Did States' Adoption of More Rigorous Standards Lead to Improved Student Achievement? Evidence from a Comparative Interrupted Time Series Study of Standards-Based Reform

Title and Authors

  • Title: Did States’ Adoption of More Rigorous Standards Lead to Improved Student Achievement? Evidence From a Comparative Interrupted Time Series Study of Standards-Based Reform

  • Authors:

    • Mengli Song, American Institutes for Research

    • Michael S. Garet, American Institutes for Research

    • Rui Yang, Facebook

    • Drew Atchison, American Institutes for Research

  • Publication Date: June 2022

  • Citation:

    • Song, M., Garet, M., Yang, R., & Atchison, D. (2022). Did states’ adoption of more rigorous standards lead to improved student achievement? Evidence from a comparative interrupted time series study of standards-based reform. American Educational Research Journal, 59(3), 610–647.

  • Funding:

    • Supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through Grant R305C150007 to University of Pennsylvania – Graduate School of Education.

Introduction

  • Context: Standards-based reforms have been crucial since the 1983 A Nation at Risk report.

  • Motivation: The variability and decline of rigor in state standards prompted the Obama administration to create the Race To The Top program, emphasizing the need for states to adopt higher standards.

  • College and Career-Ready (CCR) Standards: Defined as standards preparing K–12 students for post-secondary success.

  • State Participation: 45 states and territories adopted new CCR standards primarily aligning with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), though public support declined leading to some revisions or replacements.

  • Study Objective: This research aims to assess whether adopting rigorous standards has led to improved student achievement in reading and mathematics.

Review of Relevant Research

  • Focus on CCSS: Most research concentrated on the implementation and impact of CCSS due to its contentious nature.

  • Implementation Challenges:

    • States struggled with resource allocation, professional development, and alignment of curricula.

    • Surveys highlight significant challenges in achieving effective implementation, especially in terms of funding and instructional support.

Research Design and Methods

  • Comparative Interrupted Time Series Study: A quasi-experimental design used to analyze NAEP data from 1990-2017.

  • Primary Measures:

    • NAEP scores in reading and mathematics for Grades 4 and 8.

  • Key Assumptions:

    • The study assumes a strong correlation between standards adoption and student achievement, despite potential confounding variables such as funding and demographics.

Evidence on Student Achievement

  • Effects on Overall Student Achievement:

    • CITS analyses reveal significant negative impacts on Grade 4 reading scores post-CCR standards adoption, with students showing minimal or negative improvements in achievement overall after adopting rigorous standards.

  • Subgroup Analyses:

    • Variation in academic achievement across student subgroups (e.g., racial/ethnic students, students eligible for free/reduced-price lunch) indicates that some groups were disproportionately affected by the changes in standards.

Results Summary and Discussion

  • Challenges: Transitioning to rigorous standards involves logistical complications at multiple educational system levels.

  • Key Findings:

    • The adoption of rigorous standards has not universally led to improvements in student achievement.

  • Implications for Future Research: Further studies are necessary to understand the impacts on teaching practices, teacher preparation, and curriculum alignment related to rigorous standards. Future research should consider longitudinal outcomes as states fully transition to new standards.

Study Limitations

  • Assessment Limitations: The use of NAEP scores does not capture the complete scope of student readiness beyond standardized testing metrics.

  • State Comparison Dynamics: Given all states formally adopted CCR standards by 2015, establishing a valid comparison group remains complicated and potentially biased.

Conclusion

  • Overall Implication: The study underscores the necessity for ongoing support and adjustments within the educational frameworks to truly assess the effects of adopting more rigorous standards.