District Efforts to Improve the Quality and Coherence of Math Instruction Pre-K–2

• In Event: Effects of District Efforts to Improve Quality and Coherence of Pre-K–2 Math Instruction

Abstract

In this presentation, we discuss the role of school districts in fostering instructional improvement in mathematics. For decades, scholars have remarked on the stability of classroom instruction (Cuban, 1993; Lortie, 1975; Meyer & Rowan, 1977). Yet, more contemporary research suggests that some district policies can support instructional improvements (Coburn, 2004; Cohen & Hill, 2001; Woulfin 2018). We investigate two districts’ efforts to foster high quality and coherent mathematics instruction from preK-2. In this presentation we focus on Kindergarten teachers. Drawing on 78 interviews with district leaders and observations of district PD across two years, we analyzed districts’ contrasting instructional improvement strategies in mathematics. We then draw on 54 classroom observations with 9 kindergarten teachers across two years to analyze the degree that their mathematics instruction shifted in line with districts’ instructional goals. We draw on two years of teacher interviews and surveys (n=18) and school leader interviews (n=16) to explain the patterns we observe.

We found that the two districts–Cypress and Almond Valley–differed in their strategies in three ways: 1) the nature of the messages they promoted to teachers about mathematics instruction, 2) the systems to support teachers in making those changes, and 3) how they deployed their strategies across two years. Almond Valley used a curriculum-centric approach with multiple systems of support that brought together district teaching and learning staff with administrators who supervise principals. They also had a system of gathering and analyzing classroom observation data to identify areas for instructional improvement, using this information to create a shift to more ambitious approaches to mathematics across the two years. Cypress’s approach involved sustained focus on ambitious pedagogical practices with weak systems of support. Cypress focused teachers’ attention on a small number of “high-leverage” strategies that were embedded in the curriculum. However, while the curriculum, instruction, and teacher professional development were aligned, there was minimal connection with district and school leaders. Based on these differences in district strategies we expected to see an increase in instructional quality and decrease in variability (e.g. greater coherence) in kindergarten classes in Almond Valley, and limited increase in instructional quality and continued high variability in Cypress.

These propositions were only partially supported. We found increased instructional quality and decreased variability across teachers in Almond Valley, as expected. However, contrary to our expectations, we found increased instructional quality in Cypress as well, albeit with no decrease in variability across the two years. Thus, while some teachers did improve in Cypress, it was only in pockets, working against coherence. We found limited change in both districts in the harder-to-change elements of teaching, including differentiation and use of student strategies. Drawing on interview and survey data, we provide evidence that while professional learning opportunities enabled teachers in both districts to make instructional improvement, the lack of connection to leadership and monitoring activities in the Cypress led to more variability in teacher improvement. We close by deriving lessons for district strategies to encourage and support instructional change in early mathematics instruction.

Authors

• Cynthia E. Coburn, Northwestern University

• Megan L. Franke, University of California - Los Angeles

• Abigail Stein, Carnegie Mellon University

• Kelley Durkin, Vanderbilt University

• Luke Rainey, Vanderbilt University

• Dale C. Farran, Vanderbilt University

• Stone Dawson, Vanderbilt University

• Graciela Borsato, Stanford University