This implementation project focused on supporting teachers who provide mathematics instruction and/or intervention to students with mathematics learning disabilities (MLD) and mathematics difficulties (MD). The research team worked with three schools, over three years. Instructional delivery differed across schools, primarily in setting and amount…

This systematic review and meta-analysis appraised and synthesized mathematics interventions research addressing rational number concepts for students with mathematics difficulties (MD) in Grades 3-9. Included studies (n = 28) meet the What Works Clearinghouse Group Design standards (Version 4.0) for study quality. Across all studies, we found…

Using a randomized controlled trial, we examined the effect of a fractions intervention for students experiencing mathematical difficulties in Grade 5. Students who were eligible for the study (n = 205) were randomly assigned to intervention and comparison conditions, blocked by teacher. The intervention used systematic, explicit instruction and…

A solid foundation in fractions is a key predictor of success in algebra and more advanced mathematics, which in turn is predictive of entry into higher education and many high-paying vocations. Yet, when fractions are introduced into the mathematics curriculum in upper elementary grades (grades 4 and 5), many students demonstrate minimal growth…

Recent intervention research has demonstrated success in raising the achievement level of students who are struggling with mathematics. This practice guide, developed by the What Works Clearinghouse™ (WWC) in conjunction with an expert panel, distills this contemporary mathematics intervention research into six easily comprehensible and practical…

In this commentary, the author reflects on four studies that have greatly expanded the knowledge base on effective interventions in mathematics, and he provides four rigorous experimental studies of approaches for students likely to experience difficulties learning mathematics over a large grade-level span (pre-K to 4th grade). All of the…

This meta-analysis systematically reviewed the most up-to-date literature to determine the effectiveness of reading interventions on measures of word and pseudoword reading, reading comprehension, and passage fluency, and to determine the role intervention and study variables play in moderating the impacts for students at risk for reading…

A formative pilot study of a fractions intervention was conducted to address the intervention's potential for improving fifth-grade struggling students' knowledge of fractions, and to identify any logistical or instructional design issues, before scaling up for a randomized control trial. In the first section, we provide details of the formative…

This report examines which instructional components (e.g., visual representations, use of number lines, teaching and using of mathematical language) and study features (e.g., group size, interventionist training) may have contributed to the effectiveness of intervention. In choosing to focus on instructional components and study features, the…

Response to Intervention (RtI) is a framework for collecting and using data to match students to interventions of varying intensity. This study examines the implementation of RtI in Grade 1-3 reading in 13 states during the 2011-12 school year, focusing on 146 schools that were experienced with RtI. Full implementation of the RtI framework in…

Response to Intervention (RtI) is a framework for collecting and using data to match students to interventions of varying intensity. This study examines the implementation of RtI in Grade 1-3 reading in 13 states during the 2011-12 school year, focusing on 146 schools that were experienced with RtI. Full implementation of the RtI framework in…

The purpose of this brief is to present an overall picture of how well early reading interventions are working for students in Grades 1-3. Using a meta-analytic approach, this paper combines findings from several studies to determine the effectiveness of early reading interventions for students who are struggling with learning to read.

Replication studies are extremely rare in education. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) is a scale-up replication of Fuchs et al., which in a sample of 139 found a statistically significant positive impact for Number Rockets, a small-group intervention for at-risk first graders that focused on building understanding of number operations. The…

The goal of this randomized controlled trial (RCT) was to evaluate the effectiveness of a small-group intervention in fractions for fifth-graders who are performing below grade level in mathematics. The impact of the fractions intervention was assessed on fifth-grade at-risk students' understanding of foundational fractions concepts and procedural…

Contemporary state math standards emphasize that students must demonstrate an understanding of the mathematical ideas underlying the computations that have typically been the core of the elementary school math curriculum. The standards have put an increased emphasis on the study of fractions in upper elementary grades, which are the years during…