Improving Math and Science Instructional Quality: Evidence from a Rural Consortium-Based Reform Initiative

Rural schools face particular challenges with teacher quality. The Northeast Tennessee College and Career Ready Consortium was a collaborative reform effort among rural schools with a key goal of improving the quality of instruction in math and science to support its efforts to expand academically rigorous courses. This study examines progress made by the Consortium relative to a group of matched comparison schools in improving instructional quality between 2011 and 2014 during the implementation of a federal Investing in Innovation Fund (i3) grant. Based on a difference-indifferences analysis of over 400 classroom observations, we find evidence of broad-based instructional quality gains in the Consortium, particularly among advanced science classes. Although some of the improvement may be attributable to Consortium-specific activities, some improvements may also stem from statewide and nationwide initiatives during this period. We conclude with implications for rural schools in other settings.