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Continued Integration of Curriculum Guides, Quarterly Benchmark Assessments, and Professional Development to Improve Student Learning in Mathematics and Science

Abstract

"This investigation is part of a longitudinal study to explore long-term effects of sustained use by
teachers in a large urban school district in southern California of standards-based curriculum
guides, quarterly benchmark assessments, and focused professional development to improve the
achievement of their students in math and science content as measured by the California
Standards Test in mathematics and science reported as part of each school's Annual Yearly
Progress. Elementary students' growth in math and science achievement surpassed their
achievement in English Language Arts for the past several years of our project. The growth of
elementary students in this district continued to compare favorably to that of other students at the
same grade level in the county and the state. Elementary English Learners outperform English
Only students in math as evidenced by their increased growth in proficient and advanced levels
of achievement."