ILS Research and Evaluation

External Studies of Our Work

• New York City Mathematics Project, Teacher Leaders for Mathematics Success (TL=MS)
• Students at the Center

New York City Mathematics Project, Teacher Leaders for Mathematics Success (TL=MS)

Teacher Leaders for Mathematics Success (TL=MS), the NYCMP program funded by the National Science Foundation from 1999-2004, involved close to 300 K-8 teachers in over 20 Bronx elementary and middle schools. The program immersed participants in a sustained professional development experience that:

• Enhanced understanding of mathematics content, standards-based curriculum development, performance standards, and student learning;
• Facilitated discussion and reflection about the relationships among content knowledge, pedagogy, student learning, and public policies;
• Created conditions for supporting teacher leaders as agents for instructional reform in mathematics within local school/district contexts.

The Academy for Educational Development conducted a five-year evaluation of TL=MS. This study concludes that TL=MS resulted in positive impacts on teacher knowledge and practice as well as on student achievement. Read the Executive Summary [PDF]. Read the full Final Evaluation Report [PDF] . The success of the program was featured in an article published in the February 16, 2005 issue of Education Week.

Students at the Center

Students at the Center (SATC), funded by the DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund from 1996-2001, involved nine NYC professional development organizations in supporting instructional reform in 27 schools. Three ILS programs were involved: the New York City Mathematics Project, the New York City Writing Project, and the Elementary Teachers Network. Stanford University's Center for Research on the Context of Teaching evaluated SATC; their findings indicated that:

• "The professional development opportunities offered through the initiative have resulted in substantial changes in classrooms for both teachers and students." Areas of impact included teachers' classroom practice and students' understanding of and engagement with content.
• The programs "worked to build the capacity of schools to sustain the changes made during the life of the initiative." Areas of impact included building teacher leadership, deepening principals' capacity to foster reform, and creating supportive school cultures with a vision of student-centered learning.

Last modified: Feb 13, 2013