Foundations for Success: Developing Effective Mathematics Educators through Cognitively Guided Instruction

November 9, 2018

Over a five-year period, the Foundations for Success project will provide Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) professional development in mathematics for 2,790 elementary teachers and 120 elementary school principals. Participating teachers will receive eight days of professional development during each year of their participation. Designed and led by the CGI Math Teacher Learning Center under the direction of Linda Levi, the CGI professional development program is a three-year, eight-day-per year program focused on number, operations, and algebraic thinking at the K–2 or 3–5 grade levels. Working with an advisory board with extensive expertise and experience supporting equity and excellence in mathematics, the Foundations for Success program will integrate evidence-based practices in early mathematics, fractions, and problem solving with promising practices for teaching traditionally underserved and underrepresented students (and their teachers) in mathematics.

Project Goals and Expected Outcomes. The Foundations for Success project will enhance elementary mathematics teacher effectiveness through large-scale implementation of CGI professional development. The project activities are designed to achieve the following goals:

  1. Provide CGI professional development in mathematics for 2,790 elementary teachers in Florida over the course of five years;
  2. Increase teachers’ knowledge of mathematics and student learning progressions;
  3. Increase teachers’ implementation of evidence-based practices in math instruction;
  4. Increase students’ mathematics achievement with a focus on traditionally underserved and underrepresented students by enhancing CGI to meet their needs; and
  5. Establish structures to support teachers’ sustained implementation of high-quality mathematics instruction in Florida beyond the grant award period.

Program Evaluation. The program evaluation design will use several complementary methodological approaches, including (1) a mixed-methods evaluation of implementation to determine the extent to which the program is being implemented as intended and to inform potential improvements of the program, (2) a multisite cluster-randomized trial to enable causal inference regarding the effect of the program on school, teacher, and student outcomes, and (3) an exploratory study investigating factors in classroom instruction that mediate the impact of the CGI intervention on student achievement.

Funding
U.S. Department of Education through the Supporting Effective Educator Development program, 2018–23, grant award number U423A180115.

Principal Investigator
Robert C. Schoen, PhD
Associate Director, FCR-STEM, Florida State University

Co-Principal Investigators
Linda Levi, PhD
Director, CGI Math Teacher Learning Center
Walter G. Secada, PhD
Senior Associate Dean, School of Education and Human Development, University of Miami

Senior Project Manager
Amanda M. Tazaz, PhD
Associate in Research, FCR-STEM, Florida State University

District Partners
Approximately one dozen Florida school districts.