| The study investigated practices used by Coalition of Essential Schools "member schools" to implement the Coalition's "Nine Common Principles." A first hypothesis proposed that schools which "lowered the student load for teachers to 80 or fewer," as suggested by Common Principles Six and Nine, would increase reported student achievement more than schools not focusing on this principle. A second hypothesis proposed that "having students demonstrate their skills and knowledge," as suggested in Common Principle Six, would increase student achievement. The survey also investigated the range of member school practices and Principles reported most successfully implemented.;Data were collected through a 27 page survey, endorsed by CES central staff, signed by Chair of CES, Theodore Sizer, and mailed to the 238 member schools. There were 121 valid responses from schools. The survey was coded and entered into the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, which analyzed the correlation among 269 demographic, planning, implementation, and outcome variables. Four reported measures of student achievement changes, which included standardized test scores, college entrance rates and a "good index" of school improvement, were used as dependent variables.;The survey data supported hypothesis number one since a statistically significant relationship was found between questions concerning lowering the student load on teachers and three of the four dependent variables concerning student achievement gains. Hypothesis number two, on the other hand, was not supported. No measures of Principle Six were found to be related statistically to any of the dependent variables. The range and focus of practices by member schools were reported. Overall, schools reported the most success implementing Principles Four, One, Three, Five, and Seven (personalizing education, increasing intellectual focus, making goals apply to all students, focusing on "students as workers," and improving the school's tone and expectation). The least success was reported in implementing Principles Six and Nine (graduation by exhibition and lowering teacher load).;The study suggests that while schools report difficulty in doing so, they should focus on lowering the student load on teachers as one means of increasing student achievement. Further study should be conducted to understand the practices of schools which have lowered the load on teachers and increased student achievement. There is considerable data collected for this project not yet fully investigated. |
