Analysis of consistent Zearn Math users and a comparable group of non-users in a large Southern district shows that students who used Zearn Math had higher levels of academic growth than similar students with no usage. This analysis used the quasi-experimental method, Coarsened Exact Matching (CEM), to examine the impact of Zearn Math across 1,111…

For California's community colleges, fall 2019 marked the deadline for implementing the state's historic developmental education legislation, Assembly Bill 705 (Irwin 2017). AB 705 drove transformative changes in community college math and English programs as colleges implemented research-based placement policies designed to maximize students'…

Analysis of consistent Zearn Math users and a comparable group of low- or non-users, across 6 districts in Nebraska, shows that students who used Zearn Math consistently had higher levels of academic growth than similar students with low- or no-usage. For this analysis, 784 students who completed an average of 3+ Zearn Math lessons per week,…

(Purpose) This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Imagine Math by comparing the performance of program users and non-users on the NWEA MAP Growth Math assessment. (Methods) Propensity score matching was utilized to compare statistically similar southeastern U.S. charter school students who used or did not use the Imagine Math program during…

U.S. students have lost significant learning in mathematics and other subjects since the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in early 2020. The 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress mathematics scores for students in grades 4 and 8 reflected record declines, with the largest decreases for students experiencing…

In a trend buoyed by new technology purchased to accommodate the remote learning necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic, educators are increasingly using devices and apps to teach core subjects, including math. This report examines perceptions and experiences of teachers, principals, and district leaders around the use of such tools for math…

This research brief explores the relationship between how students responded to a survey about their math experiences and mindsets and how they performed on an end-of-year state standardized math assessment. For this study, NORC partnered with a racially diverse school district in the northeastern region of the United States. Educators in the…

Implementation of AB 705 in fall 2019 required California community colleges to use high school grade point average (HSGPA) as the main measure of placement and maximize the likelihood of students being placed into transfer-level English and math courses. Since that time, research has shown that with the vast increase in access to transfer-level…

This study sought to investigate whether there were performance differences between the children who engaged with the Ignite by Hatch™ educational gaming system using the English- or Spanish-language versions of the games. Differential item functioning methods (DIF) were employed to investigate these differences. Specifically, DIF analyses can…

We provide evidence from a randomized controlled trial on the effectiveness of a novel, 100-percent online math tutoring program, targeted at secondary school students from highly disadvantaged neighborhoods. The intensive, eight-week-long program was delivered by qualified math teachers in groups of two students during after-school hours. The…

This analysis uses the case of the Better Math Teaching Network (BMTN) to explore whether individuals participating in a networked improvement community (NIC) experienced common developmental trajectories on known dimensions of engagement. The analysis included quantitative data from annual network member surveys and qualitative data from annual…

Analysis of consistent Zearn Math users and a comparable group of non-users in District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) shows that students who used Zearn Math consistently had higher levels of academic growth than similar students with low- or no-usage. This analysis used two quasi-experimental methods, Coarsened Exact Matching (CEM) and fixed…

In March 2022, RAND researchers administered the fourth and final Learn Together Surveys (LTS) via the RAND Corporation's American Educator Panels. The 2022 LTS differs in two key ways from its predecessors. First, the 2022 sample includes K-12 educators whereas previous administrations of the LTS sampled only educators in schools serving grade 6…

Before school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the frequency with which teachers used computer activities to teach a class varied across education systems. However, many teachers across the board reported the need for professional development to teach using technical devices. Using results from TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and…

Mastering traditional algorithms has formed mathematics teaching in primary education. Educational reforms have emphasized variation and creativity in teaching and using computational strategies. These changes have recently been criticized for lack of empirical support. This research examines the effect of teaching two differently structured…