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Chicago Teacher Advancement Program (Chicago TAP)

2012

Chicago Teacher Advancement Program (Chicago TAP) is a schoolwide reform model implemented in Chicago Public Schools beginning in 2007. The program provides teachers with opportunities to earn extra pay and take on increased responsibilities through promotion to mentor teacher or master teacher positions. Teachers become eligible for annual performance bonuses based on a combination of their contribution to student achievement (value added) and observed classroom performance using a Skills, Knowledge, and Responsibilities (SKR) rubric. The model includes weekly cluster group meetings where teachers and mentors collaborate, and regular classroom observations by a school leadership team to help teachers meet their performance goals. Mentor teachers receive an additional $7,000 per year and lead teachers receive $15,000 per year. Performance bonuses averaged approximately $1,100 in the first year of implementation and $2,500 in subsequent years. The program was piloted in 40 high-need schools over a four-year rollout period from 2007-2011, with 10 schools added each year. Chicago TAP differs from the national TAP model by determining compensation locally, offering performance pay for principals and other school staff in addition to teachers, and initially measuring value-added performance at the school level rather than individual teacher level.

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Kindergarten 1st Grade 2nd Grade 3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade 6th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade

Making Sense of SCIENCE™ Professional Development Course on Force and Motion

2012

Making Sense of SCIENCE™ is a professional development course designed to improve middle school science teachers' content knowledge and pedagogical skills in teaching force and motion to grade 8 students. The intervention is a 24-hour course delivered over five days during summer, targeting teachers who will teach physical science. The course combines hands-on science investigations, narrative teaching cases, language and literacy activities, and classroom connections to build teachers' understanding of force and motion concepts and strategies for teaching English language learners. Teachers participate in collaborative inquiry, analyze student thinking through case discussions, and engage with standards-based curricula. The course is facilitated by trained local educators and includes materials such as teacher books and facilitator guides. No additional follow-up or support is provided during the school year, and teachers use their existing district curricula and textbooks in their classrooms.

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8th Grade

NISL Executive Development Program

2011

The NISL Executive Development Program is a professional development intervention designed for school principals to enhance their leadership capabilities in improving student achievement. The program targets elementary, middle, and elementary-middle school principals and consists of four courses: World-Class Schooling (Principal as a Strategic Thinker and School Designer, Standards-Based Instruction); Teaching and Learning; Developing Capacity and Commitment; and Driving for Results. The curriculum was designed by experts across multiple fields, reflecting an $11 million investment and five years of research and piloting. Training is delivered through a blended format combining online and face-to-face instruction, using simulations, case studies, school evaluations, self-assessments, pre-work assignments, and application activities. Principals who participated in Cohort 2 began the program in 2007 and completed it while remaining at the same school through 2010. The program costs approximately $4,000 per participating principal.

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3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade 6th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade

Playworks

2012

Playworks places full-time coaches in low-income elementary schools to provide opportunities for organized play during recess and throughout the school day. The program includes structured recess activities where coaches teach conflict resolution skills and foster student play through structured, inclusive activities; class game time where coaches model positive language and involve teachers; and a junior coach program where fourth- and fifth-grade students develop leadership and conflict resolution skills. The program is designed to engage students in physical activity, foster social skills related to cooperation and conflict resolution, improve students' ability to focus on class work, decrease behavioral problems, and improve school climate.

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4th Grade 5th Grade

Green Dot Locke Transformation Project

2012

The Green Dot Locke Transformation Project converted Alain Leroy Locke High School, historically one of California's lowest performing secondary schools, into a set of smaller Green Dot Charter High Schools serving grades 9-12. The transformation began in fall 2007 with two small off-site schools and was completed in fall 2008 when Green Dot assumed full responsibility for the existing Locke campus and the total neighborhood catchment area. The intervention targets the entire student community with a focus on creating high performing urban schools where all young adults receive the education needed to be prepared for college, leadership, and life. Green Dot's model is based on six basic tenets including small, safe, personalized schools; high expectations for all students; local control with extensive professional development and accountability; parent participation; maximizing funding to the classroom; and keeping schools open later. The model includes recommended practices to standardize superior educational methods across all curriculum and operational areas.

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9th Grade 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade

Problem Based Economics

2011

Problem Based Economics is a curriculum developed by the Buck Institute for Education that integrates problem-based learning pedagogy with economics instruction for high school students, primarily in grades 11-12. The curriculum comprises nine modules (five were used in this study) covering fundamental economics concepts aligned with national and state standards. Each module presents students with real-world economic problems requiring analysis, investigation, and collaborative problem-solving in small groups. The curriculum is delivered through 4-15 instructional day units and includes teaching guides, student materials, and supporting DVDs. Teachers receive a five-day (40-hour) professional development workshop during summer, followed by ongoing support through scheduled conference calls throughout the academic year. The intervention was implemented over two consecutive semesters (fall 2007 and spring 2008) to allow teachers to become familiar with the approach before the primary data collection semester.

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11th Grade 12th Grade

Fusion Reading

2012

Fusion Reading is a supplemental reading intervention designed for middle and high school students (grades 6-10) who score at least 2 years below grade level on standardized reading measures. The program builds on the Strategic Instruction Model's Learning Strategies Curriculum and Xtreme Reading by integrating multiple strategies including paraphrasing, visual imagery, self-questioning, mnemonics, writing, and error monitoring. Students are enrolled in the intervention for one class period, 5 days a week, with no more than 15 students per class. The intervention is structured with a specific curricular scope and sequence focused on explicit comprehension, vocabulary, and motivation strategies. Teachers provide scaffolded instruction, practice, feedback, and ongoing formative assessments. The program includes seven teacher manuals and three student workbooks and is designed as a 2-year intervention, though this study evaluated the first year of implementation.

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6th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade 9th Grade 10th Grade

Dual Enrollment

2012

Dual Enrollment allows high school students to complete college courses before graduating from high school, often earning dual credit for both high school and college. The intervention enables students to experience real college coursework while still in high school, typically during their junior or senior years. Students can take various college courses including English Language Arts, math, science, social studies, vocational education, physical education, foreign languages, arts, and computer courses. These courses can be offered on college campuses or high school campuses through partnerships between school districts and postsecondary institutions. The program aims to enhance college readiness by giving students direct experience with college-level academic expectations and coursework.

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11th Grade 12th Grade

KIPP Middle Schools

2013

KIPP Middle Schools is a network of public charter schools serving grades 5-8 that aims to improve education for low-income students. The KIPP model is based on Five Pillars: high expectations, choice and commitment, more time in school, power to lead for principals, and focus on results. KIPP schools typically serve predominantly minority and low-income students, with an average school day of over 9 hours (compared to 6.6 hours nationally) and 192 days per year (compared to 180 days nationally). Students spend approximately 5 hours per day in core academic subjects (English/language arts, math, science, and history) and 4 hours in non-core activities. Most KIPP schools require one Saturday school day per month. The model emphasizes comprehensive school-wide behavior systems with clearly defined rewards and consequences. KIPP schools typically enroll students in 5th grade and serve them through 8th grade. The intervention requires teachers to implement the curriculum and approach, with professional development provided before implementation. Schools use various instructional materials including textbooks, workbooks, and classroom resources, though nearly half of KIPP schools report using no math textbook in 7th grade.

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5th Grade 6th Grade 7th Grade 8th Grade

Four Reading Interventions: Corrective Reading, Failure Free Reading, Spell Read P.A.T., and Wilson Reading

2006

This study evaluates four widely used remedial reading programs for struggling readers in grades 3 and 5: Corrective Reading, Failure Free Reading, Spell Read P.A.T., and Wilson Reading. The interventions were delivered as pull-out programs in small groups of three students, meeting five days per week for approximately 50-minute sessions from November 2003 through May 2004, totaling about 90 hours of instruction on average. Three interventions (Corrective Reading, Spell Read P.A.T., and Wilson Reading) focus primarily on word-level skills including phonemic awareness, phonemic decoding, and reading fluency through systematic and explicit instruction. Failure Free Reading focuses on building sight vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension through computer-based lessons, workbook exercises, and teacher-led instruction. Teachers were recruited from participating schools and received approximately 70 hours of professional development and support during the implementation year, including 30 hours of initial intensive training, 24 hours during a practice period, and 14 hours of supervision during the intervention phase.

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3rd Grade 5th Grade