Enhancing Program Quality in Science and Mathematics

Bridging the quality gulf between design and results

Demand for improved science and mathematics education for all students continues to grow. Programs that promise to support this education exist in thousands of communities across the country. The question is―how do we know if these programs reflect best practice and will achieve the results their designers intend and their funders expect?

The authors draw from current research and effective programs around the country to create an improvement philosophy―Profiling Program Quality―that helps programs measure and improve results. Profiling Program Quality reflects the best of what we know about professional development, instruction, and learning. 

Joyce Kaser is a Senior Program Associate in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Program at WestEd. She has extensive experience in program evaluation, primarily the evaluation of STEM programs. She has served as a team member for the development of two frameworks for the National Assessment of Educational Progress: Science, 2009 and Technology and Engineering Literacy, 2014. Joyce also led the development of the background variables for students, teachers, and administrators participating in NAEP and was co-lead of the standard setting for the NAEP 2009 science project. Joyce has had numerous experiences in evaluating STEM professional development, including co-developing an external validation system for professional development and student enrichment programs. She is first author of , also published by Corwin. Joyce has been the facilitator for the New Mexico Secretary of Education’s Math and Science Advisory Council and has evaluated National Science Foundation educational outreach projects. Prior to joining WestEd, Joyce directed the Washington, D.C. office of The NETWORK, a research and development organization, headed up an equity assistance center, and served as a district administrator and high school teacher. Currently she is involved in research of mathematics and science programs, looking specifically at learning progressions in science, computer-based tutoring systems, and program implementation. She holds an EdD from The American University.

Susan Loucks-Horsley was the lead author of the first edition of Designing Professional Development for Teachers of Science and Mathematics and directed the professional development research for the National Institute for Science Education on which the book is based. At the time of her passing in 2000, Susan was the associate executive director of Biological Sciences and Curriculum Study (BSCS) and senior research associate for science and mathematics at WestEd. She had previously served as director of pro­fessional development and outreach at the National Research Council’s Center for Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Education, where she promoted and monitored standards-based education, especially the National Science Education Standards. Susan was a leading researcher, writer, and professional developer who enjoyed collaborating with others to address education’s toughest problems. She was the lead author of sev­eral books, including Continuing to Learn: A Guidebook for Teacher Develop­ment, An Action Guide for School Improvement, and Elementary School Science for the 90s. In addition, she wrote numerous reports on teacher development for the National Center for Improving Science Education, as well as chap­ters and articles on related topics. While at the University of Texas/Austin Research and Development Center for Teacher Education, she worked on the development team of the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM), a classic framework for understanding and leading change efforts.