Professional development and high-stakes testing

 This study, published in the International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, examines the relationship between teacher participation in a multi-year, K-6 professional development (PD) effort and "high stakes" science test scores. A total of 1,269 elementary school teachers participated in the PD program, which utilized regional summer workshops and distance education to help the teachers learn science concepts, inquiry teaching strategies, and how to adapt science inquiry lessons to teach and reinforce skills in the language arts. Findings of the study showed that there was a significant positive relationship between the PD hours experienced by the teachers and student gains.