Pacesetter Research and Evaluation Findings

an integrated program of standards, instruction, professional development, and assessments. The Pacesetter curriculum includes rigorous fourth-year high school courses in English and mathematics, and a third-level course in Spanish. The professional development component is the backbone of the Pacesetter program. This professional development focuses on innovative pedagogy and instructional strategies, including the use of assessments for diagnostic purposes, group work, and instruction based in application. Research and evaluation of the Pacesetter program has been ongoing since 1997, and has focused on the implementation and effectiveness of Pacesetter. The purpose of the research has been to provide information to the College Board to help strengthen, modify, or redesign aspects of the program, and to help school districts make the decision to adopt or expand the program. A formal, in-depth evaluation of both the Pacesetter math and English programs was undertaken by Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO). The mathematics program was evaluated in 2000–2001, and the English program was evaluated in 1997–1998. The target sites for the evaluations were districts where Pacesetter had been in operation for at least one year prior to the evaluation. Both studies employed comparison groups that did not participate in the Pacesetter program. The math study included 18 schools in six districts, with 29 teachers, 43 classes (24 Pacesetter classes and 19 control classes), and 1,131 students. The English study included 11 schools in four districts, with 21 teachers, 28 classes (15 Pacesetter classes and 13 control classes), and 770 students. Several indicators, including student characteristics and grades, and teacher experience were used to assess the comparability of the Pacesetter and control groups. Both studies used a quasi-experimental design that included the collection of both quantitative and qualitative data. In the mathematics study, student performance was measured by a pre/post test composed of SAT II and National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) items and the Pacesetter culminating assessment. In the English study, student performance was measured by a reading test composed of NAEP items, an extended writing assessment adapted from the Advanced Placement English exam, teacher ratings of student proficiency, and the Pacesetter culminating assessment. Both studies employed pre/post student and teacher surveys and the analysis of student and teacher background characteristics. Selected results of the math and English evaluations are summarized in Table 1. Taken together, the Pacesetter math and English evaluations showed clear signs of success for these programs. Pacesetter students demonstrated greater success on the achievement and performance measures than did control group students. However, the studies were not able to show changes in attitudes and behaviors as a result of participating in Pacesetter. Successful implementation of the program seems to be linked to a strong professional development component and continuing educational experiences. Pacesetter Research and Evaluation Findings Research Summary Office of Research and Development RS-06, October 2001