Analysis of Middle School Math Teacher Coaching and Class Size Reduction (2015–2016)

• In Event: Teacher Effectiveness, Retention, and Coaching

Abstract

Analysis of instructional coaching and class size reduction for middle-grade math courses in 2015-16 provides two lessons. First, coaching strengthens veteran teachers’ ability to implement the Common Core standards. Students of math teachers with a longer history of teaching performed better on state assessments if their teachers received coaching than students whose teachers have a similar teaching history but did not receive coaching. Second, coaching strengthens equity across classrooms in terms of students’ performance on the assessment. Among teachers that did not receive coaching, the extent of classroom diversity negatively correlated with their students’ performance. This pattern did not exist among teachers that received coaching. The analysis did not find a systematic effect of class size reduction on student outcomes.

Author

• Moonhawk Kim, San Francisco Unified School District