Effectiveness of the
Talent Development Middle Grades
Program
Evaluations of the program show that it has improved student achievement in reading and
language arts, math, and science, in addition to helping schools facing district or state
sanctions due to weak performance and poor climate.
Effectiveness in Reading and Language Arts
Two studies show that students at schools implementing Talent Development
outperformed students at control schools in reading comprehension achievement gains.
For many students these gains were quite substantial: 54% of the students at Talent
Development students (versus just 45% of the students in the comparison schools) gained
over 5 normal curve equivalents (NCEs) during the middle grades. As a result, by the
end of 8th grade, students in Talent Development schools were significantly more likely
to be classified as “proficient” readers and significantly less likely to be classified as
“below basic” readers (4, 7).
Effectiveness in Mathematics
Four studies show that students at schools implementing Talent Development had greater
math achievement than students at control schools (1, 2, 3, and 5). The third-party
evaluation of 8th grade math achievement found that Talent Development students
achieved 4 NCEs higher (3). In addition, Talent Development schools made greater
progress in closing the math achievement gap and reducing the number of students
achieving at the lowest level (2, 3, and 5).
Effectiveness in Science
An analysis of a cohort of students from 4th through 7th grades found that they achieved in
science at higher levels than students at control schools and were 7-8% more likely to
move up from the lowest levels of science performance (8).
Effectiveness in Whole-school Reform
A high-poverty urban school failing to meet AYP and facing reconstitution implemented
Talent Development. The results from 2 cohorts of students showed them receiving
significantly different classroom experiences from students at a control site, and
outperforming them in math, reading, and science achievement gains, as well as
promotion rates. This led to the school’s removal from the reconstitution-eligible list (6).
In a related finding, students at Talent Development Schools reported the development of
a more positive school culture than that reported by comparison students. This culture
was characterized by teachers who exhibit pedagogical caring, peers who actively support
achievement, and students who are confident that they are learning a lot (4).
References
(1) Balfanz, Robert, Mac Iver, Douglas, & Byrnes, Vaughn (2005). The implementation
and impact of evidence-based mathematics reforms in high-poverty middles
schools: A multi-site, multi-year study. Journal for Research in Math Education.
(2) Balfanz, Robert & Byrnes, Vaughn (2005). Closing the mathematics achievement gap
in high-poverty middle schools: Enablers and constraints. Journal on the
Education of Students Placed At Risk.
(3) Herlihy, Corinne. and Kemple, James. (2004). The Talent Development Middle
School: Context, components, and initial impacts on students’ performance and
attendance. New York: MDRC (available at www.mdrc.org).
(4) Mac Iver, Douglas, Balfanz, Robert, Ruby, Allen, Byrnes, Vaughn, Lorentz, Susan, &
Jones, Leslie (2004). Developing adolescent literacy in high-poverty middle
schools: The impact of Talent Development’s reforms across multiple years and
sites. Pintrich and M.L. Maehr (Eds.), Motivating students, improving schools:
The legacy of Carol Midgley (Advances in Motivation and Achievement, 13), 185207. Oxford, U.K.: Elsevier.
(5) Mac Iver, Douglas, Balfanz, Robert, Ruby, Allen, & Byrnes, Vaughn (2004). Raising
mathematics achievement in high-poverty middle schools in Philadelphia through
whole-school and whole-district reforms. Paper presented at the 2004 meeting of
the American Educational Research Association. San Diego, CA.
(6) Mac Iver, D. J., Ruby, A., Balfanz, R. & Byrnes, V. (2003). Removed from the list:
A comparative longitudinal case study of a reconstitution-eligible school, Journal
of Curriculum and Supervision, 18(3): 204-221.
(7) Plank, Steve. & Young, Estelle. (2000). Lessons for scaling up: Evaluations of the
Talent Development Middle Schools Student Team Literature Program.
(CRESPAR Report 46) Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Center for
Research on the Education of Students Placed At Risk.
(8) Ruby, Allen. (2003). Science reform within whole school reform: Results from the
Talent Development Middle School model”, Annual Meeting of the American
Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL.