Principal Investigator
David Steiner – Johns Hopkins University
Project Description
This study evaluates the impact of the Modern Classrooms Project’s Professional Learning and Aligned Curricular Resources (PLCAR) model on teacher instructional practice and student math achievement in grades four and five. Using a mixed-methods quasi-experimental design, the study will compare outcomes for students taught by teachers using PLCAR to those in similar classrooms not using the model, drawing on interim assessment data such as MAP or i-Ready. The study includes teacher surveys, classroom observations, focus groups, and administrative data to examine both outcomes and mechanisms of change. In addition to estimating impacts on student learning, the study will explore how PLCAR influences instructional practices, including personalization, mastery-based learning, and use of high-quality instructional materials, as well as how variation in implementation shapes outcomes.
Research Questions
- What is the impact of the Modern Classrooms Project PLCAR model on students’ math achievement?
- How do changes in teacher instructional practices and perceptions of PLCAR explain variation in student outcomes?
- How do teachers experience and implement PLCAR, including changes in instructional practice and use of aligned curriculum resources?
