Intervention: Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley Elementary Mathematics

Intervention: Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley Elementary Mathematics
July 2010

Effectiveness

Findings

The WWC review of interventions for elementary school mathematics addresses student outcomes in the domain of overall mathematics achievement. The findings below present the authors’ estimates and WWC-calculated estimates of the size and the statistical significance of the effects of Scott Foresman–Addison Wesley Elementary Mathematics on elementary students.⁹

Agodini et al. (2009) reported, and the WWC confirmed, statistically significant negative effects of the Scott Foresman–Addison Wesley Elementary Mathematics program on the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten (ECLS-K) Math Assessment, when compared to Saxon Math or Math Expressions. The study also reports no significant effects of Scott Foresman–Addison Wesley Elementary Mathematics on the ECLS-K Math Assessment when compared to Investigations in Number, Data, and Space.

Resendez and Azin (2006) reported no statistically significant effects of the Scott Foresman–Addison Wesley Elementary Mathematics program on either the TerraNova Math Total or the TerraNova Math Computation scores. The average effect across the two outcome measures in Resendez and Azin (2006) was not large enough to be considered substantively important according to WWC criteria (i.e., an effect size of at least 0.25).

Resendez and Manley (2005) reported no statistically significant effects of the Scott Foresman–Addison Wesley Elementary Mathematics program on either the TerraNova Math Total or the TerraNova Math Computation scores. The average effect across the two outcome measures in Resendez and Manley (2005) was not large enough to be considered substantively important according to WWC criteria (i.e., an effect size of at least 0.25).

In summary, one study showed statistically significant negative effects and two studies showed indeterminate effects.

Rating of effectiveness

The WWC rates the effects of an intervention in a given outcome domain as positive, potentially positive, mixed, no discernible effects, potentially negative, or negative. The rating of effectiveness takes into account four factors: the quality of the research design, the statistical significance of the findings, the size of the difference between participants in the intervention and the comparison conditions, and the consistency in findings across studies (see the WWC Procedures and Standards Handbook, Appendix E).

⁹ The level of statistical significance was reported by the study authors or, when necessary, calculated by the WWC to correct for clustering within classrooms or schools and for multiple comparisons. For an explanation about the clustering connection, see the WWC Tutorial on Mismatch. For the formulas the WWC used to calculate the statistical significance, see WWC Procedures and Standards Handbook, Appendix C for clustering and WWC Procedures and Standards Handbook, Appendix D for multiple comparisons. In the case of Agodini et al. (2009), no corrections for clustering or multiple comparisons were needed. In the case of Resendez and Azin (2006), corrections for multiple comparisons were needed, and in the case of Resendez and Manley (2005), a correction for multiple comparisons was needed, so the significance levels may differ from those reported in the original studies.

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