The importance of evidence-based curriculum can not be overstated.  Particularly when it comes to students struggling in academic environments, high-quality instructional tools are crucial to turning the tide of academic failure and creating a positive culture of success in the school site.

An often overlooked area of critical need, however, is evidence of staff development effectiveness.  High-quality instructional programs combined with intensive, high-quality, evidence-based staff development are capable of producing dramatic gains in a short amount of time across multiple environments.  However, when those high-quality programs are combined with poor or even average training and support, dramatic improvements are seldom realized.

JP Associates collects student performance data with all of their partner schools to ensure that all students are succeeding as rapidly and dramatically as possible.  The evidence presented here is specific to schools implementing the Direct Instruction reading programs described earlier in this section in intervention settings with intensive staff development support from JP Associates.

Duval County Public Schools
The next three charts represent data collected from ten schools in Duval County Public Schools in Jacksonville, Florida. These schools began receiving support from JP Associates in 1998. Although the control group of students were also taught using Direct Instruction programs, the teachers in that school did not participate in JP’s pre-service training and did not receive follow-up coaching from JP School Improvement Specialists.

The difference in student outcomes across so many schools is significant and underscores the importance and effectiveness of JP’s School Improvement Model.

The first chart demonstrates the longitudinal effects of two consecutive years of staff development support.

Annual reading gains made by intact cohort  taught by the same JP trained teacher over a two year period.  Grades: Kindergarten- First; Location: JP Partner Schools in Duval County Public Schools, Jacksonville, Florida.  Test: Woodcock; Years: 1998-2000

Reading gains made by students taught by teachers with JP staff development compared to reading gains made by students taught by non-JP trained teachers. Grades: K-3; Location: Duval County Public Schools, Jacksonville, Florida Test: Woodcock; Year: 1999-2000.

Reading gains made by students taught by teachers with JP staff development compared to reading gains made by students taught by non-JP trained teachers.  Grade: Kindergarten; Location: Duval County Public Schools, Jacksonville, Florida Test: Woodcock-Johnson; Year: 1999-2000

Portland Elementary School, Portland, Arkansas
Portland Elementary has received staff development support from JP Associates since 1995. Annual evaluations have been completed by JP and the state of Arkansas to determine the overall effectiveness of the implementation. NCE scores from the SAT9 have demonstrated annual growth in all subjects and skills.

The following chart demonstrates the progress of all children, K-6, in Total Reading NCE’s based on national norms for the SAT9.

In a situation where you would expect 25% of the population to achieve at the 75th percentile and above, Portland had 59% of the students at that level. Also where you would expect 50% of the population to achieve at the 50th percentile and above, Portland had a total of 89% in that category.

More importantly, Portland had 0% of the student body below the 25th percentile where you would normally expect 25%.

Percentiles for Total Reading. Grades: K-6; Location: Portland Elementary School, Portland, Arkansas.  Test: SAT 9; Year 2001.

Portland Elementary’s performance on the Arkansas State Assessment was also measured longitudinally in fourth grade classrooms to ensure that students entering intermediate grades were making consistent progress.  In a rural school with free and reduced lunch rates measuring almost 70% (69%), there are often reduced expectations.
As the table below will demonstrate, however, all students enrolled in 4th grade classes (both regular education and intervention) at Portland Elementary reached proficiency.

Arkansas Benchmark Exam Performance for all students at Portland Elementary School, Portland, Arkansas.  Test: Arkansas Benchmark Exam; Years 2000-2003.

Old West End Academy (Charter School)
Since its opening at the start of the 2001-2002 school year in Toledo, Ohio, Old West End Academy has expanded from Grades Pre-K–3 to Pre-K–7 and serves roughly 244 students:
93% African American, 6% Caucasian, and 1% multicultural. Sixty-one percent qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

The following table shows student proficiency as measured on the Ohio Reading Achievement Test in 2004 with staff development support from JP Associates compared to regular district public and charter schools not using the Direct Instruction curricula and not receiving support from JP Associates.

Toledo City School District percentage of students at or above proficient in reading at Old West End Academy compared to all other Toledo schools not utilizing Direct Instruction or JP Associates staff development support  for 2004.