Large-Scale Evaluations of Curricular Effectiveness: The Case of Elementary Mathematics in Indiana
Bhatt R, Koedel C · 2012
grade Cquasi-experimentindependentreplicated
Sample
State-scale matching across Indiana elementary schools
Population
Indiana elementary schools, pre-Common-Core.
Design
Non-experimental matching on observable school characteristics, comparing schools that adopted different elementary mathematics textbooks. Same identification limits as the California study.
Key findings
Structured, practice-heavy elementary mathematics texts beat the alternatives by ~0.05-0.10 SD per year in Indiana, with larger gains for low-income students — but the advantage faded rather than compounding.
Genetic confound
Non-experimental; matching is on school observables, not student genotype. The low-income heterogeneity should be read as descriptive.
Replication notes
Same direction and magnitude as the later California study by an overlapping team, and as the Agodini RCT.
Effects
| Outcome | Metric | Value | Measure | Timing | Vs | Horizon | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saxon Math vs Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley | SD/yr | +0.05 to +0.10, larger for low-income students | standardized | annual | active-alternative | end-of-treatment | domain-skill |
| Durability | pattern | the advantage faded over time | standardized | multi-year | active-alternative | unclear | domain-skill |
Cited by
- Curriculum choice as a school-level levermixedconf: highgc: low
- Math curriculum choice — how much does the textbook matter?mixedconf: highgc: low