Study: 90296

2016-2017 Implementation Evaluation of the National Math and Science Initiative's College Readiness Program

Phelan, Julia; Egger, Jeffrey; Michiuye, Joanne K.; Keum, Eunhee; Choi, Kilchan; Chung, Gregory K. W. K.; Baker, Eva L. (2018). National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST). Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED615910

Department-funded evaluation

Review Details

Reviewed: April 2022

No statistically significant positive
findings

Meets WWC standards with reservations

For:

Department-funded evaluation (findings for National Math + Science Initiative (NMSI) College Readiness Program)

Using:

Rating:

Meets WWC standards with reservations because it is a cluster randomized controlled trial with low cluster-level attrition that provides evidence of effects on clusters by demonstrating that the analytic sample of individuals is representative of the clusters.

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

College Readiness outcomes—Substantively important negative effect found for the domain
Outcome measure	Comparison	Period	Sample	Intervention mean	Comparison mean	Significant?	Improvement index	Evidence tier
Percent Passing Math-Science AP Exam	National Math + Science Initiative (NMSI) College Readiness Program vs. Business as usual	0 Months	2017 All students in grades 11 and 12 ; 21,287 students	2.00	3.00	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.

- 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
California, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas

Study Details

Setting

The evaluation identified 10 states to represent all locations implementing the College Readiness Program (CRP): CA, GA, IL, LA, MI, MO, ND, OH, PA, TX. Within each state, the evaluation recruited one to three districts, focusing on districts with high schools that served a socioeconomically disadvantaged population of students and offered few or no advanced placement (AP) courses.

Study sample

Information on the characteristics of the sample -- race, gender, free/reduced price lunch status -- is not included in the description of the sample.

Intervention Group

The objective of the College Readiness Program (CRP) is to increase the number of high-need students enrolling in Advanced Placement (AP) courses and taking and earning qualifying scores on math, science, and English language arts AP exams, with a focus on math and science. CRP provides (1) supports to teachers, such as course-specific training, mentorship, resources, and awards, (2) supports to students, such as focused study sessions, equipment and supplies, exam fee subsidies, and student awards, and (3) supports to schools, such as performance analysis, access to academic and program experts, shared goal setting, and school awards. Through these supports, it is hypothesized that teachers will become more effective AP instructors and schools will exhibit a culture of continuous improvement where STEM learning is valued, resulting in an increased number of students taking STEM AP courses and exams and receiving qualifying scores on AP exams.

Comparison Group

The schools in the experimental comparison condition received delayed treatment. During the 2016-17 school year, these comparison schools did not have access to the CRP program. Instead, students in the comparison schools only had access to the AP courses offered as part of the standard school/district approach. After outcomes data for the experimental study were collected, comparison schools received access to the CRP program, first implementing the program components in the 2017-18 school year.

Support for implementation

School administrators received a financial stipend and incentive payments for student performance on AP exams, as well as funding to purchase equipment and supplies, and support from program staff to set goals for increased student enrollment and performance in AP courses.

Additional Sources

In the case of multiple manuscripts that report on one study, the WWC selects one manuscript as the primary citation and lists other manuscripts that describe the study as additional sources.

Phelan, Julia; Egger, Jeffrey; Kim, Junok; Choi, Kilchan; Keum, Eunhee; Chung, Gregory K. W. K.; Baker, Eva L. (2021). 2017-2019 Implementation Evaluation of the National Math and Science Initiative's College Readiness Program. National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST).