Identifying the Conditions Under Which Large Scale Professional Development Policy Initiatives are Related to Teacher Knowledge, Instructional Practices, and Student Reading Outcomes

Alysia Roehrig, Ph. D.
Funded by the U.S. Department of Education

The purpose of this study is to identify what professional development activities associated with Reading First efforts predict teacher knowledge of reading instruction, use of instructional practices in line with scientifically based reading research (SBRR), and teachers' student achievement outcomes on oral reading fluency, reading comprehension, and phonological awareness skills. These results will identify features of professional development (PD) that could be used to develop interventions for future experimental testing. While the Reading First policy has lead to more professional development for teachers related to reading in our neediest schools, the quantity and quality of professional development varies between schools. This study takes advantage of the natural variation as well as the wealth of data already collected by the Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR) related to Reading First implementation to identify professional development that seems to work.