Project Summary

The Rhode Island Department of Education contracted with The Education Alliance to conduct an external evaluation of its implementation of the PRIMETIME program, which provides training, curricular support and higher education coaches to work with middle and secondary school teachers throughout the state.

The evaluation focused on the effects of the program on the following: 1) how the nature and quality of standards-based instruction changes over the course of the program; 2) whether teachers' knowledge of mathematics concepts and skills increases with participation in the program; 3) the kinds of professional development teachers participate in through the program; 4) whether school improvement plans are aligned with the program; 5) how the higher education faculty use the materials and knowledge gained from their involvement in the program; 6) whether student achievement in mathematics increases as expected; 7) what has been learned from the implementation and evaluation of the program and how can this knowledge be used to inform the R.I. Department of Education's long-term strategies for building and sustaining teacher quality.