Student performance as aligned to teacher perception: A study of high school geometry performance in a large public school district and the impact of No Child Left Behind

This study consisted of two components: a quantitative study measuring the changes in student performance on one district’s geometry CRT semester exams from 2002 to 2007 and a qualitative study interviewing teachers as to their perception of changes in student performance and which of these changes were attributable to actions taken by the district to improve the geometry curriculum. The impetus for this study was the “No Child Left Behind of 2001” Federal Act (Public Law 107-110) signed into law by President George W. Bush on January 8, 2002. The stated purpose of this act was “to close the achievement gap with accountability, flexibility, and choice, so that no child is left behind.” The high school math departments of a 30,000+ student, K-12 school district in the Midwest responded by implementing wide-ranging curriculum and testing changes with special emphasis in algebra and geometry courses throughout all four (now six) high schools in the district. The quantitative findings showed numerous significant changes in student performance over the years with a small number of improvements, a large number of declines, and a positive change in the student demographic taking geometry. A future study could look into the impact these demographic changes are having on achievement as students with typically lesser ability are now enrolling in geometry in this district. The teacher interviews revealed a great appreciation for district curriculum efforts with: positive comments toward the more consistent objective-based approach, better assessment design and awareness, and recognition that more students who had never typically taken geometry were now attempting the course and having some success