Impact Study Evaluation of the Rural Math Innovation Network (RMIN) i3 Development Project
Cowley, Kimberly S.; Uekawa, Kazuaki (2020). ICF International. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED606872
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examining1,032Students, grades8-9
Department-funded evaluation
Review Details
Reviewed: May 2024
- Department-funded evaluation (findings for Rural Math Innovation Network (RMIN))
- Quasi-Experimental Design
- Meets WWC standards with reservations because it uses a cluster quasi-experimental design that provides evidence of effects on individuals by satisfying the baseline equivalence requirement for the individuals in the analytic intervention and comparison groups.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
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Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL): Pre-Algebra |
Rural Math Innovation Network (RMIN) vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
8th grade teachers and their students, only;
|
423.00 |
445.00 |
No |
-- |
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Virginia SOL Algebra Assessment |
Rural Math Innovation Network (RMIN) vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Grade 9 Alegbra teachers and students, only;
|
433.00 |
433.00 |
No |
-- |
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
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2% English language learners -
Rural
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Virginia
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Race Other or unknown 30% White 70%
Study Details
Setting
Eighteen rural school districts in southwest and southside Virginia came together to implement a networked improvement community; teachers within these districts submitted applications to participate in the project focused on improving social emotional learning skills in middle and high school mathematics.
Study sample
The Pre-Algebra sample (n=512) is 72 percent white, 1 percent English Language Learner, and 19 percent that are classified as at "Economic disadvantage." The Algebra sample (n=520) is 67 percent white, 2 percent English Language Learner, and 16 percent that are classified as at "Economic disadvantage."
Intervention Group
The Rural Math Innovation Network (RMIN) is a 4-year project that launched in January 2017 and was implemented by two Virginia Ed Strategies and rural LEAs in Virginia. It used a networked improvement community (NIC) of Pre-Algebra and Algebra 1 teachers in Virginia school districts implementing social-emotional learning strategies factors into math lesson plans to teach career readiness math competencies. Principals and teachers received professional development and training, and the intervention included teacher cohort development activities. The RMIN objectives are: 1. To prepare all teachers in the NIC to innovate lesson plans with SEL strategies that address self-efficacy and growth mindset needs of students for learning mathematics required in STEM-H technician careers; 2. To provide supports for each teacher in the NIC to innovate 5 SEL math lessons and implement 10 SEL math lessons into instruction; 3. To establish technology capacity for NIC teachers to develop and implement SEL math lessons; 4. To achieve a student passage rate increase of 25% on the career-readiness math assessments: Virginia Pre-Algebra test, Virginia Algebra I test, Work Keys math test, and Virginia Community College math assessment; and 5. To broadly disseminate information that results in four schools as teacher innovation sites and a 125% increase in the NIC math teacher membership.
Comparison Group
The comparison condition is "business as usual" math instruction in Pre-Algebra (8th) and Algebra I (9th grade) math courses.
Department-funded evaluation
Review Details
Reviewed: January 2022
- Department-funded evaluation (findings for Rural Math Innovation Network (RMIN))
- Quasi-Experimental Design
- Meets WWC standards with reservations because it uses a cluster quasi-experimental design that provides evidence of effects on individuals by satisfying the baseline equivalence requirement for the individuals in the analytic intervention and comparison groups.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL): Pre-Algebra |
Rural Math Innovation Network (RMIN) vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
8th grade teachers and their students, only;
|
423.00 |
445.00 |
No |
-- |
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Virginia SOL Algebra Assessment |
Rural Math Innovation Network (RMIN) vs. Business as usual |
1 Year |
Grade 9 Algebra teachers and students, only;
|
433.00 |
433.00 |
No |
-- |
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
-
2% English language learners -
Rural
-
- B
- A
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- I
- H
- J
- K
- L
- P
- M
- N
- O
- Q
- R
- S
- V
- U
- T
- W
- X
- Z
- Y
- a
- h
- i
- b
- d
- e
- f
- c
- g
- j
- k
- l
- m
- n
- o
- p
- q
- r
- s
- t
- u
- v
- x
- w
- y
Virginia
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Race Other or unknown 30% White 70%
Study Details
Setting
This study of the Rural Math Innovation Network (RMIN) focused on 18 middle and high schools in rural areas of southwest and southside Virginia.
Study sample
The Pre-Algebra sample (n=512) included students that were 72% White, 1% English Learner, and 19% that were economically disadvantaged. The Algebra sample (n=520) included students that were 67% White, 2% English Learner, and 16% that were economically disadvantaged.
Intervention Group
The Rural Math Innovation Network (RMIN) aims to develop networked improvement communities (NIC) of pre-Algebra and Algebra 1 teachers to incorporate academic self-efficacy and growth mindset into lesson plans for teaching math competencies that are used by technicians in STEM-H occupations. Teachers receive training on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) theory and practices for developing the lesson plans. NIC facilitators support teacher collaboration, access to instructional supports for the lessons, and sharing of lessons learned. Desired outcomes include increased student success on four math career readiness assessments, which impacts the students’ and the rural region’s workforce readiness and economic security, and NIC sustainability.
Comparison Group
Teachers in the comparison condition used business as usual math instruction in Pre-Algebra (8th) and Algebra I (9th grade) math courses. Teachers received business as usual professional development and supports. Comparison students were likely exposed to instruction and support services as they had been in the past.
Support for implementation
No implementation support was described separate from the intervention components, which included curricular materials and a professional learning community.
An indicator of the effect of the intervention, the improvement index can be interpreted as the expected change in percentile rank for an average comparison group student if that student had received the intervention.
For more, please see the WWC Glossary entry for improvement index.
An outcome is the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are attained as a result of an activity. An outcome measures is an instrument, device, or method that provides data on the outcome.
A finding that is included in the effectiveness rating. Excluded findings may include subgroups and subscales.
The sample on which the analysis was conducted.
The group to which the intervention group is compared, which may include a different intervention, business as usual, or no services.
The timing of the post-intervention outcome measure.
The number of students included in the analysis.
The mean score of students in the intervention group.
The mean score of students in the comparison group.
The WWC considers a finding to be statistically significant if the likelihood that the finding is due to chance alone, rather than a real difference, is less than five percent.
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Study findings for this report.
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Tier 2 Moderate indicates moderate evidence of effectiveness, and
Tier 3 Promising indicates promising evidence of effectiveness,
as defined in the
non-regulatory guidance for ESSA
and the regulations for ED discretionary grants (EDGAR Part 77).