Principal Investigator
Ira Nichols-Barrer and Kate Place – Mathematica
Project Description
This study evaluates the impact of the Fishtank ELA curriculum on student reading achievement in grades three through eight and examines how implementation quality influences outcomes at scale. The study leverages the phased rollout of Fishtank across a large charter network to construct matched comparison groups using student baseline achievement, prior growth, and demographic characteristics. Student-level administrative data, including standardized ELA assessment scores, will be used to estimate impacts. In parallel, the study includes an in-depth implementation and fidelity component using classroom observations, teacher surveys, interviews, professional learning participation data, and curriculum usage data to assess instructional practices, implementation quality, and enabling conditions. The study aims to identify the levels of fidelity and dosage required for the curriculum to produce meaningful improvements in student learning.
Research Questions
- What is the impact of the Fishtank ELA curriculum on student reading achievement, and how do impacts vary across student subgroups?
- How do instructional practices, professional learning supports, and teacher experiences differ between Fishtank and non-Fishtank classrooms?
- To what extent is the curriculum implemented with fidelity, what conditions support or hinder strong implementation, and how does implementation quality relate to student outcomes?
