Program A: Instruction

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The mission of the Instruction Program is to make mathematics and science education in Louisiana relevant to work force and societal needs of the 21st century.

The goals of the Instruction Program are:

1. Promote fundamental improvement statewide in mathematics and science teaching and learning by enhancing teacher content knowledge and incorporating up-to-date teaching methodologies and assessment strategies in K-12 classrooms throughout Louisiana.

2. Improve student understanding of mathematics and science concepts through incorporation of standards-based curricula and integration of technology so that Louisiana students may compete favorably on a national and global level.

The Instruction Program includes the following activities:

1. Professional Development Projects - Professional development projects are developed through the meaningful collaboration among school systems and universities. These projects are competitively funded based on recommendations of out-of-state consultants knowledgeable about standards-based mathematics and science education. The projects, throughout a full year, are designed to enhance teachers' content knowledge, improve instruction and assessment approaches, and integrate appropriate technology through real-world problems.

2. Advanced Math Project - Designed to put graphing calculators and calculator-based laboratories (CBLs) in the hands of high school students enrolled in mathematics and science classes and to assist their teachers in understanding and using this technology. This project, a collaboration among the state's mathematics and science teacher and supervisor professional organizations, the Louisiana Department of Education, and LaSIP, helps ensure that Louisiana high school students are competitive with the rest of the nation. Graphing calculators are now being allowed on the Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT), the American College Test (ACT), and the Advanced Placement (AP) Test. The Advanced Math Technology project supplies graphing calculators and calculator-based laboratories to all project participants. LaSIP and the mathematics professional organizations contribute to the professional development of teachers.

LaSIP has been refunded for an additional five years of funding, September 1, 1996- August 31, 2001. The funding from the National Science Foundation over the 5 - year period is $6 million dollars. Each year, the Board of Regents will provide $1 million from its LEQSF funds and approximately $1million from higher education Eisenhower funds, while the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will provide $1 million from its LEQSF funds. Because LaSIP's professional development cycle is for fifteen months, allowing LaSIP to fund projects from more than one fiscal year, annual funding for four cycles (1997-98 to 2000-01) of LaSIP professional development will continue to be about $3.6 million a year.

OBJECTIVES AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

1. In SY 1998-99, the Instruction Program, through the professional development projects activity, will upgrade teachers' conceptual knowledge and understanding of mathematics and/or science content and update their skills with the latest teaching methodologies.

2. During SY 1998-99, the Instruction Program, through the advanced math project activity, will provide graphing calculators and calculator-based laboratories to high school mathematics and science teachers accompanied with the necessary training on the use of the equipment.

3. The Instruction Program, through the Rural Systemic Initiatives (RSI) program will target 21 rural parishes in Louisiana to enhance teachers' content understanding of mathematics and science and update their skills with the latest teaching methodologies by April 1, 1998.

STUDENT PERFORMANCE

Each year since 1993, a primary focus of LaSIP's evaluation design has been to monitor LEAP test results for students statewide. With the assistance of LDE, LaSIP has monitored the 5th and 7th grade statewide Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) mathematics test data for students identified as having LaSIP teacher-participants in the given year. The 5th and 7th grade tests were selected for monitoring because LaSIP had an early emphasis on teachers at grades 4-8.

LaSIP has compared the 5th and 7th grade LEAP Mathematics Test Scores of those identified as students of LaSIP teachers with those identified as having non-LaSIP teachers for each of the three years, 1995-1997. For each of these years and in each of the major sub-categories of students studied (African-American on free or reduced (F/R) lunch, African-American not on F/R lunch, Caucasian on F/R lunch, Caucasian not on F/R lunch status), LaSIP "students" outscored non-LaSIP "students". The program has particularly benefited traditional "low achievers" and is indicated by consistent and substantial lower failure rates for LaSIP students on the LEAP tests particularly at the 7th grade level.

Of LaSIP students, 82.0% passed the 7th grade LEAP criterion referenced test in 1997 compared with 76.8% of non-LaSIP students. The results, though modest, show a favorable impact on students of LaSIP teachers on student test performance on traditional statewide tests.

A similar analysis of Language Arts test scores over time for students of LaSIP mathematics teachers compared to those of non-LaSIP mathematics teachers show that, perhaps as expected, the principal improvements in Language Arts student performance occur for African-American students on free or reduced lunch status, those students thought to have fewer reading opportunities in their home environments. Interactive LaSIP mathematics classrooms should benefit the underserved in language arts performance.

RESOURCE ALLOCATION FOR THE PROGRAM

SOURCE OF FUNDING

The source of funding for this program is Interagency transfers: the Louisiana Quality Education Support Fund (8(g)) and a grant award from the National Science Foundation entitled Rural System Initiative. The NSF grant is transferred from Northeast Louisiana University. The Louisiana Quality Education Support Fund allocation provides a $1.0 million match for the National Science Foundation math and science grant; a $200,000 match for the Rural Systemic Reform Initiative for professional development in math, science and technology; and, a direct allocation of $350,000 to purchase graphing calculators for high schools.

ANALYSIS OF RECOMMENDATION

The total means of financing for this program is recommended at 102.8% of the existing operating budget. It represents 100% of the total request ($1,747,500) for this program. Interagency Transfers were increased to reflect the annualization of Rural Systemic Initiative Grant awarded in September 1997 which targets 21 rural parishes in the state of Louisiana for Professional Development Projects in teaching Math, Science and Technology reforms.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

OTHER CHARGES

ACQUISITIONS AND MAJOR REPAIRS