Dart Math Data
DESCRIPTION:
The mathematics instructors at Santa Susana High School determined that students receiving lower than average test scores could benefit from a teacher – led after school tutoring program. The program, called DART Math, began during the fall 2004 semester. Students recommended by their teachers to attend received a letter describing the program, in addition to a contract explaining expectations. In order to maximize their learning experience, students were asked to bring specific assignments from their classes or a test to review. Attending three one – half our sessions enabled individuals to retake a test and receive a maximum 75% score. They could repeat this process up to three times per semester. (The mathematics department decided that giving students more credit would remove the incentive to master the standards when originally taught.)
RESULTS:
Data indicates that most students improved their test scores as a result of attending the Dart Math sessions. Although a particular student’s new score might have decreased from their original, another score from the same test showed improvement. For example, some students who retook the chapter 9 test in Algebra II scored less than their original score, but others demonstrated a significant increase in their score. Of the 35 scores sampled for this analysis, 26, or 74 % increased. (Note that four scores were reported by an instructor as an overall increase in letter grade.) Although one can obtain STAR scores for students who attended the sessions, individuals who attended did not do so frequently enough to determine a correlation between DART math attendance and STAR score change. Note that 24 out of 31 students (77%) received final grades of “C” or better.
RECOMMENDATION:
The mathematics department unanimously recommends continuing with the DART Math program. This year, the analysis will include a larger sampling of students, together with the STAR scores for students who regularly attend tutoring sessions and take advantage of the opportunity to retake a particular test. Students who attended developed a more positive attitude toward mathematics and were eager to ask questions to better master the content standards.
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