Year of Publication
2007
College
Martin School of Public Policy and Administration
Date Available
9-4-2014
Abstract
Students in the schools of Central Appalachia continuously score lower in mathematics and science at all K-12 levels than their state’s average scores. This education achievement gap is currently being addressed by the Appalachian Math and Science Partnership (AMSP). The AMSP is a professional development program whose goal is to increase the academic achievement of students in mathematics and science by enhancing the content knowledge and teaching skills of classroom teachers. There is a growing body of research that shows improving teacher knowledge and teaching skills is essential to raising student achievement.
The purpose of this study is to determine if the AMSP had an effect on the mathematics and science educational achievement gaps that exist in Central Appalachia. This study looks at 1,171 Kentucky public schools over six years for a total of 5,086 observations. Alternative schools and schools that did not report the necessary data to the Kentucky Department of Education were not included in the study. Two fixed effects regression models were employed, one with school’s math academic index score as the dependent variable and the other with the school’s science academic index score as the dependent variable.
Results of the analysis show that the AMSP has no statistically significant effect on a school’s math academic index score or a school’s science academic index score.
Recommended Citation
Evans, Betsy, "The Effect of the Appalachian Math and Science Partnership on Student Achievement" (2007). MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects. 168.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/mpampp_etds/168
Included in
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Science and Mathematics Education Commons
