Research

Sixty-one studies reviewed by the WWC investigated the effects of Everyday Mathematics. Four studies (Carroll, 1998; Riordan & Noyce, 2001; Waite, 2000; and Woodward & Baxter, 1997) used quasi-experimental designs that met WWC standards with reservations. The remaining fifty-seven studies did not meet WWC evidence screens.

The Carroll (1998) study included 76 fifth-grade students in four classrooms from four school districts using Everyday Mathematics and a comparison group of 91 fifth-grade students in four classrooms from similar districts, matched on student demographics and geographical location. The intervention group had used Everyday Mathematics since kindergarten. The comparison group had used traditional basal mathematics texts at all previous grades.

The Riordan and Noyce (2001) study included 3,781 fourth-grade students in 67 schools in Massachusetts using Everyday Mathematics and a comparison group of 5,102 fourth-grade students in 78 similar schools, matched on baseline mathematics achievement scores and student demographics. Forty-eight schools in the intervention group had implemented Everyday Mathematics for four or more years (early implementers), and 19 schools had implemented Everyday Mathematics for two or three years (later implementers). The comparison group used 15 different textbook programs representing the instructional norm in Massachusetts, with the most commonly used programs being those published by Addison-Wesley, Houghton-Mifflin, and Scott-Foresman.

The Waite (2000) study included 732 third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students in six schools using Everyday Mathematics and a comparison group of 2,704 third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students in 12 similar schools, matched on baseline math achievement scores, student demographics, and geographical location. The schools in the intervention group were in their first year of implementing Everyday Mathematics. The comparison group used a more traditional mathematics curriculum approved by the school district.

The Woodward and Baxter (1997) study included 104 third-grade students in five classrooms in two schools using Everyday Mathematics and a comparison group of 101 third-grade students in four classrooms in one similar school, matched on student demographics and geographical location. The comparison group used the Heath Mathematics curriculum, a more traditional mathematics program.

Extent of evidence

The WWC categorizes the extent of evidence in each domain as small or medium to large (see the What Works Clearinghouse Extent of Evidence Categorization Scheme). The extent of evidence takes into account the number of studies and the total sample size across the studies that met WWC evidence standards with or without reservations.³

The WWC considers the extent of evidence for Everyday Mathematics to be medium to large for math achievement.

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