This project's first goal is to study the national landscape of mathematics intervention classes, which are additional classes provided to struggling students, including learners with and without identified disabilities. We administered a survey to a nationally representative sample of 2,024 urban and suburban public schools with grades 6-8 to find out how these classes are being implemented and the types of challenges faced. Approximately 43% of schools (876 schools) responded to the survey; the findings revealed widespread implementation of these classes (69% of schools) and highlighted a range of practices in terms of class size, scheduling, duration, staffing and content focus. Our project's second goal is to apply the survey findings to design professional development to support teachers of mathematics intervention classes, helping them to build knowledge and practices for addressing students' wide range of learning needs.
Publications:
MacVicar, T., Brodesky, A., & Fagan, E. (in press). The power of interviewing students: using interviews to uncover student thinking and guide instruction. Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PreK-12.
Brodesky, A., Fagan, E., & MacVicar, T. (in press). Strengthen mathematics intervention to promote student success: suggestions for middle grades principals. Principal Leadership.