Results

The Edmonds School District staff development program was modeled after a successful National Science Foundation grant focused on math. The model of teacher leadership and teacher-led professional development served as the foundation for the design of the expanded district professional development program.

Findings from the math project indicate:

1. Teacher leaders made substantial changes in their beliefs and practices, including how they organized their classroom, how they taught and how they observed, assessed, and recorded student performance.
2. Teachers valued working together and positively responded to the teacher leader model.
3. Teacher leaders played a critical role in leading and supporting their colleagues to learn and practice new conception of mathematics and teaching.
4. The fact that the professional model offered both summer institutes and school-year sessions over time signaled to teachers a major serious commitment to their learning by the district.
5. Teachers made visible changes in their classroom, in their use of materials in their teaching as a result of professional development.

Math scores on the district's Level Tests increased from 1995-96 to 1997-98 at every grade level.

	Grade 3	Grade 4	Grade 5	Grade 6	Grade 7	Grade 8
1995-96	12.8	9.1	3.4	7.0	5.2	5.7
1997-98	12.8	10.0	3.7	8.0	6.7	6.8

CTBS results have improved during the last four years.

Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills
Grade 8	Reading	Language	Math	Total
1994	53	50	47	50
1995	53	52	48	51
1996	54	52	50	53
1997	54	52	51	53

The performance of students on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning also indicated improvement. The state's assessment in writing changed between 1997 and 1998 and the new test required students to demonstrate a more complex form of writing. The table also indicates that students' performance in Edmonds exceeded state scores.

Washington Assessment of Student Learning, 4th Grade
	Math		Reading		Writing		Listening
	1997	1998	1997	1998	1997	1998	1997	1998
Edmonds	26.8	33.3	54.0	57.4	49.2	41.7	62.3	72.9
State	21.4	31.2	47.9	55.6	42.7	36.7	62.2	71.3

Overall the district has experienced a narrowing of the achievement gap for students in high and low SES groups in the last several years. Schools with the highest percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch are achieving at or above the district growth average.

Site Visit Documentation

Criteria	Evidence
Collected data provide evidence that the professional development activities lead to improved teaching.	A large number of teachers are involved in professional development and their testimony supports the connection between teacher and student learning. Teachers are requesting more high-level, top-notch workshops. Teachers are encouraged to attain National Board of Professional Teaching Standards certification. Student portfolios and classroom observations reflect high quality instruction.
Collected data provide evidence that the professional development activities lead to improved student learning.	Disaggregated data from state and district testing indicate long-term improvements. Students work toward a certificate of mastery. Student portfolios demonstrate quality performance and standards-based assessments are used to measure student growth.
Collected data provide evidence that the professional development activities lead to a narrowing of exiting achievement gaps.	Districts and schools focus on improving performance of students within special populations. The gap between students in high and low SES groups is narrowing over time. The district disaggregates student achievement data. These data are used to make decisions. Each school selects a focus area for a school year. Classroom teachers work with individual students' needs.

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This resource is developed and maintained by The Education Alliance at Brown University. Seed funding was provided by the U.S. Department of Education. Send comments to: loom@alliance.brown.edu