Many Schools, One Complex Measure: St. Louis District Synthesizes the Lessons of Reform

Measuring the extent of professional development in a large school system is complex. It's challenges to gauge training and its effects when schools choose different instructional reform models, and the task is more formidable when the models are chosen at different times and change. This study evaluates the effectiveness of Schools of Opportunity project of St. Louis Public Schools District. The project provides extra funds for instructional innovations to those schools in the district that are not doing well in different state's high-stakes performance test in order to meet state standards and earn full accreditation. Recommendations for improvements and implications of the study are being discussed. (Contains 2 tables.)