) where 1.00 represents students involved in formative assessment activities for 100 percent of the instructional days during the identified two-week instructional period and 0.00 represents no student involvement.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This study examines the impact of CASL on the primary outcome of student achievement in mathematics. Although the intervention is applicable to all content areas, mathematics was chosen in view of the regional needs identified through REL Central's need-sensing process. In addition, the focus on this single content area was intended to reduce the data collection burden on participants and to prevent the intervention's impact from being dispersed across multiple content areas or focused on different content areas in different schools. Student mathematics achievement was measured by the statewide test administered under the NCLB Act; as a result, the impact estimate provides information about whether or not the intervention is effective in helping schools meet the goals of the NCLB Act. The research team developed a theory of action to guide the design of the study and the development of research questions. This theory of action hypothesizes that teacher participation in CASL leads to increases in teacher knowledge of classroom assessment practices and principles, improvements in the quality of classroom assessment practice, and increases in the extent to which students are involved in classroom assessment. According to the theory of action, improvements in these three proximal outcomes lead to improved student motivation to learn and, in turn, to improved student achievement. The primary research question for this study was: Does CASL have a significant impact on student mathematics achievement?
Interpretation of Results / Discussion Results from this study generalize only to implementation of CASL with similar degrees of intensity at both the school level (e.g., number of learning team meetings) and at the teacher level (number of chapters read and average number of total hours spent on CASL program activities). Results from this study do not generalize to formative assessment practices in general. Study results also only generalize to the voluntary sample included in the study and to student grade 4 and 5 mathematics achievement as measured by the Colorado statewide achievement test. Although attrition was not an issue for the student achievement outcome, the attrition and nonresponse for the student motivation outcome and the teacher outcomes, however, exceeded levels considered acceptable. The multiple imputation method used to impute missing data for the teacher outcomes resulted in a teacher impact analysis with levels of attrition expected to result in an acceptable level of bias. It should be pointed out that it is not correct to interpret impact estimates that were not statistically significant as evidence of no impact. Rather, these estimates failed to provide any evidence of an impact.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#412. Added May 11, 2012 Updated May 22, 2012 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Effects of Problem Based Economics on High School Economics Instruction
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Neal Finkelstein nfinkel@wested.org
Start Date:	September 1, 2007	End Date:	June 1, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	IES REL - West
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/west/pdf/REL_20104012.pdf
Published Report Citation: Finkelstein, N., Hanson, T., Huang, C.-W., Hirschman, B., and Huang, M. (2010). Effects of Problem Based Economics on high school economics instruction. (NCEE 2010-4002). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. This report is available on the Institute of Education Sciences
Study Setting Recruitment began in January 2007 with the development of a plan for reaching economics teachers and social studies department chairs in Arizona and California.
Intervention The intervention for this study was a specific set of Problem Based Economics curricular materials provided to intervention group teachers within a professional development and ongoing support program. The teachers used the Problem Based Economics materials as a major portion of their instructional program in their high school economics classes in the 2007/08 academic year. The curriculum includes space for group discussion, individual work, group tasks, presentations, and end-of-unit assessments, and stresses six core skill sets: • Managing oneself as an individual: through student and class-based problem logs • Working as a contributing team member: large and small group work • Communicating effectively using a variety of methods and technologies: graphs, fliers, presentations, debates, and memos • Gathering and evaluating data: reading, analyzing, and responding to data and reports • Making reasoned decisions: making and defending choices • Understanding interrelationships within school, workplace, and community systems: looking across constituency groups. The five-day professional development workshop provided to the intervention group familiarized teachers with the curriculum modules, using pedagogical strategies consistent with problem-based instruction.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Not Applicable Student Level(s) of Education: High School Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information Among the 83 remaining teachers, 77 (39 intervention and 38 control) provided student-level test data in the fall 2007 semester, and 6 did not (see figure 2.2). In spring 2008, 64 teachers (35 intervention and 29 control) returned student-level test score data, and 12 control teachers and 7 intervention teachers did not.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods At each level (student or teacher), two types of instruments were used in this study to collect data for analysis: knowledge test and attitudinal survey. Data were collected at two time points: before and after intervention. Impacts of Problem Based Economics were estimated by comparing outcomes for students and teachers who were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups. The impact analyses focused on the effect of the program on two primary student outcome domains (economics content knowledge and problem-solving skills) and three secondary teacher outcome domains (economics content knowledge, pedagogical practices, and satisfaction with teaching materials and methods). For student outcomes, the primary hypothesis-testing analyses involved fitting conditional multilevel regression models, with additional terms to account for the nesting of units within higher units of aggregation (Goldstein 1987; Raudenbush and Bryk 2002; Murray 1998). A random effect for teachers was included in the model to account for the nesting of student observations within teachers.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers in control schools participated in their regular annual professional development activities during the 2007/08 academic year and continued their usual instructional practices in economics classrooms.
Data Analytic Strategy Attrition and missing outcome data did not significantly affect the study's statistical power to detect the planned intervention contrast (see Appendix A). Compared with the estimated/predicted minimum detectable effect sizes (MDES) at the very early stage of data collection (0.18-0.21 in table 2.1), the MDES at the student level (based on the final analytic sample with non-missing posttest outcome data) was within that range at 0.18. At the teacher level, the estimated MDESs (0.38-0.46) based on the final analytic teacher sample with non-missing outcome data are even smaller than the predicted MDES (0.55) as shown in table 2.1. Note that the realized statistical power was equal to or greater than (student and teacher level estimates, respectively) that which was estimated in the planning stage of the study (see Table 2.1) despite there being fewer participating teachers and higher intraclass correlations than expected. This is because the covariates included in the impact analysis models accounted for greater proportions of variance than anticipated at the planning stage of the study.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes A statistically significant finding that students whose teachers had received professional development and support in Problem Based Economics (model-adjusted mean score = 22.61) outscored their control group peers (model-adjusted mean score = 20.01) on the TEL by an average of 2.6 test items (effect size = 0.32). The outcomes on student measures of problem-solving skills and application to real-world economic dilemmas also showed significant differences in favor of the intervention group (model-adjusted mean score for the intervention group was 6.72 versus 6.18 for the control group; the difference of 0.54 corresponded to an effect size of 0.27).
Secondary Outcomes No statistically significant difference between the intervention and control groups on teachers' knowledge of economics (model-adjusted means were 37.15 and 36.86 for the intervention and control group teachers, respectively). As discussed in the conclusions of the report, a ceiling effect on the Test of Economic Literacy instrument may have masked any true content gains for teachers. No statistically significant difference in teachers' pedagogical style with the survey measures used (model-adjusted means were 29.92 and 26.60 for the intervention and control group teachers, respectively). Statistically significant differences in favor of the intervention group teachers on a measure of satisfaction with the teaching materials and methods (model-adjusted means were 8.35 and 6.88 for the intervention and control group teachers, respectively; the difference of 1.47 corresponded to an effect size of 1.09).
Summary of the Study / Abstract The research questions asked whether Problem Based Economics changes: • Students' content knowledge in economics. • Students' problem-solving skills in economics. • Teachers' content knowledge in economics. • Teachers' instructional practices. • Teachers' satisfaction with teaching materials and methods used to teach economics.
Interpretation of Results / Discussion Since this study recruited a purposively targeted sample, these findings should only be generalized to teachers and schools where the economics program and the associated professional development are a priority. From the perspective of the students, since their participation in the study was voluntary (as was the case for the participating teachers), we cannot quantify whether students unwilling to participate in the economics tests would have performed differently than the study sample described in this report. Replication of this experiment is necessary to refine understanding of the impacts associated with the curriculum and the professional development model. Of particular note is that the intervention teachers had a higher level of satisfaction with the Problem Based Economics curriculum materials and methods than did the control teachers who used "ordinary" economics teaching materials and methods. Future study of this curriculum might emphasize the classroom observation component to get a clearer understanding of teachers' pedagogical strategies in varying classroom settings.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#413. Added September 24, 2012 Updated August 14, 2014 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Evaluation of the Correctional Education Association College of the Air (CEA/COA) Program
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Stephen Meyer Senior Research Associate meyer@rmcres.com
Start Date:	July 1, 2007	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	Institute for Education Sciences
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Meyer, S.J. & Randel, B. (2013). The impact of an associate's degree program for prison inmates: A randomized trial of the Correctional Education Association College of the Air program. Community College Review, 41(3), 223-248. Borden, C., Richardson, P., & Meyer, S. J. (2012). Establishing successful postsecondary academic programs: A practical guide. Journal of Correctional Education, 63(2), 6-26. Meyer, S. J. (2011). Factors affecting student success in postsecondary academic correctional education programs. Journal of Correctional Education, 62(2), 132-164. Meyer, S. J., Fredericks, L., Borden, C. M., & Richardson, P. L. (2010). Implementing postsecondary academic programs in state prisons: Challenges and opportunities. Journal of Correctional Education, 61(2), 148-183.
Study Setting 43 prisons in 5 U.S. States. In addition to the requirement that student tuition costs be paid with external grant funding, criteria for participation in the study required that students: (1) be between 18 and 35 years old; (2) have a release date between one and seven years; (3) have a high school diploma or equivalent; and (4) have no convictions for (a) a criminal offence against a victim who is a minor, (b) a sexually violent offence, or (c) murder
Intervention The CEA/COA program is provided through a partnership between the Correctional Education Association (CEA), a non-profit association serving educators who provide services to students in correctional settings, and Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC), a 2-year community-based technical college serving more than 56,000 students per year. During the 2010-2011 academic year, the CEA/COA program served students in over fifty institutions in 13 U.S. states. The program provides courses leading to an Associate of Arts degree for students in prison and was designed to include a series of courses equivalent to the general education/liberal arts and science requirements for freshmen and sophomores enrolled in a typical 4-year bachelor's degree program. All courses offer credit toward an Associate of Arts degree, with the exception of two developmental courses that were added to the curriculum in fall 2009, focused on: (1) algebra and, (2) skills to foster success in college. Completion of the full 66-credit sequence is expected to prepare students to enter a 4-year degree program with junior standing. The program is designed to: • Build skills and knowledge in the methods of idea analysis and synthesis necessary to develop and apply critical thinking techniques in the study of communications, humanities, fine arts, and social sciences; • Provide students with a well-rounded academic background including written and verbal communication skills; broad-based, problem-solving abilities; critical thinking; and knowledge of diverse cultures; • Provide a foundation for future study of law, education, business, social sciences, history, English, communications, or humanities; and • Offer an intermediate goal prior to completing a 4-year degree and prepare students to enter or advance in the workplace (Milwaukee Area Technical College, 2009).
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population Student Gender: Male Students, Female Students Student Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic or Latino, White, Black or African American Student Level(s) of Education: Adult/Continuing Education, Postsecondary Education Student Disability: Not Applicable
Additional Study Sample Information The final analytic sample included 1,088 students (512 treatment and 567 control) in 43 prisons in 5 states.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A cluster randomized design was used in which prisons in six states were randomly assigned to implement the Correctional Education Association College of the Air (CEA/COA) program or control programming. Attrition rates were calculated separately for each posttest outcome variable. All met WWC guidelines, but one which required establishing baseline equivalence and including pretest covariates.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Prisons assigned to the control condition were asked to provide alternative postsecondary academic programming and not to provide the CEA/COA program for the duration of the study
Data Analytic Strategy Impacts were estimated at the prison level, using a two-level, mixed-model approach to account for students nested within prisons. Impact estimation was conducted separately for each outcome. Effect sizes were computed. Power analysis was conducted at the design stage to justify the sample size.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Two primary outcomes were examined: critical thinking skills as measured by the Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) and college credit acquisition. In additional to examination of overall group differences, analyses were conducted to examine the influence of differences in program imple- mentation and student engagement on each outcome measure.
Intended Secondary Outcomes Four secondary outcomes were examined: educational aspirations, achievement motivation, personal development, and institutional climate.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Abstract This article reports findings from an impact study of a 2-year postsecondary academic program offered in state prisons. Outcomes examined for participants during their 1st year of participation include performance on a standardized test of critical thinking skills, credit acquisition, achievement motivation, educational aspirations, personal development, and institutional (prison) climate. A cluster randomized design was used in which prisons in six states were randomly assigned to implement the Correctional Education Association College of the Air (CEA/COA) program or control programming. Analyses show that students in the CEA/COA program had average critical thinking scores that were about three fourths of a point lower, as measured by the Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (effect size = -.14), and acquired on average approximately two fewer credits (effect size = -.43) than students from control sites after 1 year. There were no significant group differences associated with educational aspirations, achievement motivation, personal development, and institutional climate measures.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#414. Added November 3, 2012 Updated November 3, 2012 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	The Relative Effects and Equity of Inquiry-Based and Commonplace Science Teaching on Students' Knowledge, Reasoning, and Argumentation
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Christopher Wilson cwilson@bscs.org
Other Key Staff:	Joseph Taylor, Susan Kowalski, Janet Carlson
Start Date:	June 1, 2007	End Date:	June 1, 2009
Sponsoring Organization:	Office of Science Education: National Institutes of Health
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Published Report Citation: Wilson, C.D., Taylor, J.A., Kowalski, S.M., & Carlson, J. (2010). The relative effects and equity of inquiry-based and commonplace science teaching on students' knowledge, reasoning and argumentation. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 47(3), 276-301.
Study Setting The study was conducted at BSCS - a science education research organization. Students in each group participated in lessons in the BSCS classroom during the summer. Participants were aged 14-16.
Intervention The intervention was an inquiry-based science unit, which was compared to the same content taught using commonplace (non-inquiry-based) instruction. The intervention was delivered to each group by the same expert instructor.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information 60 students were recruited for the study and were randomly assigned as individuals. 2 students in the comparison group did not start the study, so 58 students took part (28 comparison, 30 treatment).
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Since existing class or school structure (nesting) was not a factor in this design, multi-level modeling was not necessary. Instead we used hierarchical, ordinary least squares regression to address the questions posed in this study.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Commonplace science instruction. This instruction was defined from national surveys of science teaching (see report for details).
Data Analytic Strategy Effect sizes were 0.47 for the primary outcome (general science achievement), 0.68 for the scientific reasoning outcome, and 0.58-0.74 for the argumentation outcome. All descriptive statistics are available in the report.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes The primary outcomes were student science achievement, scientific reasoning, and ability to engage in scientific argumentation. All analyses included 58 students (28 control, 30 treatment).
Secondary Outcomes Impacts on instruction were also evaluated, with both external observational measures and student report measures showing significant differences.
Summary of the Study / Abstract From the perspective of the evidence-based reform movement, the evidence for the effectiveness of inquiry-based materials and teaching to date can only be seen as inconclusive. In this study, we address this ambiguity by employing the methods of scientifically based research (Shavelson & Towne, 2002; Slavin, 2008). Specifically, we designed a study to examine the differences between the achievement of students who received instruction guided by an inquiry-based unit organized around the BSCS 5E Instructional Model and students who received instruction on the same content based on an instructional unit designed around commonplace teaching practices as defined by national surveys.
Interpretation of Results / Discussion Students in the inquiry-based group reached significantly higher levels of achievement than students experiencing commonplace instruction. This effect was consistent across a range of learning goals (knowledge, reasoning, and argumentation) and time frames (immediately following the instruction and 4 weeks later). The commonplace science instruction resulted in a detectable achievement gap by race, whereas the inquiry-based materials instruction did not. Limitations of this study include the small sample size (58 students) and the short length of the intervention (10 hours of instruction, 4 hours of testing), yet the fact that we found significant and consistent differences despite these limitations speaks to the strength of the effect. The laboratory-based randomized control design with a controlled teacher variable led to a study with high internal validity, but with the external validity being somewhat compromised by the lack of a random or stratified sample, and by the clinical/non-school-based setting for the instruction.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#422. Added August 1, 2013 Updated August 7, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	A Randomized Control Trial of a Tier 2 Kindergarten Mathematics Intervention
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Ben Clarke clarkeb@uoregon.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCSER R324A120304
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will be conducted in elementary schools in Massachusetts and Oregon.
Intervention ROOTS is a fifty-lesson intervention program intended for use in intervention settings for students with or at risk for disabilities. ROOTS is designed to be aligned to the Common Core State Standards and provides instruction on number sense and whole number concepts including counting, cardinality, number operations, base 10, and place value. The project will compare two versions of the ROOTS intervention-a high intensity version with two students in each intervention group and a low intensity version with five students in each intervention group. Students will continue to receive core mathematics instruction in their general education kindergarten classroom in addition to the ROOTS intervention.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The sample will consist of kindergarten students from economically and racially diverse communities in 120 kindergarten classrooms. Within each participating kindergarten classroom, 10 children with or at risk for mathematics disabilities will be identified through pre-intervention screening using a combination of mathematics proficiency measures and teacher input.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A randomized controlled trial with three groups will be conducted. The study will take place in 120 kindergarten classrooms across four years, with 60 classrooms recruited and retained for two years each. Within classrooms, students will be randomly assigned to a no treatment control group, a high intensity ROOTS group, or a low intensity ROOTS group.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Students assigned to the control condition will remain in the general education classroom and continue to receive their core mathematics instruction as approved by the participating school district.
Data Analytic Strategy Multilevel modeling that nests students within instructional groups will be used to determine whether either version of ROOTS produces better mathematics outcomes compared to the control condition and whether the two versions of the intervention lead to differences in mathematics outcomes. The researchers will also investigate whether initial skill level moderates intervention effects.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Pre- and post-intervention instruments include proximal and distal measures of student mathematics achievement. These include the Number Sense Brief Screen, Proximal Early Learning in Mathematics, the Test of Early Mathematics Ability-Third Edition, the Stanford Achievement Test-Tenth Edition, and the Early Numeracy-Curriculum Based Measurement. Classroom observations focused on fidelity of implementation and quality of instructional interactions will be conducted. Teacher and student demographic data will also be collected.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The researchers will evaluate the efficacy of ROOTS for improving mathematics outcomes for students with or at risk for mathematics disabilities. ROOTS is designed to be a supplemental mathematics intervention or a Tier 2 intervention in a response to intervention model. Approximately 120 classes will be involved in the research. Within each class, 10 children with or at risk for mathematics disabilities will be identified through pre-intervention screening and randomly assigned to a no treatment control group, a high intensity ROOTS group, or a low intensity ROOTS group. Data will be analyzed in a multi-level framework to provide evidence of the efficacy of the ROOTS intervention for improving student outcomes in mathematics.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#415. Added March 4, 2013 Updated August 19, 2013 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Striving Readers final evaluation report: Danville, KY
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Susan Cantrell Associate Professor, Director of Research susan.cantrell@uky.edu
Other Key Staff:	Dr. Janice Almasi, Dr. Janis Carter, Dr. Margaret Rintamaa
Start Date:	June 1, 2006	End Date:	December 31, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	U.S. Department of Education, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education PR/AWARD NO. S371A060090
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/strivingreaders/performance.html
Published Report Citation: Cantrell, S. C., Almasi, J. F., Carter, J. C., & Rintamaa, M. (2010). Striving Readers final evaluation report: Danville, KY. Washington, D. C.: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Related Publications Cantrell, S. C., Almasi, J.F., Rintamaa, M., Carter, J. C., Pennington, J. G., & Buckman, M. (in press). The impact of supplemental instruction on low-achieving adolescents' reading engagement. Journal of Educational Research. Cantrell, S. C., Almasi, J. F., Carter, J. C, and Rintamaa, M. (2013). Reading intervention in middle and high schools: Implementation fidelity, teacher efficacy, and student achievement. Reading Psychology, 34 (1), 26-58. Cantrell, S. C., Almasi, J. F., Carter, J. C., Rintamaa, M., & Madden, A. (2010). The impact of a strategy-based reading intervention on the comprehension and strategy use of struggling adolescent readers. Journal of Educational Psychology. 102, 257-280.
Study Setting The Danville, Kentucky Striving Readers project involved ten middle schools, nine high schools and two 6-12 schools in seven rural school districts. One of the 6-12 schools was an alternative school for students who have not succeeded in a traditional middle and high school setting. Student populations within these schools ranged in size from 26 to 1,222 with a mean of 555 students per building.
Intervention The intervention was the Learning Strategies Curriculum (LSC), developed by the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning. LSC involved teaching students a number of strategies designed to help students derive information from texts, identify and remember important information, or develop writing or academic competence. LSC was taught to students in the treatment group during a supplemental course each school day for 250 minutes each week for an entire school year.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information For 6th grade, the sample size for the treatment group was 605 (plus 79 lost to attrition) and for the control group was 530 (plus 90 lost to attrition). For 9th grade, the sample size was 593 (plus 151 lost to attrition) for the treatment group and 535 (plus 199 lost to attrition) for the control group.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A randomized-controlled pre-test, post-test, multiple cohort design was used. At the beginning of each academic year, a cohort of sixth-grade students and a cohort of ninth-grade students were randomized to treatment and control groups. After four years, the four cohorts of sixth-grade students were combined for analysis of impacts on sixth-grade students, and the four cohorts of ninth-grade students were combined for analysis of impacts on ninth-grade students. HLMs were used to estimate the impact of the LSC on student achievement, motivation, and reading strategies outcomes.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Students who were selected for the control group received a regular elective as part of their sixth- or ninth-grade program. A wide range of electives were taken, including band, chorus, civics, and physical education.
Data Analytic Strategy A two-level HLM model (students assigned to intervention or control group within schools) was used to determine the impact of the targeted intervention. At the student level, the spring outcome variable (achievement, strategy use, or motivation) was modeled as a function of fall outcome variables, intervention/control status and four demographic variables: gender, ethnicity, free/reduced lunch status, and special education. The school level analysis was performed on data from sixth-grade students and ninth-grade students collected over multiple years. The covariates in this model pertain to the concurrent year the student was in the intervention or control group with the exception of the Reading KCCT score, for which the score for the base year, spring 2006, was used. In addition to the base year Reading KCCT score, other school level covariates included enrollment, percent of white students in the school, percent of African American students, percent of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch fees and percent of students with disabilities, averaged over the 4 years of the study. The minimal detectable effects calculated for sixth and ninth grades for this study were 0.13 and 0.11, respectively, with a power of .80.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes The primary outcome was achievement on GRADE. The final analytical sample of 6th grade (n = 1135) included 605 intervention students (360 male, 245 female) and 530 control group students (309 male, 221 female). The average pretest GRADE score is 21.11 (SD=9.49) for intervention, and 21.66 (SD=9.32) for control. No significant differences were found between intervention and control for GRADE pretest scores (t=0.99, df=1133, p=0.464). HLM results showed the overall impact of the targeted intervention on 6th-graders' reading achievement is 1.07. No significant differences were found in overall posttest achievement between the intervention (adjusted M = 30.4) and control groups (adjusted M = 29.3), ES = 0.077, p = .137. The full model achievement results show special education status is significant (� = -4.263, p < .001), indicating lower achievement for students in special education. The final analytical sample of 9th grade (n = 1128) included 593 intervention group students (348 male and 245 female) and 535 control group students (295 male and 240 female). The average pretest GRADE score is 23.59 (SD = 8.05) for the intervention group, and 23.56 (SD = 8.34) for control group. No significant differences were found between intervention and control for GRADE pretest scores (t = -0.074, df = 1126, p = 0.18). HLM results showed the overall impact of the intervention on 9th-grade students' reading achievement is 1.69. Intervention group students have a significantly higher average achievement scores (adjusted M = 31.9) than control group students (adjusted M = 30.2), ES = 0.122, p = .032. The full model achievement results show special education status is significant (� = -4.444, p < .001), indicating lower achievement for students in special education classes. The design used for power analysis was person randomized at multisite trials. The MDEs calculated for 6th and 9th grades for this study were 0.13 and 0.11, respectively, with a power of .80.
Secondary Outcomes Secondary outcomes were perceptions of strategy use measured by MARSI and reading motivation measured by MRQ. The final sample of 6th grade MARSI (n=829) included 439 intervention and 390 control students. The average pretest MARSI is 2.97 (SD = 0.65) for intervention and 3.05 (SD=0.66) for control. No sig. differences were found between groups for the pretest MARSI (t=1.711, df = 827, p = 0.803). HLM results indicate a marginally sig. difference in posttest MARSI between intervention (adjusted M = 2.97) and control (adjusted M = 2.88), � = 0.086, ES=0.129, p= .057. 9th grade MARSI (n=710) included 368 intervention and 342 control students. The average pretest MARSI score for intervention is 2.65 (SD = 0.71) and 2.60 (SD = 0.66) for control. No sig. differences were found between groups for the pretest MARSI (t = -0.882, df = 708, p = 0.175). No sig. differences in posttest MARSI were found between intervention (adjusted M = 2.85) and control (adjusted M = 2.78), � = 0.068, ES = 0.091, p = .186. The final sample of sixth grade MRQ (n = 827) included 439 intervention and 388 control students. The average pretest MRQ is 2.78 (SD = 0.45) for the intervention group and 2.79 (SD = 0.46) for the control group. No sig. differences were found between the two groups for their pretest motivation (t = 0.183, df = 825, p = 0.903). HLM results indicate a sig. difference in posttest MRQ between intervention (adjusted M = 2.73) and control (adjusted M = 2.65), � = 0.075, ES = 0.159, p = .016). 9th grade MRQ (n = 708) included 366 intervention and 342 control students. The average pretest MRQ score for the intervention is 2.45 (SD = 0.48), and 2.44 (SD = 0.44) for the control. No sig. differences were found between the two groups for their pretest MRQ (t = -0.527, df = 706, p = 0.463). The HLM result yields a sig. posttest MRQ difference between the intervention (adjust M = 2.54) and control group students (adjust M = 2.42), � = 0.119, ES = 0.230, p = .001
Summary of the Study / Abstract This study examined the implementation and impacts of the Danville, KY Striving Readers project on teachers and students in 21 rural middle and high schools. It evaluated the impact of a targeted intervention on students' achievement, strategy use, and motivation when students' characteristics and school effects are controlled. The following null hypotheses are tested in the analyses: 1) sixth-grade/ninth-grade intervention students' pretest scores did not differ significantly from control students' pretest scores on the GRADE was evaluated; 2) sixth-grade/ninth-grade intervention students' pretest scores did not differ significantly from control students' pretest scores on the MARSI was evaluated; 3) sixth-grade/ninth grade intervention students' pretest scores did not differ significantly from control students' pretest scores on the MRQ was evaluated. The results indicate that the targeted intervention had a significant impact on ninth-grade students' reading achievement, sixth-grade students' reading strategy use, and sixth- and ninth-grade students' reading motivation.
Interpretation of Results / Discussion There were no impacts on 6th-grade students' achievement, but there were significant impacts for 9th-grade students' achievement. There were marginally significant impacts for 6th grade on reading strategy use but no significant impacts on strategy use for ninth grade. There were significant effects for both grades in reading motivation. A closer look at 9th-grade students' achievement revealed that the significant impacts of the LSC were evident for students who were not served by special education but not significant for 9th-grade students who were served by special education. This suggests that the LSC is most effective for students who do not have disabilities and that it may be less effective in improving the achievement of students who do have disabilities. Although similar achievement results were not noted for 6th-grade students, the LSC did have a significant impact on 6th-grade students' reading strategy use at the < .10 level, which suggests that the LSC may strengthen students' knowledge of reading strategy use at this grade. Differential impacts for 6th and 9th grades for achievement and strategy use need further research. A strong and consistent finding of this study is the significant impact of the LSC class on students' reading motivation. Recommendations for improving adolescents' literacy performance tend to include some focus on reading motivation, so it is important to note the effectiveness of the supplemental LSC class in for influencing middle and high school students' reading motivation in positive ways. The design of this study provides a number of new insights regarding the LSC, including (1) promising results for LSC as a set of coherent strategies rather than just for each component individually, as has been shown in previous research, (2) positive benefits related to reading achievement, strategy use, and motivation, (3) evidence about the impact of the LSC using a randomized pretest-posttest control group design.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#417. Added April 15, 2013 Updated December 10, 2013 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Cluster (School) RCT of ParentCorps: Impact on Academic Achievement and Behavior at School
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Laurie Brotman Prevention Science Professor laurie.brotman@nyumc.org
Other Key Staff:	Spring Dawson-McClure, Dimitra Kamboukos, Esther Calzada, Keng-Yen Huang
Start Date:	July 1, 2005	End Date:	June 30, 2010
Sponsoring Organization:	Institute of Education Sciences R305F050245 [Ongoing follow-up studies funded by IES R305A100596 (7/1/10 - 6/3/2014) NIH R01MH077331 (4/11/2008 - 3/31/2013)]
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2013/04/10/peds.2012-2632
Published Report Citation: Brotman, L. M., Dawson-McClure, S., Calzada, E. J., Huang, K. Y., Kamboukos, D., Palamar, J. J., et al. (2013). A cluster (school) randomized trial of ParentCorps: Impact on kindergarten academic achievement. Pediatrics, 131:e1521-1529.
Related Publications Brotman LM, Dawson-McClure S, Huang KY, Theise R, Kamboukos D, Wang J, Petkova E, Ogedegbe G. Early childhood family intervention and long-term obesity prevention among high-risk minority youth. Pediatrics. 2012 Mar;129(3):e621-8. Epub 2012 Feb 6. Brotman LM, Calzada E, Huang KY, Kingston S, Dawson-McClure S, Kamboukos D, Rosenfelt A, Schwab A, Petkova E. Promoting effective parenting practices and preventing child behavior problems in school among ethnically diverse families from underserved, urban communities. Child Dev. 2011 Jan-Feb;82(1):258-76. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01554.x. Brotman, L. M., Kingston, S., Bat-Chava, Y., Calzada, E. J., & Caldwell, M. (2008). Training school personnel to facilitate a family intervention to prevent conduct problems. Early Education and Development, 19, 622-642. Caldwell, M., Brotman, L. M., Coard, S. I., Wallace, S., Stellabotte, D., & Calzada, E. (2005). Community involvement in adapting and testing a prevention program for preschoolers living in urban communities: ParentCorps. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 14, 373-386. Calzada, E., Caldwell, M., Brotman, L. M., Brown, E. J., Wallace, S., McQuaid, J., et al. (2005). Training community members to serve as paraprofessionals in an evidence-based, prevention program for parents of preschoolers. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 14, 387-402.
Study Setting Ten public elementary schools with 26 pre-k classes in two school districts in urban disadvantaged neighborhoods serving a primarily black, low-income population. To be included, elementary schools were required to have a pre-k program with at least two classes and a student population >80% black and >70% low-income (eligible for free lunch). Nearly half of students in elementary schools meeting criteria scored below grade-level in reading and math; high school graduation rates in these districts were approximately 50%. The trial aimed to enroll all pre-k students in four consecutive years (2005-2008); the only inclusion criterion was having an English-speaking caregiver (7% ineligible).
Intervention ParentCorps is a family-centered, school-based intervention designed to promote children's self-regulation and early learning through two components: 1) after-school group series for families of pre-k students (13 2-hour sessions; co-led by pre-k teachers); and 2) professional development for pre-k and kindergarten teachers. The intervention aimed to increase the following strategies at home and school: 1) positive behavior support; 2) effective behavior management; and 3) parent involvement in education. Delivery of the family program at school by teachers was expected to strengthen parent-teacher communication and facilitate progress toward shared goals for children. The culturally-informed approach to behavior change was collaborative and non-prescriptive, focused explicitly on cultural values, beliefs and norms, considered multiple stressors associated with urban disadvantage and recognized a broad spectrum of strengths in families and schools. Professional development included group-based activities (5 days in year 1; 2 days/year in years 2-4) to introduce strategies, and individual consultation (~6 hours/year) to facilitate adoption of strategies. Teachers who chose to co-lead the family program received additional training (2 days/year), coaching (1 hour/week for 13 weeks) and financial compensation for after-hours work. All pre-k students and their families were invited to participate in the group series. Intervention Dose. The majority (58%) of families of pre-k students attended at least one session and 39% attended >5 sessions ("full dose"). Nearly 100% of pre-k and kindergarten teachers participated in professional development (DOE-sanctioned, during school hours) and the majority (>80%) of pre-k teachers chose to co-lead family sessions. Thus, 61% of children in intervention schools received "partial dose" attributable to teacher participation in ParentCorps.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The final sample included 10 schools and 1050 children (enrolled in four consecutive years), representing 88% of eligible pre-k students. Rates of enrollment were comparable by condition and across the four years of the study. Study schools served primarily low-income (72%), black (91%) students. Of the 170 pre-k and kindergarten teachers in the study schools, 53% were white, 27% black, and 9% Latino. The majority (61%) of study families of pre-k students were low-income (<$38,700 for 4-person household). Most (85%) self-identified as non-Latino black (AfroCaribbean and African American), 10% Latino and 4% other. Most caregivers were mothers (88%, mean age 33.9 years) and nearly half were single. One-third of households in neighborhoods in which study families lived were low-income; the majority of adults in these neighborhoods were black (85%) and single (67%). Study children (49% boys) were 4.15 years old (SD=0.28) at pre-k entry and 5.74 years old (SD=0.28) when tested (KTEA) at the end of kindergarten. Of the 1050 pre-k students enrolled, 92% were retained in the study in kindergarten (92% intervention, 93% control). Attrition from the study was largely due to children transferring to schools closer to their residence for kindergarten (6% in both conditions); <2% of children withdrew from the study (2% intervention, 1% control). Children retained in the study did not differ from those not retained (transferred or withdrew) on baseline demographic characteristics, school readiness or teacher-rated performance.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The impact of ParentCorps was evaluated in a cluster (school) randomized trial with assessments from pre-kindergarten (pre-k) entry through the end of kindergarten. To ensure approximately equal numbers of children in the two conditions, prior to randomization of schools (clusters), a statistician, unfamiliar with study objectives and uninformed of school identities, matched schools on size and split them into pairs; within each pair, one school was randomly assigned to intervention and the other to control. All schools remained in their assigned condition and participated throughout the study period (2005-2010). There were no differences between intervention and control conditions on any school, family or neighborhood characteristic measured, including census tract data and masked observations of pre-k classroom climate and teacher behavior (Ps>.05). There were no differences between conditions on any child characteristic, including school readiness test scores (DIAL) obtained at baseline by evaluators masked to condition (Ps>.05).
Counterfactual (Control) Condition New York City Department of Education pre-k and kindergarten programming (education-as-usual).
Data Analytic Strategy Analyses were conducted on student-level data and based on the intent-to-treat principle. To account for potential correlations among outcomes of children, random effects for classes and schools were included in the model. The number of schools was selected to ensure 80% power for a 2-sided test with ?=0.05 to detect a meaningful effect of 0.33 SD for the primary outcome. The study sample size was selected based on expected class size (18 students/class, up to 4 classes/school) in schools meeting inclusion criteria and the literature on educational outcomes (ICCs<.10 for kindergarten achievement scores in low-income, urban schools; ~50% of variance in achievement explained by school readiness).
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes The primary outcome, achievement test scores, was assessed at the end of kindergarten. Trained study staff masked to intervention condition administered the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement (KTEA) Brief Form-2nd edition.36 The KTEA provides reliable estimates of reading, writing and math achievement (mean=100, SD=15). To obtain a baseline indicator of "school readiness" (i.e., language, concepts, motor development) predictive of achievement, masked study staff administered the Speed Diagnostic Indicators for the Assessment of Learning (DIAL) at the beginning of pre-k. Relative to children in control schools, children in intervention schools had significantly higher kindergarten achievement test scores (reading, writing and math; Cohen's d=.18; P=.03; N = 813).
Secondary Outcomes Secondary outcomes for the trial include teacher ratings of academic performance (details provided below) and child behavior at home and school (via parent and teacher report and masked observations; analyses ongoing). The trial also evaluated impact on the targeted mediators at home and school (via parent and teacher report and masked observations of the classroom): positive behavior support; 2) effective behavior management; and 3) parent involvement in education (analyses ongoing). Academic performance was assessed at the beginning and end of the pre-k and kindergarten years (repeated 4 times) with teacher global ratings of academic problems and progress (1="Well below average" to 5="Superior"). There was an intervention effect on trajectories of academic performance (intervention-by-time F(1,745)=4.62, P=.03). By the end of kindergarten, ratings were higher for children in intervention schools relative to controls (difference=5.65, SE=2.23, Cohen's d=.25, P=.01). Baseline school readiness did not moderate intervention impact on achievement test scores or performance trajectories (Ps>.05). Impact on achievement was related to both year of implementation and level of family participation, with the clearest associations for reading. There was a step-wise increase in impact on reading scores with each year of implementation (all years: d=0.34, P<.01; year 4: d=.49, P<.05). Dose-response analyses showed that the effect for reading increased by d=.04 (P<.01) with each family session attended. Impact on reading for children who received "partial dose" was d=.20 (P=.15), whereas impact on reading for children who received "full dose" was d=.60 (P<.0001) overall and d=.88 (P<.0001), by year 4.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The current study evaluates the impact of ParentCorps, implemented at the level of the school, relative to education-as-usual, on individual academic achievement (reading, writing and math). It was hypothesized that relative to children in control schools, children in intervention schools would have higher kindergarten achievement test scores. The study also examines intervention impact on developmental trajectories of teacher-rated academic performance over two school years, and considers whether impact varies by level of baseline school readiness skills, year of implementation or level of family participation.
Interpretation of Results / Discussion Through a series of culturally-informed, integrated strategies for parents and teachers, ParentCorps aims to promote self-regulation and early learning. An initial trial demonstrated impact on behavioral regulation at school. This second larger trial in more disadvantaged neighborhoods found that, relative to children in control schools, children in intervention schools had higher kindergarten achievement test scores and more positive trajectories of academic performance from pre-k through kindergarten. The magnitude of ParentCorps impact on kindergarten achievement (ds=.18-.25), reading (d=.34), reading in the fourth year of implementation (d=.49) and reading in the fourth year for children with "full dose" (d=.88) suggests the potential to improve on current efforts to reduce the achievement gap for low-income, minority children. There are several study limitations that deserve consideration. First, this trial included a relatively small number of randomization units (schools), which increases the potential for Type 1 error. Second, although ratings of academic performance are potentially biased due to teacher involvement in intervention, repeated measures over multiple grades allow for examination of trajectories. An ongoing follow-up study that repeats the achievement test and teacher ratings in later grades, and obtains DOE records including yearly state-wide achievement tests for all study children who remain in NYC public schools, will address some remaining questions. Finally, although 10% of the sample consisted of Latinos, non-English speakers were excluded. Further attention should be paid to evaluating ParentCorps with non-English speaking, immigrant populations.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#418. Added June 13, 2013 Updated August 1, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	A Modular CBT for Reducing Anxiety and Improving Educational Outcomes
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Golda Ginsburg gginsbu@jhmi.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	Johns Hopkins University
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will take place in urban elementary, middle, and high schools in Maryland.
Intervention M-CBT is a 12-session intervention designed to reduce anxiety. M-CBT consists of seven core modules: psychoeducation, exposure, rewards, cognitive restructuring, problem-solving, somatic/relaxation skills, and relapse prevention. Parallel parent modules are also included. M-CBT is a "modular" treatment, meaning that the sequence of administering the modules is flexible, with the exception that psychoeducation and exposure occur as the first and second modules, respectively. All modules are designed to be covered within 12 weeks and therapists may emphasize those modules that are most relevant for each child.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information A total of 368 students, ages 7-17, with primary diagnoses of generalized, social, and/or separation anxiety disorders will participate. Students will include those receiving special education services and at risk for needing special education who are referred to school-based mental health clinics. A total of 46 volunteer clinicians (one per school) will participate.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A total of 368 students, ages 7-17, with primary diagnoses of generalized, social, and/or separation anxiety disorders will participate. Students will include those receiving special education services and at risk for needing special education who are referred to school-based mental health clinics. A total of 46 volunteer clinicians (one per school) will participate.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Usual care will serve as the comparison group for M-CBT. Students in this condition will be provided with interventions that do not explicitly include CBT strategies and will reflect the training and services that clinicians already provide (e.g., art, play or supportive therapy). Careful training, monitoring, and supervision will be conducted to assess adequate differentiation between the M-CBT and UC interventions.
Data Analytic Strategy The efficacy of the intervention will be examined using three analytical approaches. Random effects or mixed effects analyses of covariance (for continuous measures) or logistic regression (for categorical measures), controlling for possible pretest or baseline differences, will be used at posttest and 3-month follow-up. In the second approach, the team will use all of the repeated anxiety or school functioning measures at pretest, posttest, 3-month follow-up, and at termination together within a 3-level random effects model. The third approach will examine the intervention effect on the time interval between the pretest and termination with discrete-time survival analyses. The team will also estimate incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for differences between M-CBT and UC using the following efficacy outcomes: (a) number of students who meet clinical criteria for anxiety, (b) anxiety symptoms, (c) days of school attendance, (d) classroom behaviors, and (e) treatment satisfaction.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes A variety of outcome measures will be used to assess behavioral and academic functioning. Anxiety diagnosis and symptoms will be assessed using the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for DSM-IV, Parent and Child Versions (ADIS-IV-C), the Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders, Child and Parent Versions (SCARED), the Clinical Global Impression - Severity (CGI-S) and Improvement (CGI-I) Scales, and Children's Automatic Thoughts Scale (CATS). Academic, social, and behavioral functioning will be assessed via a combination of assessments that include school records, state achievement assessments, norm-referenced tests of achievement and cognition, and teacher and parent ratings of behavior.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Anxiety disorders are the most common childhood psychiatric conditions and are known to severely impair children's academic, social, and behavioral functioning in school. Approximately 11-15 percent of youth receiving special education services (generally under the category of emotional disturbance) and 10-20 percent of youth at risk for special education have excessive anxiety requiring treatment. Despite the growing efficacy of cognitive-behavioral treatment for anxiety, this intervention is not widely used in schools. The primary purpose of this research is to evaluate the efficacy of a modular cognitive-behavioral intervention (M-CBT), compared to usual care (UC), on reducing excessive anxiety and improving student academic, social, and behavioral performance in school. The researchers will conduct a randomized efficacy trial of M-CBT in urban schools, delivered by school-based clinicians. The study uses a 2 (intervention: M-CBT versus UC) x 4 (assessment period: pre-treatment, 12 weeks post treatment, 3 month follow up, and natural termination) randomized controlled design with 368 anxious youth, 7-17 years of age, and 46 school-based clinicians. Primary outcomes include child, parent, and teacher ratings of anxiety and measures of academic performance. Treatment integrity (i.e., adherence, competence, and differentiation) will be closely monitored via audiotaped therapy sessions. Exploratory analyses will examine predictors, moderators, and mediators of intervention response. In addition, the research team will examine the cost-effectiveness of the intervention.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#419. Added June 13, 2013 Updated March 13, 2014 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Assessing Impacts of Math in Focus, a Singapore Math Program for American Schools
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Andrew Jaciw Chief Scientist ajaciw@empiricaleducation.com
Other Key Staff:	Whitney Hegseth, Boya Ma, Garrett Lai
Start Date:	August 1, 2011	End Date:	July 31, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://www.empiricaleducation.com/reports.php?Report=MIFfr
Published Report Citation: Jaciw, A., Hegseth, W., Ma, B., & Lai, G. (2012, November). Assessing Impacts of Math in Focus, a Singapore Math Program for American Schools: Findings from an RCT. (Empirical Education Rep. No. Empirical_MIF121130-FR1-Y1-O.1). Palo Alto, CA: Empirical Education Inc.
Study Setting Data was collected in the Clark County School District. Teachers of grades 3-5 in Clark County public schools were eligible.
Intervention The Math in Focus curriculum provides elementary math instruction based on the pedagogical approach used in Singapore, typified by a carefully sequenced and paced instructional style that focuses on fewer topics in greater depth at each grade level to ensure mastery. Treatment teachers received the materials at the start of the 2011-2012 school year. Control teachers received the materials once the RCT was over.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Twenty-two teams were randomized. Of these, 18 were available for analysis of impact on SAT 10 outcomes and 20 were available for the analysis of impact on CRT. An interim analysis was conducted after receiving 2011 student demographic and achievement data to check for baseline equivalence between treatment and control groups.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods We conducted a cluster RCT. There were no alterations after the randomization. For each of the characteristics of this sample, we conducted a statistical test to determine the probability of obtaining a chance imbalance as large as or larger than the one observed. We used a t test that adjusted for clustering of students in randomized teams. The criterion for significance was set at = .05.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Control was business as usual.
Data Analytic Strategy We use SAS PROC MIXED and PROC GLIMMIX (SAS Institute Inc., 2006) as the primary software tools for these computations. The output of the analysis process consists of estimates of effects, as well as p values that tell us how much confidence we should have that the estimates are different from zero. We designed this experiment to detect an effect of .25, measured in standardized effect size units. Given how recruitment went and with some attrition in the fall of 2011, based on the sample available for analysis where we hold constant the rest of the parameters from our original power analysis, the MDES increases to 0.28. based on the results of this study, the achieved sample-based values of the MDES are .21, .11 and .18 for CRT, SAT 10 Problem Solving and SAT 10 Procedures, respectively. The team-level r-squared values are .85, .99 and .94, for CRT, SAT 10 Problem Solving and SAT 10 Procedures, respectively.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes Outcome 1: Student scores on the SAT10 Math Problem Solving test Summary of Results: The adjusted analysis shows a positive impact of MIF on student achievement on the SAT 10 Problem Solving scale. The overall effect size (in standard deviation units) is 0.12. The low p value for the effect (.05) gives a high level of confidence that the result reflects a real difference beyond chance. Outcome 2: Student scores on the SAT10 Math Procedures test Summary of Results: The adjusted analysis shows a positive impact of MIF on student achievement on the SAT 10 Procedures scale. The overall effect size (in standard deviation units) is 0.14. The low p value for the effect (.10) gives some confidence that the result reflects a real difference attributable to the program and not just chance. Outcome 3: Math scores on Nevada State Criterion Reference Test (CRT) Summary of Results: The adjusted analysis shows a small positive difference in CRT outcomes favoring MIF. The overall effect size is 0.05 standard deviation units. The p value for the effect of .54 gives no confidence that the observed difference reflects a real difference beyond chance. Based on the results of this study, the achieved sample-based values of the MDES are .21, .11 and .18 for CRT, SAT 10 Problem Solving and SAT 10 Procedures, respectively. The team-level r-squared values are .85, .99 and .94, for CRT, SAT 10 Problem Solving and SAT 10 Procedures, respectively.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This one-year randomized control trial investigated the effectiveness of MIF, a math curriculum based on the pedagogical approach used in Singapore. This approach is typified by a carefully sequenced and paced instructional style that focuses on fewer topics in greater depth at each grade level to ensure mastery and support conceptual understanding. The study took place in third, fourth, and fifth grade math classrooms during the 2011 - 2012 school year in Clark County School District, Las Vegas, Nevada. We randomly assigned either fourth and fifth grades or third grade in participating schools to the program condition, in which they used MIF. The remaining grade(s) formed the control group assigned to use their current math program. The study investigates whether MIF is effective at increasing math achievement and whether impact varies for students depending on their characteristics. Our primary outcome measure for math achievement is the SAT 10 Problem Solving assessment, which was considered to be most sensitive to the kind of instruction fostered by MIF. Additionally, we use the state of Nevada's Criterion Referenced Test (CRT) and the SAT 10 Procedures assessment as outcome measures. Since MIF emphasizes depth over breadth in the content covered, we were interested in the potential for negative effects on the CRT, which covers the full content of Nevada's math standards. To examine this issue more specifically, we also explore whether impact on achievement is associated with the percentage of Nevada state math standards covered over the course of the school year. SAT 10 Procedures is of interest because of a concern that programs such as MIF may put less emphasis on computation procedures than the regular math program in the control classrooms. Finally, we gathered implementation data via teacher and principal surveys, classroom and training observations, and a teacher focus group to inform outcome results.
Interpretation of Results / Discussion We found a positive impact of MIF on math achievement. Taking into consideration both the benchmark and sensitivity analyses, we can have some confidence in a positive impact of MIF on problem solving skills but more limited confidence in a positive impact on procedural skills, where we found some inconsistent results when testing alternative statistical models. We did not find an impact of MIF on math achievement as measured by the CRT state test. Thus on the primary measure associated with MIF there is evidence of a positive impact. On the additional outcomes, we can say there is no evidence that MIF was detrimental.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#420. Added June 28, 2013 Updated March 13, 2014 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Measuring the Average Impact of an iPad Algebra Program
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Andrew Jaciw Chief Scientist ajaciw@empiricaleducation.com
Other Key Staff:	Megan Toby, Boya Ma, Garrett Lai, Li Lin
Start Date:	June 1, 2010	End Date:	November 30, 2011
Sponsoring Organization:	Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://www.empiricaleducation.com/reports.php?Report=FuseFR
Published Report Citation: Jaciw, A., Toby, M., Ma, B., Lai, G., & Lin, L. (2012, March). Measuring the Average Impact of an iPad Algebra Program: Findings from an RCT in Four School Districts Considering One as a Special Case. (Empirical Education Rep. No. Empirical_Fuse120330-FR1-YR1_O.3). Palo Alto, CA: Empirical Education Inc.
Study Setting Seventh and eighth grade mathematics students in the following four California schools districts: Fresno Unified School District, Long Beach Unified School District, Riverside Unified School District, and San Francisco Unified School District
Intervention HMH Fuse is an Apple iPad application that contains the content of the Holt McDougal Algebra 1 2011� text and includes interactive lessons, explanations, quizzes, and problem solving. Participating teachers received a one-day training on the program during the first two weeks of September 2010 and were offered technical support throughout implementation. While two of the districts experienced some delay in receiving the iPads, all participating classrooms had program materials by September 20, 2010.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information CST sample: We started with 998 students with records for the CST. We lost 55 out of 998 students due lack of a posttest, resulting in an analytical sample of 943 students. EOC sample: Missing posttests result in an overall loss of 379 out of 998 student records, resulting in an analytical sample of 619 student records. Questionnaire sample: Much of the attrition was due to lack of parental consent obtained for students in the control condition. When considering attrition due to lack of consents, we lost data for 127 out of 664 students among the control group and only 11 out of 334 students assigned to HMH Fuse. We wrote three interim reports. The first interim report (1/28/11) presented teacher survey data from the beginning of the school year regarding opinions and usage of the program. In addition, we presented some aggregate data obtained from the device usage logs. The second interim report (7/8/11) presented preliminary analysis of two outcome measures: The Holt California Algebra 1 End of Course Assessment and the Student Attitudes Questionnaire. The third interim report (9/21/11) presented preliminary analysis of two main outcome measures: the California Standards Test (CST) and the Student Attitudes Questionnaire. Within the Student Attitudes Questionnaire, we also considered subscales from the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire and the Attitudes toward Mathematics Inventory.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Research Design Methods: We conducted a cluster RCT. There were no alterations after the randomization. For each of the characteristics of this sample, we conducted a statistical test to determine the probability of obtaining a chance imbalance as large as or larger than the one observed. We used a t test that adjusted for clustering of students in randomized teams. The criterion for significance was set at = .05.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control materials consist of the print edition of the Holt McDougal Algebra 1 2011 program and online access to videos. Each lesson within the textbook includes levels of skill development for differentiated instruction. The print text also provides Are You Ready? and Ready to Go On? quizzes. Participating classrooms received new sets of the textbook at the beginning of the school year.
Data Analytic Strategy The MDES for algebra is 0.25. Our research design assumed that we would report the results for the four districts combined. The sample size calculation was conducted using Optimal Design (Raudenbush, Spybrook, Liu, & Congdon, 2006), a software program developed for this purpose. The power analysis reflects the numbers that were expected prior to the start of the trial. In actuality, 34 sections were randomized, rather than the anticipated 35. The effect on statistical power of having one fewer unit than expected is small. In this experiment, we assumed a fairly substantial correlation between the pre- and posttests (.80). That is, we assume that .80*.80=.64 is the proportion of variance in the outcome (i.e., the R-squared) that is accounted for by the covariate in either condition.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes Primary outcome 1: Student scores on the Algebra 1 California Standards test (CST). The adjusted analysis shows no impact of HMH Fuse on student performance on the Algebra 1 CST. The overall effect size (in standard deviation units) is 0.04. The p value for the effect (.52) gives no confidence that the result reflects a real difference beyond chance. Outcome 2: Student scores on the End of Course Assessment. The adjusted analysis shows no impact of HMH Fuse on student performance on the End of Course Assessment. The overall effect size (in standard deviation units) is 0.02. The p value for the effect (.90) gives no confidence that the result reflects a real difference beyond chance. Outcome 3: (MT note: this may be considered a secondary outcome?) Student outcomes on the Motivated Strategies for Learning scale from the Student Attitudes Questionnaire. The adjusted analysis shows a positive impact of HMH Fuse on student attitudes toward math. The overall effect size (in standard deviation units) is 0.15. The low p value for the effect (.07) gives some confidence that the actual difference is different from zero. CST: End of the Course Assessment:
Secondary Outcomes Student outcomes on the Student Attitudes Questionnaire is the secondary outcome. The adjusted analysis shows a positive impact of HMH Fuse on student attitudes toward math. The overall effect size (in standard deviation units) is 0.15. The low p value for the effect (.07) gives some confidence that the actual difference is different from zero.
Summary of the Study / Abstract In spring 2010, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) began planning a pilot of an application for the Apple iPad, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Fuse: Algebra 1 (HMH Fuse), which was then in development. The application was to be piloted in four California school districts during the 2010-2011 school year. HMH contracted with Empirical Education Inc. to conduct a one-year randomized control trial (RCT) aimed at producing evidence of the effectiveness of HMH Fuse for seventh and eighth grade students. The research was conducted in Long Beach Unified School District, Riverside Unified School District, Fresno Unified School District, and San Francisco Unified School District HMH Fuse for the Apple iPad contains the content of the Holt McDougal Algebra 1 2011� text and includes interactive lessons, explanations, quizzes, and problem solving. In addition, HMH Fuse comes with the 300+ videos that are also available online to students using the traditional print version of the text. We compared classes using HMH Fuse on the iPad with classes using the conventional text containing the same content. The specific research questions we addressed are as follows. • Is HMH Fuse effective at increasing mathematics achievement of students in Algebra 1 classes? • Does the impact of HMH Fuse vary for students with different characteristics (i.e. depending on previous achievement, English language learner (ELL) status, and grade level)? • Are impacts on mathematics achievement associated with impacts on mediating variables (i.e. the amount of time program students spend with materials, number of videos watched)? • Are differences in the level of use of HMH Fuse associated with differences in student mathematics achievement?
Interpretation of Results / Discussion After a one-year pilot implementation with HMH Fuse, we do not have evidence of a generalizable effect of the program on algebra achievement. We did find clear evidence that the effect was dependent on local conditions. For two teachers in one school-selected for the study on the basis of experience with technology innovations-there was an impact. Many characteristics of these teachers, their students, school, or district that can be put forward might explain the differential effectiveness of HMH Fuse in that district. The fact that the teachers reported using the application far more than other teachers is consistent with greater commitment to and experience with technology solutions. While we cannot generalize the results beyond these two teachers, the study is suggestive of approaches that may lead to success with applications such as HMH Fuse. It is notable that there is a positive effect on student attitudes toward math, and students with positive attitudes toward math achieve higher scores on the CST.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#421. Added July 31, 2013 Updated July 31, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	A Multi-Site Efficacy Trial of the Class-wide Function-related Intervention Teams "CW-FIT": A Research to Practice Agency for Students With and At Risk for EBD
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Howard Wills hpwills@ku.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCSER R324A120344
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will take place in rural and urban elementary schools in Tennessee, Utah, and Missouri.
Intervention The intervention is comprised of two programs, a class-wide intervention program and individualized intervention. The class-wide intervention includes teaching appropriate communication skills, eliminating or minimizing all potential social reinforcement for problem behavior, using differential reinforcement of alternative behaviors to strengthen replacement behaviors (e.g., on-task, following instructions), and teaching self-management strategies. Individual intervention procedures for students who are non-responsive to the class-wide intervention will use individualized functional behavior assessment (e.g., interviews, observations) to develop and implement function-based interventions.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 18 schools (6 at each site) will participate in this study. Overall, there will be 2,880 students participating across the intervention tiers within 144 general education classrooms. Each general education classroom will have a minimum of two students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders and two peers without disabilities. An additional 18 special education classrooms will also participate, each with a minimum of three students with behavior disorders. Students at risk for behavior disorders are general education students who meet screening criteria using the Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders. Students with behavior disorders include students with IEPs and/or clinical diagnoses of behavior disorders. Students with dual diagnoses (e.g., behavior disorders/learning disabilities) may also participate if they meet criteria.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A multi-site randomized trial will be used with teachers/classrooms within each school randomly assigned to treatment or comparison groups. For the students who require the individualized program, single-case reversal and multiple baseline designs will be used.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition e comparison classrooms will use a business-as-usual approach, but will be provided with additional information to standardize the comparison classes for similar components used in the intervention program (i.e., skill teaching, skill posters). Therefore teachers in comparison groups will spend training time approximately equal to training time for the intervention program teachers.
Data Analytic Strategy For the main effects of the class-wide program, analysis of covariance will be used for classroom-level outcomes. Analyses will be conducted addressing intent to treat vs. treatment completers. Multi-level modeling will be used to explore trends over time, including initial treatment effects (within-year) and sustainability over time (multi-year). Visual analysis of the single-case studies will also be conducted.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Class-wide outcome measures include direct observations of class-wide on-task behavior, observations of teacher behavior (e.g., teacher use of praise), and ratings on the Classroom Atmosphere Rating Scale (CARS). CW-FIT fidelity measures will also be administered. Student-level behavior outcome measures include direct observations of student on-task and disruptive behavior, the Classroom Performance Survey to measure students' classroom functioning, and the School Social Behavior Scales to measure students' social competence and anti-social behavior. Student discipline data will also be collected from school reports. Academic measures of students will be district scores available from routine assessments including standardized achievement tests and the state assessments. Class-level means will be collected from school records for CW-FIT and non-CW-FIT classes. Individual scores will be collected for individual students in CW-FIT and non-CW-FIT classes. Curriculum-based measures will be collected on a repeated basis for students receiving the individual-level intervention. Teacher and student satisfaction surveys will measure consumer satisfaction.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The researchers will conduct a multi-site randomized efficacy trial of the Class-wide Function-based Intervention Teams intervention in three states with school staff providing the majority of the supervision to closely resemble typical conditions of routine practice. Fidelity of implementation will be monitored and outcomes will be measured at the class level (increases in on-task behaviors and teacher praise) and student level (increases in on-task behavior and decreases in disruptions) for (1) students at risk for EBD, and (2) students who received Tier 2 interventions (i.e., self-management, help cards) in addition to the CW-FIT intervention. Peer performance for typical peers will also be measured for a sample at each site.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#423. Added August 1, 2013 Updated August 7, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	A Randomized Controlled Trial of Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Young Children
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Glen Dunlap glendunlap@unr.edu
Start Date:	April 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	March 31, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCSER R324A120097
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research project will take place in early childhood classrooms in Nevada and Colorado.
Intervention The intervention model is a fully developed strategy that had been adapted from one previously used with elementary and middle school students. The model includes elements that have shown promise when used in isolation-functional behavioral assessment, antecendent manipulations, educational strategies, and consequence manipulations. A school-based team, which includes the child's family members, will be established and meet regularly to ensure that the model and its components are being implemented with high levels of fidelity. The team will set three personalized goals for individual students to reduce or replace inappropriate behaviors or improve academic outcomes, establish a strategy for measuring targeted behaviors daily, and develop an intervention plan. The team will monitor student progress and revise the intervention plan if students are not responding to the intervention strategies. Students will participate in this intervention model for 2 to 4 months.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 240 preschoolers who have challenging behaviors will participate in this research. The population will include children identified as having disabilities as well as children deemed at risk for disabilities due to the extent of their challenging behaviors.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A randomized controlled trial will be used to study the efficacy of Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Young Children. Teachers will be randomly assigned to the treatment or business-as-usual condition. Students will be assessed at multiple time points-before, during, and immediately after the intervention. Approximately six cohorts, with 35 to 40 students per cohort, will participate in this project over a 4-year period.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Children in the business-as-usual condition will receive instruction typically provided by the schools.
Data Analytic Strategy A series of data analysis techniques, including multi-level modeling, will be used to estimate the effects of the Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Young Children on measures of children's behavior, social skills, and engagement. The team will also examine the relationships between children's social skills, language skills, and quality of classroom instruction.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Key outcome measures include teacher reports of children's behavior and social skills, observations of engagement, and direct child assessment of language skills. The team will also collect fidelity of implementation data and other observational data measuring teachers' practices in treatment and comparison classrooms.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Approximately 240 preschoolers who have challenging behaviors will participate in this research. The population will include children identified as having disabilities as well as children deemed at risk for disabilities due to the extent of their challenging behaviors. The Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Young Children model is a fully developed strategy that had been adapted from one previously used with elementary and middle school students. The model includes a school-based team that sets goals for individual students, establishes a strategy for measuring targeted behaviors daily, develops an intervention plan, and monitors student progress. A randomized controlled trial will be used to study the efficacy of Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Young Children. Teachers will be randomly assigned to the treatment or business-as-usual condition. Students will be assessed at multiple time points-before, during, and immediately after the intervention. Data will be analyzed to estimate the effects of Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Young Children on measures of children's behavior, social skills, and engagement.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#424. Added August 1, 2013 Updated August 7, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	A Summer Preparatory Program for Middle and High School Students with ADHD
Principal Investigator:	Mr. William Pelham pelham@buffalo.edu
Start Date:	March 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	February 29, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCSER R324A120169
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will take place in middle and high schools in an urban setting in Florida.
Intervention The SPP is an 8-week, intensive summer program with booster follow up and consultations with teachers and other school staff during the following school year. The program teaches preparatory skills to students and their parents through a series of rotating modules in the areas of academics and psychosocial functioning. Students participate in organization skills training, academic skill building modules (i.e., study skills, note-taking, writing skills), substance use prevention curricula, therapeutic recreational activities, problem-solving training, and a vocational program. Parents receive weekly group parent training sessions designed to teach skills in monitoring, contract negotiation, behavior management, and designing a home privilege program to reinforce success during the SPP and the upcoming school year. An incentive system is incorporated to address the possible motivational deficits of ADHD teens.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information A total of 216 sixth- and ninth-grade students with ADHD will participate in this research.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study will use a randomized trial design where students serve as the unit of randomization. Students will be randomly assigned to the SPP intervention or a typical services comparison package. The immediate and long-term (i.e., end of following school year) effects of SPP will be evaluated.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Students in the comparison group will receive a package of interventions similar to typical services that students with ADHD might receive, which includes parent training plus school year consultation similar to the SPP students. However they will not participate in the intensive summer program.
Data Analytic Strategy General linear modeling will be used to analyze the impact of SPP on student academic and behavioral outcomes.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Student academic performance will be assessed using student GPAs. Student social behavioral functioning will be assessed by school disciplinary incidents as well as measures of conflict behavior at home and substance use. Three hypothesized mediators of treatment outcome will also be measured: missing assignments, improvement in disruptive behavior, and parent treatment engagement. Student age and baseline conduct problems will also be examined as moderators of treatment outcome.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Incoming sixth- and ninth-graders will be recruited and randomly assigned to either the intervention condition or typical school services. The SPP intervention is an 8-week intensive summer program consisting of a series of rotating modules in the areas of academic skills and psychosocial functioning. Parents also receive weekly group parent training sessions. Multiple measures will be used to assess student behavioral and academic outcomes. Researchers will also examine factors that moderate or mediate the impact of the intervention on student outcomes.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#425. Added August 1, 2013 Updated August 7, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Efficacy of the Collaborative Life Skills Program
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Linda Pfiffner Linda.Pfiffner@ucsf.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCSER R324A120358
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will take place in urban elementary schools in California.
Intervention The Collaborative Life Skills Program (CLS) is a 12-week program that consists of three empirically supported treatments: teacher consultation and use of daily report cards, parent training, and child social and life skills training. Delivery is coordinated so that parents, children, and teachers are trained in their aspects of the treatment at roughly the same time via group and individualized methods. Reinforcement contingencies are set within and across settings (e.g., parents reward behaviors that occur at home and school, LSPs reward behaviors that occur at home, school, and group, etc.). The net effect is to implement around-the-clock support of child behavior in an active partnership of parents, teachers, and LSPs.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Participants will include 168 elementary school students (grades 2-5) exhibiting ADHD-related problems, and approximately 24 district mental health professionals (Learning Support Professionals, LSPs; one per school). Students will be referred to the intervention by the LSPs. Entry into the study will be staggered with two cohorts entering during each of the first 3 study years, with one cohort beginning in the Fall and one in the Winter of each school year.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study uses a cluster randomized controlled design. The research team will use a 2-level (students, schools) design and randomly assign schools to the treatment or comparison condition. The randomization procedures are as follows: schools/LSPs will first be randomized to either the Fall or Winter cohort, then schools within each cohort will be randomized to the treatment or comparison condition. Measures will be collected at baseline, immediate outcome, and follow-up in the following school year. Schools in the comparison condition will receive the intervention the following year after follow-up measures are completed.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The comparison condition will be business as usual (BAU). BAU services to children with ADHD in the participating district are not standardized. The research team will track all services used by students in the comparison condition to describe the nature of the interventions received.
Data Analytic Strategy The impact of the intervention on student behavioral and academic functioning will be tested using multilevel models comparing mean outcome scores between treatment conditions at the end of the treatment period and at follow-up controlling for clustering effects, baseline level of the outcome, and potentially confounding covariates. To examine the exploratory questions, the team will estimate and test models of multiple mediation to determine if improvement in proximal outcomes (e.g., ADHD symptoms and academic performance) from baseline to post-treatment explains improvements in distal outcomes (e.g., academic achievement) at follow-up. In addition, models will be estimated that examine the relationship between measures of treatment fidelity/strategy implementation and changes in proximal outcomes within the treatment group.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Student outcomes across the following four domains will be measured: (a) Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptom severity as indicated by parent and teacher ratings on the Child Symptom Inventory; (b) academic performance as indicated by parent and teacher ratings of student organization, homework completion, academic enablers, and classroom observations of student engagement; (c) social functioning as indicated by parent and teacher ratings of social skills and by playground observations; and (d) emotional and behavioral dysregulation as indicated by parent and teacher ratings of problematic, oppositional behavior and by playground observations. Parenting practices will be assessed using the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire, and stress within the parent-child system will be measured by the Parenting Stress Index. Report card grades, special education referrals and placements, and office discipline referrals (e.g., office visits, suspensions) will be gathered from school records. California standardized achievement tests will also be collected. A series of process and fidelity measures will assess fidelity of implementation and parent, teacher, and student treatment acceptability and satisfaction.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The research team will evaluate CLS, a 12-week program for students with or at risk for ADHD. The program consists of teacher consultation (including use of daily report cards), parent training, and child social and life skills training. Approximately 168 elementary school students (grades 2-5) exhibiting ADHD-related problems, and approximately 24 district mental health professionals (Learning Support Professionals, LSPs; one per school) will participate. Schools/LSPs will be randomly assigned to either the CLS program or typical school services. Multiple measures will be used to assess student behavioral and academic outcomes. Researchers will also examine factors that may moderate or mediate the impact of the intervention on student outcomes.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#426. Added August 1, 2013 Updated August 7, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Efficacy of the Getting Ready Intervention at Supporting Parental Engagement and Positive Outcomes for Preschool Children at Educational Risk
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Susan Sheridan ssheridan2@unl.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCSER R324A120153
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will be conducted in preschool classrooms in rural and suburban Nebraska.
Intervention The Getting Ready intervention has two components: (1) triadic collaborative planning, which uses strategies aimed to mutually support parent-child and family-school relationships (e.g., home visit sessions where teachers and parents brainstorm collaboratively around problems or issues related to children's social, motor, cognitive, or communicative development and learning); and (2) conjoint behavioral consultation, which involves trained consultants assisting teachers and parents to engage in structured problem solving and intervention planning for all students in the treatment group. The primary mechanism for the delivery of triadic collaborative planning strategies will be in the context of five home visits per year that are part of the typical preschool programs in each of the study sites. Conjoint behavioral consultation will be implemented in the context of programs' regularly scheduled parent-teacher conferences, held twice per year (Fall and Spring), and extend and support the work taking place during home visits. The classroom teacher will be the primary link with families, but early childhood special education service providers will be included in collaborative planning processes to ensure consistency and coordination with children's Individualized Education Program or Individualized Family Service Plan.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Three hundred preschool-aged children screened for delays in cognitive, linguistic, and socio-emotional domains will be included in this study.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Researchers will conduct a randomized controlled trial, with random assignment of two cohorts of preschool classrooms to the Getting Ready intervention or business-as-usual control group. A total of 75 classrooms and 300 children will participate in the study. All participating children and families will be assessed at the beginning and end of each year of preschool and at the beginning and end of kindergarten. The efficacy of the intervention, relative to the control condition, will be evaluated first in the Spring of each child's second year of preschool by estimating a growth curve using the four assessment periods from baseline through the Spring of preschool. The lasting impact of the intervention will be evaluated at the end of kindergarten for all students via growth curve modeling considering all six (Fall and Spring during each of 2 preschool years; Fall and Spring of kindergarten) assessment points.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Classroom teachers in the comparison condition will implement all programmatic elements, but not receive any training or support in implementing the Getting Ready strategies involved in triadic collaborative planning or conjoint behavioral consultation. Families in the comparison group will receive the same number of contacts from teachers as those in the experimental condition. Similarly, the number of parent-teacher conferences and informal exchanges will be consistent across treatment and comparison groups.
Data Analytic Strategy A longitudinal multilevel model with repeated measures and multilevel data structure will be used to address aims associated with intervention outcomes for children and parents. To test whether changes in parent engagement and parent-teacher relationships mediate the effects of the intervention on child outcomes, the researchers will use multilevel structural equation modeling that provides multiple simultaneous direct and indirect paths while modeling growth.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Key measures will include direct child assessments of cognitive and language skills; measures of social-emotional skills (parent and teacher reports, observation); measures of parent engagement (parent report, observation); parent and teacher reports of the parent-teacher relationships; and teacher reports of the student-teacher relationships. Fidelity will be measured to determine the degree to which all elements of the Getting Ready intervention are delivered.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Researchers will conduct a randomized controlled trial, with random assignment of 75 preschool classrooms to the Getting Ready intervention or control condition. Three hundred children from these classrooms will be included in the study. Implementation of the Getting Ready intervention will involve two components aimed at (1) building, reinforcing, and maintaining cognitive, language, and socio-emotional skills in children at educational risk; and (2) creating continuities and strengthening relationships within (parent-child; teacher-child) and between (family-school) settings. Outcome data to assess child cognitive, language, and socio-emotional skills; parent engagement; and parent-teacher relationships will be collected at the beginning and end of preschool, and at the beginning and end of kindergarten.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#427. Added August 7, 2013 Updated August 7, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Enhancing Early Learning for Infants with Disabilities: A Responsive Parenting Intervention
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Heather Taylor Heather.Taylor@uth.tmc.edu
Start Date:	September 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	August 31, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCSER R324A120363
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study will be conducted in participants' homes in Texas.
Intervention Both PALS and PALS-Enable use coaches to provide guidance to parents in four specific areas that have been linked to promoting school readiness in at-risk children: (1) maintaining vs. redirecting children's focus and interests; (2) contingent responsiveness (child sends a signal, the caregiver responds, thus providing the child a positive outcome); (3) providing rich language input; and (4) behaving in a warm and sensitive response style. In addition, PALS-Enable provides support for a child's motor limitations (e.g., adapting the environment and using strategies to encourage movement and ease exploration). In this study, the intervention will be delivered once a week for 14 weeks. In each session, the coach describes the targeted behavior, shows videos of parents demonstrating the behavior, has the parent practice using videos and self-critique, and helps parents plan to integrate the target behavior into activities for the coming week. Parents report on their experiences working with the target behaviors in the subsequent sessions and receive feedback.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The sample will include 180 infants between the ages of 12 to 18 months with a physical delay related to a diagnosis of spina bifida or cerebral palsy.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The research team will conduct a randomized controlled trial with random assignment of infants to one of three conditions: PALS-Enable, PALS, or developmental information only. There will be a total of 180 caregiver-child pairs involved in this study in 10 waves (18 pairs recruited for each wave). Infants will be stratified by diagnosis and randomly assigned to one of the three conditions, totaling 60 in each group. Assessments of parent behavior and child skills and developmental outcomes will be conducted at four time points: pre-intervention, midpoint (i.e., at the end of the seventh session), post-intervention, and at 3-months post-intervention.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control condition in this study will serve as an attention control to ensure that intervention effects are not due to increased attention to the parents, or provision of general information about infant development. Specifically, in this condition researchers will conduct simple developmental screening activities with the non-intervention control children to give caregivers information about developmental expectations, tailored for parents of infants with spina bifida and cerebral palsy. Parents will receive developmental information in the mail along with a phone call contact once a week for 14 weeks.
Data Analytic Strategy Child and parent outcomes will be analyzed using growth curve analyses.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Multiple measures, including observations and standardized tests, will be used to assess child outcomes and core skills. Parent observations and assessments will address changes in parent behavior, emotional well-being, and social support. Fidelity of implementation of coaching sessions will be assessed through checklists completed by independent observers. Fidelity of parents' implementation of the intervention will be assessed using multiple methods, including rating scales completed by the coach, parent demonstration of competencies learned through the intervention, and parent responses to questions at the end of each session.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The researchers will conduct a randomized controlled trial that compares three conditions: (1) an intervention that integrates a responsiveness program with research-based motor support behaviors, called Playing and Learning Strategies to Enable Children with Motor Difficulties (PALS-Enable); (2) a responsiveness intervention, Playing and Learning Strategies (PALS) only; and (3) an attention control condition that provides developmental information only. The research team will recruit 180 infants, 12 to 18 months of age, with physical disabilities related to spina bifida and cerebral palsy. Four assessments (pre-intervention, midpoint, post-intervention, and follow-up) of parent responsiveness behaviors and child core skills and developmental outcomes will be examined to determine intervention effectiveness.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#428. Added August 7, 2013 Updated August 7, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Evaluating the Efficacy of the School-based Social Competence Intervention for Adolescents (SCI-A) with High Functioning Autism
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Janine Stichter stichterj@missouri.edu
Start Date:	March 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	February 28, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCSER R324A120027
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will take place in 50 middle schools in a suburban setting.
Intervention The SCI-A program was developed using a predominately cognitive-behavior intervention approach with a focus on phenotype-specific target skills designed to promote self-monitoring and self-evaluation. The curriculum is also designed to provide effective scaffolded instruction, building upon each skill, with maintenance of learned skills reinforced throughout by the use of repetition, integration, and feedback as new skills are added. The curricular units utilize a combination of didactic instruction, behavior modeling and rehearsal, and in-vivo practice with their group-mates as a means to teach and/or modify social behavior specific to students' needs. SCI-A includes training guidelines, lesson plans, and instructional materials. It consists of 22 hours of group intervention (four to six students per group) and is comprised of five units, each consisting of six 45-minute lessons. Units are taught in a specific sequence and the lessons within each unit follow a consistent structure of (a) reviewing a previously learned skill and introducing a new skill in an instructional and group discussion format, (b) skill modeling, (c) opportunities to practice the skill in structured and naturalistic activities, and (d) review activity. The units include: facial expressions, sharing ideas, turn-taking, recognizing feelings/emotions, and problem solving.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information A total of 300 sixth- through eighth-grade students who have been identified with high-functioning autism or Asperger's syndrome will participate in this project.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study will use a hierarchical cluster, randomized trial design where schools serve as the unit of randomization. Schools will be randomly assigned to the SCI-A intervention or a business-as-usual comparison group. The immediate and longer-term (i.e., 6 months following intervention) effects of SCI-A will be evaluated.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Students in the comparison group will receive instruction and services typically provided in the schools.
Data Analytic Strategy Multilevel structural equation modeling will be used to analyze the impact of SCI-A on students' social, behavioral, and classroom functioning.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes A variety of measures will be used to assess the impact of the intervention. Students will complete direct assessments of social problem solving and executive functioning, and will complete a neuropsychological assessment of social perception. Direct observations of classroom functioning will provide information regarding student classroom behaviors that rely on underlying abilities in perspective taking, emotion regulation, and executive functioning. The researchers will also administer a research team-developed progress-monitoring measure of student performance on the intervention's five instructional units. Teachers will complete measures of student social communication, social interaction, and executive functioning. In addition, a variety of measures will be used to assess fidelity and acceptability of the intervention.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Middle schools in a suburban setting will be recruited and randomly assigned to either the intervention condition or typical school services. The SCI-A intervention is comprised of five units, each consisting of six 45-minute lessons, delivered via small groups (four to six students per group). The units include: facial expressions, sharing ideas, turn-taking, recognizing feelings/emotions, and problem solving. They also include opportunities for students to practice skills in structured and naturalistic activities. Multiple measures will be used to assess student behavioral and academic outcomes. Researchers will also examine factors that moderate or mediate the impact of the intervention on student outcomes.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#429. Added August 7, 2013 Updated August 7, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Examining the Efficacy of a Classroom-Wide Model for Promoting Social Emotional Development and Addressing Challenging Behavior in Preschool Children with or at-risk for Disabilities
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Mary Louise Hemmeter ml.hemmeter@vanderbilt.edu
Start Date:	March 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	February 29, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCSER R324A120178
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research project will take place in preschool classrooms in Tennessee and Florida.
Intervention The Teaching Pyramid system is a comprehensive, three-tiered framework that includes universal practices for all children, secondary practices for children at risk for behavior problems, and intensive individualized practices for children with the most significant social skills deficits and persistent challenging behavior. The universal component will include implementation of strategies designed to create supportive and structured environments as well as nurturing and responsive relationships. The secondary prevention component will teach students at risk for challenging behavior and emotional or behavioral disorders how to express their emotions, promote self-regulation, handle anger and disappointment, and use problem solving and friendship skills. The third component will involve collaboration with other school personnel to develop and implement individualized, assessment-based, positive behavior interventions and supports. Teachers will participate in a 3-day workshop series that introduces them to the practices associated with each level of the intervention. They will also receive 16 on-site coaching sessions. The teachers will implement the Teaching Pyramid system in their classrooms for 26 weeks.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 80 preschool classrooms will participate. While the Teaching Pyramid system will be used with all students in the preschool classroom, the research team is specifically targeting children with or at risk for emotional or behavior disorders in these classrooms.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A randomized controlled trial will be used to study the efficacy of the Teaching Pyramid system. Classrooms will be randomly assigned to the Teaching Pyramid system or to implement practices as usual. Targeted children will be assessed before, during, and immediately after intervention. Other children in the classroom will be assessed pre- and post-intervention. Information on the fidelity of intervention implementation and changes in teacher practices and classroom quality will be collected in intervention and comparison classrooms. The researchers will also observe the preschool classrooms during the year following intervention implementation to evaluate whether teachers sustain implementation of the Teaching Pyramid system without support from the researchers.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers will implement their typical classroom practices.
Data Analytic Strategy Multi-level modeling will be used to estimate the effects of the Teaching Pyramid system on social skills, behavior, and early learning of all students in the classroom, with particular focus on those at risk for behavior concerns. The team will also investigate whether classroom quality or teacher practices improve and whether teachers sustain implementation of the intervention in the year after research support has ended.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Key outcomes include teacher ratings and researcher observations of social competence and behavior as well as direct child assessments of learning outcomes for preschoolers with and without disabilities. The researchers will also collect data on child and teacher characteristics, fidelity of implementation, teacher practices, and classroom quality.
Summary of the Study / Abstract A randomized controlled trial will be used to study the efficacy of the Teaching Pyramid system. Approximately 80 preschool classrooms will be randomly assigned to the Teaching Pyramid system or to practices as usual. The Teaching Pyramid system contains universal strategies for supporting the social-emotional development of all children in the classroom and intensified interventions for children who are at risk for problem behavior or display severe and persistent challenging behavior. While the Teaching Pyramid system will be used with all students in the preschool classroom, the research team is specifically targeting children with or at risk for emotional or behavior disorders in these classrooms. Targeted children will be assessed before, during, and immediately after intervention. Other children in the classroom will be assessed pre- and post-intervention. Multi-level modeling will be used to estimate the effects of Teaching Pyramid on social skills, behavior, and early learning of all students in the classroom, with particular focus on those at risk for behavior concerns. The team will also investigate whether classroom quality or teacher practices improve and whether teachers sustain implementation of the intervention in the year after the research support has ended.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#430. Added August 7, 2013 Updated August 7, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Examining the Efficacy of Classroom Pivotal Response Teaching in Classroom Environments
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Aubyn Stahmer astahmer@ucdavis.edu
Start Date:	June 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	May 31, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCSER R324A130349
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This research will take place in preschool and elementary schools in California serving students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Intervention Classroom Pivotal Response Teaching (CPRT) is an intervention adapted from Pivotal Response Training (PRT) for use in school classrooms. With this approach, teachers provide cues using student-preferred materials aimed at eliciting an appropriate student response. The CPRT components focus on child attention, clear instruction, shared control among child and teacher, maintenance of previously mastered tasks, broadening attention (responsivity to multiple cues), reinforcement of goal-directed attempts, and contingent consequences. Teacher training will consist of 12 hours of didactic instruction and coaching over the course of 6 weeks, with continued observation and coaching over the remaining course of the academic year.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The participants will consist of 216 children aged 3-10 years old who have a primary educational classification of ASD. In addition, the students' teachers (108) and paraprofessional staff (108) will also participate, with 2 students with ASD per classroom.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study will use a randomized, wait-list controlled design. Classrooms will be randomized into three groups: A (treatment in first year), B (treatment in second year) and C (treatment in third year). In year 1, Group B serves as the control group; in year 2, group C serves as the control group.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control condition will consist of current classroom ASD practices.
Data Analytic Strategy Hierarchical linear modeling will be used to account for the nested nature of the data, including students nested within classrooms, nested within schools, as well as repeated measures over time.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Key outcome measures include direct observation of classroom practices, teacher reports (intervention satisfaction and classroom climate), direct assessments of student's progress toward attaining IEP goals, and parent and teacher reports of children's adaptive behavior and autism symptoms. Classrooms will be videotaped for direct observation of teacher fidelity of implementation and student classroom performance during CPRT. Potential moderators include teacher reports of education/experience and classroom climate, the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (symptom severity), age-appropriate standardized measures of cognitive ability, and parent reports of family demographics and ongoing services received.
Summary of the Study / Abstract A randomized design, with 108 classrooms randomized to 3 groups, will be used to study the efficacy of the CPRT intervention over 4 years. In the first year, there will be a treatment group (A) and control group (B), as well as a waitlist group (C) who will not participate in the first year. In the second year of the study, the former control group (B) will be the treatment group, and the former waitlist group (C) will be a new control group. By the end of year 3, all groups will have received treatment and entered the follow-up phase. Teachers will receive a coaching "booster" each year after their training year. Assessment data will be collected for groups A and B in the first year and for all three groups in the remaining years.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#431. Added August 7, 2013 Updated August 7, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Joint Attention Mediated Learning Intervention for Toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Their Families
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Hannah Schertz hschertz@indiana.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCSER R324A120291
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study will take place in family homes in rural, suburban, and urban areas in Indiana, Kansas, and North Carolina.
Intervention JAML will be implemented over 8 months in three phases that promote increasingly complex social communication outcomes. The intervention focuses on the distinctly social functions of preverbal communication and targets engagement at a level just beyond the toddler's current capabilities. In the first of three phases, Focusing on Faces (FF), the child is helped to look freely and often to the parent's face. In the second phase, Turn-Taking (TT), the child engages with the parent in reciprocal repetitive play that requires tacit acknowledgment of the partner's shared interest (e.g., when the child waits for the parent's turn). TT is a more complex level of social engagement than FF and is intended to help the child move toward the reciprocal social interaction that occurs in the third phase, Joint Attention (JA). In the JA phase, the child is helped to visually share attention to an external focus (i.e., a toy), either by responding to the parent's bid for attention to the toy or initiating a bid. Each phase is structured around five mediated learning principles that promote active involvement in the learning process for the child: (1) sharpening attentional focus, (2) internalizing a sense of self-regulation and order to communicate, (3) developing self-confidence, (4) discerning nuances of social interaction, and (5) engaging more frequently in varied settings and with different people. Interventionists use multiple media to introduce JAML's components and to support parents' understanding as they embed intervention activities in daily planned and routine encounters.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Participants will include 126 toddlers with ASD aged 30 months or younger and their primary caregivers who represent diverse socioeconomic and ethnic/racial groups.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The research team will conduct a randomized controlled trial with random assignment of toddlers with ASD and their families to the JAML treatment or the business-as-usual control conditions. Assessments will be conducted when the child enters the study (pre-test), after the 8-month intervention (post-test), and 6 months after post-test (to measure maintenance of treatment effects).
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Control group participants will receive early intervention services available in their communities. After final data are collected, they will receive three intervention sessions to introduce JAML self-guided materials, with each session focused on a JAML phase.
Data Analytic Strategy A repeated measures analysis of variance will be used to assess JAML's effects on child and caregiver outcomes.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Eligibility for study participation will be determined by the Autism Diagnostic Observational Scale-Toddler Version. Primary outcomes will be assessed through observations of preverbal social communication and standardized measures of general language and social outcomes (including the Mullen Scales of Early Learning and Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Second Edition). Secondary outcomes will be assessed using measures of parent self-efficacy, ASD severity, and parent sensitivity. Social validity will be assessed through a Likert-type acceptability rating scale completed by parents. Implementation fidelity will be assessed through independent ratings for both parent-child and provider-parent intervention activities.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Researchers will conduct a randomized controlled trial that compares the JAML intervention to a business-as-usual condition. The research team will recruit 126 toddlers, aged 30 months or younger, with ASD. Assessments will be conducted prior to the intervention (pre-test), post-intervention (post-test), and 6 months after the post-test to measure the sustainability of any intervention effects.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#432. Added August 7, 2013 Updated August 7, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	On the Way Home: Promoting Transition Outcomes in Youth with EBD or LD-An Efficacy and Replication Study
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Alexandra Torkelson-Trout alex.trout@unl.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCSER R324A120260
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This research will take place in secondary schools in Nebraska.
Intervention On the Way Home is a fully developed 12-month aftercare program designed to improve the transition outcomes of youth with EBD or LD through the targeting of the settings, supports, and people most influential to the reintegration process. The intervention is grounded in research and theory, and developed with expertise and input from researchers, service providers, and consumers. It incorporates three evidence-based interventions (Check & Connect, Common Sense Parenting, and a homework intervention) to promote school, family, and academic engagement and prevent placement instability, school dropout, and educational failure. Three family consultants will be trained in the intervention and assigned to students and their families. They will serve as the primary interventionists during the study.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Participants will include 210 middle and high school adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) or learning disabilities (LD) transitioning from out-of-home care placements and reintegrating into the local home and community school settings.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A randomized controlled design will be used to evaluate the effects of the intervention model on the transition outcomes of youth with EBD or LD and their parents/caregivers. Approximately 70 students will be recruited each year from an out-of-home placement, and will be randomly assigned to the traditional transition supports or the On the Way Home services. Students in the intervention condition will receive 12 months of intervention provided by the family consultants with a 9-month post-intervention follow-up.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Adolescents in the comparison condition will receive the typical transitional reintegration program consisting of a final discharge planning meeting, release of files, and counseling center contact information.
Data Analytic Strategy To account for nesting of subjects within residential homes and family consultants, hierarchical linear models will be implemented through the use of generalized linear mixed models. The generalized linear mixed models will be expanded to examine moderators, and joint significance tests will be used to examine mediators. Finally, the Benjamini-Hochberg method will be used to adjust for multiple comparisons, and multiple imputation methods will be used to examine the impact of missing data.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Assessments will include tests of student academic functioning and school behaviors (school records, Academic Competence Evaluation Scales), family functioning (Family Empowerment Scale, The Caregiver Self-Efficacy Scale), therapeutic alliance (Peabody Treatment Progress Battery), social validity (Service Satisfaction Scale), and cost analysis of On the Way Home implementation. In addition, fidelity of implementation will be assessed.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Participants will include 210 middle and high school adolescents with EBD or LD transitioning from out-of-home care placements and reintegrating into the local home and community school settings. The On the Way Home intervention is a fully developed 12-month aftercare program designed to improve the transition outcomes of youth with EBD or LD through the targeting of the settings, supports, and people most influential to the reintegration process. Participants will be randomly assigned to traditional transition supports or the On the Way Home services. Data will be analyzed to estimate the effects of On the Way Home on measures of academic functioning, school behaviors, family functioning, model adherence, and therapeutic alliance.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#434. Added August 8, 2013 Updated August 8, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Reading Achievement Multi-component Program (RAMP-UP)
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Mary Beth Calhoon bethcalhoon@miami.edu
Start Date:	March 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	February 29, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCSER R324A120123
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research project will take place in middle schools in Pennsylvania.
Intervention This project proposes to contrast two versions of an intervention, called the Reading Achievement Multi-component Program. Both versions address deficits in phonological decoding, spelling, fluency, and comprehension skills. However, they differ in the amount of allotted instructional time devoted to phonological decoding or comprehension.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 720 sixth-graders with reading disabilities from 72 middle school classrooms will participate in this research.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods A randomized controlled trial will be used to study the efficacy of the two reading interventions. Adolescents with reading disabilities will be randomized within schools to treatment or comparison conditions. The treatment classes at each school will then be randomly assigned to one of the two treatment conditions. Students will be assessed before, during, and immediately after intervention, and at the end of seventh and eighth grade. Information on the fidelity of intervention implementation will be collected.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Students in the business-as-usual condition will receive instruction typically provided by the schools.
Data Analytic Strategy Multi-level modeling will be used to estimate the effects of the two reading interventions on measures of reading comprehension, fluency, spelling, listening comprehension, and vocabulary immediately after the intervention ends. The team will also investigate whether any program effects observed are sustained one and two years after treatment.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Key outcomes include standardized and norm-referenced assessments of reading comprehension, fluency, spelling, listening comprehension, and vocabulary. The researchers will also collect observational data on fidelity of implementation and treatment dosage.
Summary of the Study / Abstract A randomized controlled trial will be used to evaluate the efficacy of two versions of a peer-mediated, multi-component remedial reading program that is designed specifically for adolescents with reading disabilities. Both versions address deficits in phonological decoding, spelling, fluency, and comprehension skills. One intervention will devote more time to phonological decoding instruction while the other will devote more time to comprehension instruction. Approximately 720 sixth-graders with reading disabilities from 72 middle school classrooms in Pennsylvania will participate in this research. The team will determine the extent to which each version of the program leads to gains in reading outcomes for sixth-graders compared to each other and to a business-as-usual condition. The team will also examine the extent to which any observed differences persist in seventh and eighth grades.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#433. Added August 7, 2013 Updated August 7, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Project DATA: A Multisite Evaluation of a School-based Model for Preschoolers with Autism
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Bonnie McBride bonnie-mcbride@ouhsc.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCSER R324A120232
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will take place in preschool classrooms in Oklahoma and Washington.
Intervention Project DATA is a comprehensive early intervention for preschoolers. The model blends practices from the fields of applied behavior analysis (ABA), early childhood education, and early childhood special education, enabling elements of ABA treatment to be more feasible for use in real-world child settings. Model components include (1) an integrated early childhood experience in a natural setting, including teaching children to interact successfully with other children; (2) extended day, intensive instruction (one-on-one and small group); (3) technical and social support for families; (4) collaboration and coordination across services; and (5) the quality of life influenced curriculum, which teaches children skills for independence and successful integration across school and community settings.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Preschool children with autism spectrum disorders in approximately 12 schools will participate. Each participating school will have a minimum of 10 preschoolers enrolled annually with clinical levels of ASD symptoms.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The study will use a two-arm randomized clinical trial with children randomized to classrooms and classrooms randomized to the experimental (Project DATA) or control condition. Randomization will be stratified by state and follow a dynamic allocation procedure that balances groups on key substrata, including gender, age, ASD severity, and IQ. Teachers in the treatment classrooms will receive a week-long intensive training with hands-on experience and monitoring with in vivo coaching. Data will be collected for up to 2 years on the primary cognitive, language, and social outcomes of interest at baseline (pre-randomization) and quarterly (every 3 months) thereafter. Executive functioning and adaptive behavior outcomes will be measured at baseline and at the end of the school year. Fidelity checks will occur monthly, along with visits to provide teachers coaching.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control condition will consist of usual practices provided in local school district preschool classrooms.
Data Analytic Strategy Multilevel modeling will be the primary analytic test of intervention efficacy, examining group differences in change over time and structured testing of mediating and moderating influences. For ordinal variables, generalized linear mixed modeling will be used. Qualitative data on feasibility and acceptability of the intervention will be transcribed and coded by thematic category.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes This study will use a variety of standardized and nonstandardized measures. The PDD Behavioral Inventory will be used as a diagnostic assessment. Outcomes will be measured using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning and Preschool Language Scale-4thEdition, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale-2nd Edition, Preschool Kindergarten Behavior Scales-2nd Edition, and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool. The researchers will also administer surveys of family variables, observational assessments of child engagement and toy play, treatment fidelity checklists, and consumer satisfaction surveys. Finally, interviews and focus groups will be used to obtain data on intervention feasibility and acceptability.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The research team will evaluate Project DATA, a comprehensive preschool intervention for children with ASD, using a two-arm randomized trial. Twelve schools will participate, each with at least 10 children with clinical levels of ASD symptoms. Classrooms will be randomly assigned to the experimental or comparison (standard care) condition, and children will be randomized to classrooms. Outcomes of the intervention include child cognition, language, social skills, and behavior. The investigators will also examine whether various child-level variables (e.g., gender, age, severity of ASD symptoms) moderate the impact of the intervention, and whether family functioning and satisfaction with the intervention serve as potential mediators.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#435. Added August 8, 2013 Updated August 8, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Team-Initiated Problem Solving for Improved Student Outcome
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Robert Horner robh@uoregon.edu
Start Date:	March 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	February 29, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCSER R324A120041
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will take place in elementary schools in Oregon and North Carolina.
Intervention The TIPS intervention includes: (a) access to useful school data (academic and/or behavioral student data), (b) a 6-hour professional development workshop for the school team, and (c) two post-training "coached" team meetings. School teams need the organizational authority, time, data sources, and internal problem-solving procedures to be effective. The TIPS training involves team orientation to core problem-solving foundations and practices including: 1.the roles, scheduling, and recording format for an effective meeting; 2.the process for defining academic and/or behavior problems with precision; 3.the development of action plans that draw from existing research yet tailor practices to fit the local context; and 4.the implementation, assessment, and adaptation of action-planning solutions. The logic guiding all elements of the TIPS approach is that problem solving that includes (a) objective data about the context, behavior, and outcomes, coupled with (b) formal procedures for using data for problem solving, will result in solutions that are more likely to be implemented and more likely to benefit students (socially and academically).
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information A total of 50 elementary school Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) Teams will participate in this research. A total of 10 teams will be involved in Phase I research (validation of the Plan Implementation Measure) and 40 teams will be involved in Phase II research, the randomized trial of TIPS.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study will utilize a randomized wait-list-controlled trial where school teams serve as the unit of randomization. Teams will be randomly assigned to the TIPS intervention or to a services-as-usual wait-list control. The immediate and short-term (i.e., 6 months following TIPS training) effects of TIPS will be evaluated.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teams in the wait-list comparison group will continue using procedures typically used by school teams.
Data Analytic Strategy Descriptive summaries and inferential comparisons will be used to describe and compare pretest, posttest, and follow-up scores for all dependent variables (e.g., DORA scores, PIM scores, academic and social behavior indicators) across treatment and control groups. Repeated measures analysis of variance will be used to assess the impact of TIPS training on teams' use of problem-solving processes and improvement in teams' implementation of their selected solution actions. Cohen's d (standardized mean difference effect size), and effect size confidence intervals will be reported for all dependent measures.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The researchers will use the Decision Observation Recording and Analysis (DORA) instrument to measure the fidelity with which a school team implements the TIPS problem-solving processes. The Plan Implementation Measure (PIM) will be used to measure the fidelity with which PBIS Team members implement the solutions the team generated. Student behavioral outcomes will be assessed by examining Office Discipline Referral data and student academic outcomes will be assessed by examining Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) scores. The research team will also collect permanent product data related to specific behavioral/academic goals (e.g., attendance, assignment completion). School team staff will also rate the perceived impact of each solution on student outcomes.
Summary of the Study / Abstract In Phase I of the research, SWPBS elementary school teams will participate in activities to validate and improve the Plan Implementation Measure, which is a measure for assessing the level with which team solutions are implemented by school faculty. During Phase II of the research, elementary school teams will be recruited and randomly assigned to either the immediate TIPS intervention condition or wait-list control condition. Multiple measures will be used to assess student behavioral and academic outcomes. Researchers will also examine factors that mediate and moderate the effects of TIPS on student outcomes. Phase III of the research involves revising TIPS training materials for use by state and district trainers.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#436. Added August 8, 2013 Updated August 8, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	The Effects of Online Decision Making Support for Home Visitors Using an RTI Approach to Promote the Language Development of At-risk Infants and Toddlers
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Jay Buzhardt jaybuz@ku.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCSER R324A120365
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study will be conducted in participants' homes in Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, and Ohio.
Intervention The MOD is a fully developed online decision support system for implementing the RTI approach with early communication interventions for infants and toddlers in a home-visiting context. It follows a systematic set of steps that lead to the provision of a more intensive intervention (Tier 2) as necessary. These steps are identified by the following questions posed to home visitors through the online MOD system: (1) Is there a problem? Children whose score on the progress monitoring assessment, the Early Communication Indicator (ECI), is at least one standard deviation below their age-based norm are identified as not making adequate progress and the child's growth chart is examined. (2) What is causing the problem? A list of clinical issues linked to poor progress are considered and ruled in or out (e.g., hearing loss). (3) What intervention should be used? A planning process leads to an appropriate intervention selection. The MOD recommends language-promoting strategies based on the child's communication skills as measured by the ECI. (4) Is the intervention being implemented? The home visitor and caregiver document the fidelity and dosage of the caregiver intervention, and enter it into the MOD to help guide subsequent coaching of the caregivers. (5) Is the intervention working? The MOD monitors, analyzes, and reports to the home visitor the child's performance on the ECI before and after intervention. If there is a lack of improvement, the recommendation is to revise the intervention. If progress is being made, the intervention is updated based on the progress monitoring data with new strategies recommended as the child develops more advanced means of communicating. The MOD also provides the home visitor with implementation support at each decision step. For example, home visitor and caregiver checklists supporting implementation of the language-promoting strategies are provided to document home visitor and parent intervention implementation activities.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The sample will include 80 home visitors and 160 children (average of 2 per home visitor), aged 6-34 months, at risk for language delay. Children from both English- and Spanish-speaking homes will be included.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The research team will conduct a waitlist randomized controlled trial with random assignment of 80 home visitors to one of two conditions: (1) Condition A (Comparison), which includes didactic training on data-based decision making, access to evidence-based intervention (language promoting strategies for parents/caregivers to use during daily routines with their children), RTI data-based decision-making framework for changing and intensifying interventions (e.g., Tier 2), and data from the online ECI for frequent screening and progress monitoring of growth in early communication; or (2) Condition B (Treatment) which includes all that Condition A receives plus MOD support. After 18 months of no MOD in Phase I of the study, home visitors in the Condition A waitlist group will use the MOD for 18 months in Phase 2. An average of two children per home visitor will be included in the study for a total of 160 children. Child outcome measures will be collected pre-intervention and every 6 months until the child turns 36 months or until the end of the study.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition As described above, the waitlist control group will receive all intervention components (training on decision making, language promotion strategies for parents, RTI framework, and progress monitoring with the ECI) but no MOD support for 18 months in Phase I of the study. In Phase 2, this group will receive MOD support along with the intervention for 18 months.
Data Analytic Strategy The primary analytic techniques used to address the study research questions will be hierarchical linear modeling and structural equation modeling.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Multiple measures will be used to assess child communication outcomes, including the Preschool Language Scale-5 and MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory. Researchers will also conduct assessments of parent engagement in the intervention and relationship with the home visitor. The researchers will collect data on the fidelity of the intervention implementation by home visitors in both groups through review of an online information system, independent observation by assessors during home visits, and surveys of home visitors. Implementation fidelity will be assessed for parents through direct observations and a self-report fidelity checklist.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The researchers will conduct a waitlist randomized controlled trial to investigate the effects of the web-based MOD support system on home visitors' intervention decision making and children's communication outcomes. Home visitors serving infants and toddlers at risk for language delay will be randomly assigned to one of two conditions. Condition A consists of didactic training on data-based decision making, access to evidence-based language intervention, and use of the Early Communication Indicator (ECI) for progress monitoring. Condition B includes Condition A plus MOD decision-making support. The research team will recruit 80 home visitors and 160 children aged 6-34 months who are at risk for language delays. Children's early communication skills will be assessed before, during, and after the intervention to document intervention effectiveness.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#437. Added August 8, 2013 Updated August 8, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	A Narrative Comprehension Intervention for Elementary School Children At-Risk for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Elizabeth Lorch elorch@email.uky.edu
Start Date:	March 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	February 28, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120171
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study will be conducted in an urban/suburban school district in Kentucky.
Intervention This intervention is designed to teach a set of story comprehension strategies to children who are considered at-risk for ADHD. The intervention will include four modules aligned with the difficulties many children with ADHD have with comprehension: understanding causal events; using goal structure; identifying and using important information; and making inferences and monitoring comprehension. Each of the four modules will consist of four to six 75-minute instruction sessions to be delivered during an afterschool program to small groups of students. Lessons will be designed to provide scaffolded support that gradually transfers cognitive responsibility from the teacher to the student. Clips of television programs, audiotaped stories, wordless picture books, and short stories/picture books read aloud will serve as the narrative stories for the lessons. Additionally, to address potential behavior problems associated with ADHD, each lesson will include instruction and reminders of appropriate and inappropriate behaviors, target goals for behaviors, and positive and negative consequences of meeting or not meeting the goals.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Participants include approximately 208 second and third grade students at-risk for ADHD.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods During the first phase of the study, the four modules will be iteratively developed and tested in a laboratory setting. Sixty-four second and third grade students at-risk for ADHD will be placed into groups of four and each group will receive the same module four times across the school year, with modifications in between administrations. Researchers will collect data on feasibility using student surveys, instructor ratings, informal interviews, teacher focus groups, and observer ratings. During the second phase of the study, the four modules will be tested in an afterschool setting alone and in combination. A new group of 64 students at-risk for ADHD will be placed into groups of four, and each group will receive instruction in two of the four modules. Modifications to the modules will be made as needed. During the final phase of the project, 80 students at-risk for ADHD will be recruited to be part of the pilot study. Half of these participants will be randomly assigned to the treatment group and will receive the intervention during the first half of the school year (fall semester). Children will be placed in groups of four and will be instructed in all four modules for four instructional sessions (16 total sessions) over eight weeks. Assessments of children's narrative comprehension will occur at the start of the fall semester (pre-intervention), at the end of the fall semester (post-intervention for the treatment group; pre-intervention for the waitlist control group), and at the end of the spring semester (follow-up for the treatment group; post-intervention for the waitlist control group).
Counterfactual (Control) Condition For the pilot study, 40 of the participants will be randomly assigned to a waitlist control group. Students in the treatment group will receive the intervention the fall semester of the year, while the waitlist control group will receive the intervention in the spring semester of the year.
Data Analytic Strategy Analysis of the qualitative data will include two cycles: microcylce and macrocycle analysis. Microcycle analysis will occur weekly during the first two phases of the project and will involve descriptive coding of the interviews and focus groups, and pattern coding to identify and describe patterns of divergence and convergence across data sources. Macrocycle analysis will occur at the end of each year. The researchers will use constant comparative analysis to derive categories within the multiple sources of feasibility data. Descriptive statistics will be used to identify patterns in students', teachers', and observers' responses. Analysis of quantitative data will use hierarchical linear modeling in which students will be nested within their small groups. The waitlist control design of the study will allow the researchers to examine the impact of instruction on narrative comprehension six months after the end of the intervention.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Students will be screened for participation in the study using a behavior checklist completed by a parent and teacher. Feasibility of the intervention and specific modules and sessions will be measured weekly throughout the first two phases, including collecting both quantitative and qualitative data from students, instructors, and session observers. Additionally, a student efficacy rating scale will be developed and piloted throughout the study. This rating scale will assess children's efficacy in the four features of narrative comprehension with which children with ADHD often struggle (i.e. causal relations, goal structures, using information to guide recall, and making inferences). Narrative comprehension will be assessed both pre- and post-test for the pilot study in year three using free and cued recall of a television program or audiotaped store, narrative of a wordless picture book, and the creation of a new story.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This project will involve three phases. During the first phase, intervention modules will be created and iteratively tested for feasibility in a laboratory setting. Over the course of the year, four groups of children at-risk for ADHD will receive four versions of their assigned module, providing feedback and time for iterative development in between administrations. During the second phase, the modules will be tested alone and in combination in an afterschool setting with a new sample of children so that each small group of children receives instruction in two modules. Modifications to the modules will be made as necessary during this phase. In the third and final phase, the four finalized modules will be pilot tested in an afterschool program with a group of children who did not participate in the previous two phases in order to determine feasibility and effect sizes. Children's narrative comprehension will be assessed at the beginning and end of the first semester and at the end of the second semester.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#438. Added August 9, 2013 Updated August 9, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	A Neuroscience-Based Health Curriculum to Promote Academic Success
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Leslie Babinski lb107@duke.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120659
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The research will take place in two large public school districts in North Carolina.
Intervention The proposed intervention builds upon the current, state-mandated Healthful Living course being taught in North Carolina at the ninth-grade level. The current course consists of 45 class sessions equally distributed across five content units: (1) mental and emotional health; (2) personal and consumer health; (3) interpersonal communications and relationships; (4) nutrition and physical activity; and (5) alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. This is a year-long course offered in a regular or block schedule, with half of the instruction covering the standards listed above and the other half dedicated to physical education. The new neuroscience-based course will be designed for the block schedule and to meet all state and national health education requirements to facilitate implementation with minimal effort by the participating schools. The new curriculum will build on the existing lessons in the five content units by integrating explicit instruction about adolescent brain development and functioning and concepts from social cognitive theory such as observational learning, reinforcement, self-control, and self-efficacy to enhance the course's potential to promote actual health behavior changes (e.g., better nutrition and sleep) in students, thereby supporting their success in school over time.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 750 ninth-grade students will participate in this three-year development project. This includes approximately 600 students who will participate in the pilot test during Year 3. In addition, approximately 38 teachers and over 700 parents will participate by providing feedback on the development of the health curriculum. Twelve of those teachers will participate in the pilot test in Year 3.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods In Year 1, the research team will develop a prototype of the neuroscience-based health curriculum through an iterative process of review with content experts and focus groups of teachers, students, and parents. In Year 2, fidelity measures will be developed as the prototype is tested for feasibility with approximately six teachers and their students. Weekly student surveys and biweekly coaching sessions with teachers will provide feedback on this preliminary version of the curriculum to make revisions for the full pilot test in Year 3. The full pilot test will include 2 teachers in each of six schools (12 teachers in total) randomly assigned to implement the new neuroscience-based health curriculum or to continue to implement the existing health curriculum.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The teachers in the control group will deliver the Healthful Living curriculum for ninth-grade currently in use in the North Carolina school districts.
Data Analytic Strategy Focus groups will be audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed to identify themes. Multilevel modeling will be used to analyze the pilot data to determine potential impact of the intervention on proximal and distal outcomes.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Measures of proximal outcomes include: (1) a researcher-developed assessment of knowledge of brain structure and function; (2) the Theory of Brain Abilities and Effort Beliefs Measure to assess a growth mindset (3) the Children's Multidimensional Self-Efficacy Scales; (4) the Regulatory Focus Questionnaire; and (5) the Adolescent Risk and Health Behavior Survey. Distal outcomes will be assessed using the North Carolina Education Research Data Center that includes scores on end-of-course tests.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The research team will first work with content experts, curriculum developers, teachers, students, and parents to develop a brain-based health curriculum that meets mandated National Health Education Standards to replace the existing Healthful Living ninth-grade curriculum currently required in North Carolina. The new curriculum will then be pilot tested with teachers and their students to determine feasibility and inform further modifications to the course. In the final year, a larger pilot test will be conducted in which teachers are randomly assigned to implement the new brain-based health curriculum or to continue to implement the existing Healthful Living curriculum to determine the promise of the new course for increasing targeted student outcomes.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#439. Added August 9, 2013 Updated August 9, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	A Randomized Study of the Efficacy of a Two-Year Mathematics Intervention for At-Risk Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Students
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Prentice Starkey pstarke@wested.org
Start Date:	March 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	February 29, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120262
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The setting for this study includes ethnically and socioeconomically diverse urban pre-kindergarten and elementary schools in California and Nevada.
Intervention The Pre-Kindergarten Mathematics curriculum consists of 32 small-group math activities with concrete manipulatives. Teachers typically conduct small group math activities twice per week for 20-25 minutes with time during a third day for review. The units and activities are aligned with the kindergarten clusters of standards included in the Common Core State Standards for mathematics. The Early Learning in Mathematics (ELM) curriculum includes 120 math lessons, 45 minutes in duration, supplemented by a daily 15-minute calendar activity. ELM includes daily activities that are sent home to parents to provide their children with additional practice outside of school. ELM content strands include whole numbers, operations, geometry, and measurement. All activities incorporate a variety of math models for children to build conceptual understanding.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The main study sample includes 72 elementary schools with at least one public pre-kindergarten classroom and one kindergarten classroom in the same school. Approximately 864 students will participate in the main study and all students will be from low-income families. The research sample for the normative comparison study will consist of 36 elementary schools from the same school districts as the schools in the main study. Approximately 432 students will participate in the normative comparison study and will be from middle-income families.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods In the main study, a cluster randomized control trial will be conducted in 72 elementary schools that have at least one public pre-kindergarten classroom and one kindergarten classroom on the same elementary school campus. Schools will be randomly assigned within the district to receive the two-year, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten intervention or to serve as part of the control condition. Within each school, one pre-kindergarten and one kindergarten classroom will participate in the study. A sample of 12 pre-kindergarten children will be randomly selected from participating pre-kindergarten classrooms at each school at the beginning of Year 1, and then the research sample will transition into the participating kindergarten classroom at the same school in Year 2. Students will also be followed-up at grade 1 to determine the long-term impact of the two year intervention. For the normative comparison study, a middle-class normative comparison sample of 36 schools will be recruited from the same school districts as the treatment schools in the main study. This quasi-experiment will use a nonrandomized noninferiority design to attempt to determine whether the performance levels of low-income students in the treatment group are similar to the performance levels of middle-income students in the comparison group at the end of kindergarten. Within each kindergarten classroom, all students who do not meet the income criteria for free or reduced lunch will be recruited up to a maximum of 12 students per classroom. The mathematics outcomes for students in the normative comparison study will be compared to outcomes for students in the treatment group of the main study.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Schools in the control condition in the main study and schools in the normative comparison study will continue to implement their business-as-usual mathematics curriculum and instruction.
Data Analytic Strategy Since the data collected represents longitudinal and nested observations, differential gains between treatment and control groups on measures of student math knowledge will be analyzed using mixed model analysis. For the main study, analyses using a three-level hierarchical linear model with observations nested within students within schools will be conducted. For the normative comparison study, analyses using a two-level hierarchical linear model with students nested within schools will be conducted.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Key student outcome measures include two proximal measures, the Child Math Assessment and the Proximal Early Learning in Mathematics Measure, administered during prekindergarten and kindergarten, respectively. The distal student outcome measure, the Test of Early Mathematics Ability, will be administered at prekindergarten, kindergarten, and grade 1.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The researchers will evaluate the efficacy of the combined, Pre-Kindergarten Mathematics and Early Learning in Mathematics curricula at pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, respectively, through two studies. In the main study, 72 elementary schools will be randomly assigned to use the Pre-Kindergarten Mathematics and Early Learning in Mathematics curricula over a two-year period, or to implement their business-as-usual mathematics curriculum. The results from the main study will provide evidence of the impact of the combined curricula on low-income students' mathematical knowledge. In the normative comparison study, a quasi-experiment will be conducted to determine whether the performance levels of low-income students in the treatment group are similar to the performance levels of middle-income students in the comparison group at the end of Kindergarten. The results from the Normative Comparison study will provide evidence about the degree to which the two-year intervention closes the income-related gap in students' mathematical knowledge.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#440. Added August 9, 2013 Updated August 9, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	A Randomized Efficacy Trial of the Kids in Transition to School (KITS) Program to Improve the School Readiness of Children in Disadvantaged Communities
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Katherine Pears katherinep@oslc.org
Start Date:	September 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	August 31, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120391
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will take place in an urban area in Oregon.
Intervention The KITS program is an intensive, short-term intervention that is offered to children and their parents during the transition to kindergarten. The intervention targets several school readiness skills that are related to success in school. The KITS program includes 24 curriculum-based therapeutic playgroups for the children focused on developing their early literacy, social, and self-regulatory skills and eight parent workshops focused on parent involvement in early literacy and positive parenting practices. The intervention is delivered to children and parents in the summer prior to kindergarten entry and during the first two months of kindergarten. The children's playgroups occur twice a week during the summer and once a week during the fall. The parent workshops are two-hour sessions that occur once every two weeks. In addition to the playgroup and workshop sessions, the parents and children receive supplemental materials to provide additional exposure to the content covered during each session. These materials include weekly playgroup homework assignments, weekly Home-School Connection newsletters that outline what children are learning in the playgroup, and home practice activities for parents.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Study participants include approximately 240 children from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds and their families. The sample will include children who are transitioning from prekindergarten to kindergarten. The study participants will be recruited from communities where approximately 24 percent of families with children live below the federal poverty level and 85 percent of children attending the schools qualify for free and reduced lunch.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods In each of the first three years, a new cohort of 80 children and their parents will participate in the study. In each cohort, 80 children will be randomly assigned to the KITS program or a services-as-usual condition. For each cohort, the KITS program will be implemented during the summer before kindergarten entry and during the first two months of kindergarten. The children will participate in playgroup sessions and their parents will participate in parent workshops. In the first three years of the study, the researchers will obtain data from children, parents, teachers, and conduct observations. Four rounds of data collection will occur for all three cohorts: spring before kindergarten entry; immediately prior to kindergarten entry; a kindergarten fall assessment; and a kindergarten spring assessment. In years 3 and 4 of the study, a fifth round of data collection will occur for the first two cohorts of children in spring of first grade. Data analyses will be conducted to evaluate the impact of the KITS program on children's social and academic skills in kindergarten and first grade.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The KITS program will be compared to a services-as-usual group of children and families. The comparison group will continue to receive any services that they were receiving prior to their participation in the study.
Data Analytic Strategy nalyses will be conducted to examine the effects of the intervention on children's early academic and social skills. Analyses will employ variable-centered (e.g., analysis of variance and regression) and person-centered (e.g., latent growth curve modeling) approaches. Multilevel latent variable modeling will be used to test how changes in hypothesized mediators affect longer-term outcomes and to explore whether outcomes vary depending on level of hypothesized moderators.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes In each year of the study, a variety of measures will be used to assess children's school readiness skills, school functioning, early school achievement, parental involvement in school, and parenting practices. The measures will include the following: direct assessments of children's early literacy and social-emotional skills prior to kindergarten and their literacy skills and social-emotional functioning during kindergarten and first grade; parent and teacher reports on child skills and behaviors; parental involvement in early literacy and school; parenting practices; direct classroom observations of child academic engaged time and social behaviors; and school records data on grades, office discipline referrals, special education services provided, and attendance. The researchers will also track the receipt of other services, including the type, amount, and frequency of any early educational, mental health, or medical services using the Early Learning Interview and the Service Utilization Interview. Observational data will be collected and checklists will be used to measure implementation fidelity of the core components of the KITS program.
Summary of the Study / Abstract In each of the first three years of the project, a new cohort of 80 children will participate in the study. For each cohort, children will be randomly assigned to the KITS program or a comparison condition. Researchers will implement the intervention, collect data, and conduct analyses to evaluate the effects of the KITS program on children's early literacy and social behavioral skills in kindergarten. The first two cohorts of children will be followed into first grade and longer-term outcomes will be examined.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#441. Added August 9, 2013 Updated August 9, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	An Efficacy Study of Online Mathematics Homework Support: An Evaluation of the ASSISTments Formative Assessment and Tutoring Platform
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Jeremy Roschelle jroschelle@digitalpromise.org
Start Date:	April 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	March 31, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120125
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will be conducted in middle/junior high schools in the state of Maine.
Intervention Teachers and students in grade 7 will use the ASSISTments, developed with funding from prior IES Development grants to support their nightly homework. Teachers will assign nightly homework online and receive cognitive diagnostic reports to facilitate their review of individual student homework and adapt their instruction accordingly. In Maine, all middle school students have individual laptops. Students will complete their homework on their laptop computers and receive (1) immediate feedback on their answer, (2) individualized tutoring and hint messages on difficult problems, (3) mastery problem sets that adjust to their mastery status of knowledge, and (4) automatic reassessment of a subset of skills to help improve their retention of previously mastered skills. Teachers will receive intensive professional development to support them using the reports as a formative assessment tool and parents will receive reports about their children's progress and homework performance.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The sample for this study includes teachers and students drawn from approximately 104 grade 7 classrooms in 52 public middle/junior high schools. The schools will be recruited in two cohorts with a 1-year delay in-between to allow the project team time to recruit.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The study will use a randomized experimental design, with participation occurring over two years for each teacher. In the first year, teachers will implement and become familiar with the intervention; only the second year's usage of ASSISTments will be used in evaluating the effects of the intervention on student performance. There will be two cohorts of teachers, with Cohort 1 participating over Years 1-2 and Cohort 2 over Years 2-3. The unit of random assignment will be schools. A total of 52 schools will be recruited, and they will be randomly assigned to either the treatment or control condition.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers in schools assigned to the control condition will use the instructional practices they are currently using or that are made available to them during the course of the study, including all traditional and formative assessment practices, other than ASSISTments.
Data Analytic Strategy A three-level hierarchical linear regression model (students nested within teachers within schools) will be used to account for the effect of clustering on the variance structure of the data. When Cohort 2 completes participation in the study (i.e., at the end of Year 3), the data from both cohorts will be combined and analyzed. Moderator analyses will examine the impact of the intervention on the learning of students with low-baseline math achievement, special education, ELL, and different socioeconomic backgrounds. Finally, mediation analyses will examine the link between teachers' use of the ASSISTments and student homework completion rate.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Statewide math test scores from the New England Common Assessment (NECAP) will be the primary measure. Because the NECAP is designed to assess student learning from the prior teaching year at the beginning of the next school year, researchers will also administer a nationally normed mathematics achievement test, TerraNova, at the end of grade 7 for both cohorts. Additionally, researcher-developed pre- and posttests will be used for two focal units in grade 7 curriculum to obtain proximal measures of achievement.
Summary of the Study / Abstract In this study, researchers will test the efficacy of the intervention using a randomized experimental design with two cohorts of teachers. Teachers will spend their first year in the study implementing the intervention and learning how to use it. During the second year of the intervention, student performance data will be used to evaluate the efficacy of the intervention. Each teacher will participate in the study for two years. Teachers will receive professional development training and support on the use of ASSISTments both prior to and throughout the school year, where they will use the system for homework at least four times per week. The technology in ASSISTments enables teachers to assign customized homework to their students, aligned to individual student needs. Teachers will also assign "mastery" problem sets that organize practice to facilitate the achievement of proficiency. Students will complete their homework using the system. While doing homework in ASSISTments, students will receive support including immediate feedback on the correctness of their answers and extensive tutoring.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#442. Added August 9, 2013 Updated August 9, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Developing Consultation and Collaboration Skills: ESL and Classroom Teachers Working Together with Students and Families
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Leslie Babinski lb107@duke.edu
Start Date:	April 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	March 31, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120290
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Studies will take place in 14 elementary schools located in 3 school systems in central North Carolina. The percentage of Latino ELLs in the schools ranges from 30 percent to 60 percent.
Intervention The DCCS intervention uses evidence-based professional development integrated into Guskey's model as a framework to: (1) further develop teachers' knowledge and skills critical to providing high-quality instruction to ELL students; (2) improve ELL students' learning; and (3) to increase teachers' self-efficacy to support ELL students and collaborate with their parents. The DCCS program will include three components. First, teachers and ESL teachers will attend a summer academy to learn effective strategies for working with the Latino ELL children in their classrooms. Second, ESL teachers will consult with classroom teachers and receive onsite coaching by the research team throughout the school year. Third, digital content modules will be produced to provide additional access to information from summer training for teachers throughout the year.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Twenty K-2 teachers and 16 ESL teachers, principals and parents will participate in the development phase of the grant. The pilot study will include 20 teachers and 160 students from 10 schools different than those who participated in the development of the program.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods In Year 1, an expert panel will provide several rounds of review of current versions of the DCCS curriculum materials, using a structured feedback form and participating in a two-hour video conference to discuss their feedback. Several rounds of focus groups will be held with classroom and ESL teachers, principals, and parents to provide feedback on the training materials and strategies. In Year 2, DCCS will be field tested in 4 schools with 8 classroom teachers and 4 ESL teachers and feedback will be collected via interviews and surveys of teachers, parents, and ESL specialists. Teachers will participate in structured interviews three times a year to elicit feedback on the program. ESL teachers will keep structured consultation logs to document their interactions with classroom teachers and participate in an online discussion forum to facilitate problem-solving. Interviews will also be conducted with the principals at participating schools and 12 parents of participating ELLs. Professionally developed DVDs will be created to provide examples of key concepts and demonstrate best practices. Feedback from all stakeholders will be analyzed to inform the final revisions of DCCS. The expert panel will review the final version of the program prior to pilot testing in Year 3. The DCCS program will be pilot tested by randomly assigning 5 schools to receive the intervention and 5 schools to continue with business as usual. The pilot test will include 40 classroom teachers, 10 ESL teachers, and approximately 160 ELLs. The promise of DCCS will be examined by comparing measures of teacher efficacy, quality of the classroom literacy environment, teacher collaboration, school-home collaboration, and student literacy skills between intervention and control schools.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition In the pilot study, schools randomly assigned to the control condition will continue business as usual.
Data Analytic Strategy Qualitative data from focus groups, interviews, and online discussion boards will be coded and analyzed to identify themes and subthemes. Input from the expert advisory panel will be similarly analyzed for suggestions for improving content, improving process, identifying barriers to implementation, and identifying key factors for success. Analysis of variance will be used in the pilot study to examine the differences between intervention and control groups on each of the teacher outcome variables. An analysis of covariance of the students' scores on the Woodcock-Johnson Diagnostic Reading Battery III will be used to determine whether the intervention group improves at a faster rate than the control group.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Four subtests of the Woodcock-Johnson Diagnostic Reading Battery III will be used to assess students' skills in reading in English: Word Attack, Letter/Word Identification, Passage Comprehension; and Spelling of Sounds. Program implementation will be measured using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System, and researcher-designed tools to assess consulting practices by ESL teachers, parent involvement and salient classroom practices.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Researchers will use cyclical input from expert advisors and focus groups with teachers, administrators, and parents in the first two years of the grant to develop and revise the DCCS program. Professional development in the DCCS program will occur in a summer academy through consultation between the ESL teacher and K-2 teachers, and on-site coaching sessions between research and school staff. In the third year, the fully developed DCCS will be piloted using school-based random assignment with 40 classroom teachers and 10 ESL teachers to either receive DCCS or continue with usual practice. Researchers will examine the promise of the DCCS program in raising teacher efficacy, improving the quality of the classroom literacy environment, fostering teacher and school-home collaboration, and raising the literacy skills of ELLs.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#443. Added August 9, 2013 Updated August 9, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Early Truancy Prevention Project
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Philip Cook pcook@duke.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120526
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Participating schools are located in a metropolitan school district in North Carolina.
Intervention The Early Truancy Prevention Project takes a comprehensive, multi-component approach to improving student attendance in the elementary grades. The first component is home-school relationship development. Second- and third-grade teachers will be trained and compensated to conduct a 30-minute home visit for each of their students at the beginning of the school year. The goal of this home visit is to establish effective home-school relationships. The second component is timely monitoring of attendance patterns. Researchers will develop and implement an electronic information system that provides teachers with immediate reports on each child's pattern of attendance over time so that teachers (as well as school administrators and the evaluation team) can identify a truancy or tardiness problem as soon as it develops. The final component involves identifying and targeting specific causes of absenteeism. Researchers will pilot an assessment to identify possible causes of absenteeism and a set of protocols designed to target specific causes. Based on attendance triggers, teachers will conduct attendance assessments and implement protocols targeted at a student's specific reasons for being absent. For example, teachers might work with school administrators to help solve specific transportation problems or work with the school nurse to address absences due to chronic or frequent health problems such as asthma, lice, or colds.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The study population includes second- and third-grade teachers, their students enrolled during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 school years, and the students' parents. The North Carolina metropolitan school district has approximately 32,500 students and is about 52 percent African American, 21 percent Hispanic, 21 percent white and 6 percent other. Approximately 63 percent of district students are from low-income families. This district had an average daily absenteeism rate of 6 percent over the past 3 years and about 10 percent of students have more than 10 absences per year, a common criterion for chronic absenteeism.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods During the initial year, researchers will develop the three intervention components and implement them in two North Carolina elementary schools. First, the research team will revise an existing kindergarten home visit protocol for use with families of second- and third-grade students. Researchers will also develop a web-based attendance system to document and track daily attendance, tardiness and early departures, truancy prevention efforts, and student and family responses. In addition, the team will refine and implement an Attendance Assessment Questionnaire that identifies causes of truancy among students and a set of targeted responses to specific causes of truancy. During the second year, researchers will conduct a small randomized pilot of the intervention in six schools. Second-and third-grade teachers will participate at each school; with one grade level participating in the intervention and the other grade serving as the control. Specifically, at three schools the second-grade teachers will implement the truancy prevention intervention and the third-grade teachers will conduct business-as-usual activities. At the other three schools, the third-grade teachers will implement the treatment and the second grade teachers will conduct business-as-usual activities. Across the six schools, approximately 24 classrooms will receive the intervention and about 24 classrooms will serve as controls. During the third year, researchers will estimate the effect of the intervention on truancy by comparing the attendance record of students in the intervention group with those in the control group. Researchers will also estimate the effect of the intervention on other student outcomes such as grades, disciplinary actions, and end-of-grade standardized test scores.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition During the pilot test, control classrooms will conduct business-as-usual activities.
Data Analytic Strategy During the iterative development process, researchers will analyze data on the fidelity and feasibility of implementation. For the pilot, students are randomized at the classroom level, but observed at the student level. Researchers will use regression analyses (with errors clustered at the classroom level) to estimate the effect of the intervention on student-level outcomes. The cluster correction produces a credible estimate of the precision of the estimated treatment effect on student-level outcomes (such as total absences). Researchers will cross-check their findings by also analyzing the data using multi-level modeling. This will allow the team to estimate the proportion of variation in the outcome that is attributable to each level (e.g., individual student vs. teacher) of the design.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Student outcome measures include attendance (excused, unexcused, tardies, and early departures), grade retention/promotion, disciplinary infractions, grades (math, reading, science, etc.), special education referrals and end-of-grade standardized test scores. Researchers will also collect data on mediating mechanisms such as parent and teacher involvement, students' adjustment to school, student-teacher relationships, and teacher attitudes. During the development process and the pilot, researchers will also collect data on the fidelity and feasibility of implementation using teacher training evaluations, home visiting completion forms, home visit reflection forms, home visit observations, attendance assessment questionnaires, targeted intervention implementation forms, spot checks of attendance data accuracy, teacher interviews, teacher feedback surveys, and parent surveys.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The core activity of this project is the iterative development of a truancy intervention program for the elementary grades that integrates universal teacher home visiting, timely monitoring of attendance patterns through an attendance information system, and identifying and addressing specific causes of early truancy. During the first year, the research team will develop and implement the intervention in two schools. During the second year, researchers will conduct a small, randomized pilot of the intervention in six North Carolina elementary schools to provide preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of the intervention in reducing elementary school truancy. Researchers will analyze pilot data and make final revisions to the intervention during the third year of the project.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#444. Added August 9, 2013 Updated August 9, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Efficacy Study of a Pre-Algebra Supplemental Program in Rural Mississippi Schools
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Andrea Beesley abeesley@impaqint.com
Start Date:	March 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	February 29, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120045
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The setting for this study includes rural middle schools in Mississippi.
Intervention The EDC Algebra Readiness program is a widely used supplemental mathematics program that has not yet been rigorously evaluated. The program consists of an interactive bulletin board containing several visual models around which teachers conduct whole-class activities for 10-15 minutes per day. Teachers use the visual models to lead students in consistent, incremental daily practice designed to help them express conceptual thinking about mathematics and to understand critical algebra readiness concepts and skills. EDC Algebra Readiness focuses on the following topics: fractions, decimals, and percents; integers; number patterns; algebraic representation with variables, expressions, equations, and graphing; geometry; measurement; and data and probability with problem solving and discussion.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The sample will include 7th grade students from 40 rural middle schools in Mississippi , as defined by the National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Participating schools will be randomly assigned to either the treatment or control condition. Grade 7 teachers in schools assigned to the treatment condition will use the EDC Algebra Readiness curriculum throughout the school year to provide students with an additional 10-15 minutes of daily mathematics instruction to supplement their typical mathematics curriculum. Teachers in the treatment condition will receive a 2-day summer professional development workshop to help teachers learn to use the curriculum as designed, and teachers will also participate in monthly online professional development sessions. To measure fidelity of implementation, observations in both treatment and control schools will take place five times per school year, with every school receiving at least one observation per quarter. In addition to observations, teachers will also complete online self-report implementation logs five times per year. Both treatment and control students will be followed up at grades 8 and 9 to obtain the results of their Algebra I end-of-course test.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Schools in the control condition will continue to implement their business-as-usual mathematics curriculum and instructional practices.
Data Analytic Strategy Two-level hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), with students nested within schools, will be used to analyze the impact of the EDC Algebra Readiness program on student algebra readiness and Algebra I achievement. Mathematics scores from the 6th grade Mississippi Curriculum Test will be used as a pretest covariate at the student and school levels. The HLM analysis will be used to estimate the impact of EDC Algebra Readiness on all three mathematics outcomes-the researcher developed Algebra Readiness Assessment, the Iowa Algebra Aptitude Test, and the Mississippi Algebra I Subject Area test.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The key measures in the study include the Algebra Readiness Assessment, the Iowa Algebra Aptitude Test, and the Mississippi Algebra I Subject Area Test.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The researchers will evaluate the efficacy of a supplemental middle school mathematics curriculum, Every Day Counts Algebra Readiness (EDC Algebra Readiness), on the algebra readiness of grade 7 students and the Algebra I achievement of these same students in grades 8 and 9 in rural schools in Mississippi. Forty middle schools will be randomly assigned to use the EDC Algebra Readiness supplemental mathematics curriculum or to continue to implement their business-as-usual mathematics curriculum and instructional practices. Data focusing on students' pre-algebra mathematics achievement will be collected, along with students' later achievement in algebra.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#447. Added August 9, 2013 Updated August 9, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Improving Academic Achievement by Teaching Growth Mindsets about Emotion
Principal Investigator:	Mr. James Gross gross@stanford.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	December 31, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120671
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Two school districts in California.
Intervention The growth mindset of emotion regulation modules will teach students about emotional functioning, including what an emotion is, how to identify and differentiate their own emotions, where emotions are localized in the brain, and how to regulate emotions. The modules will be completed during two 45-minute sessions in the computer lab. In addition, to solidify their understanding, students will be asked to complete brief writing assignments that relate the material to their own lives.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information 120 middle school students will participate in the iterative development research. The pilot study will include 200 sixth- and seventh-grade students.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Researchers will develop several versions of each module and carry out three iterative cycles of testing to determine which version works best. For example, one version of the emotional regulation modules will highlight the differences between suppression and reappraisal of emotions. Another version will only teach the positive strategy, reappraisal, without comparing it to the negative strategy of suppression. Versions will also vary in the complexity and depth of material as well as the sequence in which material is presented. For example, some versions will start with general information about the brain and others with information about emotions. Students will complete a short quiz to assess knowledge after completing each module, answer survey questions, and participate in individual interviews to provide feedback to researchers for use in revising the modules. Researchers will collect information on students' endorsement of a growth mindset of emotion regulation, their likelihood of using effective emotion regulation strategies, and their engagement with the material. The promise of the intervention will be assessed in a pilot study. Students will be randomly assigned to participate in either the treatment or control condition. Researchers will gather information about students' mindsets before and after participating in the intervention, as well as course grades and standardized test scores. In addition, the way the effects may be mediated by negative emotions, emotion regulation strategies, and working memory will be examined, as well as whether the intervention was more effective with particular groups of students.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Students in the control condition will complete a set of modules on basics of the brain. These modules will include information on the anatomy of the brain and how memory is structured in the brain.
Data Analytic Strategy The primary analyses will use regression models to test whether the intervention significantly affects students' mindsets and achievement. The team will carry out mediation analyses to determine whether the relation between the treatment group (vs. control) and performance outcomes is significantly mediated by reappraisal and negative emotions/working memory. Secondary analyses will examine demographic variables to determine whether certain groups showed greater effects using these same tests.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The key predictor measure is a researcher-developed assessment of growth mindsets of emotion regulation. Key outcome measures include detailed course grades and standardized test scores. Mediators include measures of negative emotion, reappraisal, suppression, and working memory.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Researchers will develop, refine, and test computer modules designed to teach students first, that emotions can be regulated and second, how to effectively regulate emotions. After the growth mindset modules are fully developed, the team will carry out a pilot study where students will be randomly assigned to participate in the intervention or receive a control intervention.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#445. Added August 9, 2013 Updated August 9, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Efficacy Trial of MyTeachingPartner-Mathematics and Science Curricula and Implementation Support System
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Mable Kinzie kinzie@virginia.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120631
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will be conducted in a variety of center-based pre-kindergarten programs (public pre-kindergarten, Head Start, and private child care centers) in urban areas in Missouri and Oklahoma.
Intervention The MyTeachingPartner-Math/Science (MTP-M/S) intervention includes two fully developed curricula, MTP-Mathematics and MTP-Science and a professional development support model for early childhood educators. The MTP-M/S intervention was developed and pilot tested through a 2007 IES Development grant. The MTP-Math curriculum focuses on concepts and skills in number sense, operations, geometry, and measurement. The MTP-Science curriculum addresses inquiry skills and key concepts in life, earth, and physical science. Two math and two science activities are implemented every week, along with one math or science center, for 33 weeks of instruction across the school year. The MTP-M/S implementation support system for teachers includes over 130, two-three minute video demonstrations of high quality, high fidelity curricular implementation, video-based quality challenges, teaching tips, instructional adaptations, curricular extensions, and a Quality Teaching Video Library containing hundreds of additional examples of high quality teaching in pre-k. Professional development workshops provide guidance to teachers in their use of these supports, and offer opportunities for self-reflection and peer debriefing. The MTP-M/S professional development support system is designed to improve teachers' mathematics and science concept knowledge, understanding of developmentally appropriate mathematics and science instruction in early childhood education, and their knowledge of how to foster the development of young children's mathematics and science skills.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Study participants include 140 pre-kindergarten teachers and approximately 1120 children from a mix of public, private, and Head Start centers. Children will be excluded from the study sample if they have an existing Individualized Education Plan for a severe developmental disability or if they have Limited English Proficiency.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The study will be conducted over a four-year period. In year one, the researchers will recruit teachers for participation and conduct baseline observations to identify participant characteristics for stratified random assignment of teachers to treatment and control conditions. The researchers will randomly assign 140 teachers to the MTP-M/S intervention group or a business-as-usual control group. After randomization, years two and three will be devoted to implementation of the intervention and evaluation of its components. Training and support will be provided to the treatment group teachers as they implement the curricula. Eight children from each classroom will be randomly selected to be assessed using the battery of outcome measures. Child-, teacher-, and classroom-level data will be collected. Fidelity of implementation data will also be collected in treatment and control classrooms. In year 4, the researchers will complete final data analyses and disseminate the study findings.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The MTP-M/S intervention will be compared to a business-as-usual condition. Teachers assigned to the business as usual condition will continue to use a range of curricula including, Creative Curriculum, Project Construct, HighScope, the Montessori Method, and literacy and/or theme-based curricula.
Data Analytic Strategy The researchers will conduct analyses to examine the impact of the intervention on teacher-child interactions as measured by the CLASS (Emotional Support, Classroom Organization, and Instructional Support), and children's knowledge and understanding of mathematics and science concepts. The researchers will use a variety of statistical analyses ranging from basic descriptive to multi-level (hierarchical linear modeling) analyses. Variance associated with influential child (e.g., prior learning, family socio-economic and teacher characteristics will be controlled. The effects of moderating and mediating variables will be determined. These results will determine whether participating in the MTP-M/S intervention improves students' math and science school readiness skills and whether it affects the quality and fidelity of teachers' classroom practice.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes A battery of measures will be used to collect direct child assessment data, teachers' ratings of children's mathematics and science skills, observations of children's interactions with teachers and engagement in classroom activities, and observational measures of teachers' classroom practices. The child outcome battery includes standardized and researcher-developed measures of children's mathematics and science learning. The Tools for Early Assessment in Mathematics will be used to assess children's mathematical knowledge and skills. The Preschool Science Assessment, an IRT-based instrument developed in an earlier IES grant, will be used to assess children's life science, earth and space science, and physical and energy science knowledge and skills. The Individualized Classroom Assessment Scoring System, an observational measure, will be used to assess children's positive interactions with teachers and classroom engagement. The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) will be used as an observational measure of teacher-child interactions. Two additional observational measures will be used to examine specific mathematics and science teaching practices. The Classroom Observation of Early Mathematics Teaching is a measure of classroom culture and specific mathematics activities. The Preschool Science Classroom Observation Tool is designed to measure teacher and student engagement in science process skills. The researchers will also use several methods including live observations, videotaped observations, and teacher self-reports to examine of fidelity of implementation.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The researchers will conduct a randomized control trial to examine the impact of the MTP-Mathematics and Science intervention on prekindergarten children's mathematics and science knowledge, skills, and engagement in classroom tasks and activities. In addition, the team will gather information about the quality of teacher-child interactions and seek to determine if teachers' instructional practices improve differentially during one versus two years of implementation and as a function of receiving the curricula and teacher supports. The first year of the study will focus on sample recruitment, collection of baseline data, and random assignment of teachers to treatment and control conditions. In years 2 and 3, the researchers will implement and evaluate the efficacy of the MTP-Mathematics and Science intervention. In year 4, the researchers will conduct final analyses and disseminate the study findings.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#446. Added August 9, 2013 Updated August 9, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Getting Students to the Finish Line: An Efficacy Study of a Ninth Grade Early Warning Indicator Intervention
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Robert Balfanz rbalfanz@jhu.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120677
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will be conducted in 40 Alabama high schools (both rural and urban) with graduation rates lower than 80 percent.
Intervention The Early Warning Intervention (EWI) Team model brings together adults within individual schools to provide services for 9th grade students identified by Alabama's early warning system as not being "on-track" for graduation. At each participating school, an EWI Team, composed of teachers, counselors, student support services personnel and others, meets bi-weekly to set common academic and behavioral expectations and policies that are supportive of keeping students on path to graduation. EWI schools also have an on-site graduation facilitator that serves as the mediator between the school/district leadership and the EWI team. The facilitator provides regularly updated early warning indicator data (from routinely collected student data on attendance, behavior, course grades) on each student to the EWI team; and guides the EWI team in discussing students with warning indicators, planning interventions, and following up on implemented interventions during the bi-weekly EWI team meetings. A state-level facilitator and Johns Hopkins University coaches provide ongoing professional development and coaching to the on-site graduation facilitators and the EWI Team.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The study population includes 9th grade students who attend Alabama high schools with low graduation rates. Researchers will study 9th graders at 20 high schools during the 2012/13 and 2013/14 academic years and 9th graders at an additional 20 high schools during the 2013/14 and 2014/15 academic years. This will result in four cohorts of 9th graders that include a large proportion of low-income and minority students as well as students from rural and urban areas.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This is an experimental study in which schools are randomized into the treatment condition (EWI Team model) or the control condition (business-as-usual). Before the grant award, researchers will recruit 40 schools to participate in the intervention and assign them to the treatment and control conditions (20 schools each). Half of the schools (10 treatment and 10 control) will begin participation in the study during the 2012-2013 academic year. The other 20 schools (10 treatment and 10 control) will begin participation in the study during the 2013-14 academic year. At the treatment schools, EWI Teams and facilitators will receive ongoing professional development from the intervention provider and will implement the model with incoming 9th grade students for two consecutive years. This will result in four cohorts of 9th grade students. For all four cohorts, researchers will estimate the effect of the intervention on 9th grade outcomes such as attendance, number of course credits earned in ninth grade, number of office referrals, number of in-school and out-of-school suspensions, course grades, and on-time promotion. Because of the lagged implementation, researchers will be also able to follow three cohorts through the 10th and 11th grades and one cohort through the 12th grade. This will allow researchers to estimate the effect of the 9th grade intervention on student outcomes over time.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Half of the study schools will be assigned to a business-as-usual control condition. Researchers will collect data on the types of services control schools offer struggling 9th grade students.
Data Analytic Strategy Data analysis will be conducted using hierarchical linear modeling, nesting at least 4,000 students (an average of 100 ninth graders per school) within 40 schools for each of two years of implementation. At Level 1 (student), ninth grade outcomes are functions of prior outcomes from the eighth grade (e.g. eighth grade attendance) and a vector of student characteristics obtained from district student records (e.g. gender, race/ethnicity) and the student surveys (e.g. mediators such as self-reports on motivation measures). Similarly, percentage of courses passed/credits earned is a function of these same factors, as well as ninth grade attendance. At Level 2 (school), researchers include variables for school characteristics, including an indicator of treatment status, and covariates representing the characteristics of the school and student body. These will include the mean 8th grade test score of entering 9th graders, the percent of low-income students, and the average attendance. Supplementary analyses will be conducted with a subsample of schools and students who can be followed over four years to a graduation outcome, as well as with subsamples of schools and students with 10th and 11th grade outcomes.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Ninth-grade student outcome measures include attendance, grade retention/promotion, course credits earned, grades, disciplinary infractions, and "on-track" status. Similar outcomes will be measured for subsamples of students followed through the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades. For one cohort, researchers will collect data on high school graduation. Student outcomes will also include survey-based measures of student attitudes, efforts, and motivation. Researchers will also use weekly log forms, observations of EWI meetings, and staff surveys to collect data on intervention implementation.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Researchers will conduct a randomized experiment in 40 high schools in which half of the schools will receive EWI Teams (treatment schools) and half will not (control schools). This experiment will allow researchers to measure the impact of the Early Warning Intervention Team model on ninth grade student outcomes as well as on later outcomes on sub-samples of students who researchers can follow through the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grades. Researchers will also study how the treatment schools implement the intervention and will document the strategies the control schools use to help struggling 9th grade students.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#448. Added August 9, 2013 Updated August 9, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Improving Classroom Learning Environments by Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE): A Cluster Randomized Controlled Efficacy Trial
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Patricia Jennings paj16@psu.edu
Start Date:	March 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	February 29, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120180
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study will take place in 32 New York public elementary schools (kindergarten through fifth grade).
Intervention The CARE program model is designed to promote and support teachers' social and emotional competencies and well-being. Following best practices in adult learning, CARE introduces material sequentially, utilizing a blend of didactic, experiential and interactive learning processes. Over the school year, CARE involves 30 contact hours in a group setting presented as a series of five 6-hour sessions. Between sessions, teachers receive individualized phone coaching through two 30-minute calls over two weeks. In this efficacy study, the program will be delivered by CARE co-developers or facilitators trained, supervised, and certified by the developers. Program content consists of (1) emotion skills instruction; (2) mindfulness/stress reduction practices to promote self-regulation of attention and non-judgmental awareness; and (3) caring and listening practices to promote empathy and compassion. Program materials include a CARE Facilitator's Manual, a Participant Workbook (including presented information, exercises, and homework activities), a Participant CD containing guided mindfulness and caring activities for home practice, and a series of Power Point slides that support the didactic portions of the program.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Study participants include approximately 256 teachers and approximately 20 participating students per teacher/classroom.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The proposed research will utilize a 3-level (students, teachers, schools) multi-site cluster randomized design with treatment at level 2 (teachers) and schools as naturally occurring blocks. Teachers will be randomized to CARE or a wait list control group (professional development as usual) within schools and by grade for two cohorts of schools (16 schools per cohort). Teachers and classrooms in each cohort of schools will be assessed three times: twice in one school year (pre-intervention baseline in fall and post-intervention in spring) and once in the following year (a follow-up in fall). Direct assessment of students and the collection of school data (grades, test scores, disciplinary actions, absenteeism and tardiness) will occur twice in the first year (pre-intervention baseline in fall and post-intervention in spring). At the fall follow-up assessment, only student school data will be collected.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers in the control group will receive the professional development that is typically offered in the participating New York public elementary schools. These teachers will be offered the CARE professional development program following the completion of the third data collection (i.e., the fall follow-up assessment).
Data Analytic Strategy Data from the two cohorts will be combined and analyzed using hierarchical linear modeling techniques to estimate the impact of treatment condition (CARE versus professional development as usual) on teacher and classroom proximal outcomes, hypothesized mediators, and on distal student level outcomes. The researchers will also explore whether implementation fidelity (using propensity score analyses) and baseline risk (using an interaction term between the baseline covariate for each outcome and intervention status) moderate the impact of CARE. Finally, the researchers will explore potential mediating effects of the intervention to determine whether CARE's proximal effects on teachers and classrooms account for CARE's distal effects on student outcomes using the most current multilevel mediation modeling techniques.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Assessment will involve teacher self-report questionnaires (e.g., the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale, the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, the Maslach Burnout Inventory), observational ratings of teachers and classrooms (e.g., the Classroom Assessment Scoring System), teacher reports on students (e.g., the Behavior Assessment System for Children), and student school records (e.g., test scores, disciplinary actions).
Summary of the Study / Abstract The project will carry out a multi-site randomized trial intended to test the direct effects of the CARE program on teachers and classrooms as well as on students' behavior and academic achievement. This study will explore whether the intervention is especially effective for teachers, classrooms and students at highest risk. The researchers will also seek to determine whether CARE's hypothesized proximal effects on teachers and classrooms account for CARE's hypothesized distal effects on student outcomes.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#449. Added August 9, 2013 Updated November 15, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Improving Information and Access to Financial Aid: Expanding the FAFSA Experiment
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Eric Bettinger ebettinger@stanford.edu
Start Date:	March 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	February 28, 2017
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120280
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The intervention will take place at about 9,000 free tax-file sites across the United States (i.e., Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites) run by the Internal Revenue Service. The researchers will collaborate with a group that provides tax software at each of these sites.
Intervention The intervention involves several levels of assistance to families completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). As individuals complete their taxes, the researchers will use their tax data to pre-populate the FAFSA form. The researchers will then offer different levels of assistance to different individuals. The levels of assistance vary from assistance with filing the FAFSA form to interpretation of the likely aid eligibility.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The proposed research will focus on families with college-age children and incomes below $45,000 per year. These individuals would likely qualify for financial aid if they attended college.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The research has an experimental design. In the initial year of the study, families who agree to participate in the research will be randomly assigned either to the control group or one of the three treatment groups. There are three treatment groups and each group will receive a different intervention. One group receives aid information only (i.e., receive a pamphlet which includes information on college costs and benefits). Among those receiving FAFSA help, some receive personalized assistance while others do not. The research team will gather data from administrative data sets (e.g., the National Student Clearinghouse) to determine if participation in the treatment groups resulted in improved long-term student outcomes relevant to access and persistence in college.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control group will receive basic information about the FAFSA and the college application process.
Data Analytic Strategy Given the randomization involved, simple comparisons of the control and treatment groups will identify the treatment effects. Researchers will estimate both the effects of offering the service (intent-to-treat effects), and the effects of using the service among individuals for which a FAFSA is filed (treatment-on-the-treated effects). The former will also use fixed effects multivariate regression analysis with covariates to estimate the former, and regressions with instruments to identify the "treatment-on-the-treated" effect.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The researchers use administrative data that describes individual's college attendance, access to financial aid, college choice, and college persistence. The data will be drawn from datasets maintained by the National Student Clearinghouse and the Department of Education. These outcomes, which include completing the Financial aid application, financial aid receipt, college attendance, and college persistence, will be investigated for the entire sample as the well as for subgroups (by income, race, gender). The use of administrative data allows the researchers to inexpensively track all of the study participants over time.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Researchers will use an experimental design to investigate the impact of the simplification of the application process on the likelihood of college attendance, access to financial aid, college choice, and college persistence. Participants will be assigned to the control condition or one of three levels of assistance. The project team will gather long-term outcome data for students who participate in both the experimental and control conditions of the study.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#451. Added August 9, 2013 Updated August 9, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Investigation of the Efficacy of the JUMP Program of Mathematics Instruction
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Rosemary Tannock tannock@sickkids.ca
Start Date:	March 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	February 29, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120184
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The setting for this study includes ethnically and socioeconomically diverse urban elementary schools in Ontario, Canada.
Intervention JUMP Math is a fully developed curriculum spanning grades kindergarten through 8. The curriculum has a strong emphasis on symbolic math (e.g., numbers, letters, mathematical symbols) and focuses on the mental activity involved in constructing mathematical knowledge. An important hallmark of the JUMP Math curriculum is that math problems are reduced to increasingly smaller steps until students are able to achieve mastery, then the problems are built back up incrementally to meet the curriculum demands. In this way, JUMP Math is ideally suited for differentiated instruction. Extensive practice and assessment of student comprehension are also essential at each step of instruction.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The sample includes 50 elementary schools with approximately 800 students at grade 2 and 800 students at grade 5. These students will be followed into grades 3 and 6, respectively.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods During the first year of the study, 50 elementary schools will be randomly assigned to either the treatment condition (JUMP Math) or the control condition (business-as-usual). Schools will be matched on socioeconomic status data and their most recent regional math and reading assessment scores prior to randomization. Within each school, one grade 2 and one grade 5 teacher will be randomly selected to participate in the study. Teachers in the treatment condition will receive one day of professional development training on the JUMP Math curriculum in the summer and a second day of follow-up training in February. The JUMP Math curriculum will be implemented throughout the school year. During the second year of the study, grades 2 and 5 students will be followed into grades 3 and 6, respectively. Consenting teachers who inherit JUMP Math students and are new to the study will receive the same JUMP Math training given to teachers during the previous year and will implement the JUMP Math Curriculum throughout the school year.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Schools in the control condition will continue to implement their business-as-usual mathematics curriculum and instruction, which is typically the Math Makes Sense curriculum.
Data Analytic Strategy A three-level hierarchical linear model of time within students within schools will be used to analyze the impact of the JUMP Math curriculum on students' mathematics outcomes.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Four measures of student math achievement will be collected, including the broad, math-cluster score from the Woodcock-Johnson III, a curriculum-based math measure from the Monitoring Basic Skills Progress Math Kit, students' math course grades, and students' scores on the math section of the regional assessment.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The researchers will evaluate the efficacy of the JUMP Math curriculum in grades 2, 3, 5, and 6. Fifty elementary schools will be randomly assigned to either the treatment condition (JUMP Math) or the control condition (business-as-usual). During the first year of the study, one grade 2 and one grade 5 teacher within each school will be randomly selected to participate in the study. During the second year of the study, students who were grades 2 and 5 will be followed into grades 3 and 6, respectively, allowing the researchers to measure the effects of JUMP Math curriculum over two years.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#450. Added August 9, 2013 Updated August 9, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Improving Teachers' Monitoring of Learning
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Keith Thiede keiththiede@boisestate.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120265
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This project will take place in elementary schools in Boise, Idaho.
Intervention The intervention is intended to improve the accuracy of teachers' estimate of their students' learning by supporting teacher use of formative assessments. The intervention will consist of both a summer institute and ongoing professional development activities during the school year. During the summer institute, teachers will learn about the purpose of the training, particularly in regard to the importance of accurate assessment of student learning. Additionally, teachers will participate in discussions about the types of information sources used for estimating student learning (with an emphasis on using valid formative assessments) and receive training on developing and applying formative assessments to their teaching practices. Ongoing professional development during the school year includes working in within-grade-level groups, receiving individual coaching, and learning from classroom observations focused on teachers' creation and use of formative assessments. Two additional components will be considered for inclusion into the professional development program if they enhance program effects. One component involves having teachers writing weekly about their use of formative assessments in estimating their students' acquisition of math skills (e.g., chronicling). The purpose of this component is to prime teachers to information gained through these formative assessments. The other component involves teachers being given practice trials predicting their students' math achievement and researcher feedback during the school year.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Participants include approximately 288 first- through sixth-grade teachers across 24 elementary schools (12 teachers per school). Each year, 96 teachers across 8 schools will be recruited.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods In the initial year of the project, the team will develop the materials for the Monitoring PD program, and then test combinations of the new PD with existing mathematics PD and teacher chronicles to identify which combinations of PD supports show the most promise. In order to carry out the comparisons, schools will be randomly assigned to six conditions: a) standard classroom practice; b) pre-existing PD program intended to improve mathematics instruction (Developing Mathematical Thinking [DMT]); c) Monitoring PD only; d) Monitoring PD plus chronicling; e) Monitoring PD plus DMT; and f) Monitoring PD plus DMT plus chronicling. The Monitoring PD program will be revised. If monitoring accuracy is greater for the chronicling condition compared to non-chronicling condition, then researchers will include chronicling in the Monitoring PD for Year 2. In Year 2, a new cohort of schools will be randomly assigned to six conditions: a) standard classroom practices; b) DMT only; c) Monitoring PD only; d) Monitoring PD plus practice; e) Monitoring PD plus DMT; and f) Monitoring PD plus DMT plus practice. The Monitoring PD will be revised. If monitoring accuracy is greater for the practice condition compared to non-practice conditions, then researchers will include practice in Monitoring PD for Year 3. In Year 3, a new cohort of schools will be randomly assigned to three conditions: a) standard classroom practices; b) Monitoring PD only (e.g., stand-alone PD); and c) Monitoring PD plus DMT. If monitoring accuracy is greater for the stand-alone Monitoring PD condition, then researchers will offer intervention as a stand-alone PD. If monitoring accuracy is greater for the Monitoring add-on to DMT condition, then researchers will incorporate the Monitoring program into DMT. Finally, the team will integrate the findings from the three years of work into a manual for facilitators of Monitoring PD.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition In Years 1 and 2, two control conditions will be included in the study-standard classroom practices and DMT-only. In Year 3, only one control condition will be included-standard classroom practice.
Data Analytic Strategy The accuracy of teachers' gauge of student math learning will be measured using the correlation of teacher-predicted scores and actual student scores on math achievement tests developed by the researchers. In years 1 and 2, planned comparisons will be conducted to compare monitoring accuracy of teachers. Researchers will use analysis of variance to examine the effect of the PDs on monitoring accuracy. Researchers will conduct data analyses comparing CALI and CAI scores before and after the summer institute training, scale scores on the observation measure across time, and monitor the accuracy of the chronicling conditions versus the non-chronicling condition. In year 3, multi-level modeling analyses will be used to test the effects of participation in Monitoring PD on student outcomes. Data for these analyses will be gathered at two levels: the student level and the teacher level.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes To gauge the effectiveness of program components and activities and to inform program revisions, researchers will gather data from two teacher self-report measures of attitudes and practice, observational coding of teacher practice, teacher-predicted and actual student scores on a math achievement test, and teacher feedback about the program. The Classroom Assessment Literacy Inventory (CALI) will be used to measure teachers' perception of their own ability to create and choose assessments that inform instructional strategies. The Conceptions of Assessment Inventory (CAI) measures teachers' self-reported attitudes toward formative assessments and practice. Self-report measures will be collected during the pre-summer-program, the post-summer-program, and at the end of the school year. Researchers will collect participant evaluations and will use observational coding of teacher formative assessment practices. At the end of each semester, teachers will predict their students' scores on a researcher-developed math test and researchers will collect and score students' actual performance on this test. Student scores on a state standardized test aggregated by teacher will also be used in the study.
Summary of the Study / Abstract In this project, the research team will develop Monitoring PD. Training will be provided during a summer institute and professional development activities delivered during the school year. The professional development program (PD) begins with a summer institute presenting information about formative assessments and orienting teachers to the activities of the upcoming year. The program then continues throughout the school year utilizing grade-level or team work groups, individual coaching, and observations with debriefing. Using an iterative process, Monitoring PD will be developed as a stand-alone PD and as an add-on to be integrated into an existing mathematics instruction PD entitled Developing Mathematical Thinking (DMT). Over the project period, the team will implement and test the different modes of delivery in order to ascertain which delivery mode to use in the pilot study. In the final year of the study, a pilot test of the Monitoring PD will be conducted using an experimental design in order to provide preliminary evidence for the potential benefits of Monitoring PD for improving student achievement.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#452. Added August 9, 2013 Updated August 9, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Perceptual Learning Technology in Mathematics Education: Efficacy and Replication
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Philip Kellman kellman@psych.ucla.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120288
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will be conducted in urban and suburban school districts in the Los Angeles and Philadelphia areas.
Intervention The intervention consists of four perceptual learning modules that integrate (1) principles of perceptual learning that accelerate learners' abilities recognize and discriminate key structures and relations in complex domains, and (2) adaptive learning algorithms that use a constant stream of performance data, combined with principles of learning and memory, to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of learning by adapting the learning process to each individual. These learning techniques have been combined with an approach to the mathematical content that connects and integrates domains of measurement and fractions to each other and to other core concepts with which they share deep underlying structures. Students in intervention classrooms will complete the four PLMs over the course of their 6th grade year.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Classrooms of teachers who teach two comparable sections of 6th grade mathematics classes that can be randomly assigned to study conditions will be eligible for the study. The participating school districts have varied demographic and achievement profiles.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Comparable sections of 6th grade mathematics taught by the same teachers will be randomly assigned to intervention and control conditions. The researchers will recruit 30 teachers in total across the two sites, representing 60 classes per year, and run two cohorts in successive years. This will result in approximately 1,500 students in each condition of the study. A team of mathematics curriculum and learning specialists will analyze district curricula and substitute PLMs for related activities in the normal curriculum, so that total math instruction time will be equal across conditions.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The research design employs a business-as-usual control condition in classrooms taught by the same teachers.
Data Analytic Strategy To analyze data collected from both study locations, one three-level, place-based randomized trial will be employed to determine whether the intervention has discernible effects relative to the control group, and if so, what their magnitude is.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Assessments will consist of state math tests administered at the end of 6th grade plus constructed assessments for each module drawn from publicly available items that are analyzed for alignment with the content addressed by the intervention. A delayed posttest will be administered to participants one year later to examine durability of learning. Fidelity of implementation will be assessed using time-stamped data automatically collected by the software, by a teacher implementation survey, and a small observational sub-study. Student scores on 5th grade state tests will be used as covariates.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This project will conduct a randomized controlled trial of a web-based intervention that consists of four perceptual learning modules that integrate (1) principles of perceptual learning that accelerate learners' abilities to recognize and discriminate key structures and relations in complex domains, and (2) adaptive learning algorithms that use a constant stream of performance data, combined with principles of learning and memory, to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of learning by adapting the learning process to each individual. These learning techniques have been combined with an approach to the mathematical content that connects and integrates domains of measurement and fractions to each other and to other core concepts with which they share deep underlying structures. The study will include approximately 3,000 6th grade students in 60 classrooms and will take place over the course the school year.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#461. Added August 12, 2013 Updated August 12, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	My Science Tutor: Improving Science Learning Through Tutorial Dialogs
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Wayne Ward wward@bltek.com
Start Date:	June 1, 2013	Anticipated End Date:	May 31, 2017
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A130206
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study will be conducted in elementary schools from three districts in Colorado.
Intervention My Science Tutor (MyST) is a computer-based intervention designed to supplement classroom instruction using the Full Option Science System (FOSS) curriculum. FOSS is a non-textbook based science curriculum focused on allowing students the opportunity to actively construct ideas through inquiry, experimentation, and analysis. MyST uses a life-like 3D character named Marni who asks open-ended questions and responds to students' speech. Marni and the student have a shared dialog about science which allows MyST to continuously assess students' knowledge on a particular topic. MyST uses character animation, automatic speech recognition, dialog modeling, and language and speech generation. Multimedia content is also integrated into the intervention during 20-minute tutorials aligned with FOSS content which are intended to provide the scaffolding for students to think and talk about science with Marni.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 2,200 students in grades three, four, and five will participate in this study.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This project involves two studies. The first is a replication study of the pilot study from the original IES funded Development and Innovation grant. For this study, 63 classrooms in third, fourth, and fifth grades will be randomly assigned to one of three conditions: one-on-one MyST tutoring; small-group human tutoring; or business as usual. The second part of this project is a two-cohort efficacy study. In each of Years 2 and 3, 42 third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade classrooms will be randomly assigned to receive either one-on-one MyST tutoring or business as usual. Students will be pre-tested and then receive one academic year of tutoring or business as usual. Students in both groups will be post-tested.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The replication study has two control conditions: a small-group human tutoring condition and a business-as-usual control condition. The efficacy study uses a business-as-usual control condition.
Data Analytic Strategy To examine the efficacy of MyST, researchers will construct a hierarchical linear model within a structural equation modeling framework. The analyses will nest students within classrooms. Additionally, the models will account for change within grade (pre- and post-test) and across grade (third, fourth, and fifth grade).
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes To assess science knowledge, students will complete the Assessing Science Knowledge (ASK) assessments, which are part of the FOSS curriculum, at both pre-test and post-test. Additionally, the Measures of Academic Process (MAP) will be used as pre- and post-tests, and the Transitional Colorado Assessment Program (TCAP) tests will be used as post-test for fifth-graders (the TCAP is only administered in the spring of fifth grade). Finally, student and teacher surveys will be used to examine perceptions of tutoring and problems with the MyST program.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This project involves two studies: a replication study aimed at confirming the results found in the pilot study; and an efficacy study conducted as a fully powered randomized control trial. The replication study will include students in 63 classrooms, randomly assigned at the classroom level to one of three conditions: one-on-one MyST tutoring; small-group human tutoring; or business as usual. The efficacy study will include 84 classrooms (42 in Year 2 of the project and 42 in Year 3) randomly assigned to one of two conditions: one-on-one MyST tutoring; or business-as-usual.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#453. Added August 12, 2013 Updated August 12, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Replicating the CGI Experiment in Diverse Environments
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Robert Schoen rschoen@lsi.fsu.edu
Start Date:	September 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	August 31, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120781
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Participating elementary schools are located in a school district in Florida, consisting of urban, suburban, and rural communities.
Intervention Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) is a widely used professional development program for mathematics instruction in elementary school. Teachers are taught to use a categorization scheme for types of math problems and for intuitive student thinking about math problems. This two-year program consists of two summer institutes and two sets of follow-up days throughout the school year. In the summer institutes, videos illustrating student thinking and the CGI book (Children's Mathematics: Cognitively Guided Instruction) are used to introduce teachers to CGI. Then, teachers practice writing problems for particular populations. During the school year, teachers interview students, discuss student work and thinking, and apply knowledge from summer institutes.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Researchers will recruit a total of 22 elementary schools, serving students of varying racial/ethnic backgrounds, English language learner (ELL) status, and reduced/free lunch status. From these schools, researchers will recruit a total of 264 teachers (132 first-grade and 132 second-grade) and all their students during their involvement in the project (approximately 18 students per classroom for three cohorts, totaling 7,128).
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Researchers will randomly assign schools to the treatment or control condition. Teachers in the treatment condition will participate in the two-year CGI professional development program. The impact of the intervention will be tested each year using teacher knowledge measures and a teacher collaboration survey before the summer institutes, researcher observation of teacher instruction throughout the year, and student end-of-year standardized achievement tests. Three cohorts of students will be followed through third-grade. One student cohort will have had two years of instruction from a CGI-trained teacher (i.e., first- and second-grade) and will be followed for three years. Another student cohort will have had one year from a CGI-trained teacher (second-grade) during the teacher's first year in the intervention and will be followed for two years. Another student cohort will have had one year from a CGI-trained teacher (second-grade) during the teacher's second year in the intervention and will be followed for one year. Before the start of the intervention, researchers will analyze state archival data and pre-test teacher knowledge data of all participating teachers to verify baseline equivalence on teacher knowledge, collaboration measures, and adequacy of random assignment procedures. Teachers in the treatment condition will attend the first CGI summer institute. At the end of the summer institute, the teachers will complete post-test teacher knowledge measures. These teachers will receive follow-up support and researchers will collect observational data throughout the academic year. The second year of the intervention will consist of another summer institute, another year of follow-up support, and researcher observation. Researchers will collect the final measures of teacher knowledge and collaboration at the end of the two-year intervention.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition In the control condition, teachers received practice-as-usual plus a 2-day information session on Common Core State Standards in mathematics.
Data Analytic Strategy Researchers will conduct two- and three-level model analyses to examine the impact of the intervention on teacher and student outcomes, including student achievement after varying years instructed by a CGI-trained teacher and varying years since instructed by a CGI-trained teacher. Researchers will also test the moderation effects of teacher characteristics (i.e., baseline knowledge and collaboration) and student characteristics (i.e., race/ethnicity, ELL status, socioeconomic status and prior academic achievement) and explore the role of teacher knowledge and instructional practice as mediators of the intervention's impact on student outcomes.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Teacher pedagogical content knowledge will be measured using three separate instruments-one assessing mathematical knowledge of teaching, another assessing knowledge of the CGI framework, and another assessing teachers' knowledge of student thinking processes. Teacher collaboration will be measured using a survey of their perceptions of school culture, instructional practice, and team-level instructional practice. Teacher instructional practice will be measured using classroom observations rated for the teachers' engagement with students' mathematical thinking. Student mathematics achievement will be measured using the Iowa Test of Basic Skills and the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. In addition, students will complete measures of content knowledge specific to the CGI framework and a word problems assessment. Researchers will also collect information about student demographic characteristics (i.e., race/ethnicity, ELL status, and socioeconomic status) and prior academic achievement.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Researchers will test the efficacy of CGI using a cluster-randomized controlled trial research design. Twenty-two elementary schools will be randomized to the treatment or control condition. The impact of the intervention will be tested each year using teacher knowledge measures and a teacher collaboration survey before the summer institutes, researcher observation of teacher instruction throughout the year, and student end-of-year standardized achievement tests. Three cohorts of students will be followed through third-grade. Researchers will examine the impact of the intervention on teacher and student outcomes, as well as the moderating effects of teacher and student characteristics and the mediating role of teacher knowledge and instructional practice on the intervention's impact on student outcomes.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#454. Added August 12, 2013 Updated August 29, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Spatial Ability as a Malleable Factor for Math Learning
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Kelly Mix kmix@msu.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120416
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting These studies will draw from students attending schools in rural, suburban, and urban areas serving ethnically and socioeconomically diverse communities in the Midwest.
Intervention This grant investigates how spatial ability relates to math ability, and the mechanisms through which this connection may operate. Pilot research found significant improvement in certain types of mathematics problems (i.e., those missing addends or subtrahends) after training in mental rotation of objects. In this grant, researchers will carry out training experiments to study the effect of varying the length of training and the amount of movement observed in student performance. The team will also examine other potential training relations that emerge from the factor analyses in Years 1 and 2. This information will inform the future development of spatial training interventions.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Study 1 will include two samples of 660 children (220 per grade in Kindergarten, Grade 2, and Grade 4). Study 2 will include 315 kindergarten, second-, and fourth-grade children (105 children per grade). Study 3 will include 150 second-grade students. All children will be typically developing and speak English as their primary language.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods In Study 1, the team will explore the specific ways that spatial ability and math are related. The research team will collect cross-sectional data from two waves of students in grades K-4. Students will complete measures of general intelligence, spatial tasks, and math tasks. Researchers will carry out factor analyses to study the pattern of relationships among these measures to construct hypotheses to guide spatial training in Studies 2 and 3. In Study 2, the team will investigate what parameters mediate the effects of mental rotation training by varying the training amount and the inclusion of different motor components. Students will complete two 20-minute training sessions each week for 6 weeks. Students will complete a pretest battery of math and spatial tasks at the beginning and end of the study. The math test will also be given intermittently to measure the effect of various amounts of training. Students will be randomly assigned to a control group or one of two training conditions. In one training condition, students will see two halves of a shape presented on separate cards and then choose a picture that shows the whole shape. In the second training condition, students will physically move the cards together to form the matching shape. In Study 3, the researchers will contrast the effects of mental rotation training with other spatial training tasks to determine how spatial training affects math skills. Students will be randomly assigned to a control group or one of four training conditions: (1) the same mental rotation task used in Study 2, using the more efficacious feedback option; (2) a mental rotation task in which children match a form to a picture of the same form in a different orientation; (3) a task in which children are shown a black and white grid for 3 seconds, and then fill in an empty grid to indicate which squares were black in the model; or (4) training on copying line drawings of increasingly complex figures.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Due to the nature of the research design of Study 1, there is no control condition. In both Studies 2 and 3, children in the control group will complete crossword puzzles.
Data Analytic Strategy Exploratory factor analysis will be used to analyze data from the first wave of data collection in Study 1. Confirmatory factory analysis will be used to analyze data from the second wave of data collection in Study 1 in order to contrast the factorial model suggested by the exploratory factor analysis with reasonable alternatives. This will allow researchers to verify that the exploratory analysis model provides the best fit. Data from the training studies will be analyzed using analysis of covariance with pretest scores as the covariate, training condition as a between subjects factor, and posttest scores as the dependent measure. Paired sample t-tests also will be used to make post-hoc comparisons and to determine which groups improved significantly from pre- to posttest.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The first study will use a battery of 11 measures including the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) Vocabulary subtest; 6 spatial tasks, and 4 math tasks. Spatial tasks include the Neuberger et al. Mental Rotation task, the WISC-IV Block Design subtest, the Visual Patterns Test, the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test, and a researcher-developed map reading measure. Measures of math will include the Test of Early Mathematics Ability-Third Edition, and researcher-developed measures of number line estimation, flexible use of equal sign, and magnitude judgments.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The three studies in this grant will study the relationship between several measures of spatial ability and mathematical ability, and then investigate the effect of improving specific types of spatial ability on mathematical ability. In Year 1, researchers will collect and analyze the first wave of data for an exploratory factor analysis that will relate specific spatial abilities to a set of math tasks. In Year 2, researchers will gather data for the second wave of data in this study and conduct a confirmatory factor analysis based on the results from Year 1. In Years 2 and 3, researchers will complete two studies that test whether spatial training within a factor leads to improvement in math abilities within the same factor.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#455. Added August 12, 2013 Updated August 12, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Teaching Perceptual and Conceptual Processes in Graph Interpretation
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Steven Franconeri franconeri@northwestern.edu
Start Date:	July 15, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	July 14, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120531
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Research will be conducted in laboratories at Northwestern University and at the University of Michigan.
Intervention The researchers will develop a model of graph comprehension to guide graphical design principles, graphical scaffolding principles, and instructional techniques for teaching graph comprehension.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The sample includes high school juniors and seniors (16-18 years old), third-graders, and students in the summer immediately after completing fourth grade. These students will be from the metropolitan areas near Evanston, IL and Ann Arbor, MI.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The researchers will complete three sets of experiments. The first set of experiments will answer how and when visual routines operate across different types of graphs and judgments. This set of experiments uses an eye-tracker to examine the visual routine used by students, as reflected by their eye movements. The second set of experiments will identify manipulations of routines that guide graph comprehension. The researchers will investigate whether, and how, manipulations of routines improve the comprehension of graphs, including open-ended tests of memory (e.g., can you remember what was on the graph), and theory-evidence coordination. For example, the researchers will test if students with high working memory benefit more from serial processing in graphs than students with low working memory because they are able to keep track of instructions and multiple relations. In the third set of experiments, the researchers will study whether they can teach students the comprehension-enhancing routines and whether this training transfers to new types of graphs. The team will explore whether students with good graphical reasoning skills require or benefit from instruction as much as those with less knowledge about graphs. Across all of these experiments, students will be randomly assigned to different routine guidance conditions and graph formats, and the researchers will assess changes in graph comprehension. Some experiments use within subjects designs, in which the same subjects are exposed to multiple conditions that specifically test the hypothesis being considered or to other conditions that test the counterfactual. Other experiments use a between subject design, in which groups are assigned randomly to the treatment(s) or to a control, which represents the counterfactual hypothesis.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Each proposed set of experiments contains individualized sets of control conditions, comparing the effects of the routine manipulations against standard graph viewing conditions, or comparing different routine manipulations, both of which may either not help graph comprehension or may even impair comprehension.
Data Analytic Strategy Depending upon the research question, either 1 or 2 factor repeated analyses of variance (ANOVAs) or 1-way ANOVAs will be used. Researchers will conduct both omnibus and post-hoc pair-wise tests.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Researchers will administer tests of graphical literacy and comprehension, and will develop a questionnaire assessing third-graders' familiarity with graphing. A Counting Span Test, in which students count dots on a sequence of displays then recall the number of dots in each set, will be used to assess students' verbal working memory. Eye tracking will be used to measure the presence of students' visual routines (including eye movements from larger to smaller values, from left to right values, and that follow the linguistic ordering of the question).
Summary of the Study / Abstract The researchers will complete three sets of experiments with elementary school and high school students. The first set of experiments will explore how and when visual routines operate across different types of graphs and judgments. The second set of experiments will identify manipulations of routines that guide graph comprehension. In the third set of experiments, the researchers will study whether they can teach students the comprehension-enhancing routines and whether this training transfers to new types of graphs. The researchers will assess changes in graph comprehension, graphical literature, familiarity with graphing, and working memory. Eye tracking will be used to measure the presence of students' visual routines.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#456. Added August 12, 2013 Updated August 29, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	The Development of an Intelligent Pedagogical Agent for Physical Science Inquiry Driven by Educational Data Mining
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Janice Gobert janice.gobert@gse.rutgers.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120778
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The setting for this study includes diverse urban and suburban middle schools and an after school program in Massachusetts.
Intervention Under previous grant awards, including a prior IES Goal 2 award, the researchers have successfully developed microworlds, inquiry tasks, and teacher report systems to assess middle school students' knowledge in physical, life and earth science. The current study will develop a pedagogical agent to be integrated into 12 previously developed physical science microworlds covering the topics of: state change; density; displacement; mass and weight; conservation of energy; parabolic motion; levers; elastic collisions, pendulum properties; and ramps. Within the microworld environment, students conduct inquiry by generating hypotheses, collecting data to test their hypotheses, interpreting the data, warranting claims, and communicating findings. The pedagogical agent will guide students through each step of the inquiry process and provide real-time scaffolding through validated assessments. The pedagogical agent scaffolds by delivering messages, using gestures, and illustrating through demonstrations. These scaffolds will be of four types: orienting, conceptual, procedural, and instrumental. The pedagogical agent will identify students who are struggling at specific inquiry skills and give them multi-level feedback targeted towards helping them understand both conceptual and procedural aspects of inquiry. Not only will the system provide individualized scaffolding to the student in real-time, it will provide teachers with rigorous, real-time assessment reports with which they can use to tailor instruction.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The sample will include middle school students drawn from an after school program and classrooms in three middle schools.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods An iterative development process will be used to develop, test, and revise the inquiry detectors, latent skill models, and scaffolds along with the pedagogical agent. Data from students' use of the microworlds will be collected and used to inform the development of the detectors for each inquiry skill. Newly-developed inquiry detectors will model and assess students' inquiry skills and behaviors across tasks and microworlds/topics and then be re-validated and tested with a new set of students. Researchers will also design and test the pedagogical agent. The scaffolds provided by the pedagogical agent will be pilot tested with small groups of 50 students from afterschool programs and middle schools. Student think-aloud data will be collected to determine which modifications are needed to improve the scaffolding. In the middle schools, the researchers will audiotape students using the microworlds and tutoring prompts so teachers can observe students and suggest scaffolding prompts for specific inquiry skills. By the end of this process, the researchers will have developed detectors capable of assessing inquiry skills, pedagogical agents, and scaffolds within all physical science microworlds. The researchers will assess the promise of the newly developed and revised system by conducting an experimental study comparing students who receive the pedagogical agent to those who do not, and measure the differences in inquiry skill acquisition within and across physical science topics. A new cohort of students drawn from three middle schools will participate in the study. Students will be randomly assigned within the same class to the control or experimental condition per physical science microworld. Every student will participate in both conditions, but across different microworlds. Measures of performance will be collected and used to determine if the scaffolding results in better performance on inquiry skills, both immediately and when scaffolding is no longer present.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition For the pilot study, students in the control condition will receive the suite of microworlds without the scaffolding provided by the pedagogical agent.
Data Analytic Strategy Logistic regressions will be used to analyze the impact of using the pedagogical agent on student performance within the inquiry microworlds, and the relative impact of receiving different amounts of scaffolding support on student performance. In addition, logistic regression analyses will be used to examine the degree to which the intervention leads to inquiry skills that can transfer across inquiry microworlds.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The key measures in the study include assessments of students' inquiry skills for hypothesis generation, data interpretation and warranting claims, designing controlled experiments, and testing stated hypotheses.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The current project will build on an existing suite of 12 inquiry microworlds for physical science by developing and refining a set of inquiry detectors to assess students' inquiry skills and behaviors and a pedagogical agent to present scaffolds for each inquiry skill. The researchers will assess the promise of the newly developed agent and revised system by conducting an experimental study comparing students who receive the pedagogical agent to those who do not, and measure the differences in inquiry skill acquisition within and across Physical Science topics.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#457. Added August 12, 2013 Updated August 12, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	The Effect of Dual-Language Immersion on Student Achievement in the Portland Public Schools
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Jennifer Steele steele@american.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305E120003
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will take place in the Portland Public Schools in Portland, Oregon.
Intervention Portland Public Schools operates ten dual-language immersion programs-seven in Spanish, and one each in Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, and Russian. Slots in the district's language immersion program are allocated to applicants through a stratified random-assignment lottery system. For the Russian and six of the Spanish programs, up to half of the slots are reserved for native speakers of the language and the remaining slots are for native English speakers (both types are selected by lottery). The other three programs cater primarily to native English speakers. From kindergarten through grade 12, immersion students receive at least half of their content-area instruction (e.g., math, science, social studies, etc.) in the target program language.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The participants will consist of seven cohorts of Portland Public School students who entered kindergarten in the academic years 2004-05 through 2010-11 and participated in the pre-kindergarten lottery for a slot in a dual-language immersion program. Participants will be drawn from the oversubscribed lotteries and include approximately 2,031 lottery winners and 1,143 students who did not receive a place in a dual-language program.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study uses a randomized, lottery-based design to estimate the difference in achievement, attendance, and behavior between students who are admitted to the immersion program through random assignment and students in the same lottery subgroup stratum who apply but are not admitted. Teacher and administrator interviews and classroom observations will be used to characterize the instructional variation among immersion classes and between immersion and non-immersion classes. Financial data from the district's financial office will be used to describe the fixed and marginal costs of immersion relative to the traditional curriculum.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control condition is business as usual. Immersion-program applicants residing within district boundaries who are not randomly admitted to an immersion program through the district's lottery system receive the district's standard, English-based curriculum.
Data Analytic Strategy The impact within each subgroup strata in both elementary and middle schools will be estimated using using precision-weighted estimates to obtain average effects. To address the issue of non-compliance with assigned status, the student's randomly assigned status (lottery winner or loser) will also be used as an instrumental variable to estimate the average effect of attending a program for individuals who complied with their assigned status. An analysis of the bounds of the treatment effect will be done to address the possibility of selective attrition. For the seven programs that stratify student selection by student native language, estimates of the differential effect of the immersion program on native English speakers versus native speakers of a program's target language will be made.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The primary outcomes for student achievement in math, science, and English language arts will be measured with the Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills for students in 3rd through 8th grade. These students take the OAKs math and reading assessment in all of these grades, the writing assessment in 4th and 7th grades, and the science assessment in 5th and 8th grades. The primary outcomes for student engagement will be examined using annual attendance rates and annual number of behavioral referrals. In addition, partner-language proficiency will be collected for the students in the programs using the National Online Early Language Learning Assessment through grade 6, and with the Standards-based Measure of Proficiency in grades 7 and up.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Using administrative student panel data from PPS, the researchers will compare student achievement, attendance, and behavior outcomes between students who applied to a prekindergarten lottery to enroll in a dual-language immersion program and received a slot in a program and those who applied but did not receive entry.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#458. Added August 12, 2013 Updated August 29, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	The Effects of Arts-Integration on Retention of Content and Student Engagement
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Mariale Hardiman mmhardiman@jhu.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120451
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Fifth-grade classrooms in eight urban Maryland public schools.
Intervention Each arts-integrated and conventional control unit will span approximately 3 to 4 weeks of classroom time and will address fifth-grade science content on discrete topics (e.g., Astronomy). Arts integration is a pedagogical technique for delivering content in core subjects through visual and performing arts activities with the explicit goal of making instruction engaging. Thus, the arts integration curriculum is intended to replace traditional classroom activities with artistic activities into which the same academic content is embedded. Two units on Astronomy and Ecology have already been developed by these researchers and will be refined in this project. Two additional units in the physical and life sciences domains at the same grade level will also be developed.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Study participants include about 300 fifth-grade students in 12 classrooms across multiple schools.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods In year 1 of the study, the research team will revise and expand the prototype units in Ecology and Astronomy and develop two new arts-integrated units in the physical and life sciences domains. The researchers will also develop conventional units alongside the arts-integrated curricular units to use in the control classrooms. In year two, researchers will conduct a pilot study on the intervention's effectiveness in increasing student engagement and retention of content. Pairs of fifth-grade teachers will be trained to teach a different pair of arts-integrated and matched control units. For one hour a day, their students will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One teacher in the pair will teach one group an arts-integrated unit in one subject matter area, while the second teacher teaches a control unit in a different subject matter area to the second group of students. The two groups of students will then be reversed, and the two teachers will each teach the complementary unit in his or her matched pair. In this way, the contrast between arts-integrated units and matched conventional units can be examined both within teacher and within subject matter area, controlling for further possible confounds. Observers will be in each classroom to record implementation fidelity. Before the beginning of the first units, all students will be tested to provide a baseline of their prior knowledge of the content of both units. After the first unit is taught, another test will be given which will again include questions on the content of both units. It will assess learning of the material in the unit that has already been taught, and measure any test-retest effects. After completion of the second unit, two post-tests will be delivered: one immediately following the second unit and another one after a delayed period. This will provide an opportunity to test for both total learning and longer term retention of content in the arts-integrated and conventional control units.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The conventional units will serve as the control condition in this project. The conventional units will include interesting and engaging activities such as demonstrations and hands-on experiments and instructional videos that do not incorporate any arts activities.
Data Analytic Strategy Data from the curriculum-based assessments and the surveys will be analyzed using both quantitative (general linear model) and qualitative (e.g., response coding) methods.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The effect of arts-integrated teaching on content retention will be measured through the use of curriculum-based assessments. Tests will consist of 15-20 multiple choice questions and 1-2 short answer questions per subject matter area. Four versions of each test will be created (with test version counterbalanced across students and testing times) to ensure the comparability of the results. The content of the questions will be the same; however, to avoid effects of memory for the precise wording of questions or answer choices, this wording will differ across test versions. Additionally, surveys including both Likert-style and open-ended response items will be used to evaluate student engagement.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The researchers will simultaneously develop arts-integrated curricular units and conventional control units that are closely matched for fifth-grade science content. Building on prototype versions in Astronomy and Ecology, the researchers will revise these two existing prototype units and develop two new matched pairs of units covering content in the physical and life science domains. These four matched units will be implemented in fifth-grade classrooms to determine the promise of arts-integrated instruction for increasing student engagement and retention of content matter in science.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#459. Added August 12, 2013 Updated August 12, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Why are Some Charter Schools More Effective than Others? Econometric Methods and Empirical Evidence from Massachusetts, Michigan, and Texas
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Joshua Angrist angrist@mit.edu
Start Date:	March 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	February 28, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120269
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study will include data from students enrolled in charter schools and non-charter schools in Massachusetts, Michigan, and Texas.
Intervention The intervention under investigation is charter schooling in general, with a specific focus on the various charter school structures and curricula in Massachusetts, Michigan, and Texas. Charter schools in those states are not understood to represent all forms of charter schooling that are currently or might later be implemented, but they do form a large and diverse set of charter schools to yield results that can be applied to other states.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Data from multiple timepoints on thousands of students in elementary-, middle-, and high-school grade levels from Massachusetts, Michigan, and Texas will be obtained from existing state data sets and analyzed to address the research questions of the study. The data pool was limited to public school students who were part of a lottery to get into an over-subscribed charter school and for whom lottery data are available. The sample is diverse in ethnicity, urbanicity, and economic status, and it is considered representative of school-aged children in Massachusetts, Michigan, and Texas, as well as school-aged children in geographically and demographically comparable areas.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The primary approach is the use of pre-existing randomized entrance lotteries to test the effects of charter schools on student outcomes and to use those results to inform an investigation of attributes of charter schools that seem to yield better student outcomes. Data come from state records and from the National Student Clearinghouse (undergraduate enrollment).
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Depending on the specific question being addressed by a given analysis, the control group will be non-charter schools, students who attend non-charter schools due to not being selected by the random lottery to attend a charter school, or students who choose not to attend a charter school, despite being given the option via the lottery.
Data Analytic Strategy Researchers will use a battery of analyses featuring an instrumental variables approach known as two-stage least squares. This will remedy selection bias issues in ordinary least squares estimates of models of student-level charter effect heterogeneity. Additional modeling strategies will model and test for the relationship between school-level causal effects and charter school characteristics, differences between urban and non-urban charter school effects, and to test the lottery process itself to ensure that it is functioning properly.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Data on student demographics, enrollment, graduation, and test scores are provided by the states from the Student Information Management System (SIMS; Massachusetts), the Department of Education, and the Center for Educational Performance and Information in Michigan, and from the Public Education Information Management System available from the Texas Education Research Center. The states' standardized test scores included in the study are the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System for mathematics and English language arts; the Michigan Educational Assessment Program scores for math and English language arts; and Texas's test scores are provided from the Texas Assessment of Academic Schools, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), and the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness), which will replace scores from the TAKS, beginning with the 2011-2012 school year. Data from the National Student Clearinghouse will be used to track post-secondary attainment of the students in the sample who graduate from high school. The researchers are also conducting telephone surveys of all of the eligible charter schools in the three states to obtain data about school practices and curricula.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The research team will collect data on student demographics, student test scores, charter lotteries, and schools' educational approaches from Massachusetts, Michigan, and Texas. The team will use those data to conduct several analyses in an effort to control for selection bias while addressing questions involving differences in student outcomes between charter schools and non-charter schools, differences in educational approaches between charter schools and non-charter schools, and differences in educational approaches among charter schools themselves.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#460. Added August 12, 2013 Updated August 12, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Written Language Problems in Middle School Students: A Randomized Trial of the Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) Model Using a Tier 2 Intervention
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Stephen Hooper stephen.hooper@cdl.unc.edu
Start Date:	March 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	February 29, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120145
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study will take place in all three middle schools in a single rural/suburban public school system in North Carolina.
Intervention The Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) intervention is a fully-developed intervention predicated on the idea that students need explicit instruction regarding writing and self-regulation of writing activities. The focus of the SRSD is on teaching and honing higher-order cognitive functions (i.e. planning). An example strategy taught to students in the treatment group will be the POW-TREE (Pick my idea, Organize my notes, Write and say more; Topic sentence, Reasons, Explain reasons, Ending), which helps students learn how to write an opinion essay and use a graphic organizer such as an outline. A second strategy is SCAN (does it make Sense? Is it Connected to my belief? Can you Add more? Note errors?), through which students learn how to use checklists during the revision of revise an opinion essay. The SRSD is designed to be carried out in two 25-minute sessions per week. While the current study will test the SRSD intervention when delivered to small groups of students as a supplemental educational activity, implementation by teachers in larger classrooms would also likely be feasible.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The study participants will include approximately 300 sixth grade students at risk for writing problems.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study will employ a randomized cohort design with a nine-month follow-up. In each of three years, the project team will recruit sixth grade students at risk for writing problems by identifying those students who fall below the 25th percentile on the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-III (WIAT-III) Written Language Composite and the Test of Written Language-4 (TOWL-4) assessments. The team anticipates recruiting 100 at-risk students in each of the three years of the study. These students will be randomly assigned to either the treatment or control group. The treatment group will receive the SRSD intervention, which will be administered to ten groups of five students over the course of 12 weeks. Each week, two specific component strategies for writing and/or self-regulation will be taught to the students in the treatment group for a total of 24 sessions. Each session will last approximately 25 minutes. All students in the treatment and control groups will receive pre-test and post-test standardized measures of written language and cognitive functions. Students will receive the assessments again at the nine-month follow-up. Aspects of the social environment (e.g. socioeconomic status), the classroom (e.g. climate), and the student (e.g. reading skills, self-efficacy) will be evaluated as potential moderators of the association between the intervention and improved writing abilities. The cognitive functions (e.g., attention, executive functions) measures will also be tested as mediators.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control condition will include 50 randomly-assigned students at risk for writing problems in each year (150 students total). These students will engage in a free writing activity for two sessions of 25 minutes each per week. The 25-minute sessions will allow time for both writing and sharing of work with other students in the group. Interventionists will provide general feedback on topics including: topic development; internal organization; conveying meaning; sentence construction; and mechanics. Feedback will be given on a Likert-type scale.
Data Analytic Strategy To examine the efficacy of the SRSD intervention for improving students' writing outcomes, a multilevel analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) will be conducted. School indicators will be entered as fixed effects in the models. The ANCOVA analysis will be conducted with the post-test as an outcome and with the follow-up as an outcome. The analysis of whether the impact of the SRSD intervention varies by gender, race, socioeconomic status, attention/hyperactivity, reading level, and executive functioning will include an ANCOVA which includes both main effects and treatment interaction terms. Again, this analysis will be conducted using both the post-test and follow-up as outcome variables. Finally, in order to examine the possible mediating effect of attention/executive functions, the researchers will conduct a structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis. The SEM analysis will include a dummy code for assignment to the treatment group, and this analysis will be conducted twice, once with the post-test and once with the follow-up data.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Measures for this study can be divided into a number of categories based on the aims of the study: (1) screening measures; (2) targeted outcome measures; (3) targeted nine-month follow-up measures; (4) moderator measures; and (5) mediator measures. WIAT-III Written Expression Subtest and TOWL-4 will be used to identify children who are at risk for writing problems. These measures will also be used as one targeted outcome measure, to be assessed during post-test and follow-up. Moderator measures will include the Process Assessment of the Learner-II (PAL-II) Sequential Finger Movements and PAL-II Alphabet Writing Subtests to assess fine motor function. The PAL-II Phonemes task, Word Choice task, and Rapid Letter naming will be used to assess language-related functions. Grammar will be assessed using the Test for the Reception of Grammar-2. Attention and executive functions will be measured using the Woodcock Johnson-III (WJ-III) Planning Subtest, the WJ-III Auditory Working Memory Subtest, and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV Digit Span and Spatial Span Subtests. Child behavior and classroom climate will be assessed with the Child Behavior Checklist and the Classroom Climate Scale, respectively. The attention and executive functions assessments will also be used as mediators in the final analyses.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The efficacy of the SRSD model intervention will be tested using a randomized cohort design. In each of three years, the project team will recruit about 100 sixth grade students at risk for writing problems. Half of the participants from each year will be randomly assigned to the treatment group (implementation of the SRSD intervention) and half will be randomly assigned to the control group (participation in a free writing activity for the same amount of time each week as the treatment group). Pre- and post-intervention assessments will be administered to all students in the treatment and control groups, as well as a follow-up conducted nine months later, in the spring of students' seventh grade year.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#462. Added August 12, 2013 Updated August 12, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Developing an Online Tutor to Accelerate High School Vocabulary Learning
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Suzanne Adlof sadlof@mailbox.sc.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2013	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A130467
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study will be conducted in high schools in California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas.
Intervention The final version of this intervention will be a web-based intervention aimed at increasing high school students' vocabulary learning. The web-based platform will include five new components: (1) assessments of word knowledge; (2) adaptive review schedule; (3) informative contexts for vocabulary instruction; (4) active processing activities for students; and (5) engaging features to encourage students to use the intervention. The intervention is designed to be integrated into language arts curriculum for 10-15 minutes a day.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 750 to 870 high school students will participate in this study. For the iterative development phase of the project, 450 students in 9th through 12th grade will participate in the study. Approximately 300 to 420 students in 9th through 12th grade will participate in the pilot study.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods During Years 1 and 2, researchers will design, implement, and revise the five new components of DictionarySquared. The assessments of word knowledge will be developed and validated. The adaptive reviews of words will be developed using an embedded within-subjects experiment in which some words are taught under a standard schedule and some under an adaptive schedule. Researchers will develop scalable methods for selecting informative contexts by choosing contexts harvested from the web, having the contexts judged by investigators on the team, and seeking amateur ratings of the quality of the contexts through Amazon's Mechanical Turk. Active processing activities will be developed and tested with students. Engagement features such as games and scoring other students' sentences (i.e., social engagement) will also be developed and tested with students during the iterative development phase. During the final year, 15-21 new classrooms of high school students (approximately 300-420 students) will be recruited and randomly assigned to the treatment group, the baseline version of DictionarySquared group, or the business-as-usual control group.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition This study will use two control conditions: one will use the existing "baseline" version of the intervention software; one will be a business-as-usual control.
Data Analytic Strategy Researchers will use a two-level multilevel analysis with students nested within schools to examine the effect of the intervention. Condition (treatment or one of the two controls) will be included in the model as dummy codes. Because there will be three analyses, one for each of the vocabulary outcomes, the researchers will use a Linear Step Up procedure to control for multiple comparisons. This procedure is designed to control the false discovery rate (i.e., finding significant results that do not actually exist) while still maintaining sufficient power. The Linear Step Up procedure ensures that the false discovery rate does not go above 5 percent.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes To examine the efficacy of the intervention to improve students' vocabulary and literacy skills, researchers will administer the researcher-designed vocabulary knowledge pre- and post-test, the Gates MacGinitie Reading Test-4th Edition, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-4th Edition, and the Expressive Vocabulary Test-2nd Edition.
Summary of the Study / Abstract During Years 1 and 2, the research team will iteratively develop the new version of DictionarySquared. The iterative development phase will include implementation, observation, and revision to the intervention. A pilot study will be conducted in Year 3 with three groups: a new DictionarySquared treatment group, an existing "baseline" DictionarySquared control group, and a business-as-usual control group.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#463. Added August 12, 2013 Updated August 12, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Use of Machine Learning to Adaptively Select Activity Types and Enhance Student Learning with an Intelligent Tutoring System
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Emma Brunskill ebrun@cs.cmu.edu
Start Date:	September 1, 2013	Anticipated End Date:	August 31, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A130215
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Research will be carried out at several elementary schools located in an urban area in Pennsylvania. The collaborating school districts are diverse in terms of their demographics and academic achievement.
Intervention The research will produce a new version of the researchers' existing web-based ITS (the Fractions Tutor) for fourth- and fifth-grade fractions learning that will incorporate a wider range of activity types that support a broader set of learning mechanisms and a new, adaptive selection method. The new tutor will support sense-making processes and fluency-building processes, in addition to induction and refinement processes typically supported by intelligent tutoring systems. The new version of the Fractions Tutor will be made freely available on the Mathtutor website, which was funded by a previous IES grant (Bringing Cognitive Tutors to the Internet: A Website that Helps Middle-School Students Learn Math) to the co-PI.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Initial data collection will occur with approximately 700 fourth- and fifth-grade students, Experiment 1 will occur with between 75-270 fourth- and fifth-grade students, and Experiment 2 will occur with approximately 800 fourth- and fifth-grade students.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The research team will carry out activities designed to answer three research questions: (1) Does an ITS support more robust learning when activities are added to support fundamental learning mechanisms more evenly? (2) Does using a sequential decision-theoretic approach to adaptively sequence activities to the individual improve robust learning outcomes compared to a fixed sequence? and (3) Does using a self-optimizing action selection system, which uses accumulating student interaction data to improve its selection mechanism, lead to higher robust learning gains of students who use the system later on compared to students that use the initial system? To answer these questions, the researchers will carry out three lines of research. First, they will develop new activity types for the Fractions Tutor. These activity types will be developed so that they promote sense-making and fluency-building processes. Next, they will gather initial data in classrooms using the Fractions Tutor in order to inform the development of an adaptive policy that selects among multiple activity types. Lastly, the research team will carry out two experiments. In Experiment 1, they will compare the standard tutor to two new versions of the ITS to evaluate whether robust learning is enhanced in a tutor that (unlike the standard tutor) supports multiple activity types or supports multiple activity types sequenced adaptively by the individual. This is a between-subjects design, where students will be randomly assigned to one of the three conditions. In Experiment 2, the research team will test the value of a self-improving version of the activity selection policy that leverages data gained as the tutor interacts with more students. Data will be conducted serially by classroom in five "waves." Each wave will be considered a condition and analyses will look for differences between waves.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition In Experiment 1, the control condition is the current version of the Fractions Tutor. In Experiment 2, the waves of data collection are compared to each other and there is no control condition.
Data Analytic Strategy The initial data collected will be used to inform the development of the activity selection method. Experiment 1 and Experiment 2 pre-test and post-test data will be analyzed using multivariate and simple analyses of variance. Researchers will use pairwise comparisons to determine whether students in each later wave performed better than students in each prior wave. In addition, the research team will analyze the temporal course of student performance and see whether parametric models fit the observed data (e.g., if a linear trend in the data is observed).
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The research team will use researcher-designed pre-tests and immediate and delayed post-tests to assess students' procedural and conceptual knowledge. These tests will include standardized test items gathered from readily available sources (e.g., NAEP, state tests, etc.) and items that closely track the Fractions Tutor problem types. In addition, they will log data of students' interactions with the tutor to see how different tutor versions affect learning behavior.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The research team will first develop new activities that will promote sense-making and fluency-building and will incorporate these into the Fractions Tutor. Next, the team will gather initial data from students' use of the Fractions Tutor along with the new activities, which will inform the development of the activity selection method. Finally, the research team will conduct two experiments. The first will examine whether robust learning is enhanced in a tutor that supports multiple activity types or supports multiple activity types sequenced adaptively to the individual. The second will ascertain whether there is value in a self-improving version of the activity selection method that leverages data gained as the tutor interacts with more students.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#464. Added August 12, 2013 Updated December 4, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Kidsteps II: Promoting school readiness through social-emotional skill building in preschool
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Carole Upshur Professor carole.upshur@umassmed.edu
Other Key Staff:	Dr. Melodie Wenz-Gross
Start Date:	July 1, 2013	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2017
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A130336
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This project will take place in Head Start and community preschool classrooms in central Massachusetts.
Intervention The SSEL curriculum is a newly revised version of Second Step PreK social skills curriculum. The curriculum was developed to support young children's social emotional learning, including identifying and labeling emotions in self and others; using emotional information, perspective taking and simple stress management strategies to self-regulate strong emotions; and using problem solving skills in social situations. The curriculum also focuses on the development of executive function skills (attention, working memory, and inhibitory control). The SSEL curriculum has 5 units, 28 weekly lessons, and weekly Brain Builder games. The five curriculum units are: (1) Skills for Learning (listening, focusing attention, using self-talk to remember and follow directions, and being assertive); (2) Empathy (identifying one's own and other's feelings, taking other's perspectives); (3) Emotion Management (understanding strong feelings, identifying one's own strong feelings, and calming down strong feelings); (4) Friendship Skills and Problem Solving (making and keeping friends, calming down and using problem solving steps); (5) Transition to Kindergarten (reviewing program skills and concepts, thinking about how skills will help in kindergarten). These weekly lessons, themes, and games, are integrated daily and are delivered through pictures, stories, reading books, games, puppets, songs, and posters.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Participants for this study will be primarily low income, minority children (47 percent Hispanic and 17 percent African American), ages 3-5, enrolled in preschool classrooms. Six hundred children will be enrolled in each of the 4 years of the study, of whom approximately 200 will be followed into kindergarten in Years 2 and 4. Sixty-four preschool classrooms will participate (32 in Cohort 1-Years 1 and 2; 32 in Cohort 2-Years 3 and 4).
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods This study uses a stratified, classroom-randomized prospective design. Researchers will examine effects of the curriculum on child outcomes: preschool social/emotional and executive functioning skills, end of preschool academic school readiness skills, and kindergarten outcomes: kindergarten readiness, teacher-ratings and school performance. A mixed models approach to analysis will be used which will adjust for baseline covariates and levels of clustering of children within classrooms.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Children in the control condition will follow the standard curricula currently delivered in the classroom. More than half the control classrooms (community child care and Head Start) use the Creative Curriculum instructional framework. This curriculum includes 38 learning objectives. Three of the learning objectives focus on children's social/emotional development: regulation, relationships, and cooperative play. Some of the Head Start classrooms use a variety of literacy and math curricula (e.g., Opening the World of Learning-OWL, Mother Goose Social Studies Kit, and Everyday Math).
Data Analytic Strategy A mixed models approach to analysis will be used which will adjust for baseline covariates and levels of clustering of children within classrooms, within sites and type of preschool program (Head Start versus community program). The team intends to combine data across both cohorts, and complete analyses to evaluate the primary impacts of the intervention on child outcomes. The researchers will conduct multi-level analyses using random effects models in SAS or Stata. They will use the Benjamini-Hochberg method to adjust for multiple comparisons. Moderator and mediator analyses will also be completed.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes During the preschool years (Year 1/Cohort 1 and Year 3/Cohort 2), teachers and parents will be asked to rate children's social skills, using the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) and also complete the Emotion Regulation Checklist for each child to rate children's emotion regulation skills. Academic skills will be assessed using the Bracken School Readiness Assessment Third Edition. The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, 4th Edition (PPVT-4) will be used to assess language and cognitive development. Several executive function tasks will be administered to each child. The researchers will also use the Emotion Matching Scale to assess children's knowledge and understanding of emotions, and the Challenging Situations Task to assess their problem solving skills. At the end of the direct child assessment session, assessors will use the Preschool Self-Regulation Assessment (PSRA) Assessor Report to provide a global rating of children's attention, emotionality, and impulsivity. Classroom measures, such as the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale Revised, will be used as an observational measure of classroom quality. Researchers will use several measures to document fidelity of implementation in treatment and control classrooms. For the Classroom Climate Substudy, observers will use the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) Pre-K to collect data about classroom interaction quality.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Researchers will conduct a stratified classroom randomized study of the efficacy of the SSEL curriculum. Preschool classrooms will participate in one of two, 2-year cohorts which will be created by a multistage randomization process. During each cohort (Year 1 & 2 or Year 3 & 4), 2 years of intervention curriculum training and support will be provided to intervention classrooms, while teacher, parent, child, and curriculum implementation data will be collected on both intervention and comparison classrooms each year. Teacher and parent ratings of all enrolled children's social skills and emotion regulation will be conducted in the Fall and Spring of the preschool years (Years 1 and 3). Individual assessments of executive function, social and emotional, and academic school readiness skills will be conducted for all participating 4-year-old children in Fall and Spring of the preschool years for each cohort (Years 1 and 3). Researchers will also conduct a Classroom Climate Substudy to examine the effect of the intervention on preschool classroom climate in a subset of classrooms who participated in the study in Years 1 and 3 during Years 2 and 4 of the study.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#465. Added August 12, 2013 Updated August 12, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Efficacy of an Integrated Digital Elementary School Mathematics Curriculum
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Jeremy Roschelle jeremy.roschelle@sri.com
Start Date:	July 1, 2013	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2017
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A130400
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study will be conducted in elementary schools in West Virginia.
Intervention Aligned with the CCSSM, RM focuses on key topics on the pathway to algebra, including place value system, fractions, rational numbers, geometric measurement, and graphing points in a coordinate plane. Students work independently in solving mathematics problems on a computer, and the intervention provides dynamic feedback (e.g., accuracy of responses, hints) and implements a differentiated instruction model based on performance. The system also incorporates motivational components, such as games. In addition, teachers receive up to 60 hours of professional development (e.g., in mathematical content) and implementation support (e.g., understanding progress reports on individual students and entire classroom).
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Fifty-two schools will be recruited, and all fifth-grade classrooms in those schools will participate. Approximately 3,500 fifth-grade students will participate in the study.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The research team will conduct a randomized control experiment, in which schools will be randomly assigned to treatment or control condition, with participation lasting two school years. In Year 1, researchers will recruit schools to participate in the study, randomly assign participating schools to condition, and will refine research instruments. In the initial year of participation, Year 2 of the study, treatment teachers will receive RM professional development. The research team will examine teachers' implementation of RM, gather information characterizing the control curricula, and explore facilitators and barriers to implementation at classroom and school levels. The team will use information collected in Year 1 to improve the usability of the curriculum and utility of the teacher professional development that will be delivered in Year 2. The test of the efficacy of the intervention will be carried out in Year 2, with the fifth-grade students in their teachers' second year of implementation. The team will continue to collect information about implementation and the control condition, and will measure student interest in mathematics and achievement. The final year of the project will be focused on analyzing the data and reporting the findings.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Grade 5 classrooms in the control condition will follow their typical practice (e.g., use paper textbooks), and teachers will receive professional development according to district policies and offerings. Control schools will be asked to not adopt a blended or differentiated instruction-focused digital curriculum product during the study.
Data Analytic Strategy Data analyses will include a hierarchical linear regression model of mean differences in grade 5 achievement scores between students in treatment and control conditions, with random assignment at the school level. Covariates will include prior achievement, SES, rural location. Secondary analyses will examine differential impact for students with low or high prior achievement. Exploratory analyses will examine students' use of remote tutoring; teachers' use of RM reports to adjust instruction; students' productive time on task; and implementation compliance of both students and teachers. Regression models will be conducted on school- and student-level prior achievement measures to examine if there were unmeasured confounding factors associated with both the predictor and outcome variables.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Student achievement will be assessed with the Smarter Balanced summative assessment, which West Virginia has selected as its statewide standardized assessment of mathematics. Students' productive dispositions toward mathematics will also be measured using the Attitudes Toward Mathematics Inventory, and teachers' mathematical knowledge for teaching will be measured using either the Pedagogical Content Knowledge Test or released items from the Learning Mathematics for Teaching Project. Treatment and control teachers will also complete electronic teacher logs. Data measuring student problem solving, use of remote tutoring, and teachers' use of reports will be gathered directly from the RM system records. Measures of implementation will be collected via classroom observations, stakeholder interviews, and teacher survey.
Summary of the Study / Abstract In this study, researchers will implement a randomized field trial to test whether RM, a full-year digital core curriculum increases mathematics achievement for grade 5 students. In addition, the team will examine how duration of intervention and intensity of use interact with student outcomes, and will explore the hypothesized mediating role of technology features in supporting mathematics outcomes.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#466. Added August 12, 2013 Updated August 12, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Efficacy of an Organizational Skills Intervention for Middle School Students with ADHD
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Joshua Langberg jlangberg@vcu.edu
Start Date:	August 1, 2013	Anticipated End Date:	July 31, 2017
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A130011
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Students will be recruited from six middle schools in two large school districts near a large urban center in Virginia.
Intervention The HOPS intervention was designed to directly target the organizational and time management difficulties of middle school age children with ADHD. HOPS teaches students with ADHD to implement and self-monitor structured systems of backpack, locker and binder organization using checklists and to effectively plan and manage time for the completion of homework, tests, and projects. The intervention uses behavioral principles such as modeling, rehearsal, prompting, shaping, and contingency management using a point system to teach these skills. More basic skills (e.g., recording the date of a test in a planner) are taught first and shaping is used to gradually train students in more complex behaviors (e.g., recording time to study for the upcoming test in the planner). The intervention is delivered in 16 20-minute sessions in which each student works individually with a school counselor. In addition, there are two 1-hour sessions where the student meets with his or her parent and the school counselor to help the parent establish a reward system at home to reinforce the taught strategies. Skills generalization is encouraged by gradually teaching students to first use simplified versions of the organization, homework, and time management checklists and then ultimately to schedule times for self-evaluation in their planners.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Participants in this project will be 260 youth (30 percent female to mirror the gender ratio of ADHD in the general population) who meet DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for ADHD and are attending public middle or junior high schools in general education classrooms. Children will range in age from 11-15 and be in grades six through eight.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The efficacy of HOPS will be evaluated using a randomized controlled design. Two cohorts of 22 students at each of two schools (44 per cohort) will be stratified by ADHD medication status and randomly assigned within school to each of the two experimental conditions, the HOPS intervention or to an active control group (homework support). Skills implementation, parent and teacher ratings of organization, homework problems and academic impairment, and school grades will be examined pre- and post-intervention as well as at 8-week and 6-month follow-ups. Treatment fidelity and integrity will be closely monitored. Moderator and mediator analyses will be used to answer important questions about the types of students most likely to benefit from organizational skills intervention and the key mechanisms of change that lead to improved academic performance.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The homework support condition was designed to approximate homework interventions schools frequently provide for students with academic difficulties, while at the same time having some features in common with the HOPS intervention. For example, children in the homework support condition will meet individually with a school counselor in sessions of the same duration and frequency as the HOPS condition (16 20-minute sessions). This condition will also include meetings with parents and a point reward system.
Data Analytic Strategy Data will be analyzed using an intent-to-treat approach with mixed-effects models to account for repeated-measures. The impact of baseline ADHD symptom severity, severity of organizational skills and homework problems, and comorbid symptoms of anxiety will be investigated as potential moderators of outcomes. Participants' use of organization and time management skills, including homework behavior, will be investigated as potential mediating variables using structural equation modeling to evaluate the key mechanisms of change through which improvement is made.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes ADHD status will be assessed using a variety of measures, including the Vanderbilt ADHD Rating Scales and the Behavior Assessment Scale for Children, Second Edition (BASC-2). Research staff will measure skills implementation using the Objective Academic Skills Measures, the Organization Checklist, and the Time Management Checklist, all of which were developed by the researchers in the prior IES Development grant. Children's organizational skills will also be assessed using the Children's Organizational Scale (parent and teacher report). Homework behavior will be assessed using the Homework Problem Checklist (parent report) and the number of assignments participants fail to turn in per grading period. Academic performance will be assessed using core class grades (Math, Science, Language Arts, and History) the Classroom Performance Survey (teacher report).
Summary of the Study / Abstract Middle school age students (grades six through eight) with ADHD will be randomly assigned to receive the HOPS intervention or to a homework support condition. Fidelity-to-intervention procedures will be assessed in both conditions and outcome measures will be collected pre- and post-intervention and at 8-week and 6-month follow-ups. Moderator analyses will evaluate student characteristics that could predict whether a student is most likely to respond to organizational skills intervention versus a traditional homework tutoring approach. Mediation analyses will focus on evaluating key mechanisms of change within the interventions (e.g., use of materials organization skills and completion of homework assignments).

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#467. Added August 12, 2013 Updated August 14, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Professional Development to Support New Teachers' Use of Effective Classroom Management Techniques
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Patrick Tolan tolan@uic.edu
Start Date:	June 1, 2013	Anticipated End Date:	May 31, 2017
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A130107
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study takes place in elementary schools in two Maryland school districts (one urban and the other a mix of urban, suburban, and rural schools) and one urban/suburban Virginia school district.
Intervention My Teaching Partner (MTP) is a web-based, individualized coaching approach that supports teachers' interactions with students to enhance their engagement, motivation, and on-task behavior in the classroom. MTP consultants use the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) as the basis for feedback to teachers on the three CLASS dimensions of Emotional Support, Classroom Organization, and Instructional Support. The Good Behavior Game (GBG) uses a game format to help teachers manage classroom behavior. In GBG, the teacher establishes classroom rules and creates small teams of five to eight children who must work cooperatively to maintain good behavior in order to win the game. When a student breaks a classroom rule, the teacher identifies the behavior and the rule that was violated and gives a point to that student's team. Each team that has four or fewer points is rewarded. By combining these two empirically proven programs, the intention is to support new teachers as they transition to teaching by highlighting the importance of high-quality teacher-student interaction to promote student engagement and learning (My Teaching Partner) along with the value of creating group contingencies to promote on-task behavior and achievement motivation (Good Behavior Game) and to systematically and more formally train teachers on the shared emphasis of these programs on classroom organization.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The targeted sample size is 252 teachers entering their first year of teaching. Eligible teachers have not previously worked as a classroom teacher; all will have been hired to start full-time classroom instruction for grades K-3 in the fall following recruitment and initial training sessions. All eligible teachers will have completed a bachelor's or master's degree program in the field of education and be eligible for certification. Approximately eight students in each participating teacher's classroom are randomly selected for participation in the study.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Three consecutive cohorts of 84 new teachers hired to begin teaching in the upcoming school year are randomly assigned (from within school districts) to intervention or control. Data from these teachers and their students are collected for two consecutive years. Teacher pre-tests are obtained at the beginning of regular district training, prior to teachers learning about their assigned condition. Student pre-tests will be gathered one month into the school year. Post-test assessments and ratings will be obtained in late spring of each year. The student assessment procedures are repeated for the class that enters the teachers' classroom the year following the completion of training to track teachers' continued use of the skills to test for sustained effects on teachers. The quality of teacher-student interactions will be assessed at each of these time points and at the mid-point of the first year and at the end of the first month of the second year and at the mid-point of the second year. Teacher reports of self-efficacy, professional burnout, work stress, and other teacher level outcomes/moderators will be obtained prior to training and at the end of the first year and second year. Other data elements will be collected annually from archival records maintained by the school.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition In the control condition, teachers receive standard training that is in place at the school.
Data Analytic Strategy The researchers will use mixed-model analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) to determine treatment effects on teacher and student outcomes. They will also explore how implementation fidelity affects outcomes using three different approaches-a Wilcoxon test that assumes a dose response model, propensity scores, and complier average causal effect modeling. The researchers will use latent growth models to determine whether teacher classroom management practices mediate effects of the intervention on student outcomes. Moderation of impact will be determined by including interaction terms in the ANCOVA models.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Teacher outcomes are measured with a variety of instruments including the Knowledge of Effective Teacher-Student Interactions scale, Beliefs about Intentional Teaching, the CLASS, the Teacher Sense of Self Efficacy Scale, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Student outcomes are measured using the Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement III (reading and math subtests), the Multi-Option Observation System for Experimental Studies (aggressive/disruptive and on- or off-task behavior ), the Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation-Revised, and archival school record data (grades, standardized test scores, attendance, suspensions, referrals for discipline and to special education services). Implementation fidelity is measured through classroom observations, teacher reports, website usage, and coaching logs.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Researchers will test the impact of the combined GBG and MTP training on teacher practice and student achievement and behavior with new teachers hired to begin teaching in the upcoming academic school year. These teachers are randomly assigned to treatment (the GBG + MTP training) or a business-as-usual control condition. Impacts are assessed in the training year on teachers' practices, motivation and efficacy and on students' academic achievement, engagement in school, interest in achievement, and disruptive/off task behavior. Assessments of teachers and their new students also occur in the year following the training year. The researchers will also examine whether teacher practices mediate potential effects of the combined training on student achievement and behavior, as well as potential moderators of effects such as training fidelity, teacher implementation fidelity, and school and teacher characteristics.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#468. Added August 12, 2013 Updated August 14, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Evaluation of a Classroom Management Training Program for Middle School Teachers
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Keith Herman hermanke@missouri.edu
Start Date:	August 1, 2013	Anticipated End Date:	July 31, 2017
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A130143
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The participating schools are located in a large urban district in Missouri.
Intervention CHAMPS uses social learning and behavioral principles to promote positive teacher-student interactions and help teachers structure their classrooms in ways that prompt responsible student behavior. The CHAMPS acronym (Conversation, Help, Activity, Movement, Participation, Success) is used as a guide for teachers as they define behavioral expectations for students around specific instructional approaches. For example, during writing students remain in their seats (the Movement expectation) and do not talk with classmates (the Conversation expectation). Classroom management skills are introduced and practiced through group training that includes video-based modeling (viewing and discussing brief vignettes of actual teacher-student interactions) and opportunities to role play similar scenarios and to give and receive feedback about effective classroom practices.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information One hundred classrooms (sixth, seventh or eighth grade) with approximately 25 students per classroom from six public middle schools will participate. Most of the students in the district are African-American and economically disadvantaged.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The researchers will recruit and randomly assign 30 teachers in Year 1, another 40 in Year 2, and another 30 in Year 3 to one of two conditions (treatment or control). Treatment teachers will receive 3 days of CHAMPS workshop training followed by monthly coaching sessions for one school year. Twenty-five students in each teacher's lowest academic level regular class will be assessed in the fall (pretest) and spring (posttest) of the intervention year, and in the spring of the year following intervention to test for sustainability of effects (students will be tracked if they remain in the district). Teachers in both conditions will be assessed at these same time points, and CHAMPS teachers will be assessed in the fall and spring for an additional year to measure sustainability of CHAMPS' practices and factors that support implementation.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers assigned to the control condition will receive the standard teacher continuing education program offered by the school district (business as usual).
Data Analytic Strategy The researchers will use a combination of mixed model, structural equation, and latent growth and profile modeling. All analyses will account for the nesting of observations within classrooms. The primary analyses will use the pretest and posttest observations for each classroom. A mixed-model Analysis of Covariance will be used to compare treatment and control groups on academic performance and disruptive and off-task behavior as assessed in the spring with regression adjustment for baseline assessments in the fall.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Student academic achievement will be assessed using the Stanford Achievement Test 10th Edition (SAT-10) and school records (e.g., grades; state standardized test scores; office discipline referrals; suspensions). Student engagement, social skills, and classroom behaviors will be measured through teacher ratings on the Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation-Revised (TOCA-Revised) and the Direct Behavior Rating-SIS and researcher observations using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System-Secondary (CLASS-S) and the Multi-Option Observation System for Experimental Studies (MOOSES). Students will report on their beliefs about classroom supports for autonomy and relatedness, the relevance of school, and classroom engagement. Teachers will report on teaching efficacy, knowledge of classroom management practices, parents' involvement in education, and burnout (the Maslach Burnout Inventory).
Summary of the Study / Abstract Teachers in middle schools (sixth to eighth grade) will be randomized into either the CHAMPS condition or the control condition based on the lowest academic level regular class for each teacher in core content courses. The researchers will collect data on student academic and social behavior prior to intervention, post intervention, and in the spring of the following school year. Data on teacher classroom practices will be collected at four time points across the school year.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#469. Added August 12, 2013 Updated August 12, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Partner for Prevention (P4P): A Whole School Approach to Peer Aggression and Bullying
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Stephen Leff leff@email.chop.edu
Start Date:	September 1, 2013	Anticipated End Date:	August 31, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A130175
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This project will be conducted in four elementary schools in a large urban center in Pennsylvania.
Intervention P4P will consist of four integrated components that address aggression and bullying at the individual, peer group, and school-wide level: (1) a classroom-based prevention program that teaches youth problem-solving strategies, sympathy and perspective taking skills, and strategies for bystanders of bullying; (2) playground and lunchroom consultation that addresses behavioral challenges during the lunch-recess period, with the goal of helping school staff to feel empowered and to develop specific rules to prevent peer bullying and aggression in this setting; (3) teacher training and coaching that supports teachers with classroom behavior management and student engagement strategies while reinforcing bullying prevention strategies; and (4) community outreach activities that are intended to build more positive community-school relationships, provide resources for parents, and help parents to promote the prevention of peer bullying and aggression at school.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Approximately 190 students and 26 teachers in third-, fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms, 20 recess supervisors, 4 administrators, and 10 parents and/or community members will participate. The vast majority of youth (> 95%) attending these urban high-risk schools are African American.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The first 2 years of the project will be devoted to intervention development. The researchers will use a community-based participatory research process incorporating a range of qualitative data collection techniques (freelisting, focus groups, participant observations, and semi-structured interviews). In Year 1, students, teachers, recess supervisors, administrators, and community/parent participants in two schools will be engaged in the development of each of the four intervention components. In Year 2, the intervention will be implemented and refined based on participant data collected through observations, focus groups and semi-structured interviews. In Year 3, a pilot study will be conducted at two additional schools to determine the potential promise of the integrated P4P Program through estimation of both effect sizes and intra-class correlations for primary outcomes (problem solving, sympathy, aggressive behaviors, school and classroom climate, and academic competency) and to determine the acceptability, feasibility, and implementation fidelity of the program.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The first 2 years of the project will be devoted to intervention development. The researchers will use a community-based participatory research process incorporating a range of qualitative data collection techniques (freelisting, focus groups, participant observations, and semi-structured interviews). In Year 1, students, teachers, recess supervisors, administrators, and community/parent participants in two schools will be engaged in the development of each of the four intervention components. In Year 2, the intervention will be implemented and refined based on participant data collected through observations, focus groups and semi-structured interviews. In Year 3, a pilot study will be conducted at two additional schools to determine the potential promise of the integrated P4P Program through estimation of both effect sizes and intra-class correlations for primary outcomes (problem solving, sympathy, aggressive behaviors, school and classroom climate, and academic competency) and to determine the acceptability, feasibility, and implementation fidelity of the program.
Data Analytic Strategy The first 2 years of the project will be devoted to intervention development. The researchers will use a community-based participatory research process incorporating a range of qualitative data collection techniques (freelisting, focus groups, participant observations, and semi-structured interviews). In Year 1, students, teachers, recess supervisors, administrators, and community/parent participants in two schools will be engaged in the development of each of the four intervention components. In Year 2, the intervention will be implemented and refined based on participant data collected through observations, focus groups and semi-structured interviews. In Year 3, a pilot study will be conducted at two additional schools to determine the potential promise of the integrated P4P Program through estimation of both effect sizes and intra-class correlations for primary outcomes (problem solving, sympathy, aggressive behaviors, school and classroom climate, and academic competency) and to determine the acceptability, feasibility, and implementation fidelity of the program.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The researchers will collect data in four primary outcome domains: problem solving and sympathy (e.g., the Cartoon-Based Hostile Attributional Bias Measure, the Peer Sympathy Scale); aggressive behavior (e.g., Children's Social Behavior Questionnaire, school records); peer bullying (e.g., the Illinois Bully Scale, the School Climate Bully Scale); climate (e.g., the Academic Competence Evaluation Scales, the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale, the Playground and Lunchroom Climate Questionnaire); and parental involvement in school (Parent-Teacher Involvement Questionnaire). Researcher-developed measures of implementation fidelity and user acceptability will also be used.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The researchers will use focus groups, semi-structured interviews, and participant observations in the first 2 project years to develop, adapt, and enhance P4P in an iterative manner using a community-based participatory research approach. In the final project year, the team will conduct a small-scale efficacy study to estimate effect sizes and intra-class correlations for primary outcomes to determine the promise of the program for elementary school students in low-income communities. Data on acceptability, feasibility, and implementation fidelity will be collected throughout the project.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#470. Added August 12, 2013 Updated August 14, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	The Classroom Check-up: Supporting Elementary Teachers in Classroom Management Using a Web-based Coaching System
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Wendy Reinke reinkew@missouri.edu
Start Date:	August 1, 2013	Anticipated End Date:	July 31, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A130375
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Four public elementary schools in Missouri from one small rural school district, three schools from a large urban district (containing one elementary school with 228 students, 96 percent White, 49 percent free/reduced price lunch), and one large urban/suburban district (containing 20 elementary schools, 7,981 students, 70 percent African American, 55 percent free/reduced price lunch) will participate in the project.
Intervention In this project, the CCU will be modified for web-based delivery and school personnel implementation in elementary schools. The CCU uses motivational interviewing techniques that include delivering personalized feedback, encouraging personal responsibility for decision making, and supporting self-efficacy by identifying existing strengths and past successes in order to engage teachers in the change process. Providing teachers with feedback about their success implementing new practices and the link between these practices and observable changes in desired classroom outcomes (disruptions, relationships, and engagement) creates a self sustaining cycle for maintaining the new effective practices. The web-based CCU will integrate videos and interactive training experiences for the coach and teacher that are user-friendly and feasible for school-based personnel regardless of their initial behavioral expertise. The CCU includes an assessment of the teachers' current use of critical classroom management variables followed by feedback to the teacher and the collaborative design of a classroom intervention. Areas of need are identified (e.g., increase praise) and a menu of potential interventions are explored by the teacher and coach (e.g., teach expectations and provide behavior-specific praise to students meeting expectations). The CCU website will house specific modules for teachers and school-based coaches that will allow school personnel who may not be experts in behavior management to access consultation tools, video-modeled intervention strategies, and links to other resources.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Fifteen expert panel members (intervention researchers and school practitioners) and five graduate students will participate in the initial development/refinement activities and usability testing. Six on-site coaches and 12 teachers will participate in feasibility testing. Ten on-site coaches, 40 teachers, and 560 students will participate in the pilot test to determine promise of the intervention.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The researchers will use a three phase iterative design process consistent with the ADDIE (analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation) instructional design model and will incorporate the principles and practices of community-based participatory research by partnering with a diverse group of stakeholders. In Phase 1, personnel from 4 schools and 15 expert panel members will participate in focus group sessions, surveys, and interviews to guide revisions to program content. Following each focus group, the CCU website will be revised and checked for functionality followed by usability testing. In Phase 2, a feasibility test will be conducted with 6 on-site coaches (e.g., a special education teacher, school counselor, school psychologist, instructional coach or administrator depending on the current roles and resources within the schools) and 12 teachers. Focus groups, surveys and interviews will again be conducted with expert panel members, coaches, teachers, and administrators. Further revisions will be made as needed. In Phase 3, a pilot test using 10 on-site coaches and 40 teachers and 560 students will evaluate the promise of the program in enhancing teacher practice and student social and academic outcomes. Teachers will be randomly assigned to receive the web-based CCU (n=20) versus standard practice (n=20). The researchers will collect pre- post data on: teachers' classroom management practices (e.g., praise and reprimands); students' academic engagement, aggressive/ disruptive behavior, and academic performance; number of office discipline referrals; success of the coach-teacher relationship (e.g., coach/teacher alliance and self-efficacy); and feasibility and social validity of the intervention.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers randomly assigned to the control group will receive the standard support for classroom management issues that is typically provided in the participating districts.
Data Analytic Strategy Focus group and survey data will be coded and analyzed by themes for consistency and recommendations across phases. Descriptive and correlational analyses will be conducted on quantitative data collected during Phase 2. In Phase 3, a mixed-model Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) will be used to compare outcome measures (student academic achievement and social behavior) in the two conditions assessed in the spring with regression adjustment for baseline assessments in the fall. The researchers will conduct exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and other analyses (Cronbach's alpha, correlations) to examine the psychometric properties of the self-report measures. Descriptive, inter-rater reliability (e.g., Kappas), and internal consistency (alphas) analyses will be conducted on the observation data gathered.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Multiple process measures will be adapted/refined/developed and piloted during Phase 2, including a CCU fidelity measure for coaches and the CCU coaching log to assess the level of support provided to teachers, as well as teacher and coach CCU alliance scales and a Social Validity Scale. CCU coaching sessions will be video taped and reviewed by independent researchers for fidelity. Student academic achievement will be measured using the Stanford Achievement Test-Tenth Edition (SAT-10). Research staff will gather independent observational data of teachers and students using a computer-based observation system, the Multi-Option Observation System for Experimental Studies- Brief Classroom Interaction Observation Revised to assess teacher use of effective classroom management practices (praise, reprimands, opportunities to respond) and student aggressive/ disruptive and off-task behavior simultaneously. Teacher reported self-efficacy will be measured using the Teacher Sense of Self Efficacy Scale. Teachers will complete the Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation Revised (TOCA-R) and the Social Competence Scale-Teacher (T-COMP) to measure student academic and social competencies. The School-Wide Information System (SWIS), an Internet-based data system used to log and monitor student discipline data (e.g., office referrals, suspensions) will be downloaded annually for participating classrooms.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The researchers will iteratively develop the web-based CCU model in partnership with elementary school staff (teachers, coaches, and administrators) and expert advisors. Feasibility and usability testing will guide further revisions. A pilot test in the final year of the project will determine the promise of the web-based CCU for improving teachers' classroom management practices and students' academic and social competencies.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#471. Added August 12, 2013 Updated August 12, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Using Computer-Assisted Instruction to Accelerate Students through Developmental Math: An Impact Study of Modularization and Compression
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Mary Visher mary.visher@ mdrc.org
Start Date:	July 1, 2013	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2017
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A130125
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This project will take place in two large, publicly funded community college in Fort Worth, Texas and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Intervention This project will investigate two approaches to acceleration in developmental education that have not yet been rigorously evaluated. The Florida community college uses a compression approach that allows students to complete two levels of developmental math in a single semester rather than the usual two. The traditional 16-week course is compressed into an eight-week session. By immersing students in math, typically with four days of class per week, students attend the same total class hours as the traditional class, in half the number of weeks. Consequently, students can complete two levels of developmental math in a single semester. In the Texas community college, students will use a modularization approach that divides the developmental math curriculum into discrete modules, allowing students to learn at their own pace and spend less time on skills they either already know or can master quickly. Students will start at the module pinpointed by the assessment and then advance as quickly as they are capable of learning the material. The modularization approach allows students to leave and return without losing ground. Both programs rely on computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and other technology to promote a student-centered model of learning and to deliver a competency-based, standardized curriculum. Students using the compression approach will continue their learning outside of the classroom with Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS), a web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system that is aligned with the course competencies. ALEKS uses frequent, formative assessments to provide a dynamic individualized learning plan of weekly homework.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Participants for this project will include approximately 1,500 students per college, over two semesters. Participants will be students whose math placement test scores require them to enroll in developmental math.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The team will carry out two independent randomized control trials in order to determine whether students in the acceleration programs outperform students in the colleges' standard developmental mathematics programs. Additional secondary research questions include understanding implementation of the two programs, determining to what degree the programs are implemented with fidelity, describing how the acceleration programs differ from typical developmental mathematics programs, and examining whether the programs' impacts vary by student characteristics. To answer these questions, the team will implement a block random design to assign approximately 1,500 students at each college over two semesters to either the standard program (control group) or the acceleration program (treatment group) during the class registration process. Implementation data will be collected at the college, class, and student levels. Medium-term and long-term information about students' mathematics achievement and pathways through college will be collected.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Control group college students will follow the "business-as-usual" condition and enroll in traditionally structured developmental math classes. These semester-long classes meet regularly for lectures and lab sections.
Data Analytic Strategy Researchers will compute intent-to-treat estimates by comparing average outcomes of the program group and control group members within each college, using standard statistical tests such as t-tests. OLS regression equations will generate estimates of the impact of offering access to one of the acceleration programs (the intent-to-treat). Impacts will be estimated separately for each college/acceleration approach. The effect of interest is the effect of assignment to the program group on the outcome of interest. Researchers will also conduct subgroup analyses based on students' initial math placement level. Sensitivity analyses will be conducted to examine the effect of clustering.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Primary outcomes to be obtained through college transcript records include academic progress in mathematics, academic progress in non-mathematics courses, and overall academic progress. Researchers will assess the programs' effects on mathematics learning through departmental exams, Florida's state-wide exit exam (Florida college only), and MyMathTest (Texas college only), as well as other progress indicators such as withdrawal and course pass rates. Measures of implementation fidelity and the treatment contrast will be obtained through a student survey, faculty interviews, classroom observations, and usage data from the CAI.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Researchers will test the effectiveness of two "acceleration" programs using a randomized controlled trial. The first program is a compression approach that allows students to complete two levels of developmental math in a single semester rather than the usual two. The second program uses a modularization approach that divides the developmental math curriculum into discrete modules, allowing students to learn at their own pace. Researchers will use progress measures to assess the programs' effects on math learning as well as other progress indicators, such as withdrawal and course pass rates. Measures of implementation fidelity and the treatment contrast will be obtained through a student survey, faculty interviews, classroom observations, and usage data from the CAI.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#472. Added August 14, 2013 Updated August 14, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Brief Intervention for School Clinicians
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Elizabeth McCauley eliz@uw.edu
Start Date:	July 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120128
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will take place in a large urban center in Washington State.
Intervention The Brief Intervention for School Clinicians (BRISC) will be tailored to the school environment and characterized by five primary elements: (1) a systematic problem-solving approach to assist mental-health providers with identifying key intervention targets, testing solutions, and supporting positive student development; (2) a modularized approach to delivering specific mental health intervention components common to evidence-based practices (e.g., coping strategies, mood changing skills, cognitive restructuring, communication analysis, and problem solving); (3) a stepped care/tiered structure in which a brief empirically based intervention (BRISC) is implemented prior to more intensive, extended, or expensive treatments; (4) culturally informed treatment engagement and motivation strategies; and (5) systematic assessment and monitoring of student behaviors and emotional states including checks of symptoms, mood, academic success, completion of practice activities, and satisfaction with the treatment process.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Participants in all phases of the study will be school-based health center clinicians (approximately 16) and roughly 120 high school students seeking mental health services. Data will also be collected from a parent/guardian and teachers. Students will likely be 14-19 years of age and 60 percent female.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods In Year 1 of the project, the research team will convene national and local experts to review and provide feedback on preliminary BRISC protocols. This input will be used to create a "beta" version of the BRISC protocol that will be implemented by 2 doctoral-level clinicians on the research team with 12 high school students. The goals of this initial implementation are to evaluate the BRISC protocol for feasibility and inform the development of fidelity measures. In Year 2, a validation study will be conducted in public high schools with 8 mental health clinicians who have experience working in school settings. These clinicians will be randomly assigned to either implement BRISC or to continue with delivery of services as usual. Outcomes for 24 students working with the 4 BRISC clinicians will be compared to outcomes for another 24 students who receive services as usual from the other 4 clinicians. In Year 3, a small-scale randomized control trial (RCT) with 60 students randomly assigned to BRISC or services as usual will be conducted to test BRISC's potential for positive impact on student mental health and academic outcomes. Students and clinicians will be interviewed throughout to obtain feedback that will inform the iterative development of the intervention.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Students in the control conditions in the validation study and in the RCT will receive mental health services that are typically provided through the school-based health centers in the high schools (i.e., services as usual).
Data Analytic Strategy Descriptive analyses will be used to determine intervention feasibility and basic psychometric analyses will be used to validate fidelity measures. To determine BRISC's promise for improving student outcomes, the effects of BRISC versus services as usual at post-intervention will also be assessed using analysis of covariance for behaviors/emotions (BASC-2), therapeutic alliance (TASC) satisfaction (YCSQ), symptom severity (CGI), school engagement (EIS), functioning (CIS), and coping (RWCC). Mixed effects regression models will be used to examine attendance, homework, class participation, and disciplinary actions (level 1) clustered within students (level 2), and students clustered within clinicians (level 3). Additional covariates will be included in the model including baseline youth symptom severity, therapeutic alliance (TASC), and BRISC fidelity. For all analyses, the researchers will explore whether potential selection bias exists due to attrition. Data missing at random will be modeled using maximum likelihood estimation; data will be used from all students recruited, including students providing partial data.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Student social, behavioral and mental health outcomes will be assessed through the use of the Behavior Assessment System for Children-2 (BASC-2), the Columbia Impairment Scale (CIS), the Clinical Global Impressions Scale (CGI), and the Revised Ways of Coping Checklist (RWCC). Academic outcomes will be assessed through the Engagement in School-Teacher Rating Scale (EIS) and the participating school district's online resource for students, families, and teachers to access student attendance, discipline and academic achievement data. Treatment satisfaction will be assessed with the Youth Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (YCSQ). Process measures include the Therapy Process Observational Coding System-Strategies Scale and the Therapeutic Alliance Scale for Children (TASC).
Summary of the Study / Abstract In this 3-year project, the researchers will first convene national and local experts to review and provide feedback on preliminary BRISC protocols. Based on this input, they will then conduct an initial implementation study to evaluate feasibility and inform the development of fidelity measures. In the second year, the researchers will conduct a validation study in public high schools with school-based health centers using a multiple case study design. In the final year, a small-scale randomized control trial will be used to test BRISC's potential for positive impact on student social, behavioral, mental health and academic outcomes.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#473. Added August 14, 2013 Updated August 14, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Burst:Reading Efficacy Study
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Brian Rowan browan@umich.edu
Start Date:	September 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	October 31, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120811
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will be conducted in elementary schools in cities in four different states: Maryland, Louisiana, New Jersey and North Carolina.
Intervention Burst:Reading is a fully developed software intervention that both assesses reading and related skills (e.g., phonological awareness) of students in grades K-3 and provides aligned instructional content. Teachers use handheld devices to administer reading assessments individually to students that cover multiple skill categories. This allows the research-based and technology-driven algorithms to create profiles of each student's skills and instructional needs. Additionally, the algorithms consider classroom characteristics (e.g., staffing capacities, time constraints, etc.) and generate small-group suggestions based on students' skill profiles. The system offers lessons with appropriate material for the various groups, with instructional cycles lasting about 9-18 days, followed by progress monitoring assessments, resulting in additional material covering the same skills or new material (and possibly grouping) covering new skills. In addition to modules related to instruction and assessment, the intervention also includes a coherent set of professional development modules covering content knowledge and instruction on using the intervention.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The sample for this study includes students in grades K-3 and their teachers from four school districts. The students come from diverse backgrounds: White (19 percent), Black (19 percent), Hispanic (57 percent) and Asian (about 3 percent). On average, 43 percent of students in these districts are eligible for free or reduced lunch. Participants will come from approximately 50 schools, with 12 teachers and 600 students per school on average, for a total of about 600 teachers and 30,000 students.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Schools will be randomly assigned to either the treatment or control condition. Schools in the treatment condition will implement Burst:Reading throughout the school year and their teachers will receiving training and support in its use both prior to and during the school year. This longitudinal study will last four years, with the intervention delivered across Grades K-3 in each year. Throughout the study, the team will collect classroom observations intended to measure instructional fidelity and a set of standardized and developer-created measures of student outcomes.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Schools assigned to the control condition will not receive the intervention and will operate under typical conditions, which could include the use of technology-based reading assessments, and/or technology-delivered instructional content.
Data Analytic Strategy A three-level hierarchical linear regression model (students nested within teachers within schools) will be used to account for the effect of clustering on the variance structure of the data. In addition to comparing student outcome performance with and without the intervention, the data analysis will examine dosage. Specifically, the team will explore the effects of participating in the intervention for one, two, three, or four years. Mediating and moderating factors include student-level (demographic background, prior achievement) and classroom-level characteristics (e.g., core reading program, staff composition, availability to resources, class size, instructional practices).
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The project will include both standardized and developer-created measures. The standardized measure will be the Stanford Achievement Test, Version 10, which includes an overall reading test and sub-skill measures of reading ability. The team will also use the developer-created mCLASS�. To administer this test, teachers use a handheld device to record data as they screen students with a series of short, individual assessments in component skills of reading comprehension, such as phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Researchers will test the efficacy of the intervention by conducting a four-year longitudinal, randomized control trial. The intervention will be delivered to students in Grades K-3 across four years, thereby allowing some students to receive the intervention for more than one year (e.g., those in kindergarten during Years 1 and 3 will receive the intervention for four and two years, respectively). Implementing teachers will receive training in use of the software, which is intended to increase their ability to make data-driven instructional decisions for individual students with confidence. The researchers will also collect information about instructional fidelity and classroom activities.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#480. Added November 28, 2013 Updated December 3, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Effects of a training with the Linea dei Numeri (Number Line) software
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Patrizio Tressoldi PhD patrizio.tressoldi@unipd.it
Other Key Staff:	Francesco Sella PhD
Start Date:	October 1, 2013	Anticipated End Date:	May 30, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	None
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Settings: school rooms locations: Villatore, Padova, ITALY participants: students attending first, second and third grade of elementary level
Intervention Intervention types: experimental: self-adapting software to facilitate the association between number quantity with horizontal line representation; active control: software to improve visual attention; passive control: wait list
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Samples: experimental, n = 83; active control, n = 54; passive control, n = 57
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Statistical methods: pre, post and followup comparisons using WWC Procedures and Standards v.2
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Active control and wait-list control
Data Analytic Strategy The recruited samples are sufficient to detect an estimated ES approx = 0.50; We plan to calculate Hedges' g and Improvement Index ES
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Relevant measures: math abilities using standardized and ad hoc tests measured after 3 months of training and after four months followup
Intended Secondary Outcomes More improvement in math abilities related to quantity comparisons and manipulation and less in math abilities requiring rote memory i.e. number facts; tables
Summary of the Study / Abstract The specific hypotheses are that the experimental groups will outperform both active and passive control groups in all math abilities related to quantity comparisons and manipulation

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#474. Added August 14, 2013 Updated August 14, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	GlobalEd 2: Efficacy and Replication
Principal Investigator:	Mr. Scott Brown scott.brown@uconn.edu
Start Date:	June 1, 2013	Anticipated End Date:	May 30, 2017
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A130195
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting This study for GE2 will be conducted in suburban and urban classrooms in Connecticut and Illinois.
Intervention GE2 is a set of online, problem-based learning (PBL) simulations for middle school students that explores the multidisciplinary nature of helping students to learn and apply scientific literacies and concepts. Students within a classroom will be assigned to represent a particular country (e.g., China) over one semester, and must gain knowledge about it in order to successfully represent the country's viewpoints and concerns in the dialogue with students in other classrooms, who are representing other countries. GE2 links classrooms of students, otherwise isolated from one another by physical distance and socio-economic boundaries in synchronous and asynchronous scientific argumentation through use of the internet.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The sample for these studies includes 216 8th-grade classrooms, 6000 students, and 36 teachers. The sample is equally split between urban and suburban classrooms.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Using a three-level randomized block design (students, classrooms, and teachers), data collection will occur over 4 years utilizing the same teachers but different cohorts of students. All participating teachers will teach at least two periods of 8th-graders each day. For each teacher, one classroom is randomly assigned to participate in GE2 and the other classroom to the control condition; because the GE2 intervention is heavily dependent on technology, whose access is controlled by the research team, the chance of contamination between treatment and control conditions is very unlikely. In Year 1, the topic of investigation will be Water. In Year 2, the same topic will be covered, both with teachers from Year 1 and teachers new to the study. In Year 3, all the teachers will continue to participate, but with a new topic (Climate). Finally, in Year 4, the same teachers will cover both topics, one per semester. Students in both treatment and control groups will be assessed at three points (pre- and post- simulation and 4 months after the end of the simulation). Researchers will collect information on fidelity of implementation of GE2 and moderators (e.g., gender, race, SES) as predictors of treatment effects.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Students in the control group will receive the standard "business-as-usual" instruction based on the district curriculum.
Data Analytic Strategy A three-level (students, classrooms, and teachers) linear hierarchical regression model will be used to investigate the impact of GE2 on the student-level outcomes described above. Interactions of treatment with gender and urbanicity will be included in certain models to examine the moderating effects of these variables. The sustainability of GE2 effects will be examined by including multiple post-treatment measurement occasions in the models. The mediating effects of teacher fidelity variables will be explored via multi-level structural equation models.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes This study will utilize researcher-developed measures of written scientific argumentation, science topic knowledge, and self-efficacy in science and writing to measure the proximal effects of the GE2 program and student outcomes. The distal effects will be measured by the Scientific Literacy Assessment, an instrument measuring science knowledge/process skills based on a subset of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003 assessment, and a researcher-developed instrument measuring interest in future education and careers in science.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Researchers will rigorously test the efficacy of GE2 in improving student skills in argumentation in writing, science knowledge, and self-efficacy. Researchers will test the efficacy of GE2 in covering one topic over one semester with a cohort of urban and suburban students and then replicate findings with a second cohort of students. Studies will examine the generalizability of the impact of GE2 across a different science topic; evaluate the impact of exposure to GE2 across a full year of instruction (i.e., covering both topics, one per semester); and consider how student, teacher, and school variables moderate (and/or mediate) the response to the intervention.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#476. Added September 11, 2013 Updated September 24, 2013 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Measuring the Efficacy and Student Achievement of Research-based Instructional Materials in High School Multidisciplinary Science
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Joseph Taylor Director of Research and Development jtaylor@bscs.org
Other Key Staff:	Steve Getty, Susan Kowalski, Christopher Wilson, Janet Carlson, Pamela Van Scotter
Start Date:	July 1, 2006	End Date:	June 30, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	IES - R305K060142
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://bscs.org/efficacy-trial-research-based-curriculum-materials-and-professional-development
Published Report Citation: TBD
Study Setting The study settings were traditional high schools in the state of Washington that offered 9th and/or 10th grade multidisciplinary science.
Intervention The intervention was two years of implementing the multidisciplinary science program: BSCS Science: An Inquiry Approach and its associated professional development. This program is intended to have distinguishing features such as: coherence, focus, rigor, a constructivist approach (i.e.,the BSCS 5E Instructional Model), and educative supports for teachers. Each student received his/her own copy of the book. Implementation of the program was supported by 7 days of professional development each year. The professional development was provided for three days during the summer and four days throughout the school year.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The analytic sample consisted of 3052 students across 18 high schools. This represents 18% overall attrition and 1% differential attrition at the student level. There was no cluster-level attrition.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The study was designed as a cluster randomized trial with schools as the unit of randomization. Schools were randomly assigned to treatment conditions. The schools were randomly sequenced, and then randomly assigned to treatment or counterfactual conditions using a random number generator. Systematic, pre-randomization blocking or matching was not employed. The comparability of treatment groups on the primary achievement outcome (the 10th grade WA state science test) was tested using a baseline covariate (the 8th grade WA state science test). The effect size difference between treatment groups on this 8th grade test was 0.23 in favor of the comparison group.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The counterfactual condition is "business as usual" high school science. Specifically, schools assigned to this condition were asked to continue teaching 9th and 10th grade science as they had in the past, with teachers attending business-as-usual professional development as they had in the past.
Data Analytic Strategy For testing the main effect of treatment, we constructed a two-level, hierarchical linear model with students' post-intervention achievement score (WA 10th grade state science test) as the level one outcome. The level-one model included the student score from the WA 8th grade state science test as a baseline covariate as well as other demographic and achievement covariates. All covariates were grand-mean centered. The intercept from level one was modeled as the outcome at level two (school-level). The level-two model included the grand mean (intercept), the treatment variable (effect coded -.5 and .5), and the aggregate baseline(WA 8th grade state science test) and aggregate FRL covariates. Effect sizes were calculated as specified in the WWC standards. Here the HLM regression coefficient for the treatment variable (covariate adjusted) is the numerator and the pooled standard deviation (sample size adjusted) is the denominator. The value of this variation on Hedges' g for this intervention was 0.09.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes For the intent-to-treat analysis, the primary outcome was the WA 10th grade state science test. The effect size in favor of BSCS Science: An Inquiry Approach, was 0.09. This was based on an analytic sample of 3052 students (1509 treatment, 1543 comparison) across 18 high schools. Subgroup analyses included tests of cross-level interactions between the level 2 treatment variable and demographics-outcome slopes from the level 1 model. All cross-level interactions were non-significant.
Secondary Outcomes As a secondary outcome, the intervention was also intended to improve teaching in treatment classrooms. Specifically, the professional development was intended to increase teacher understanding of content, pedagogy, and implementation of the BSCS program. Our primary independent measure of these teacher outcomes was the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP). From our exploratory mediation analysis, we learned that the treatment had a large, statistically significant effect on teacher practice (g = 1.85) and teacher practice, in turn, was influential on student achievement. This confirmed our mediational hypothesis.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This study investigated the efficacy of a multidisciplinary high school science curriculum program and associated professional development compared to "business as usual" curriculum materials and professional development. The study occurred in rural and suburban high schools in the state of Washington. Our hypothesis in this study was that students in schools assigned to the treatment condition (use of BSCS Science: An Inquiry Approach for two years) would have greater mean achievement scores in science than students in schools assigned to the counterfactual or business-as-usual treatment condition. To make a confident causal link between use of the BSCS program and greater student achievement, this study incorporated cluster (school-level) random assignment to help mitigate the influence of unobserved confounding variables and thus help eliminate alternative explanations. Use of covariates in a hierarchical linear modeling context allowed us to estimate the unique main effect of the Inquiry Approach program. The main effect of treatment was statistically significant (p=.035) with an associated effect size of 0.09. This value is similar to effect sizes observed in other studies of high school interventions where a state achievement test was used as the outcome measure. Exploratory analyses suggested evidence that teacher practice mediates the effectiveness of the Inquiry Approach Program and that the treatment effect is not moderated by demographic variables.
Interpretation of Results / Discussion In this study, we conclude that the combination of research-based curriculum materials and curriculum-based PD was effective, observing a modest intervention effect on students' science achievement but an effect that is within an expected range for high school interventions using a distal state achievement measure. The intervention in this study has many discrete features. Its effects are appropriately described here in aggregate because the features are experienced by students as a whole. The multi-faceted nature of this intervention and the nature of the study design prevented us from isolating the unique effects of discrete program features. The effective marriage of curriculum-based PD and educative, research-based curriculum materials that we hypothesized in the development of the intervention was confirmed in the mediation analysis where we observed a strong intervention effect on teacher practice and a teacher practice effect on student achievement. This mediation result suggests that teaching practice can be improved by educative, research-based instructional materials in concert with face-to-face, curriculum-based PD and that teaching practice indeed matters over and above the inherent features of the curriculum materials for students. Finally, the results of tests for whether the intervention led to more equitable outcomes or "outputs" (Lynch, 2001) for students remain inconclusive. Some treatment-demographic interaction effects suggested more equitable outcomes for the intervention group while others suggested more equity in the BaU comparison group. None of the interaction effects were statistically significant so it is not entirely clear whether the equity-focused features of the materials had systematic effects on achievement equity across demographic groups.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#478. Added October 31, 2013 Updated December 20, 2013 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Higgs Phonics Reading Recovery Program
Principal Investigator:	Honorable Elihu Harris Chancellor elihu.harris@gmail.com
Other Key Staff:	Dr. Derrick Johnson; Christina McClain and Cyndi Zhong, Depaul University
Start Date:	August 22, 2006	End Date:	February 20, 2007
Sponsoring Organization:	The Higgs Phonics Corporation
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Published Report Citation: The published report is pending.
Study Setting The location was in a large urban town. The setting was four classrooms in two charter high schools. The data was collected at the experimental site. All 200 participants were enrolled at either site and had placement test scores in reading and math between 4.0 and 7.0 grade equivalency.
Intervention This study evaluates the efficacy of a phonics based reading intervention system. The system stresses intensive phonics skills and encoding and decoding multi-syllable words across curriculum. Two hundred urban high school students, each scoring between 4.0 and 7.0 grade equivalency on placement tests were given 40 hours of instruction. This study tests the following assertions: 1) Students' reading and math scores will increase beyond two years within 40 hours of instruction; 2) Reading scores for students with special needs will advance one year or more; 3) Students transfer their decoding skills and vocabulary development skills to expository texts as evidenced in the TABE Assessments in basic reading, comprehension, mathematics and language skills; 4) The educational strategies and intensive phonics instructional materials correct reading maladies including comprehension and reading rates as well as significantly increase math scores.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The sample size included 200 African-American 11th and 12th grade students enrolled in two charter alternative high schools in a large midwestern metropolitan city. The charter school network had 22 schools with a total population of 4,013 in grades 10-12. The 11th and 12th grade total population was 1,677. Each campus had an enrollment of 180-200 students. Historically, mobility has been highest for the 10th grade. Hence, we opted for the more stable 11th and 12th grade students at both campuses. School Principals agreed that the 11th and 12th grade students, had better attendance, and were more highly motivated toward credit recovery leading to a high school diploma. Participants in these experimental groups were chosen randomly from students in 11th and 12th grades each who met the eligibility criteria. The control groups also were randomly selected from students each in 11th and 12th grades. The experimental groups of students were in attendance at School B. The control groups attended School A, several miles south of School B. Attrition rates: Of the 50 selected: Grade 11 control 46 took post test; Experimental 47 took post test. Grade 12 control 48 took post test; Experimental 48 took post test.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Inferential and descriptive statistics were used to compare the compatibility of the groups: Welch two sample t-test Scatter plot to show linear relationships One-way ANOVA to model for pre and post test scores
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control groups attended School A, several miles south of School B. School A had two 11th grade classes in the regular English course with 25 students each. School A also had two 12th grade classes in the regular English course with 25 students each. The control groups were selected from a school wide population of 180 students. All the students had the same SES status, were African American adolescent men and women and all participated in the free or reduced lunch program. In all grades 68% were male. Few had IEPs and other non-diagnosed learning disabilities. All teachers were licensed to teach high school English. Their teaching experience ranged from two to four years. The control groups took the TABE pre-test before the start of the Fall Semester, 2006, to measure their basic reading and math competency. Stable students from both groups took the TABE post test in January, 2007. The pre-post tests administered were four standardized subtests from The Test of Adult Basic Education # 7, 1994 edition (TABE). The Principals chose the complete battery of subtests for both norm and curriculum referenced information. The complete battery consisted of reading, math computation, applied mathematics, and language. These students achieved scores below the TABE 7th grade level and/or fell below the national mean and were identified as having reading and math discrepancies. Scores were reported as raw scores and then converted into percentile scaled scores and grade equivalents.
Data Analytic Strategy Significance level is 0.05. Sample size: School A, the comparison group, had an attrition rate of 8% for 11th grade, and 6% for the 12th grade. Of the 50 who took the pre test, 46 took the post test in the 11th grade. The 12th grade post test participants were 48 out of the 50 who took the pre test. School B, the experimental group, had an attrition rate of 4% for the 11th grade and 4% for the 12th grade. Of the 50 in the 11th graders who took the pre test, 47 took the post test. The 12th grade post test participants were 48 out of 50.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes In the post tests, there is a significant difference between the control and experimental groups. The mean scores of the reading and math tests of the experimental group are statistically higher than those of the control group. The dispersement of the pre test scores, experimental group test scores, and comparison group test scores are similar to each other, regardless of the grade and subject. The intended outcomes are that experimental groups increase reading and math scores after exposure to the intervention within 40 hours of instruction. Experimental group outcomes: Grade 11 reading improved 82% & math improved 81% and Grade 12 reading improved 66% & math improved 59%. Performance in the reading and math tests improved in the experimental group after the 40-hour reading intervention in the spring semester. Grade 11: Control: n = 46; Exp.: n = 44. Grade 12: Control: n = 48; Exp.: n = 48. For Grade 11, the p-value (<0.0001) indicates that the differences in pre and post reading mean scores are significant in both groups. The p-value for the t-test in pre and post math test scores is close to 0 for both groups. We conclude that significant differences exist in the pre and post tests, regardless of group, grade or subject. After the intervention, performance in reading and math tests for both grades significantly improved. There is a roughly positive linear relationship between the pre and post math/reading scores in the control group, indicating that students with a lower score in the pre test would have a lower score in the post test and students with a higher score in the pre test would have a higher score in the post test. The graphs for the control group suggest a roughly positive relationship between the pre and post math/reading scores. The graphs for the experimental group illustrated spread-out dot plots. After the 40-hour reading intervention, students with a lower score in the pre test achieve a higher score in the post test.
Secondary Outcomes There were none.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The purpose of this study is to check if high school students who are struggling readers dramatically advance in their reading and math skills beyond two years growth within 40 hours or less after completion of the program. Objectives: 1. Will reading scores for students with an IEP advance one year or more within 40 hours of instruction after exposure to the treatment? 2. Will they transfer their decoding and vocabulary development skills to expository texts as evidenced in the TABE assessments in basic reading, comprehension, mathematics, and language skills? 3. Will the intervention of educational strategies and intensive phonics instructional materials remedy reading maladies and therefore significantly increase math scores? 4. Will a significant number of students improve reading achievement scores beyond two years growth within 40 hours?
Interpretation of Results / Discussion There is a significant difference in the pre/post tests in the control and experimental groups, regardless of grade or subject. The Pearson's correlation and ANOVA tests suggests the pre and post scores are significantly related to each other in the control group, but not in the experimental group. This study discovered that the reading intervention does play a positive role in math and reading performance, and there is a significant number of students who improved reading and math achievement scores beyond two years growth or more within 40 hours. Some limitations should be considered in interpreting the results. 1. The results of this study would be biased due to the representative issue of the sample, which is dealing with just two alternative charter high schools in a large Midwestern urban city. However, it can easily be replicated across rural, urban and suburban school districts and every region of North American and in different types of schools. 2. In this study, the attrition rate is acceptable, and it did not adversely affect student outcomes for either group.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#479. Added November 4, 2013 Updated November 13, 2013 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Intelligent Scaffolding for Peer Reviews of Writing
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Diane Litman litman@cs.pitt.edu
Start Date:	September 1, 2012	Anticipated End Date:	August 31, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	NCER R305A120370
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Iterative development and testing will take place in science and English/social science courses in both secondary and post-secondary schools. The latter setting will give researchers easy access to large numbers of students taking lower-level physics and psychology courses, which will facilitate some of the iterative development. Iterative development and pilot testing will occur in high schools.
Intervention The intervention will add to the existing version of SWoRD, a technology tool that provides students a platform in which to write compositions and reports, and facilitates the logistics of conducting peer review and making revisions. For example, the tool distributes the essays to reviewers, records their anonymous feedback, and returns it to the appropriate authors, who in turn can use this information in revising their work. The project will include the addition of advanced technical features designed to assess certain critical features of essays (e.g., thesis statements) and reviewer feedback (e.g., location of where suggestions apply). Additionally, the improved intervention will include support in organizing for the authors the feedback from multiple reviewers.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Students in the Pittsburgh area from middle school to second-year university courses will participate.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Methods will include iterative development and testing, including the use of surveys, focus groups, interviews, and quasi-experimental design studies. During Years 1 and 2, usability studies with both high school and (early) college students will be conducted in both the fall and spring semesters, with analysis of data and revisions to the software occurring in the winter and summer. Specifically, the team anticipates making minor revisions (e.g., fixing bugs in the software) during the winter whereas it will make major changes and upgrades (e.g., add new capabilities and features) over the summer. In Year 3, the researchers will conduct a Pilot Study with high school students from at least four teachers' classrooms, resulting in at least 200 students, with half of the students using the basic version of SWoRD (which currently exists) and the other half using the advanced one (which will include the revisions and additions made from the development efforts carried out in this project). Both types of writing genre (argumentative essays and science reports) will be used with each version. Random assignment will be at the student level.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Students will use the currently existing version of SWoRD in the control condition.
Data Analytic Strategy Descriptive analysis of surveys, focus group, and interview data will be carried out and used to revise and refine SWoRD. The data of the pilot study will be analyzed primarily with a t-test, because the anticipated design is of a single factor (Version of SWoRD), with two levels: the basic version (existing version at the start of this project) versus the advanced version (which will include the new features to-be-developed in this project). Both writing genre types (argumentative essays and science reports) will be used, but the analysis will collapse across genre.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Key measures of student writing and understanding of the writing process will include judgments by trained graduate students of several aspects, including: student essays and their revisions; and peer reviewer comments and feedback. Additionally, surveys will be conducted of students' knowledge of writing and composition processes, and their satisfaction with the system (including the advanced features). Measures of the developed technology (e.g., machine learning) will include measures of overall performance (e.g., accuracy, reliability, validity, and precision) in detecting thesis statements in students' essays and feedback features in reviewers' comments.
Summary of the Study / Abstract Activities will include iterative development of the software across two years, followed by a pilot study in the third year comparing the advanced version with the existing one. The iterative development will include the addition of new software features and user testing, resulting in revisions and corrections to the features, and allow for testing the usability and feasibility of the software. The researchers will examine the performance of the software features (e.g., accuracy of automated detection of thesis statements) and their effect on students (e.g., do students provide better peer-review feedback with the advanced features?; do their revisions benefit from the feedback?). Additionally, the researches will conduct focus groups with and surveys of users.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#483. Added February 6, 2014 Updated February 18, 2014 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Summer Learning Demonstration Assessment
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Catherine Augustine Catherine_Augustine@rand.org
Other Key Staff:	Jennifer McCombs, John F. Pane
Start Date:	May 1, 2013	Anticipated End Date:	July 31, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	Wallace Foundation
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting Using a RCT design, the study will estimate treatment effects for one summer of programming (2013) and two consecutive summers of programming (2013 and 2014) for a cohort of students in grade 3 in SY2012-2013. The study is being conducted in five urban school districts.
Intervention District-operated voluntary summer learning programs.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information 5,639 students, 3,194 of whom were assigned to the treatment group (56.6%), and 2,445 of whom were assigned to the control group.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Stratified student-level random assignment.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Control group is excluded from access to district operated summer learning programs, but are free to seek other summer camps or programs on their own initiative. A survey of available programs reveals little availability of alternative programs with high quality academic components to this population of students.
Data Analytic Strategy Random effects (hierarchical) model with baseline covariates. An OLS model with bootstrap-based inference and baseline covariates will be used as a robustness check.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Student academic and social-emotional outcomes administered by study in Fall of 2013 and 2014, and spring state assessments.
Intended Secondary Outcomes School-year grades, behavior and attendance.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The objective is to obtain rigorous evidence regarding the effectiveness of voluntary summer programming and information about the relationship between program implementation, student attendance, and student achievement as well as social and emotional wellbeing.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#482. Added February 6, 2014 Updated February 7, 2014 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Effectiveness of Cognitive Tutor Algebra I at Scale
Principal Investigator:	Dr. John Pane Senior Scientist jpane@rand.org
Other Key Staff:	Beth Ann Griffin, Daniel F. McCaffrey, Rita Karam
Start Date:	March 1, 2007	End Date:	February 28, 2013
Sponsoring Organization:	IES Award No. R305A070185
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://epa.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/11/08/0162373713507480
Published Report Citation: Pane, J. F., Griffin, B. A., McCaffrey, D. F., & Karam, R. (2014). Effectiveness of Cognitive Tutor Algebra I at Scale. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, in press. doi: 10.3102/0162373713507480
Related Publications Pane, J. F., Griffin, B. A., McCaffrey, D. F., Karam, R., Daugherty, L., & Phillips, A. (2103). Does an Algebra Course with Tutoring Software Improve Student Learning? (pp. 4). Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9746/
Study Setting Algebra students in 73 high schools and 74 middle schools in 51 school districts in seven states, including urban, suburban, and rural public schools, and some Catholic Diocese parochial schools. The sites include city districts in Texas, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Alabama, suburban districts near Detroit, MI, generally rural districts in Kentucky, and districts throughout Louisiana. Each school participated for two years. All sites participated in both the middle school and high school arms of the study except Alabama (middle school only).
Intervention CTAI is a technology-based mathematics curriculum designed to promote student understanding of algebraic concepts and principles, to develop students' problem solving skills, and to enable them to master higher-order mathematical concepts (Ritter et al., 2007a). It is part of a broader set of curricula covering a number of secondary mathematics courses. In addition to textbook materials, each course includes an automated computer-based Cognitive Tutor (Anderson, et al., 1995) that provides individualized instruction to address students' specific needs. The individualization is built into the software, and is facilitated by detailed computational models of student thinking in a domain. Through the tutor, students work on challenging problems that reflect real-world situations and provide opportunities for students to progress from concrete to abstract thinking. The company recommends that students spend two days per week of their class time using the computer-based, individualized one-on-one tutorial provided by the software while the teacher works with individual students as needed, and three days on classroom activities that are student-centered and involve group work and problem solving, guided by the teacher and the textbook but not using the software.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information Nearly 18,700 students in grades 9 through 12 participated in the high school study, with 89% of the participants in 9th grade. Nearly 6,800 students in grades 6 through 8 participated in the middle school study, with more than 99% of them in 8th grade.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The study used a pair-matched cluster randomized design to assign schools to study condition. Schools within each state were matched into pairs on a number of criteria, including school-level variables and the achievement profile of students targeted for participation, as specified by the schema that schools prepared as part of enrollment in the study.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Schools assigned to the control group continued to use their existing algebra I curriculum. Those were published by Prentice Hall, Glencoe and McDougal Littell.
Data Analytic Strategy To estimate the impact of the treatment on student mathematics achievement and student confidence and attitudes about mathematics, we compared the performance of the experimental (CTAI) and control (standard algebra) groups on the posttest scores and survey items. Specifically, we fit hierarchical linear models for student posttest scores. Model 1 uses no covariates, and additional models use the same structure but extend the student level model in order to increasingly control for variables that potentially confound the effect of the intervention and to increase precision of the estimated treatment effects.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes Study operated for two years in each school, with a different cohort of students each year (cohorts 1 and 2). In the high school study, models consistently estimated negative treatment effects for cohort 1, ranging from 0.10 to 0.19 standard deviation units and not significant. In contrast, models for cohort 2 consistently estimated positive treatment effects, ranging from 0.14 to 0.21 standard deviation units; results for Models 2 through 4 are all below the 0.05 level of significance. In the middle school study, again, models estimated treatment effects for cohort 1 that are not significant. For cohort 2, these estimates for middle school cohort 2 are not significant, the estimated treatment effects are not significant but similar in magnitude to those found in the high school study.
Secondary Outcomes Analyses involving secondary outcomes on student attitudes and confidence in mathematics and technology only revealed one significant relationship. Across all cohorts, students in the treatment condition reported significantly higher mean scores on the item that asked about the utility of computers in learning math.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This article examines the effectiveness of a technology-based algebra curriculum in a wide variety of middle schools and high schools in seven states. Participating schools were matched into similar pairs and randomly assigned to either continue with the current algebra curriculum for two years or to adopt Cognitive Tutor Algebra I (CTAI), which uses a personalized, mastery-learning, blended-learning approach. Schools assigned to implement CTAI did so under conditions similar to schools that independently adopt it. Analysis of posttest outcomes on an algebra proficiency exam finds no effects in the first year of implementation, but evidence in support of positive effects in the second year. The estimated effect is statistically significant for high schools but not for middle schools; in both cases, the magnitude is sufficient to improve the median student's performance by approximately eight percentile points.
Interpretation of Results / Discussion This large-scale effectiveness trial of Cognitive Tutor Algebra I finds a significant positive effect in high schools in the second year of implementation, relative to similar schools that continued to implement a variety of existing textbook-based algebra curricula. The effect size of approximately 0.20 is educationally meaningful - equivalent to moving an algebra I student from the 50th to the 58th percentile. This positive result is important for educators and policy makers who are seeking interventions to improve algebra I achievement, and is particularly notable because it was obtained in an effectiveness trial, where broad variety of schools implemented the curriculum without extraordinary support. The results may also be of broader potential interest because this curriculum uses technology to enable a personalized, blended-learning approach. As one of the first large-scale effectiveness trials of this type of intervention, the results help to inform researchers and practitioners whether this may be a productive way to employ technology to improve student achievement in mathematics or other subjects.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#484. Added March 11, 2014 Updated March 11, 2014 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	AN EFFICACY TRIAL OF ENHANCED MILIEU TEACHING LANGUAGE INTERVENTION IN PRESCHOOLERS WITH LANGUAGE DISORDERS
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Ann Kaiser ann.kaiser@vanderbilt.edu
Start Date:	October 1, 2009	Anticipated End Date:	October 1, 2014
Sponsoring Organization:	IES R324A090181
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Roberts, M. Y., & Kaiser, A. P. (2012). Assessing the effects of a parent-implemented language intervention for children with language impairments using empirical benchmarks: A pilot study. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 55(6), 1655-1670. Kaiser, A. P., & Roberts, M. Y. (2013). Parents as Communication Partners: An Evidence-Based Strategy for Improving Parent Support for Language and Communication in Everyday Settings. SIG 1 Perspectives on Language Learning and Education, 20(3), 96-111.
Study Setting Assessments and intervention will occur in the child's home and at the KidTalk clinic at Vanderbilt University. Children with significantly delayed productive and receptive language (below 10th percentile for age group) and with typical cognitive skills will be recruited. Children must meet the following criteria: (a) Cognitive Scale Composite Score of 85 or above as measured by the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition(Bayley 2006); (b) Receptive Communication Subtest scaled score of 7 or less as measured by the Bayley-III; (c) Expressive Communication Subtest scaled score of 6 or less as measured by the Bayley-III; and (d) a Language Composite score of 79 or less on the Bayley-III. Only children between the ages of 24 and 36 months at screening will be enrolled in the study. Children will be excluded from the sample if they: (a) have sound field hearing thresholds over 30dB HL, as tested by a certified audiologist;(b) have a primary diagnosis of any specific disability other than language delay; (c) exhibit severe motor impairment in unsupported sitting and reaching and trunk rotation (based on the Assessment of Behavioral Components: Hardy, Kuder, and MacDonald l988); (d) present evidence of oral motor disorders based on the Kaufman Speech Praxis Test for Children (KSPT; Kaufman 1995); or (e) are multilingual or non-English speaking, based on parent report. For any child suspected of having an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), we will administer the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS; Schopler, Reichler and Roper l998). Children with scores of 30 or above will be excluded from the study. Thus, children who have already been identified as having a primary condition that is related to persistent language delay will be excluded.
Intervention Enhanced Milieu Teaching (EMT) is a conversation-based model of early language intervention that uses child interest and initiations as opportunities to model and prompt language use in everyday contexts (Hart and Rogers-Warren 1978). Parents will be taught to use EMT at home during 24 individual training sessions using a protocol that has been effective in past studies with children with similar early language skills, but who have significant cognitive and language delays. Parents are taught to use environmental arrangement, responsive interaction strategies, language modeling and expansions, and four types of milieu teaching prompts to support their children's use of language and learning of these lexical and syntactic targets during play and daily routine interactions with their child. Standardized written and verbal information, modeling through therapist demonstration, role playing, video examples, verbal, written, and graphic feedback, viewing video of previous sessions, and evaluation of child progress are used to teach parents the EMT procedures. The initial instructional part of the individual parent training sessions lasts about 10-15 minutes and is followed by the 15-minute session in which EMT is implemented by the therapist in play. The parent observes with the therapist who describes the procedures being implemented with the child. Next, the parent practices EMT while interacting with her child during a 15-minute session. The parent-child interaction sessions consists of 10 minutes of toy play and clean-up and 5 minutes of book reading or preparing and eating a snack (activities alternate across sessions). During the parent practice sessions, the therapist coaches and supports the parent to promote her correct implementation of the EMT procedures. After the session, the parent and therapist review the session and discuss how to use EMT across other activities at home (10-15 minutes). Two parent-training sessions will be scheduled each week.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information A total of 120 children and their parents will be recruited to the study. In previous intervention studies, we have experienced less than 15% attrition among families at the 12-month follow-up (Post 3). We will take systematic steps to maintain the sample in both conditions (quarterly phone calls, incentives for follow-up visits, birthday cards for parent and child, small gifts for children at assessments). The estimated number of children/families completing the project is 102 (51 children per group). Of the 97 eligible toddlers we have screened, 45 were assigned to intervention and 52 to control. All intervention (100%) and 43 control (83%) toddlers were retained at the 3-month follow-up.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The basic design is a randomized intervention trial with random assignment to either EMT or a control, "business as usual," condition. The key question in this efficacy study is whether the intervention works when implemented as designed. Thus, we will take steps to ensure and measure the fidelity of the EMT implementation and amount of language intervention treatments received by participants in both the experimental and control condition. Descriptive tests will be conducted to assess the psychometric properties of the variables with this specific population. Preliminary correlational and factor analyses will be conducted to determine how outcomes should be grouped and whether the outcomes should be reflected by individual variables or as constructs with multiple indicators. For example, we anticipate that outcomes will differ for expressive and receptive language measures, thus we will examine each of these types of language outcomes separately. However, because we do not know if outcomes for productive syntax and vocabulary will be correlated, and this relationship is of conceptual interest, we will examine the relationship among these variables prior to conducting the primary study analyses. The analysis plan is organized around testing the efficacy of the intervention over time using individual growth curve models in HLM for each outcome. These models will be used to test intervention effects on the slope of those growth curves and on the intercept scaled to represent the treatment control difference at Post 3, 12 months. Pretest scores will be incorporated into the growth models but, to enhance power, the baseline values of IQ, language comprehension and speech intelligibility will be used as a subject level covariate except in analyses testing other baseline variables as moderators. Child and parent characteristics will also be included in the models as predictors of growth within each condition.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition A "business as usual" comparison group. Children in the control group did not receive intervention and were free to continue receiving any services they received in the community.
Data Analytic Strategy An intent-to-treat analysis was used to analyze participant data according to their respective randomization arm. Mean outcomes were compared between arms using linear regression adjusted for baseline measure of the outcome variable. Differences in the rate of language delay were compared using a chi-square analysis. Prespecified tests of the interaction between language delay subgroup (expressive language delay versus mixed receptive-expressive delay) and study arm were used to examine whether intervention effects varied across subgroups.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes We hypothesized that caregivers in the intervention group would use more language support strategies than caregivers in the control group (primary outcome). These strategies included responsive interaction strategies, language modeling and expansions, and four types of milieu teaching prompts to support their children's use of language. They were measured in a 15-minute caregiver-child play session with a standard set of toys. We also hypothesized that toddlers in the intervention group relative to toddlers in the control group would have higher scores on standardized, parent-report and observational measures of expressive vocabulary (primary outcome). These included the Preschool Language Scale (PLS-4), the Expressive One Word Picture Vocabulary Test (EOWPVT), and the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory (MCDI).
Intended Secondary Outcomes We hypothesized that the stress level of caregivers in the intervention group would not be greater than caregivers in the control group (secondary outcome). This measure came from the Parenting Stress Index (PSI). We also hypothesized that toddlers in the intervention group relative to toddlers in the control group would have higher scores on standardized measure of receptive vocabulary (secondary outcome), and standardized broad-based measures of receptive and expressive language (secondary outcome). These included the Preschool Language Scale (PLS-4) and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT-4).
Summary of the Study / Abstract The goal of the proposed project is to conduct an efficacy trial to determine whether EMT significantly improves language deficits in young children at high risk for persistent language delays. The target population is children ages 24 -36 months who exhibit significant co-occurring delays in productive and receptive language skills, who have cognitive skills within the range of normal development, and who do not have other identified disabilities. An empirically based and manualized language intervention, Enhanced Milieu Teaching (EMT), implemented by therapists and parents will be compared to community based "business as usual" services in a randomized experiment enrolling 120 children and their parents. Children assigned to the EMT group will receive 24, 1-hour sessions of direct intervention at home that will include teaching their parents to implement EMT procedures across activities. Children will be assessed at 4 time points (before and after intervention, at 6 months and 12 months post-intervention) allowing the description and comparison of individual language growth trajectories over a period of 18 months. In addition, we will examine the relation between language growth and emergent problems in behavior and social skill development to determine whether early language intervention can prevent these difficulties frequently associated with early language delays. Results from this study will determine the efficacy of parent-plus-therapist implemented EMT with a new population of children, provide evidence about the potential for preventing persistent language delays and secondary social effects of early language delays, and expand developmental theory linking persistent language delays to specific risk factors and behavioral outcomes. The results of this study will have specific policy implications related to early identification and the inclusion of young children with language delays as a target population for early intervention.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#486. Added September 13, 2015 Updated September 13, 2015 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI)
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Denis Newman CEO Empirical Education Inc. dn@empiricaleducation.com
Other Key Staff:	Andrew P. Jaciw, Empirical Education Inc., Director of Experimental Design and Analysis; Pamela B. Finney, Research Management Leader, Regional Educational Laboratory Southeast, Co-Principal Investigator; Steve Bell, Abt Associates Inc., Task 2 Methodology Leader; Herb Turner, ANALYTICA, Technical Consultant; Jenna L. Zacamy, Empirical Education Inc., Senior Research Manager; Laura Feagans Gould, Academy for Educational Development, Senior Research Scientist
Start Date:	August 1, 2006	End Date:	February 20, 2012
Sponsoring Organization:	National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://ies.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=REL20124008
Published Report Citation: Newman, D., Finney, P.B., Bell, S., Turner, H., Jaciw, A.P., Zacamy, J.L., & Feagans Gould, L. (2012). Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI). (NCEE 2012-4008). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Related Publications Newman, D. and Jaciw, Andrew P. (in preparation) The Unvarnished Report of Conducting an RCT of a Statewide STEM Program in the Process of Scaling Up. In R. Maynard, L.V. Hedges, & S. Wachter (Eds.), Teaching Cases on Designing and Fielding Experimental Design Evaluations in Education (provisional title). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2519677
Study Setting All participating schools had applied for and were eligible to enter the AMSTI program. This required an application by the school and 80% of the teachers agreeing to participate. From this pool schools were assigned by treatment and control
Intervention The Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative (AMSTI) was developed by the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) to improve the quality of mathematics and science instruction with provision of comprehensive professional development, in-school coaching and supports, and provision of technology and instructional materials. Teachers and principals are required to attend a two week Summer Institute prior to each of the first two school years during which AMSTI is implemented. The treatment includes: on-site teacher trainings in the Fall of each year; mentoring by "lead" math and science teachers with newer faculty; site visits from math and science specialists from the local university to provide assistance; and teacher team meetings to plan and discuss their use of and experience with AMSTI. AMSTI also provides technology-oriented and hands-on resources and tools that include assessments and various toolkits from the GLOBE software program.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information In all, 82 schools, approximately 780 teachers, and 30,000 students participated in the study.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods We conducted a cluster RCT using a matched-pairs design.. Confirmatory analyses and exploratory analyses were conducted. The study was designed to achieve a minimum detectable effect size of 0.20 for estimating the impact for a single student outcome. The statistical power analysis conducted at the planning stage of this experiment showed that 66 schools were required to detect an impact of at least 0.20 standard deviation with .80 power for the mathematics problem solving outcome. If a 20 percent attrition rate for schools is assumed, then 82 schools would be required. The estimates also suggested that a final analytic sample of 66 schools would detect an effect as small as 0.38 standard deviation for teacher outcomes.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Control was business as usual in the first year, and entered the program in the second year.
Data Analytic Strategy A two-level hierarchical linear regression model was used to estimate the effects of AMSTI on student performance in mathematics problem solving and science. To account for the random assignment design and nesting, the model also included indicator variables that identified the matched pairs of schools that were randomized. A dummy variable method was used to control for potential bias in the effect estimate arising from missing covariate values. The MIXED procedure (SAS Institute 2006) was used to estimate the result. The model assumes a constant intervention effect of AMSTI but includes random school effects. The Bonferroni procedure (Schochet 2009) was used to control for the familywise error rate. The power analysis was informed by the sample-based parameter estimates from the analysis of mathematics problem solving. Given that the analytic models were parallel for both outcomes (reading and mathematics problem solving), including the covariates used, and that the analytic sample sizes were expected to be almost the same, the sample-based values for the student level R2 (0.58), the school-level R2 (0.97), the school sample size (82 schools), and the student sample size (228 students per school) were adopted. A Type-I error rate of 0.05, a Type-II error rate of 0.20, and an unconditional intraclass correlation coefficient of .22 were assumed. Given these specifications, a minimum detectable effect size of 0.055 was computed.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes Outcome 1: SAT 10 mathematics problem solving assessment Summary of Results: After one year (confirmatory): AMSTI had a statistically significant effect on student achievement in mathematics. The regression-adjusted estimate of the effect of AMSTI on end-of�-year mathematics problem solving performance was 2.06 scale score units (standard error = 0.66, p = .004). This estimate represented a difference of 0.05 standard deviation in favor of AMSTI schools, equivalent to a gain of 2 percentile points for the average control group student if the student had received AMSTI. After two years: Two years of AMSTI had a positive and statistically significant effect on achievement in mathematics problem solving, compared to no AMSTI (exploratory). Outcome 2: SAT 10 science assessment Summary of Results: After 1 year (confirmatory): The effect of AMSTI on end-of-year science performance was not statistically significant. The regression-adjusted estimate of the effect was 1.55 scale score units (standard error = 0.90, p = .092). After 2 years: Two years of AMSTI had a positive and statistically significant effect on achievement in science, compared to no AMSTI (exploratory). Outcome 3: Teachers' self-reported levels of use of active learning instructional strategies in mathematics and active learning instructional strategies in science Summary of Results: The effect of AMSTI on active learning strategies for mathematics and science instruction was statistically significant. For mathematics, the regression-adjusted effect estimate was 49.83 (standard error = 11.49, p < .001), which represented a difference of 0.47 standard deviation in favor of AMSTI schools. For science, the regression-adjusted effect estimate was 40.07 (standard error = 11.77, p = .002), representing a difference of 0.32 standard deviation in favor of AMSTI schools.
Secondary Outcomes Exploratory results: Two years of AMSTI had a positive and statistically significant effect on achievement in mathematics problem solving, compared to no AMSTI. Two years of AMSTI had a positive and statistically significant effect on achievement in science. AMSTI had a positive and statistically significant effect on reading achievement as measured by the SAT 10 test of reading administered by the state to students in grades 4-8. AMSTI did not have a statistically significant effect on teacher-reported content knowledge in mathematics or science after one year. AMSTI did have a positive and statistically significant effect on student engagement after one year. AMSTI did not have statistically significant differential effects on student achievement in mathematics problem solving or science based on racial/ethnic minority status, enrollment in the free or reduced-price lunch program, gender, or pretest level. In reading, AMSTI did have a statistically significant differential effect for minority and White students with the effect of AMSTI favoring White students.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The RCT found a positive and statistically significant effect of AMSTI on mathematics achievement as measured by the SAT 10 mathematics problem solving assessment administered by the state to students in grades 4-8.
Interpretation of Results / Discussion Limitations: Although this study employed a rigorous design, there are limitations to the generalizability of its findings, for four main reasons: • The results apply only to schools that volunteered to participate after a commitment by the principal and staff. The results would not necessarily hold if, for example, AMSTI were adopted by the state as a required instructional program for all schools. • The effects of AMSTI were contrasted with the conventional program of instruction in Alabama schools. Implementation in other states would face a different counterfactual. • Although AMSTI uses active-learning strategies and has much in common with other mathematics and science programs influenced by the same principles, its implementation and support systems have many unique characteristics. The results would not necessarily apply to similar programs. • The long-term effects of AMSTI are not established by this study. A randomized experiment inherently has to begin with schools that are new to the intervention. The study of longer-term effects would require continued tracking of the sample of schools, or, alternatively, an observational study of schools that joined the program many years before the beginning of this experiment in fall 2006.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#489. Added January 12, 2016 Updated April 11, 2016 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Empowering Parents to Reduce Summer Learning Loss: Experimental Evidence from a Text Messaging Intervention
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Matthew Kraft mkraft@brown.edu
Start Date:	June 1, 2015	Anticipated End Date:	July 1, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	Brown University
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications York, B. N., & Loeb, S. (2014). One step at a time: the effects of an early literacy text messaging program for parents of preschoolers (No. w20659). National Bureau of Economic Research. Alexander, K. L., Entwisle, D. R., & Olson, L. S. (2001). Schools, achievement, and inequality: A seasonal perspective. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 23(2), 171-191. Downey, D. B., Von Hippel, P. T., & Broh, B. A. (2004). Are schools the great equalizer? Cognitive inequality during the summer months and the school year. American Sociological Review, 69(5), 613-635. Downey, D. B., Von Hippel, P. T., & Hughes, M. (2008). Are "failing" schools really failing? Using seasonal comparison to evaluate school effectiveness. Sociology of Education, 81(3), 242-270.
Study Setting The study will take place in Central Falls, Rhode Island among parents who live in four school district zones (Central Falls, Lincoln, Pawtucket, & Cumberland) and send their children to Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academies.
Intervention The intervention is a set of 18 text messages written by BVP staff and the research team which will be sent to participating parents encouraging them to engage in reading, writing and summer enrichment activities with their child. Automated texts will be sent by the One-Call Now Messaging system over the course of seven weeks. Parents can opt out of receiving these texts at any time by turning off the texting feature of the BVP Student Information System.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information One hundred and eighty three parents of elementary school students activated the texting feature of the BVP student information system, One-Call Now Messaging. Parents activated the texting feature by sending a text to the system with a pre-specified message indicating that they wished to receive texts from the school. There are 232 BVP students who are members of these families. The students are all rising 1st through 4th graders in BVP Elementary School 1 and 2.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods Parents who signed up to receive text messages with students in 1st through 4th grade were randomly assigned to either receive the text messages (treatment group) or not (control group). Thus, this is a cluster randomized trial where students are clustered within households. Randomization was conducted using a random number generator function in STATA.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The counterfactual condition is a "business as usual" condition where parents did not receive text messages sent by the school, but might have engaged in informal communication with school staff members.
Data Analytic Strategy Continuous student outcomes will be modeled in a student-level dataset using ordinary least squares regression to estimate treatment effects. Standard errors will be clustered at the parent level to account for the nested nature of the data where multiple students may be from the same family. Here I outline three model specifications, but I expect these might be slightly modified depending on data availability and modeling considerations to minimize the degrees of freedom and unexplained variance. First, I will fit a baseline model with only a treatment indicator and grade fixed effects. Second, I will fit a parsimonious model which will add controls for lagged achievement outcomes (in both math and reading when available). Finally, I will fit a full model that will also include student demographics. Binary parent outcomes will be modeled in a parent-level dataset using both linear probability models and logistic regression (reported as predicted marginal effects). My preferred approach will depend on the distribution of these binary outcomes, but results from both models will be reported to test robustness. Likert-scale items will be modeled using ordered logistic regression. Standard errors will be estimated using Huber-White robust standard errors. Baseline models will only include a treatment indicator. Full models will include covariates for district fixed effects, home language, eligibility for free or reduced price lunch, and number of children in the study. I'm still learning about available data for parents and may include additional covariates that I do not yet have access to. Pre-specified exploratory moderation analyses will include estimating treatment effect heterogeneity across eligibility for free and reduced price lunch, race, lagged STAR reading scores from spring 2015, and grade level. This will be accomplished by including the main effect of each of these variables and its interaction with a binary treatment indicator.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The primary student outcomes for these analyses will be measures of student achievement in reading on the STAR assessment. Specifically, we will analyze STAR reading test scaled scores measured three times throughout the 2015/2016 academic year. I will model these as longitudinal plots to demonstrate the time dynamics of any treatment effects. I hypothesize that any effects will be largest on the baseline 2015/16 examine and will fade out over time. The primary parent engagement outcomes will be: 1. Parent attendance at BVP Ice Cream Socials 2. Participation in a Parent "Meet and Greet" with BVP teacher 3. Registering to receive newsletters, emails or text messages from a third party (e.g. Upraised Learning, Raise the Bar, or Great Schools) designed to strengthen parents' ability to engage in their child's learning. 4. December report card conference attendance (Contingent on data collection) We will also create a composite measure of these parent engagement outcomes in order to guard against multiple hypothesis testing and to increase the power of our analyses. We are in the process of collecting these outcomes. We will begin estimating treatment effects after the submission of this preanalysis plan on January 12th, 2016.
Intended Secondary Outcomes Student performance on alternative measures of reading achievement: • BVP end-of trimester common reading assessment scores • STEP reading scaled scores (Note: these data will be missing for high functioning readers that test above level 13 which will be most 4th graders. This test also has lower reliability than the STAR exam. Thus, the statistical power of these analyses will be limited by the smaller sample size and slower reliability of the outcome measures. I will interpret non-significant effects of positive magnitude as suggestive if they are consistent with STAR results). • Grade Point Average in English Language Arts classes • BVP Homework Packet completion (This will be graded by teachers. It is unclear whether these data can be collected in a reliable way from teachers). Math outcomes: • I will replicate analyses for reading outcome in math to examine any potential spillover effects. Parent outcomes (these will also be used in exploratory mediation analyses): • Composite measures of parent self-reported literacy and enrichment activities with their child over the summer (from parent survey) • Individual survey items on parent survey such as: o About how many books did your child read this summer? o How much did BVP support you this summer to further your children's education? o How important is it for students to read over the summer?
Summary of the Study / Abstract During summer vacation, many students forget knowledge and skills they learned during the academic year. This research project will explore the possibility of addressing summer learning loss by working directly with parents. Specifically, I will examine the effect of sending parents informational texts during the summer with advice and suggestions about educational activities that they can do with their children to strengthen their reading and writing. One hundred and eighty three parents of 1st through 4th grade students attending two elementary schools will participate in the study. I hypothesize that students of parents randomly assigned to the treatment group will perform better on measures of reading achievement in the first trimester of the 2015/16 academic year. I also hypothesize that parents who received text messages will be more likely to participate in school-related activities and sign up to receive additional texts/emails about how to support their child's learning provided by 3rd party platforms.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#490. Added February 6, 2016 Updated February 24, 2016 Completed with Available Final Report
RCT Title:	The Effect of an Analysis-of-Practice, Videocase- Based, Teacher Professional Development Program on Elementary Students' Science Achievement
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Joseph Taylor Principal Associate/Scientist jtaylor@bscs.org
Start Date:	May 31, 2009	End Date:	June 1, 2015
Sponsoring Organization:	BSCS: NSF DRL 0918277
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Web Address for Report: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19345747.2016.1147628
Published Report Citation: Taylor, J., Roth, K., Wilson, C., Stuhlsatz, M.,& Tipton, E. (2016). The Effect of an Analysis-of-Practice, Videocase-Based, Teacher Professional Development Program on Elementary Students' Science Achievement, Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness. Published online 2 February 2016. doi:10.1080/19345747.2016.1147628.
Study Setting The study was conducted in the Colorado front range region. All elementary schools in this region were eligible to participate. All 4th, 5th, and 6th grade teachers and students within consenting schools were eligible to participate.
Intervention STeLLA is an 88-hour, analysis-of-practice, videocase-based professional development program for elementary science teachers that uses lesson video analysis as a context for supporting teachers' learning about science content and effective science teaching. The program is intended to increase students' science achievement by increasing teachers' ability to attend to student thinking and to the content storyline of science instruction.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The analytic sample included 77 schools, 140 teachers, and 2823 students. Overall cluster attrition was 8.3%. Differential cluster attrition was 0.8% Overall student attrition was 23.9%. Differential student attrition was 2.3%.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods There were no alterations to the sample after random assignment aside from the stated attrition rates. Attrition was tracked using the baseline sample of randomly assigned students on class rosters before onset of the intervention. Impact estimates were produced using a multilevel model with students' post-test outcome as the dependent variable at level one, a grand-mean centered pre-test covariate at level one, and the treatment variable and a school-level pre-test covariate (also grand mean-centered) at level two.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The comparison condition was an equal number of professional development hours (88 hours) that was dedicated only to content deepening. Teachers in these schools did no lesson analysis activities (unlike the treatment).
Data Analytic Strategy The WWC effect size was calculated at 0.68 using the procedures suggested in standards handbook (3.0) for effects estimated from HLM.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Primary Outcomes The primary outcome was a study specific science achievement measure, administered pre and post to the STeLLA and comparison interventions. The treatment effect on this outcome was 0.68 standard deviations. This analysis involved 2823 students nested in 77 schools. In the analytic sample, there were 42 treatment schools with 1485 students, and 35 comparison schools with 1338 students.
Secondary Outcomes There were no secondary outcomes.
Summary of the Study / Abstract This paper describes the effects of an analysis-of-practice professional development(PD)program on elementary school students' (grades 4-6) science outcomes. The study design was a cluster-randomized trial with an analysis sample of 77 schools, 144 teachers and 2823 students. Forty-two schools were randomly assigned to treatment, (88.5 hours) of integrated analysis-of practice and content deepening PD (over the course of one year) while thirty-five schools were randomly assigned to receive an equal number of PD hours in science content deepening alone. Students' content knowledge, as measured by a project-specific test, was compared across treatment groups. The effect size for this comparison was 0.68 standard deviations in favor of students whose teachers participated in the PD that included analysis-of-practice. This effect compares favorably to that of other elementary school interventions whose effectiveness was studied with a narrowly focused outcome measure. Analysis of the demographics of the study schools suggests that the treatment effect could be relevant outside the local study context. Implications for future research include tests of mediation for teacher level outcomes and efficacy tests of specific teaching strategies (intervention subcomponents).
Interpretation of Results / Discussion The size of the effect compares favorably to that of other interventions for elementary school students where a narrowly focused outcome test was used. The effect corresponds to a WWC Improvement index of 18 points and provides evidence that the PD program can be effective when implemented by non-developers. Generalizability analyses suggested a high degree of applicability to the nation for this observed effect. The most noteworthy limitation of the study is the lack of fidelity data for teacher use of STeLLA strategies with students.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#491. Added February 9, 2016 Updated April 11, 2016 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Developing Ambitious Mathematics Instruction through Web-Based Coaching: An Experimental Trail
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Heather Hill Prof of Education heather_hill@gse.harvard.edu
Other Key Staff:	Matthew Kraft; Corinne Herlihy
Start Date:	January 1, 2014	Anticipated End Date:	December 31, 2017
Sponsoring Organization:	National Science Foundation [DRL-1348144]
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Allen, J. P., Pianta, R. C., Gregory, A., Mikami, A. Y., & Lun, J. (2011). An interaction-based approach to enhancing secondary school instruction and student achievement. Science, 333, 1034-1037. Biancarosa, G., Bryk, A.S., & Dexter, E.R. (2010). Assessing the value-added effects of literacy collaborative professional development on student learning. The Elementary School Journal, 111(1), 7-34. Campbell, P. F., & Malkus, N. N. (2011). The impact of elementary mathematics coaches on student achievement. The Elementary School Journal, 111(3), 430-454. Garet, M. S., Wayne, A. J., Stancavage, F., Taylor, J., Eaton, M., Walters, K., Song, M., Brown, S., Hurlburt, S., Zhu, P., Sepanik, S., & Doolittle, F. (2011). Middle school mathematics professional development impact study: Findings after the second year of implementation. Washington, D. C.: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Kane, T. J., & Staiger, D. O. (2012). Gathering feedback for teachers: Combining high-quality observations with student surveys and achievement gains. Policy and practice brief prepared for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Posted: March. Yoon, K. S., Duncan, T., Lee, S. W. Y., Scarloss, B., & Shapley, K. (2007). Reviewing the evidence on how teacher professional development affects student achievement. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Southwest.
Study Setting We have partnered with two public school districts in Wisconsin to conduct this research: Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) and the Appleton Area School District (AASD). MPS is the largest school district in Wisconsin, serving over 77,000 students across 165 schools. The vast majority of students attending MPS are student of color (86%) and students from low-income families (83%). AASD is the sixth-largest district in Wisconsin that serves a much smaller and substantially less diverse population of 16,000 students. Over 70% of AASD students are white while 37% are from low-income families.
Intervention The MQI coaching model consists of a year-long process in which teachers participate in summer MQI training and then work one-on-one with MQI-expert coaches to improve their instructional practice throughout the academic year. Teacher MQI Training: Teachers participate in a two-day summer training in order to become familiar with the Mathematical Quality of Instruction observation rubric (MQI) and the video recording and uploading processes. 15 Observation & Feedback Cycles: The introductory coaching session focuses on having the coach and teacher get to know each other, providing an overview of the project, clarifying the coach's role and teacher's goals, and setting up expectations for the work ahead. After this introduction, the coach and teacher engage in approximately 14 coaching cycles organized around three broad domains of the MQI. The first 4-5 sessions will focus the Common-Core Aligned Student Practices domain, followed by Working with Students and Mathematics, then Mathematical Richness. All 14 cycles will follow the same general sequence: 1) Teachers film a lesson in which they have attempted to implement instructional practices that are aligned with goals from a previous session, and upload it to a web-based video platform. 2) Coaches watch the lessons and select two clips that provide opportunities to assess teachers' progress towards their goals and highlight further areas for improvement. 3) Coaches will select a stock video clip of another teacher. 4) Teachers will review the three clips and score the stock clip on the MQI codes of focus. 5) Teachers and Coaches have a 45-60 minute conversations by phone/video-conference during which they review goals, discuss the stock clip and two teacher clips, discuss how the instruction might be improved, and plan for next steps.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information We recruited a total of 142 upper elementary and middle school teachers to participate in the study. The 73 participating teachers in AASD work in 23 schools and the 69 MSP teachers work across 25 schools. The majority of participating teachers are white (80%), female (82%), and were certificated in traditional university-based full-time programs (87%). Teacher experience varies widely across the sample. Participants were recruited among all full-time classroom teachers in 3rd through 8th grade that were subject generalists or primarily taught math courses. A total of 15 participating teachers worked in in-district charter schools across both districts. Eleven teachers in MPS worked in bilingual education (English/Spanish) schools. During the first year of data collection (2014-15), 24 teachers dropped from the study. As of February 1st, 2016, and additional 9 teachers have dropped from the follow-up year of data collection leaving an active sample of 107 teachers. We have conducted item-level analyses of student and teacher surveys collected in 2014-2015 in order to improve the measurement properties of the scales we use in the follow-up year.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods We will evaluate the efficacy of the MQI Coaching model by conducting a randomized trial. We randomly assigned the 142 participating teachers to receive MQI coaching or to a control condition, using a blocked randomized design. In each district, we randomized teachers within school-type blocks as well as a separate block for teachers who answered less than 25% of the questions correctly on a set of items from the Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching exam. School types included elementary schools, K-8 schools, middle schools, and charter schools. We then matched the 72 teachers assigned to receive coaching with a trained and certified MQI coach based on common grade-level expertise, availability during the week, and level of experience. We also attempted to have coaches work only with teachers in a single district to minimize the different contexts they need to navigate when providing feedback. We will examine the effect of MQI coaching on both student and teacher-level outcomes in both the year teachers received coaching as well as the follow-up year in order to model the temporal dynamics of any potential treatment effects.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The counterfactual condition will be "business as usual." Teachers will have access to all district-provided professional development and feedback opportunities.
Data Analytic Strategy We begin by describing our quantitative analyses for teacher-level outcomes of interest and then expand our analytic framework to examine student-level outcomes as well as outcomes across multiple years. We will model a given teacher-level outcome for teacher j in school s as a function of a treatment indicator, a vector of teacher characteristics, a vector of school characteristics, as well as a set of indicators for district-by-school-type blocks to account for our blocked randomized design. The coefficient associated with our treatment indicator, COACH, will capture our estimate of the Intent-to-Treat effect of MQI coaching. We will then use the offer of coaching as an instrument to estimate the Treatment on the Treated effect of ever participating in the coaching program (as well as the number of coaching sessions a teacher completed) given that nine teachers assigned to the treatment group never participated in coaching. We will account for the multi-level structure of our data by including random effects for schools or by clustering our errors at the school level. For our student outcomes of interest, we will fit models where a given student-level outcome for student i with teacher j in school s is a function of the covariates described above as well as prior achievement in mathematics and reading and a vector of student characteristics. Finally, we will extend these analyses by pooling data from across years to increase our statistical power and to estimate effects separately in the year concurrent with coaching and in the post-intervention year. We will accomplish this by including an indicator for the post-intervention year, POST, and its interaction with COACH. In these extended models, the coefficient on COACH will identify the effect of coaching in the concurrent year and the sum of the coefficients associated with COACH and its interaction, POST*COACH, will capture the effects in the post-intervention year.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes • Student achievement on state standardized tests and supplemental tests in math o State test - Badger examine (developed by Smarter Balance) in the intervention year (2014-2015) o State test - Wisconsin Forward (developed by Data Recognition Corporation) state test in the follow-up year (2015-2016) o Supplemental Tests (will pool across districts) o MPS: MAP assessment by NWEA in the intervention year (2014-2015); STAR assessment by Renaissance Learning in the follow-up year (2015-2016) if implementation is district wide. o AASD: MAP assessment by NWEA in the intervention year (2014-2015) & in the follow-up year (2015-2016) • Student survey results for a composite score based on the ambitious instruction scale (including error items) in the intervention year (2014-2015) & in the follow-up year (2015-2016) Primary Sub-group analysis • District
Intended Secondary Outcomes Exploratory Outcomes: • Teacher scores on the mathematical quality of instruction instrument (MQI) scale in the follow-up year (2015-2016) • Teachers' responses on the end-of-year teacher survey o the quality of professional development in the intervention year (2014-2015) and follow-up year (2015-2016) o how much teachers' math instruction improved over the course of the year during the intervention year (2014-2015) and follow-up year (2015-2016) • Student survey items in the intervention year (2014-2015) and post-intervention year (2015-2016) capturing: o Teacher makes math fun o Self-efficacy in math o Enjoyment of math • Teacher reflections on two of their own lessons o in the intervention year (2014-2015) o in the follow-up year (2015-2016) • Teacher short responses to reflection prompts about two 5-minute video clips o in the intervention year (2014-2015) o in the follow-up year (2015-2016) Exploratory Moderators: • Teacher characteristics o Classroom teaching experience o Baseline Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching scores o Self-reported classroom management skills o Self-reported openness to feedback o Self-reported use of reform practices • Coach characteristics o Classroom teaching experience • Teacher survey response about the usefulness, enjoyment and degree to which coaching changed teachers' practices. Exploratory Mediators: • Coach ratings of the degree to which they predicted teachers would improve • Coach rating of the degree to which teachers implemented action steps
Summary of the Study / Abstract Providing teachers with coaching and instructional feedback has shown great promise for improving educational outcomes - raising student achievement substantially in several recent experimental and quasi-experimental studies. Many new teacher evaluation systems adopted by districts and states across the country now incorporate observation and feedback cycles as a central component of the evaluation process. However, most current evaluation systems are not designed to provide teachers with feedback that is subject-specific or tightly aligned to Common Core practices. Our study attempts to fill this void in mathematics by developing and field-testing a mathematics-specific coaching protocol centered on the Mathematical Quality of Instruction (MQI) instrument. We recruited 142 upper elementary and middle school math teachers to participate in the study from two public school districts in Wisconsin. We are evaluating the efficacy of the MQI Coaching model by conducting a block randomized trial. Teachers randomly assigned to the treatment condition worked one-on-one with coaches via a web-based platform throughout a full academic year to analyze recorded lessons and to improve their instructional practice. We will analyze the effect of this web-based mathematics coaching model on student achievement in mathematics as well as their perceptions of their teachers' ambitious instruction in mathematics. We will examine a range of proximal outcomes, mediators and moderators to better understand the mechanism behind any effects.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#492. Added February 23, 2016 Updated March 7, 2016 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Do Financial Education Interventions for Women from Poor Households Impact their Financial Behaviors? Experimental Evidence from India
Principal Investigator:	Ms. Aditi Bhutoria aditi.bhutoria@gmail.com
Start Date:	October 1, 2013	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2016
Sponsoring Organization:	University of Cambridge (for fieldwork)
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study has been conducted in India. The specific project areas covered districts like Mangolpuri, Sultanpuri and Rohini which are among the oldest and largest resettlement colonies alongside being some of the most highly populated areas in the capital territory of Delhi. The study has involved collecting data from 1281 women who are part of Self Help Groups (SHGs) facilitated by a local Non Governmental Organization. This involved a total of 78 SHGs. The women were all adults (18+years) who self selected to be a part of the SHGs but once the SHGs were formed, the SHG clusters were randomly divided into treatment and control groups.
Intervention The intervention was a simple 'Rule of Thumb' (RoT) financial literacy training which was a day long. The RoT intervention was offered in the Self Help Group (SHG) clusters where each SHG in the treatment group was offered the training separately. The intervention has been designed and provided by the Non Governmental Organization that facilitated the formation of the SHGs, where the materials were focused on quick retention and behavior change. The intervention was provided in non formal settings where the SHG members would usually collect for their regular group meetings. Trainers were trained by the NGO to offer the trainings and were not only appropriately certified but also experienced in the area. Contextual examples, flip charts and group discussions were also included to share the simple financial messages with the participants.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The study involved a baseline and an endline survey which was conducted three months after providing the intervention. The baseline survey covered 1281 women across 78 Self Help Groups. The response rate at the endline was 94.11% of the baseline with an attrition of 82 participants.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods No alterations have been made to the study sample after random assignment. The primary outcome of the study is the amount of personal savings of the participant. The secondary outcomes include other financial behaviors like budget keeping, level of financial knowledge, interest in financial matters and financial attitudes. To estimate the impact of the intervention on the primary outcome a multiple regression analysis with clustered standard errors (on savings groups) has been employed. To estimate the impact of the intervention on the secondary outcomes logistic regression and generalized estimating equation methods have been used for the analysis.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The treatment group received the Rule of Thumb financial literacy training whereas the control group was not provided with the training and maintained a 'as-is' condition. However, after completion of the endline survey, the training has also been provided to the control group.
Data Analytic Strategy Given a clustered RCT research design, the key analytics for the primary outcome variable (i.e. personal savings) for this study have been provided below. The estimates varied for secondary outcome variables, which have not been detailed here. Intra Class Correlation (ICC): 0.59136 (95% C.I. 0.50578 to 0.67693). During calculation of sample size ICC was assumed to be = 0.2 based on literature review of similar studies. During fieldwork it was realized that savings group members usually set a minimum savings benchmark and save similar amounts within the group. Since ICC is a measure of the homogeneity of individual measures within a cluster, a greater homogeneity in savings patterns within SHGs has led to a higher observed ICC. Effect Size: .29 (95% C.I. .1761704 to .4039599), as per Cohen's (1988) classification depicted in table below. This matches with the assumed effect size of = 0.3 during the sampling stage. Power: A higher observed ICC has led to a compromise in power of the test, which is reported as 0.36. The power of a hypothesis test is the probability of making the correct decision if the alternative hypothesis is true. Thus a lower power for the test reduces the chances of detecting a significant treatment effect in this case. The result in this case was however still found to be significant at 5% level of significance.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes Personal Savings for all women Self Help Group members in the study after three months of the intervention
Intended Secondary Outcomes 1) Budget keeping behaviors for all women Self Help Group members in the study after three months of the intervention 2) Financial Knowledge score for all women Self Help Group members in the study after three months of the intervention 3) Self reported interest in financial matters for all women Self Help Group members in the study after three months of the intervention 4) Financial attitudes for all women Self Help Group members in the study after three months of the intervention
Summary of the Study / Abstract Policy makers have invested significant resources on financial education to improve financial literacy amongst the poor, reduce bad financial decision-making and increase take-up of financial services and products. Yet there is limited evidence on the effectiveness of such interventions especially in developing countries. I conducted a randomized control trial with women-only savings groups in India (involving a sample of 1281 women) to measure the impact of a financial education intervention. I evaluate its impact on basic financial behaviors like savings, financial planning and budgeting. I explore the mechanism by which the intervention impacts upon financial behaviors by also considering the effects of the intervention on individuals' financial knowledge, their interest in financial matters and their financial attitudes. The intervention was relatively light (a day of training), offered in non-formal community settings and was a significant departure from the more costly traditional classroom style adult education interventions. This is because it was based on simple rules of thumb and targeted a goal-oriented, action-focused learning, with a focus on behavioral change. The intervention had a positive impact on some outcomes. Women in the treatment group saved more suggesting that a rule-of-thumb financial educational intervention was successful in changing behaviors. For the subset of women who already kept mental budgets, the intervention led to a major increase in the likelihood that they produce a written budget. The intervention did not however impact upon those who did no budgeting at all. The financial education intervention increased financial knowledge and numerical skills but did not have any significant effect on individuals' interest in financial matters and financial attitudes. These results illuminate upon the design of financial education interventions aimed at fostering behavioral changes amongst adults, especially those from poor households.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#493. Added February 23, 2016 Updated February 23, 2016 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) Impact Study
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Laura Peck Principal Scientist laura_peck@abtassoc.com
Other Key Staff:	Dr. Alan Werner; Gretchen Locke; Dr. Eleanor L. Harvill; Dr. Alyssa Rulf Fountain; Dr. Pamela Loprest; Dr. Shawn Moulton; Karen Gardiner
Start Date:	September 30, 2011	Anticipated End Date:	September 30, 2017
Sponsoring Organization:	Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation; Administration for Children and Families; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Contract No. HHSP23320095624WC
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Related Publications Peck, L.R., Werner, A., Rulf Fountain, A., Buell, J.L., Bell, S.H., Harvill, E., Nisar, H., Judkins, D. & Locke, G. (2014). Health Profession Opportunity Grants Impact Study Design Report. (OPRE Report No. 2014-62). Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/opre/hpog_impact_design_report_11_14_14_r2_0.pdf. Harvill, E.L., Moulton, S., & Peck, L.R. (2015). Health Profession Opportunity Grants Impact Study Technical Supplement to the Evaluation Design Report: Impact Analysis Plan. (OPRE Report No. 2015-80). Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/opre/hpog_impact_analysis_plan_final2_82815_b508.pdf.
Study Setting As part of the Affordable Care Act of 2010, Congress authorized funds for the Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) program "to conduct demonstration projects that provide eligible individuals with the opportunity to obtain education and training for occupations in the healthcare field that pay well and are expected to either experience labor shortages or be in high demand." In September 2010, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Administration for Children and Families (ACF) awarded 32 grants to government agencies, community based organizations, Workforce Investment Boards, postsecondary educational institutions (e.g., community and technical colleges), and tribal-affiliated organizations to conduct these activities in 23 states to provide education and training services to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients and other low-income individuals. Five of these grants were awarded to tribal organizations. The HPOG-Impact Study is charged with evaluating the short-term (15-month) effectiveness of the intervention. Of the 32 HPOG grantees nationwide, 23 HPOG grantees are engaged in data collection for the HPOG-Impact Study. HPOG grantees operate independently and use a variety of approaches to screen potential participants for eligibility and enroll them into the study. All grantees require potential participants meet academic/educational background criteria as well as to verify that they meet basic income eligibility criteria. Some grantees also require participants to demonstrate they meet additional "suitability" criteria, including possessing the motivation, interest, and personal and social skills to succeed in the program. In addition to meeting these programmatic criteria, study participants are informed of the lottery-based access to the program and must provide their informed consent to participate.
Intervention The HPOG objectives stem from the career pathways framework of postsecondary education, a framework designed to address the challenge of preparing nontraditional student populations with varying ranges of assets and challenges related to employment and training. While HPOG grantees implemented specific versions of the program, all HPOG programs intended to: • Target skills and competencies demanded by the healthcare industry. • Support "career pathways"-clearly defined routes that allow participants to build a career, rather than simply getting training for a job, by advancing through successively higher levels of education and training, exiting into employment at multiple possible points. • Combine support services with education and training to help participants overcome barriers to employment. • Provide training at times and locations that are easily accessible to targeted populations. • Result in employer- or industry-recognized, portable education credentials (e.g., certificates or degrees) and professional certifications and licenses (e.g., a credential awarded by a Registered Apprenticeship program). The programs varied across grantees, and the evaluation provided an opportunity for grantees to add specific enhanced program components to their programs on the condition that the program enhancements would be accessible only through a lottery. In response, several of the grantees added one of three program enhancements: (1) facilitated peer support groups; (2) assistance to help with emergency situations (e.g. imminent eviction) that might have otherwise prevented participants from remaining in or completing their program; and (3) a non-cash incentive structure that rewarded participants for particular behaviors (e.g. perfect attendance) or milestones (e.g. securing employment). Peer support, emergency assistance, and non-cash incentives, therefore, are being tested experimentally in addition to the overall effect of HPOG relative to the status quo.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Individual
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The full HPOG-Impact Study sample is comprised of 13,811 individuals across 23 grantees in 42 programs, where a program is a unique set of services, training courses and personnel operated by a grantee. These programs targeted TANF recipients and other low-income individuals. In the subset of grantees that tested one or more enhancements to the HPOG program, the study includes 6,043 individuals within 19 programs and 10 grantees (see Harvill, Moulton & Peck, 2015, Section 1.6). We expect administrative data coverage to be nearly complete, and our target response rate for survey data is 80 percent. That said, even well-designed randomized experiments may experience patterns of sample attrition that compromise the comparability of the treatment and control groups, potentially leading to biased estimates of the intervention's impact. We plan to conduct attrition analyses by computing both overall attrition (i.e., the rate of attrition for the entire sample) and differential attrition (i.e., the difference in the rates of attrition for the treatment and control groups). Following the standards of the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC), these analyses will include all individuals who were randomly assigned. Because attrition reflects both overall survey and item-level nonresponse for a particular outcome, each analytic sample will have a unique attrition rate.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The study design is a Randomized Controlled Trial. Eligible applicants were randomly assigned to either a standard treatment group that is offered access to the HPOG program or to a control group that is not offered the opportunity to enroll in HPOG. Within a subset of grantees' programs, eligible applicants were randomly assigned to one of three groups, the two groups just described or an enhanced treatment group, which was offered access to an enhanced version of the HPOG program. Control group members have access only to whatever other programs and services are available in the community. The HPOG-Impact Study aims to address the following research questions: 1. What impacts do the standard HPOG programs as a group have on the outcomes of participants and their families? 2. To what extent do those impacts vary across selected subpopulations? 3. Which locally adopted program components influence average impacts? 4. To what extent does participation in a particular HPOG component (or components) change the impact on trainees? The first two of these questions rely exclusively on the evaluation's experimental design, while the last two blend the experimental data with non-experimental techniques to consider the additional issue of what about the program drives overall program impacts. We plan to include all randomly assigned study members who have non-missing outcome data in the analytic sample. We will test whether the analytic sample is statistically equivalent across treatment and control groups (at the p<0.05 significance level, using a two-tailed t-test of difference in means) on a baseline measure that is highly correlated with the confirmatory outcome. To help guard against imbalances caused by attrition, we plan to apply weights that adjust for survey nonresponse for analyses of outcomes collected from follow-up surveys.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition The control group is a "business as usual" control group in that it does not have access to HPOG, but its members can access whatever other programs and services are available in the community.
Data Analytic Strategy To address Research Question 1 related to Intent to Treat (ITT) impacts of the standard HPOG program, we plan to use a multi-level regression model that controls for exogenous characteristics measured at baseline (see Peck, et al., 2014, Section 5.5). To address Research Question 2 related to subgroup impacts, we plan to use the same impact model described above while including a level-one interaction between the treatment indicator and the subgroup categories of interest (see Peck, et al., 2014, Section 5.7). We plan to compare the enhanced treatment group to the standard treatment group to estimate the impact of three promising program enhancements: facilitated peer support groups, emergency assistance, and non-cash incentives. In addition, we plan to exploit cross-site variation in program features to estimate the relationship between these features and impact magnitude (see Harvill, Moulton & Peck, 2015, Ch. 6). We plan to use the Analysis of Symmetrically-Predicted Endogenous Subgroups (ASPES) method to estimate the impact of HPOG on subgroups defined by the programmatic experiences of individuals (see Harvill, Moulton & Peck, 2015, Ch. 7). We computed minimum detectable effects (MDEs) based on assumptions about the standard deviation of the outcomes and other details (see Peck, et al, 2014, Section 4.6). In brief, we expect to be able to detect a 15-month credential attainment impact on the order of 1.4 percentage points for the effect of HPOG overall; MDEs are larger for the effects of the randomized-to enhancements (between 4.5 and 4.8 percentage points). We plan to revisit the calculation of MDEs during impact analysis to provide additional context for null-findings. For all analyses, we plan to report results in their standard units (percent employed, dollars earned), and we will provide information needed to compute the standardized effect size (impact estimate divided by pooled standard deviation) in additional appendix tables.
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The HPOG-Impact Study distinguishes among three types of outcomes: confirmatory, secondary and exploratory. Confirmatory outcomes are the main indicators of the extent to which the program is making progress towards its goals. Secondary outcomes are additional important outcomes identified in the HPOG logic model. Exploratory outcomes are of two types: (1) outcomes of interest that may be affected by the program but are not identified in the logic model and (2) alternative specifications of confirmatory and secondary outcomes. The primary outcome measured 15 months after random assignment is an indicator for completion of training or ongoing enrollment in training. A separate follow-up study-the Career Pathways Intermediate Outcomes (CPIO) study-will measure primary outcomes at 36 months after random assignment; these outcomes are (1) an indicator for completion of training and (2) wages received during the 12th quarter after quarter of random assignment. The subgroup analysis will focus on personal characteristics identified in the logic model as interacting with the program components, program outputs, and outcomes. Among the subpopulations of interest, we identify two kinds of subgroups. The first are those whose characteristics associate with a policy trigger or action. For example, if impacts are smaller for individuals who enter the program with educational attainment below 12th grade, the program might respond by increasing basic skills offerings. The remaining subpopulations of interest are not manipulable by policy (e.g. race/ethnicity), and are therefore analyzed for only descriptive purposes (see Harvill, Moulton & Peck, 2015, Section 5.7).
Intended Secondary Outcomes Secondary outcomes measured 15 months after random assignment include the following: • Wages received during the 5th quarter after quarter of random assignment; • Employed during the 5th quarter after quarter of random assignment; • Currently employed in a healthcare job or (if unemployed) worked for pay at some point after random assignment and most recent job was in healthcare; • Current or most recent job offers health insurance; and • Individual receipt of cash public assistance (TANF) in the prior month. Exploratory outcomes measured 15 months after random assignment include alternative measures of some of the same domains measured by the confirmatory and secondary outcomes presented above, as well as measures in additional domains, as follows (see Harvill, Moulton & Peck, 2015, Chapter 2): • Barriers to Employment • Earnings • Economic Status: personal and household income; use of loans to pay for school or living expenses • Public Assistance Benefits • Education • Educational Progress: perception of progress towards goal • Employment • Employment in Healthcare • Self-Efficacy & Motivation
Summary of the Study / Abstract The HPOG-Impact Study's objectives are to evaluate the overall impact of HPOG as well as its impact on selected policy-relevant subgroups. In addition, the study will evaluate the relative effectiveness of selected program components, both through experimental and non-experimental analyses. The study has selected outcomes at specific follow-up time points to establish confirmatory hypotheses associated with its research questions. These hypotheses are in line with the program's logic model and are important for informing policy decisions and program learning about career pathways programs. At the 15-month follow-up point, educational progress is the chosen primary outcome; and at 36-months (under the CPIO study), both educational progress and earnings will be the primary outcomes. While these three selected analyses will be constructed to provide strong evidence on the program's effectiveness on these outcomes, they are but three of the tests that the study will undertake. This evaluation has a unique opportunity to contribute to the field's knowledge regarding what it is about multi-faceted career pathways training programs that are the essential ingredients. The evaluation's implementation analysis-undertaken to complement the study's investigation of impacts-will be useful in adding to our knowledge about how these programs operated in the field.

Section I: Study Information
Study Entry:	#494. Added April 18, 2016 Updated April 18, 2016 Funded and In Progress When Entered
RCT Title:	Efficacy of a Growth Mindset Intervention to Increase Student Success
Principal Investigator:	Dr. Lisa Sorich Blackwell Vice President of Design, Implementation and Evaluation at Mindset Works lblackwell@mindsetworks.com
Other Key Staff:	Sylvia Roberts, Kali Trzesniewski, Tenelle Porter, Diego Catalan-Molina
Start Date:	July 1, 2015	Anticipated End Date:	June 30, 2019
Sponsoring Organization:	IES R305A150142
Section II: Study Abstract Information
Study Setting The study will be conducted in approximately 15 middle schools located in the United States.
Intervention Brainology is an intervention designed to increase students' motivation to learn and achievement by teaching students a growth mindset of intelligence - that is, that their intelligence can be grown and developed. The Brainology intervention is a blended learning curriculum that involves classroom and online instruction delivered over the course of approximately 10 weeks. Teachers are trained and supported in the implementation of the intervention.
Section III: Sample Characteristics
Randomized Unit Cluster
Target Population
Additional Study Sample Information The expected sample size is approximately 3000 students. There is no attrition and no other analyses to report at this time.
Section IV: Design and Analysis
Research Design and Methods The evaluation will be conducted in three waves over three successive years. Each year, 3-5 schools will be enrolled in the investigation for a total enrollment of up to 15 schools. Within schools and grade levels, 6th and 7th grade science teachers will be randomly assigned to either participate in the Brainology intervention, or to a no-treatment control condition. Researchers will collect self-report information about students' mindsets of intelligence, motivation to learn, attitudes about science, school-related stress and anxiety, and school records of students' grades and standardized test scores in math and English Language Arts before the intervention, and up to three times after the intervention (test scores and grades will be collected three times after the intervention, and self-report measures will be collected twice after the intervention ends). Researchers will also conduct observations in the intervention and control classrooms to gather information about implementation and to check for any contamination in control classrooms.
Counterfactual (Control) Condition Teachers and students in the control condition will participate in classes as normal for the duration of the evaluation period.
Data Analytic Strategy The primary analyses will use Hierarchical Linear Models (HLM) to test whether the intervention significantly affects students' mindsets of intelligence, motivation, attitudes, stress and anxiety, grades and standardized test scores. Analyses will be nested at the state, school, teacher, classroom and individual student levels. If the intervention is effective, the research team will also conduct planned mediational analyses to determine how and why the intervention shapes student outcomes. Secondary analyses will examine potential moderators of the effects (e.g., demographic characteristics, entering level of achievement).
Section V: Outcome and Summary
Intended Primary Outcomes The key primary outcome measures include students' mindset of intelligence, motivation to learn, grades, and standardized test scores in Math and English Language Arts.
Intended Secondary Outcomes The key secondary outcome measures include classroom mastery orientation, attitudes about science, sense of belonging in science class, and teachers' beliefs about intelligence.
Summary of the Study / Abstract The researchers will examine the effectiveness of the Brainology intervention on student motivation and achievement. Teachers will be randomly assigned to have their classes participate in the intervention or to a no treatment control group. Outcomes will be assessed before and after the intervention to examine the effect of the intervention on student motivation and achievement, and to examine the duration of intervention effects over a one-year follow-up period.