Effects of Acceptability on Teachers' Implementation of Curriculum-Based Measurement and Student Achievement in Mathematics Computation

Abstract

We investigated the hypothesis that treatment acceptability influences teachers' use of a formative evaluation system (curriculum-based measurement) and, relatedly, the amount of gain effected in math for their students. Twenty-one special education teachers implemented curriculum-based measurement for 4 months. On the basis of their responses to a questionnaire assessing treatment acceptability of curriculum-based measurement, teachers were divided into groups (high- and low-acceptability). We compared the two groups of teachers on (a) five measures of implementation and (b) amount of growth evidenced by their students in math. Results indicated that high- and low-acceptability teachers differed on two of five implementation measures, and that there was a significant difference in the rate of growth effected in their students in math. Implications of results relative to the use of formative evaluation and measurement of treatment acceptability are discussed.