McREL Research Synthesis Finds Standards-based Reforms Can Improve Student Achievement
April 12, 2006
Denver
—
An extensive analysis of rigorous research from Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL), a Denver-based nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization, concludes that standards-based education reforms can have a positive influence on student achievement - if they are implemented properly. Unfortunately, research shows that in many places, teachers lack the knowledge and skills they need to create effective standards-based schools and classrooms.
The report, titled Influence of Standards on K-12 Teaching and Learning: A Research Synthesis, set out to answer the three questions: 1) What is the influence of standards-based curriculum on teacher instruction and student achievement? 2) What is the influence of standards-based instructional guidelines on teacher instruction and student achievement? 3) What is the influence of standards-based assessment on teacher instruction and student achievement?
McREL researchers examined 621 standards studies published since 1995 and identified 113 studies that met their criteria for rigor and relevance. After synthesizing findings from these studies, they concluded that:
Standards-based curricula can have positive influences on student achievement. Most of the studies McREL researchers reviewed found that standards-based curricula have had predominantly positive influences on student achievement, including that of at-risk students. For example, several studies indicated that student achievement improves more with longer exposures to standards-based curricula.
Standards-based accountability assessments exert strong influences on classroom instruction. In general, standards appear to be changing the way teachers teach. Some studies report that secondary teachers are broadening their content coverage to include more topics. Other studies, however, report that elementary and secondary teachers are narrowing their content coverage to the exclusion of non-tested subjects. Some teachers also appear to be using test-preparation sessions to simulate standards-based assessments.
At-risk students may receive less effective instruction than more advantaged students. Research suggests that in higher-performing and more advantaged classes, students receive instruction clearly linked to particular standards classrooms and are aware of the standards they are expected to learn. However, students in poorer schools - those most in danger of being reorganized under NCLB - are more likely to receive instruction that is characterized by more reliance on worksheets and lower-level cognitive demands. At the same time, at-risk students are not as likely to be aware of what standards they're expected to learn.
Teachers need ongoing support to implement standards in their classrooms. Teachers report being knowledgeable about standards and using standards-based practices in their classrooms, but observations of their instruction indicates otherwise. Accordingly, McREL researchers conclude that the degree to which standards-based education enhances student learning depends largely on how much knowledge teachers have of standards and how much support they receive for creating standards-based classrooms.
"This research suggests that standards-based reforms, when implemented properly, can improve student achievement," said McREL's Executive Vice President, Lou Cicchinelli, who directs the Central Region Educational Laboratory at McREL, which produced the report. "However, because standards-based reforms are not always properly implemented, we should redouble our efforts to give teachers the support and guidance they need to create standards-based classrooms where all children can succeed."
McREL is a nationally recognized, private, nonprofit organization located in Denver, Colo., dedicated to improving education for all students through applied research, product development and service. In 2005, McREL provided research-based guidance to educators and policymakers in 45 states in the U.S. and 3 foreign countries.
