Evidence-Based Impact Study Shows Goalbook is Linked to Increased Student Literacy Outcomes

Independent research study looks into the 5+ years partnership between Lima City Schools and Goalbook to improve instructional design in each and every classroom.

Summary

An independent research study conducted by Evidentally, a research organization dedicated to providing K-12 educators with evidence of “what works,” found that educator usage of Goalbook Pathways is positively linked to increased student literacy scores in a districtwide study in Lima City Schools, Ohio.

The principal finding is that an increase in student literacy scores is correlated with teachers using Goalbook Pathways to unpack academic standards. The positive effect on literacy was strongest for certain subgroups, such as for eighth-grade, black, and male students.

“This research confirms that Goalbook is having a meaningful impact on empowering our teachers to support the success of all of our students. We see that our collective efforts to facilitate our Teacher-based Teams and instructional planning really can make a difference in improving outcomes for specific student populations.”

—Jill Ackerman, Superintendent of Lima City Schools

Background and Study Design

The Tiers of Evidence outlined in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) provide schools and districts with a framework for determining which programs, practices, and interventions work, in which contexts, and for which students.

Evidentally designed an ESSA Tier 3 study in Lima City Schools, Ohio, that aimed at establishing statistical association between Goalbook Pathways product usage and student literacy outcomes. The formative measurement used was the Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) for students in grades 3 through 8.

In Lima City Schools, teachers engage in learning communities known as Teacher-based Teams. Within these teams, teachers use Goalbook Pathways to access resources not only to build their understanding in designing effective instruction, but also to maximize efficiency within the time constraints allotted for collective inquiry.

Unpacking Standards Leads to Effective Instruction

The impact study suggests that effective instructional planning is the key to designing effective instruction that increases student outcomes.

Specifically, teachers engaging in backwards planning in their professional learning community, or teacher-based team, was the greatest factor associated with positive student outcomes.

In order to backwards plan, teachers require access to high-quality instructional resources to unpack academic standards, create appropriate assessments to evaluate student progress, and ultimately design effective instruction in the classroom aligned to the grade-level standards. The need for these resources is why Teacher-based Teams at Lima City Schools used Goalbook Pathways to support their instructional planning process.

The unpacked standards in Goalbook Pathways guide teachers in understanding the key question: “What are students expected to know and do?” When teachers understand the essential elements of a standard and how to assess the standard, they develop a deeper understanding of the standard for instructional planning.

An increase in student literacy was correlated with Teacher-based Teams accessing the unpacking standards in Goalbook Pathways. A one-percentile gain in the Scholastic Reading Inventory was associated, on average, with three counts of the Viewed Unpacked Standard action.

When teachers used Goalbook Pathways as part of their instructional planning process, the strongest association with increased student literacy was found in four student subgroups:

Using Goalbook Pathways only once a week was sufficient to have a positive effect of 10 percentiles overall for all students, 16 percentiles for black students, and 27 percentiles for grade 8 students.

Goalbook’s Mission to Empower Educators

Goalbook’s mission is to empower educators to transform instruction so that ALL students succeed.

The impact study results are highly encouraging in that literacy scores increased with just modest usage of Goalbook resources. It shows that positive outcomes for students can be achieved with teacher learning communities engaging in effective instructional planning.

We are excited to continue our longstanding partnership with the Lima City Schools team and to work with independent research partners to measure the impact of good instructional practices.

Goalbook is committed to supporting independent research that helps deepen our collective understanding of how to improve instructional outcomes and promote continuous improvement.