| The increased focus on school accountability, coupled with high levels of scrutiny over use of public education funding, has continued to fuel the debate over the efficacy of Arizona's Career Ladder program. Although the program has experienced longevity when compared to similar initiatives in other states, it has been subject to debate since inception over twenty years ago. At the heart of this issue is the question: "Do students in Career Ladder districts learn as much or achieve as well as students who are in non-Career Ladder districts?" This research study evaluates the achievement of students in Career Ladder districts and compares it with the achievement of students in comparable, non-Career Ladder districts, using the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) and Terra Nova tests as a basis for student achievement. It also compares the performance of students in Career Ladder districts with Arizona state averages.; Career Ladder districts were paired with comparable non-Career Ladder districts to analyze the differences in means of the paired student performance data sets for 2005 and 2006. Statistical t-tests were used to determine if the measured differences in means were statistically significant, to analyze the impact of the Career Ladder program on student performance. T-tests are used to determine if observed differences in the means of two groups are statistically significant, at a predetermined alpha level, by accounting for differences in variability of the two groups. In this study, the means of paired Career Ladder and non-Career Ladder districts were compared for each grade level and test area for 2005 and 2006 AIMS-DPA testing. The calculated t-values for each set of paired means determined if the differences in the means were statistically significant. In other words, the observed differences in average scores between Career Ladder and non-Career Ladder districts were analyzed to determine if students in Career Ladder districts outperformed students in comparable non-Career Ladder districts.; The results of this study provide evidence that students in Career Ladder districts outperform students in non-Career Ladder districts in only about 20% of the tests analyzed. When compared to state averages, student performance in Career Ladder districts was statistically higher in only about 8% of the tests analyzed.; These results lead one to question whether the millions of dollars invested in Arizona's Career Ladder program are well spent. While further study is likely needed before this program should be abandoned, this study could be the stimulus for more research on the program's efficacy. |
