Eric.ed.gov – Assessing Early Impacts of School-of-One: Evidence from the Three School-Wide Pilots

So1 is a new, individualized, technology-rich math program being implemented in three New York City middle schools. The program offers a high level of customization for each student, both in the content and material with which students engage, and in the teaching and learning modalities that are used to enhance students’ mastery of the material. Student, teacher, and parent surveys as well as ongoing assessment information inform how the program is tailored for each student. So1 is the recipient of a three-year, five million dollar Investing in Innovation (I3) development grant from the federal Department of Education, and was named one of the top fifty inventions of 2009 by Time magazine. The proposed paper evaluates the effectiveness of So1 in improving math test scores in its first year of complete implementation. While the study adds to previous research on So1 conducted by the Education Development Center for Children and Technology (CCT) and the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE), our study is the first independent evaluation of this new, expanding program. This study’s preliminary assessment of impact will contribute to program development for future I3 development as So1 continues to evolve. (Contains 4 footnotes.)