Mathematics-Science Partnerships Annual Performance Repo

Department of Education Mathematics-Science Partnerships

Annual Performance Report

Introduction

The Mathematics and Science Partnerships program (MSP) is intended to increase the academic achievement of students in mathematics and science by enhancing the content knowledge and teaching skills of classroom teachers. Partnerships between high-need school districts and the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculty in institutions of higher education are at the core of these improvement efforts. The MSP program is a formula grant program to the states, with the size of individual state awards based on counts of students living in poverty. With these funds, each State administers a grant competition, in which awards are made to partnerships to improve teacher knowledge and skills in mathematics and science.

The legislation that authorizes the MSP program, Title II, Part B, Section 2202 (f) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-110), requires each of the projects funded by the States to submit an annual report to the U.S. Department of Education (ED), documenting the partnership's progress in meeting its MSP goals and objectives. This Annual Performance Report reporting system is the tool designated by the Department for this reporting.

Paperwork Burden Statement

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is xxxx-xxxx. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 14 hours per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4651. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to: Mathematics and Science Partnerships program, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Independence Avenue, S.W., FB-6, 3W101, Washington, D.C. 20202-4651.

General Instructions

This reporting system is designed for MSP projects to provide the following types of information:

• Description of MSP Partners

• Roles and Responsibilities of Partners

• Characteristics of MSP Participants

• Professional Development Models

• Program Evaluation Design

• Evaluation Findings and Evidence of Outcomes

There are generally three types of questions.

• Close-ended questions present response choices on the screen. For these questions, please click with the mouse the box or boxes (when more than one response is acceptable) next to the appropriate response.

• For some questions, the system asks you to type in short answers such as the “number of teachers” who participated in MSP activities. Please type your response in the space specified.

• Open-ended questions allow you to provide a longer narrative response. For these questions, please type, copy and paste, or upload a file with your response in the space specified – as clearly and succinctly as possible. The maximum length of narrative response is indicated in these spaces.

Moving Through the Reporting System

You may move from any section of the reporting form to any other section by [insert the specific method here]. This will take you directly to the section you wish to complete. You need not fill in this report from “front” to “end” in order.

Taking a Break

The average time to complete this form is 90 minutes. Additional time may be needed to collect the information to enter into this form. It is designed so that you can respond at your convenience and in separate sessions. If you do not have all the information on hand to answer a specific question, you may SAVE the answers you have provided and close the reporting form until you obtain the data needed. If other staff members are more familiar with some topics, you may ask them to fill out those sections or questions.

If you need to take a break or have someone else work on the report, click “SAVE REPORT” and close out of the form (see Saving Your Responses below). To re-enter the reporting form, you simply follow the same instructions with which you opened this form initially.

Saving Your Responses

At any time you may save your responses in the report by clicking on the “SAVE REPORT” button at the bottom of each page.

Getting Help

Definitions of ‘key words’ are provided to assist with completing the form. Left-click on any key word (underlined in blue) with your mouse, the definition will pop-up. In addition, you may access a dictionary of key words by clicking on the “VIEW KEYWORDS” on the left-hand side of this screen. Finally, you may click on “FAQ” on the right-hand corner of the screen to access Frequently Asked Questions.

If at any time you have questions regarding the reporting form, you may contact the following persons by email.

• For questions about the MSP program, legislation, and national policy guidance, contact the U.S. Department of Education:

Mike Kestner, [email protected]

Pilla Parker, [email protected]

Pat O’Connell Ross, [email protected]

• For questions about MSP annual reports and submission of annual report data, contact Abt Associates Inc.:

Katie Finkowski, [email protected]

Lori Kurth, [email protected]

Fumiyo Tao, [email protected]

• For technical questions about how to use the online reporting form, contact Washington Software, Inc.:

Andrew Leung, [email protected]

Completing the Reporting Form

When you have completed the entire form, click on the “SEND TO STATE” button. This will automatically send the survey to your State Coordinator for review. If the State Coordinator has any questions about information in the form, he/she will contact you and discuss the possibility of refining your response(s). You will still be able to access the form to make changes at this point and re-send a revised form to the State Coordinator by clicking on the “SEND TO STATE” button.

When both you and your State Coordinator are satisfied with the content of the report, your State Coordinator will submit the final report form to the U.S. Department of Education and Washington Software, Inc. simultaneously by clicking on the “SUBMIT REPORT” button. This will let us know that no further answers will be forthcoming, and we will proceed to process your report.

Report Due Date

Each MSP project is required to report its MSP activities during each 12-month period after the award of the MSP grant. You have 60 days beyond the end of each 12-month reporting period for submitting the report to the U.S. Department of Education through your State Coordinator. For example, if your award date was September 1, 2005 with a 12-month performance period, your annual report would be due to ED by October 31, 2006. Please use the chart below to determine your project’s due date.

Award Date	Performance Period	Due to State	Due to ED
Determined by State Departments of Education	Award date + 12 months	To be determined by State Departments of Education	Award date + 12 months + 60 days

Because the award dates differ among grantees, the due dates also vary. However, ALL reports for the preceding Federal Fiscal Year (July – June for MSP grants) MUST BE SUBMITTED by December 31 of the following year.

Getting Started

You are now ready to begin working on this online report. Please remember: the report is focused on your MSP project activities conducted during the 12-month reporting period, i.e., the most recent 12-month cycle from your grant award date.

Please click on the “START REPORTING” button below. Thank you for your cooperation with this annual reporting.

Project contact person: ________________________________

Name of person completing report: ________________________________

A. MSP Project Information

1. Indicate the following information about your MSP project.

1a. Partnership Title: ________________________________

1a.1) MSP project director: ________________________________

1a.2) Project director phone number: ( ) _________  ________________

1a.3) Project director email address: ________________________________

1a.4) Amount of award: __________________________

1a.5) Sources of Funding for this MSP project for the 12-month reporting period.

(Do NOT include dollar values of in-kind contributions.)

 MSP Grant funded through the State	$____________________
 Other (Please specify):____________________	$____________________
 Other (Please specify):____________________	$____________________
 Other (Please specify):____________________	$____________________
 Other (Please specify):____________________	$____________________

1b. Number of partner organizations/institutions: ________

1c. Name of lead organization/institution: ________________________________

1d. For the lead organization/institution, indicate:

1d.1) Type of organization/institution

[pull down menu]

 High-need local educational agency (LEA)

 Institution of higher education (IHE)

 Other LEA, public charter school, consortium of schools, or private school.

 Business

 Nonprofit or for-profit organization

 Other (Please specify):____________________

1e. For each partner organization/institution, list the following information:

1e.1) Name of organization/institution: ________________________________

1e.2) Type of organization/institution:

[pull down menu]

 High-need local educational agency (LEA)
 Institution of higher education (IHE)
 Other LEA, public charter school, consortium of schools, or private school.
 Business
 Nonprofit or for-profit organization
 Other (Please specify):____________________

1e.3) Main contact person’s name: ____________________

Phone number: (___)_______-________

Email address: ____________________

1e.4) Select from the following roles that best describes the partner’s primary role(s) in the MSP project. (Select all that apply.)

[Each partner listed in Part A will automatically be displayed on the screen. The following roles can be selected from a pull-down menu.]

 Organize project logistics

 Design professional development

 Identify and recruit teachers for professional development and/or comparison group

 Provide professional development

 Participate in/receive professional development

 Provide mentors/coaches/teacher leaders

 Evaluate the MSP

 Collect and/or provide data

 Analyze data

 Provide technical assistance to teachers and/or project?

 Provide teacher support (e.g., substitute teachers, release time, planning time, teacher leaders)

 Advise project

 Other (Please specify):____________________

B. Project Ab

N

B. MSP Project Abstract

arrative Summary (Max. 500 words.)

• Please include a list of the MSP purposes and goals from your project application, the participants (students, teachers, schools, partners), and professional development interventions or models implemented (summer institutes, online, distance learning, university courses, follow-up activities, and others).

Summarize MSP activities and progress during the 12-month reporting period related to the above-stated goals. (Max. 1000 words).

C. Areas of Responsibility Among MSP Partners

2. For the following MSP functions/activities, what proportion is provided by: High-need LEA Higher Ed faculty, or other partners? Indicate the APPROXIMATE percentage of effort undertaken by each partner group for each MSP activity listed. Percentages down each column should add up to 100 %.

Major Responsibilities	% Administer Overall Program	% Design Professional Development (PD)	% Teach and Coach PD	% Evaluate the MSP	% Advise Project	% Other Function (Please specify): ________
 Provided by High-need LEA
 Provided by IHE faculty
 Provided by Other LEAs, Public Charters, Consortia, etc.
 Provided by Non-profit/ for-profit Organizations
 Other (Please specify): _________

TOTAL 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

3. Please indicate the number of Higher Ed faculty involved in the MSP project. (Count the faculty members with regular, substantive involvement in MSP. Count each person ONCE.)

_____ Number of Mathematics faculty from College of Arts and Science

_____ Number of Science faculty from College of Arts and Science

_____ Number of Technology faculty from College of Arts and Science

_____ Number of Engineering faculty from College of Arts and Science

_____ Number of Education faculty

_____ Number of other faculty involved (Please specify disciplines): ____________________

4. MSP projects are designed to increase student achievement by improving teachers’ content knowledge. Impact occurs at the individual classroom level, whole school level, multiple school level, and district level. Please indicate the primary “level” or the “unit” that you are trying to impact by the program.

(You MUST select ONE and only ONE primary target for your MSP intervention).

 Individual teacher (i.e., Program is designed to affect the classrooms of individual teachers participating in MSP from one or more schools or districts; whole-school improvement is NOT the primary objective of this MSP)

 Schools (i.e., MSP is designed to affect the whole school or building; most or all teachers in each participating school are involved in MSP)

 One school

 Set of schools within a district

 Set of schools across district lines

 District (i.e., MSP is designed to affect all schools in the district)

 Other (Please specify):____________________

4a.) Please choose the criteria used to select schools and teachers to participate in this MSP program. (Select ONE primary criterion for schools and teachers.)

Selection Criteria for Teacher Participation:
		Teachers
Based on need of individual teachers Based on need of individual schools
Mandatory assignment Random assignment based on evaluation design
Volunteer
Other (Specify:_____________)

Note: If Individual teacher is selected in Question 4, go to Question 8.

If Schools are selected in Question 4, go to Question 5.

If District is selection in Question 4, go to Question 6.

If Other is selected in Question 4, go to Question 7.

5. For each school participating in MSP, indicate:

School name: ________________________________________________________________ School district name:___________________________________________________________
Type of school (Select one)	 Public
	 Charter
	 Private
	 Other (Specify): _____________
Did the school meet adequate yearly progress (AYP) during this 12-month reporting period?	Yes/No
Is the school under sanctions for missing the AYP?	Yes/No
Grade range of school (Select one)	 Elementary school
Use the locally applicable definition of elementary, middle, and high schools.	 Middle school
	 High school
	 K-12 multilevel school
	 Other (Specify): _____________
Title I status (Select one)	 School-wide
	 Targeted assistance
	 No Title I
Total enrollment number	_______________ students
Percent of students receiving free/reduced-price lunch	_______________ %
Percent of ELL students	_______________ %

(Online to include “ADD ADDITIONAL SCHOOL” function)

Note: When data for all schools are entered, go to Question 8.

6. If District is selected in Question 4, complete Questions 6a through 6c.

6a. Number of districts participating in MSP: ____________

6b. Total number of schools in all participating districts: (Use the locally applicable definition of elementary, middle, and high schools.)

Elementary schools: ___________________

Middle schools: ___________________

High schools: ___________________

Other (please specify): ___________ ___________________

6c. Percent of participating schools in district meeting Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in

this 12-month reporting period: _______________

Note: When all data for the participating district are entered, go to Question 8.

7. If Other is selected in Question 4, please describe the following (Max. 200 words):

Reason(s) for selecting an entity other than individual teachers, schools, or districts as the primary target of your MSP activities.

D. Participants for Professional Development Activities

8. Please select the type of teachers who participated in professional development during this 12-month reporting period. For each participant group, indicate the number (or approximate number) of individuals who participated in professional development.

• Include full-time and part-time teachers. Count each person in ONE area of primary responsibility (area/duty/position that involved more than 50 percent of the person’s time).

• Use locally applicable definitions of elementary, middle, and high schools.

 Elementary school teachers (self-contained or departmentalized classes)	Number ______
 Gifted and talented teachers: Elementary school	Number ______
 Special education teachers: Elementary school	Number ______
 Teachers of English language learners: Elementary school	Number ______
 Title I teachers: Elementary school	Number ______
 Non-teaching math teacher coaches (full or part time): Elementary school	Number ______
 Non-teaching science teacher coaches (full or part time): Elementary school	Number ______
 Paraprofessionals: Elementary school	Number ______

 Middle school teachers (self-contained or departmentalized classes)	Number ______
 Gifted and talented teachers: Middle school	Number ______
 Special education teachers: Middle school	Number ______
 Teachers of English language learners: Middle school	Number ______
 Title I teachers: Middle school	Number ______
 Non-teaching math teacher coaches (full or part time): Middle school	Number ______
 Non-teaching science teacher coaches (full or part time): Middle school	Number ______
 Paraprofessionals: Middle school	Number ______

 High school teachers	Number ______
 AP/IB: High school	Number ______
 Special education teachers: High school	Number ______
 Teachers of English language learners: High school	Number ______
 Title I teachers: High school	Number ______
 Non-teaching math teacher coaches: High school	Number ______
 Non-teaching science teacher coaches: High school	Number ______
 Paraprofessionals: High school	Number ______

 Administrators: Elementary school	Number ______
 Administrators: Middle school	Number ______
 Administrators: High school	Number ______

 Other (please describe):

Number ______

9. Indicate the number of students who were taught during the 12-month reporting period by the teachers who participated in MSP professional development activities. Approximate numbers of students are acceptable, but please do NOT DOUBLE COUNT students if they were taught by more than one teacher who participated in MSP.

Number of elementary school students taught by participating teachers: ___________________

Number of middle school students taught by participating teachers: ___________________

Number of high school students taught by participating teachers: ___________________

E. MSP Professional Development Models

10. How many professional development contact hours were provided for each participant during the 12-month reporting period by the project per participant? ______ hours per participant

11. Indicate the type of professional development activities were used in your project during the 12-month reporting period. Indicate duration per participant and frequency for each type of professional development model provided in the project. (Select all that apply.)

11a.  Summer Institutes	Duration in HOURS per participant	_____
	How many Summer Institutes were conducted during this 12-month reporting period?	_____
11a.1 ** If Yes to 11a, did you offer professional development service as a follow-up to Summer Institute?		Yes/No
** If Yes to 11a.1, what type and duration of Summer Institute Follow-up did you offer?
A.  On-site professional	Duration in HOURS per participant	_____
development during academic year	How many sessions were conducted during this 12-month reporting period?	_____
B.  Study groups, learning communities	Duration in HOURS per participant	_____
(e.g., lesson studies, professional learning, content course work at colleges and universities)	How many types of study groups were conducted during this 12-month reporting period?	_____
	How many times was each course conducted during this 12-month reporting period?	_____
C.  Distance learning	Duration in HOURS per participant	_____
Networks	How many times during this 12-month reporting period?	_____
D.  On-line course work	Duration in HOURS per participant	_____
	How many courses were conducted during this 12-month reporting period?	_____
	How many times was each course conducted during this 12-month reporting period?	_____
E.  Short-term	Duration in HOURS per participant	_____
professional development (e.g., workshops, conferences)	How many workshops were conducted during this 12-month reporting period?	_____
	How many times was each workshop conducted during this 12-month reporting period?	_____
F.  Other. Please specify ____________________	Duration in HOURS per participant	_______
	How many sessions were conducted during this 12-month reporting period?	_______

11b.  Professional development activities separate from Summer Institute or Summer Institute follow up
A.  On-site professional	Duration in HOURS per participant	_____
development during academic year	How many sessions were conducted during this 12-month reporting period?	_____

B.  Study groups, learning communities	Duration in HOURS per participant	_____
(e.g., lesson studies, professional learning, content course work at colleges and universities)	How many types of study groups were conducted during this 12-month reporting period?	_____
	How many times was each course conducted during this 12-month reporting period?	_____
C.  Distance learning	Duration in HOURS per participant	_____
Networks	How many times during this 12-month reporting period?	_____
D.  On-line course work	Duration in HOURS per participant	_____
	How many courses were conducted during this 12-month reporting period?	_____
	How many times was each course conducted during this 12-month reporting period?	_____
E.  Short-term	Duration in HOURS per participant	_____
professional development (e.g., workshops, conferences)	How many workshops were conducted during this 12-month reporting period?	_____
	How many times was each workshop conducted during this 12-month reporting period?	_____
F.  Other (Please specify): ____________________	Duration in HOURS per participant	_______
	How many sessions were conducted during this 12-month reporting period?	_______

12. Please describe the model for professional development and/or research base for the professional development model you used during the 12-month reporting period. (Max. 200 words)

F. Math and Science Content Taught in Professional Development

13. Please indicate the major content or topics of mathematics taught to teachers in the MSP activities during this 12-month period. Select all that apply and indicate the GRADE LEVELS OF TEACHERS to whom each topic was taught. Select “Not Apply” if your project did not target math teachers for MSP professional development during this 12-month reporting period.

Content	Elementary school teachers	Middle school teachers	High school teachers
 Number and Operations
 Algebra
 Geometry
 Measurement
 Probability and Statistics
 Problem Solving
 Reasoning and Proof
 Calculus
 Technology
 Other (Please specify): ______________________________  Not Apply

14. Please indicate the major content or topics of science taught to teachers in the MSP PD activities during this 12-month period. Select all that apply and indicate the GRADE LEVELS OF TEACHERS to whom each topic was taught. Select “Not Apply” if your project did not target science teachers for MSP professional development during this 12-month reporting period.

	Content	Elementary school teachers	Middle school teachers	High school teachers
	 Scientific Inquiry
	 Physical Science
	 Chemistry
	 Physics
	 Life Science/Biology
	 Earth Science
	 Technology
	 Other (Please specify): ______________________________
 Not Apply

G. Program Evaluation

15. Please provide a brief description of your project’s evaluation structure. (Max. 200 words)

15a.) Please indicate the MSP project’s evaluation structure. (Select one)

	Hired external evaluator Name of organization and contact information: _____________________
	MSP partnership organization staff (regardless of whether the staff conducting evaluation are also involved in the implementation of MSP activities, include staff from the partnership IHE )
	Utilized a combination of external evaluator and internal MSP partnership organization staff Name of external organization and contact information:______________________
	Statewide evaluation Other (Specify: ___________________________________________________________)

16. Indicate the primary evaluation design method used for evaluating this partnership. If you use a combination of methods, indicate the most rigorous method used in your project. (Consult your evaluator to answer the following questions.) (Select one)

	Experimental design with random assignment to treatment and control groups (Go to 17)
	Matched comparison groups (Go to 18)
	Non-matched comparison groups (Go to 19)
	Qualitative data only (Go to 20)
	Other (Specify: ___________________________________________________________)

16a. Indicate the data collection methods used in your project. (Consult your evaluator to answer the following questions.) (Select all that apply)

	Comparison with national, state, or district norms or other published data
	Pre-post data comparisons
	Post-test only
	Other (Specify: ___________________________________________________________)

17. If Experimental design with random assignment is selected please answer the following question.

17a.) Provide a succinct overview of the process to randomly assign participants. Please include a description of the evaluation design, sample size, data collection measures and process, and how the MSP impact will be determined (type of analysis). (Max. 1000 words)

18. If Matched comparison groups is selected please answer the following question;

18a.) Provide a succinct overview of the evaluation design, criteria for matching, sample size, data collection measures and process, and how the MSP impact will be determined (type of analysis). (Max. 1000 words)

19. If Non-matched comparison groups is selected please answer the following;

19a.) Provide a succinct overview of the evaluation design, a description of how comparison groups were created, sample size, data collection measures and process, and how the MSP impact will be determined (type of analysis). (Max. 1000 words)

20. Select the types of assessment measures that were used in your MSP evaluation during this 12-month reporting period. For each type of measure, describe the specific test or instrument you used. You may describe one or more tests/instruments under each type of measure.

Type of Outcome Assessment Measures Used	Name/title of assessment instruments used
 Assessment of Teacher Content Knowledge –Math	[Allow listing one or more.]
 Assessment of Teacher Content Knowledge –Science	[Allow listing one or more.]
 Other teacher assessment used for the evaluation	[Allow listing one or more.]
 State student assessment–mathematics	[Allow listing one or more.]
 State student assessment–science	[Allow listing one or more.]
 Other student assessments used for the evaluation–Math	[Allow listing one or more.]
 Other student assessments used for the evaluation–Science	[Allow listing one or more.]
 Other student assessment tools used for the evaluation	Specify the name and purpose targeted:

For each test/instrument used, describe the following information:

[The set of questions below will repeat for each test listed under Question 20.]

b) Description of the assessment measure/test (Select ONE that is most applicable.)

b.1) Nationally normed and/or standardized test

b.2) Locally developed test with evidence of validity and reliability

b.3) Locally developed test, not tested for validity and reliability

b.4) Self-report survey/rating by teachers, students, or other MSP participants

b.5) Other (Please describe.) _______________________________________

c) If a pre-test was administered:

c.1) Describe the numeric scale used and what it means. Also describe how you interpreted your results. (e.g., average score, average rating)

(Max. 200 words.)

d) If a post-test was administered:

d.1) Describe the numeric scale used and what it means. Also describe how you interpreted your results (e.g., average score, average rating)

(Max. 200 words.)

21. How are you measuring the extent to which teachers are applying lessons from the MSP PD to their classroom instruction? (Select all that apply.)

	Classroom observation (Specify protocol: _________________________________________________________)
	Video taping (Specify protocol: _________________________________________________________)
	Teacher journals, portfolios, other forms of communication (Specify protocol: _________________________________________________________)
	Blogs, other means of frequent communication with professors (Specify protocol: _________________________________________________________)
	Other (Specify: ___________________________________________________________)

22. Indicate your MSP project’s stage of implementation. (Select one.)

• Stage 1: New (conducting start-up tasks such as formalizing partnerships and implementing the professional development model for the first time)

• Stage 2: Developing (revising, enhancing, or further developing professional development model)

• Stage 3: Fully Developed (all components of the planned MSP model are fully operational)

23. Describe the major findings from your MSP evaluation to date. Please provide specific evidence to support each of your findings and indicate the project stage of development.

23a. Findings about MSP impact on teacher content knowledge and supporting evidence. Please summarize major findings. (Max. 1000 words)

23b. Findings about MSP impact on student math and/or science achievement and supporting

evidence. (Max. 1000 words).

23c. Other findings about MSP impact (e.g., systemic change in mathematics and science instruction, achievement, unexpected outcomes). (Max. 1500 words).

23d. Please upload any evaluation report prepared on this project. (Limit 25 pages)

23e. Describe the impact of the MSP project on the partner organizations. Provide evidence or indicators of this impact. (Max. 200 words.)

H. Lessons Learned and Future Plans

24. What were the major challenges in MSP implementation and MSP evaluation?

24a. Major challenges in MSP implementation (e.g., discrepancy between targeted population vs. selected participants, successes) (Max. 1000 words)

24b. Major challenges in MSP evaluation (Max.1000 words)

I. STATE EDUCATION AGENCY REVIEW

This section should be completed by the State Coordinator.

25.

Please provide a brief description of the state priorities for the year in which this project was initially funded. (Max. 100 words)

26. In which federal fiscal year(s) was this MSP project funded? Select all years for which the project was funded.

 FY 2003—July 2003 through September 2004

 FY 2004 –July 2004 through September 2005

 FY 2005--July 2005 through September 2006

 FY 2006—July 2006 through September 2007

 FY 2007 –July 2007 through September 2008

 FY 2008—July 2008 through September 2009

 FY 2009—July 2009 through September 2010

26a. MSP initial award date: _________________

26b. MSP length of award:

• 1 year

• 2 years

• 3 years

• Other (Specify: _________________)

Definitions

Departmentalized: School organization in which subjects are taught by different teachers within each grade level.

Distance learning networks: Professional development model occurring over large geographical distances using electronic communication (e.g., e-mail, web-based discussions groups).

Experimental design with random assignment: A research design based on comparing intervention outcomes between a group of teachers, students or schools who receive the MSP services (Treatment group) and a group who do not receive MSP (Control group) in which teachers, students, or schools are randomly assigned to the Treatment or the Control group. Additional information can be found at http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/resources/randomqa.html#Q2

External evaluator: Evaluator completely outside of partnership institutions.

IHE: Institution of higher education, such as a university or college.

Impact: Effectiveness attributable to the intervention (your professional development model).

Summer workshop or institute: The term summer workshop or institute means a workshop or institute, conducted during the summer, that –

1. is conducted for a period of not less than 2 weeks;

2. includes, as a component, a program that provides direct interaction

between students and faculty, and

3. provides for follow-up training during the academic year that is conducted

in the classroom for a period of not less than three consecutive or nonconsecutive days, except that –

(i) if the workshop or institute is conducted during a 2-week period, the

training shall be conducted for a period of not less than 4 days; and

(ii) if the training is for teachers in rural school districts, the training may be conducted through distance learning.

LEA: Local educational agency.

Lead organization: MSP project partner responsible for project’s fiscal and grant management, data collection and analysis, submitting the annual report, and overall project leadership.

Matched comparison groups: A research design in which the Treatment group (of schools, teachers, or students) receiving intervention (the Treatment group) is matched on specified attributes (e.g., school size, teacher background, student characteristics) with the Comparison group (schools, teachers, or students). Matching is intended to make the two groups as similar as possible except for the intervention, in the absence of random assignment procedure.

Multi-grade: Schools that serve a combination of elementary, middle school, and/or high school students.

Non-matched comparison groups: A research design in which the Treatment group members (schools, teachers, or students) are compared to the Comparison group members who are not matched on any characteristics. There could be various ways the two groups may differ aside from the difference of receiving or not receiving the MSP intervention.

On-line course work: Professional development model of college courses delivered over the Internet.

Organization: A partner of an MSP project including an engineering, mathematics, or science department of an institution of higher education, a high-need educational agency, a teacher training department of an institution of higher education, additional local education agencies, public charter schools, public or private elementary schools or secondary schools, a consortium of such schools, a business, or a non-profit or for-profit organization aiming to improve the quality of mathematics and science teachers.

Regular, substantive involvement in MSP: Involvement in MSP that constitutes important, major contribution to the design, development, and/or implementation of key aspects of your MSP program activities. The involvement need not be ongoing; the involvement can be for program administrative support as well as technical, instructive input. The involvement may also include persons who made short-term but significant contributions to your MSP activities.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. When are reports due?

Annually

Each MSP project is required to report its MSP activities during each 12-month period after the award of the MSP grant. You have 60 days beyond the end of each 12-month reporting period for submitting the report to the U.S. Department of Education through your State Coordinator. For example, if your grant award date is September 1, 2005, your report would include activities that took place from September 1, 2005, through August 31, 2006, and the Annual Performance Report is due to the U.S. Department of Education by the end of October 2006.

Because the award dates differ among grantees, the due dates also vary. However, ALL reports for the preceding Federal Fiscal Year (July – June for MSP grants) MUST BE SUBMITTED by December 31 of the following year.

2. What time period does the report cover?

The time period for the report is for the previous 12-month annual performance period.

3. What should a project do if all data to be reported are not available when the report is due?

Submit what data you have available by December 31.

4. What is the involvement of state coordinators in the reporting process?

State coordinators review each report for their state and officially submit the report to the U.S. Department of Education.

5. How should local evaluation reports be submitted?

Evaluation reports are submitted as files uploaded within the evaluation section of the online reporting form.

6. Whom should I contact with questions?

For questions about the MSP program, legislation, and national policy guidance, contact the U.S. Department of Education:

Mike Kestner [email protected]

Pilla Parker [email protected]

Pat O’Connell Ross [email protected]

For questions about MSP annual reports and submission of annual report data, contact Abt Associates Inc.:

Lori Kurth [email protected]
Katie Finkowski [email protected]

Fumiyo Tao [email protected]

For technical questions about how to use the online reporting form, contact Washington Software, Inc.:

Andrew Leung [email protected]