Program Evaluation

Illustrative Projects

Evaluation of the College Readiness Field Test Assignments (CRAFT)

Funded by: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Conducted a statewide evaluation of the effectiveness of the College Readiness Assignments: project-based assignments based on the College and Career Readiness Standards, designed to assist students in achieving college readiness.

Systematic classroom observation, interviews and surveys will be used to examine three program components:

  • Planning, design, implementation and management of the field-testing for CRAs
  • Partnerships between public institutions of higher education and public schools
  • Implementation of professional development for CRAs

Evaluation of the Mathematics, Science & Technology Teacher Preparation (MSTTP) Academies

Funded by: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Conducted studies to evaluate the effectiveness of more than 15 teacher preparation academies focused on mathematics, science and technology located across Texas at institutions of higher education, including:

  • Texas A&M University,
  • University of Texas,
  • Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi,
  • University of Texas – El Paso,
  • Texas A&M University – Commerce,
  • University of Texas – Tyler, and
  • Tarleton State University.

Academies were established with the goal of increasing the number of highly qualified mathematics, science and technology teachers while also improving the quality of certified teachers in these areas.

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Evaluation of the College and Career Readiness Initiatives (CCRI) Faculty Collaboratives

Funded by: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

The CCRI Faculty Collaboratives evaluation project contains a series of sub-studies examining the effectiveness of workshops and symposia conducted by the collaboratives along with evaluation of overall impact of the collaboratives on faculty members participating in events. Through this project, the ERC has explored issues of professional development for higher education faculty and on the reform of college teaching and educator preparation as it relates to the College and Career Readiness Initiative.

Methods include:

  • Case studies,
  • Event observations,
  • Event surveys (during and after), and
  • Follow-up phone interviews of faculty participants.

The ERC designed these evaluation methods and has reported to the THECB on progress of the CCRI by the faculty collaboratives.

The CCRI Faculty Collaboratives are hosted by four institutions of higher education, each representing one of the four core subject areas:

  • Science,
  • Mathematics,
  • Social Studies, and
  • English Language Arts.

The purpose of the faculty collaboratives is to provide faculty development opportunities, symposia, mini-grants, and other activities designed to increase college and university faculty knowledge of the CCR standards and to improve the alignment of the core curriculum at public colleges and universities.

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