I CAN Learn® Math was implemented in five Missouri middle schools in Fall 2004. All of these schools scored far below the state average in 2003-2004 on the state-required 8th grade "MAP" exam. The percentage of students scoring "Proficient" or "Advanced" in the top two categories in 2004 ranged from .4 to 9.6, while the state percentage was 13.9.
In 2005, the state percentage rose to 15.5%. The five schools, now using I CAN Learn® Math in the 8th grade, all showed improvement (see Figure 1), with one school rising above the state average.
Fig. 1. Percent of students scoring Proficient or Advanced on 8th Grade MAP, 2004-2005
In order to match No Child Left Behind and NAEP standards, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education changed the performance levels on MAP from 5 categories through 2006 to just 4 categories in 2006. Thus, year-to-year comparisons after 2006 are difficult and should be interpreted with caution. The top two categories remain "Proficient" and "Advanced," but they now include some students who would have scored in the middle category, "Near Proficient," in prior years. Thus, the percentages of students in these categories increased across the state in 2006.
In an attempt to determine how well schools performed after using I CAN Learn® Math for two full years, a method for comparison across years was established which indexed all school results to the state results. Figure 2 shows that all five schools again advanced relative to the state in 2006. Although four of these schools are still performing below the state average, all began gaining ground relative to the state after implementing I CAN Learn® Math.
NOTE: Data available at http://dese.mo.gov/planning/profile/096088.html; retrieved 9/13/2006