Implementation and Value-Added Analysis of Learning Teams
Implementation and Value Added Analysis of Learning Teams
By Glen Daley, Ph.D.
Inter-Office Report to Director of Research and Planning: Department of Research and Planning: Los Angeles Unified School District (2008).
In October 2008, LAUSD’s Department of Research & Planning conducted an independent evaluation of student outcomes connected with teacher workgroups in LAUSD schools after the first full year of Learning Teams implementation. The analysis was based on student growth as measured by achievement on the CST. A comparison group of non-Learning Teams schools was used to help ensure that observed LT outcomes were not the result of disproportionate implementation in schools unlike other schools in LAUSD. Their report indicated the following:
Schools varied greatly in their implementation of LT workgroups.§ Most schools had at least one high-implementing teacher workgroup, including schools with very few workgroups. This suggests that even where overall commitment to Learning Teams may be weak, a small group of committed teachers can make a workgroup achieve a high level of implementation over time.
§ In a few schools, there was consistently high implementation across large numbers of workgroups. This suggests that overall leadership support at the school site played a role in promoting high levels of implementation across multiple grades and subjects.
Schools with at least one high-implementing workgroup showed slightly higher growth than demographically matched comparison schools in most subjects, and impressively higher growth in a few subjects, including ELA grade 11, Algebra grades 8 & 10, History/Social Studies grade 8, Science grade 8, and Integrated Coordinated Science 1 (ICS1).