SCSUpilotprogram
St. Cloud State University Announces Results of a Co-teaching Program
St. Cloud State University announced today the high-impact results of a co-teaching program piloted in five area school districts during the 2004-2005 school year.
The co-teaching initiative, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, paired a classroom teacher with an SCSU student teacher to plan, organize, deliver and assess instruction in the classroom. Research indicates the pilot program positively impacted more than 6,300 students in grades pre-kindergarten to 12 in the five school districts.
The study included 61 teacher/teacher candidate pairs in fall 2004 and 88 pairs in spring 2005. The results of their partnerships were evaluated with a combination of standard testing programs, attendance and disciplinary records, focus groups and surveys. Statistically significant findings from the study indicate that:
- Students in co-taught classrooms at all grade levels made significant gains in reading skills and proficiency
- Students experienced significant gains in math proficiency
- Student attendance rates increased
- Students had fewer classroom disruptions and fewer overall disciplinary incidents
- Co-taught students overwhelmingly said they got help when they needed it, learned more and faster, and felt more connected to school
The teachers also benefited. The SCSU teacher candidates reported increased confidence in teaching and managing a classroom, and the cooperating teachers reported renewed passion for teaching.
More information and research findings on the co-teaching initiative are available from the Teacher Quality Enhancement office at 320- 308-4874 and at http://www.stcloudstate.edu/coe/tqe/.
As the 12th largest producer of teachers in the nation, the SCSU College of Education prepares approximately 500 professionals for the classroom each year.
Media: Contact is Dr. Nancy Bacharach, professor of teacher development, 320-308-4885, cell 320-420-7401.
