Center for Data-Driven Reform in Education

Topic: Low Achieving Schools

Purpose: The Center for Data-Driven Reform in Education (CDDRE) conducts research into how school districts can use data-driven reform to improve student achievement. CDDRE provides the following services to state, district, and school leadership teams through its Raising the Bar program:

• Training in and coaching on using a data-driven decision-making process for planning and achievement.
• Information on research-proven solutions to student-achievement challenges.
• Training in and coaching on instructional leadership and achievement monitoring.

Projects

CDDRE is currently conducting research with 60 school districts located in Alabama, Arizona, Indiana, Ohio, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania. These districts were randomly assigned to immediate or delayed treatment groups. Once districts begin receiving services from CDDRE, the districts and their schools receive support in data analysis and achievement planning, selecting research-proven solutions, and monitoring achievement and instructional leadership.

Under No Child Left Behind, thousands of schools are failing to meet adequate yearly progress standards. The number of schools in difficulty has outpaced the capacity of state and district leaders to address them. State and district leaders need replicable strategies to help them ensure success on measured objectives. In response to this need, the Center aims to develop and rigorously evaluate state, district, and school-level strategies to enhance student achievement and help schools meet their performance goals.

The research questions to be answered include:

• Do districts that use the CDDRE model of data analysis and instructional review significantly improve student achievement?
• Do districts that use the CDDRE model of data analysis and instructional review, and implement a research-proven solution, significantly improve student achievement?

Key Personnel: Robert Slavin, GwenCarol Holmes

Publications

Cheung, A., & Slavin, R. (2005). Effective reading programs for English language learners and other language minority students. Bilingual Research Journal, 29 (2), 241-267.

Haxby, B., Holmes, G., Rolewski, M., Howard, T., & Morrison, T. (2008). Raising the bar: A goal-focused approach for data-driven school change. Baltimore: Success for All Foundation.

Slavin, R. (2008). Evidence-based reform in education: Which evidence matters? Educational Researcher, 37 (1), 47-50.

Slavin, R. (2008). What Works? Issues in synthesizing education program evaluations. Educational Researcher, 37 (1), 5-14.

Slavin, R., & Cheung, A. (2005). A synthesis of research on language of reading instruction for English language learners. Review of Educational Research, 75 (2), 247-284.

Slavin, R., Cheung, A., Groff, C., & Lake, C. (2008). Effective reading programs for middle and high schools: A Best Evidence Synthesis. Reading Research Quarterly, 43 (3), 290-322.

Slavin, R., Holmes, G.C., & Daniels, C. (2008/2009). Raising the bar at Furness High. Educational Leadership, 66 (4). Retrieved January 23, 2009 from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/dec08/vol66/num04/Raising_the_Bar_at_Furness_High.aspx.

Slavin, R., & Lake, C. (2008). Effective programs in elementary mathematics; A best-evidence synthesis. Review of Educational Research, 78 (3), 427-515.

Slavin, R., Lake, C., Chambers, B., Cheung, C., & Davis, S. (2009). Effective beginning reading programs: A best-evidence synthesis. Baltimore, MD: Center for Research and Reform in Education, Johns Hopkins University. Submitted for publication.

Slavin, R., Lake, C., Cheung, A., & Davis, S. (in press). Beyond the Basics: Effective reading programs for the upper elementary grades. Review of Educational Research.

Slavin, R., Lake, C., & Groff, C. (in press). Effective programs in middle and high school mathematics. Review of Educational Research.

Slavin, R., & Madden, N. A. (in press). Measures inherent to treatments in systematic reviews in education. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness.

Slavin, R., & Smith, D. (2008, March). Effects of sample size on effect size in systematic reviews in education. Paper presented at the annual meetings of the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness, Crystal City, Virginia.

Center Website: http://www.cddre.org/.

IES Program Contact: Dr. David Sweet
Email: David.Sweet@ed.gov
Telephone: (202) 219-1748