The University of California Office of the President (UCOP) has contracted with SRI since 2002 to evaluate the professional development activities of the California Subject Matter Project (CSMP) and their impact on teachers and students. The CSMP was established in 1988 by SB 1882 (Swofford) to build California's ability to provide teachers with high-quality professional development across the disciplines. The nine-member network provides content-rich subject matter professional development in the following areas: the arts, history-social studies, international studies, mathematics, physical education and health, reading and literature, science, world languages, and writing. Each of the projects supports a number of regional sites throughout California.
SRI's work with the CSMP is designed to meet three related goals: (1) provide staff at the project and site levels with data that can help them continuously improve their programs, (2) determine the effects of Project activities on teachers and on students, and (3) build the research capacity of the CSMP. To meet these goals, SRI has conducted surveys, case studies of programs in each of the nine projects, and quasi-experimental analyses of the effects of the CSMP on student achievement. Additionally, SRI has provided technical support for sites' local inquiry projects.
To meet our goals this year, efforts focus on three areas: (1) a cross-project pilot study, (2) technical support to sites, and (3) a literature review. For the cross-project research, we are developing an evaluation design and piloting data collection tools such as observation protocols, surveys, and teacher assignment and student work collection to capture the effect of the CSMP. This pilot study includes the California Mathematics Project, California Reading and Literature Project, California International Studies Project, and California Physical Education and Health Project. In addition to the cross-project research, we are continuing to provide technical support to staff at the project and site levels to build their research capacity. Finally, we are conducting a comprehensive literature review of previous studies of individual projects to provide UCOP and the CSMP with a better understanding of existing research on the CSMP.
