BRIDGING
THE GAP:
EQUITY IN SYSTEMIC REFORM
Discovery is one of the few statewide reform
initiatives in science and mathematics education to have as its goal the
bridging of any learning gaps related to gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic
status, or geographic location. Supported by funding from the National Science
Foundation and the Ohio General Assembly, Discoverys research and
evaluation efforts focus on the process of reform, the identification of
persistent barriers to reform, and the effectiveness of its reform initiatives
in addressing equity issues. Research findings contribute to theory-based
recommendations that are applicable to individual schools, to school
districts, to teacher professional development programs in colleges and
universities, and to states involved in reforming mathematics and science
education. Its findings are useful to both practitioners and policymakers.
Discovery uses a multilevel research design to
assess the efficacy of the mathematics and science education reform in Ohio.
Both qualitative and quantitative data are collected and analyzed. Its three
levels of data collection include a large random sample of schools (Level A)
where questionnaire data on teachers and principals are collected; a sub sample
of approximately 14 schools (Level B) where interview, observation, community
support, and student achievement data are collected, and a subset of 5 schools
(Level C) where intensive case study data are collected. The schools in Level
B and C are located in Ohios urban centers and extreme rural areas where
issues of equity are most serious nationally.
