Both the Progressive Science Initiative (PSI) and the Progressive Mathematics Initiative (PMI) share the same core approaches to pedagogy, assessment strategies, technology, and curriculum.

First Implementation Results

The PSI program originated at Bergen County Technical Schools in Teterboro. According to research done by Dr. Robert Goodman, a science teacher at the school, and now Director of the New Jersey Center for Teaching & Learning, performance on Advanced Placement (AP) Science tests grew dramatically. By 2009, students were taking AP Physics B at twenty two times the state average and passing it at twenty four times the state average (y-axis in the chart below). Results are shown below for all sciences at the school through 2009.

More information about these results and the corresponding study by Dr. Robert Goodman, can be found in his dissertation, which received the 2006 Delta Xi Award for outstanding dissertation award.

Download Dr. Robert Goodman’s dissertation on PSI:  ”A New High School Science Program and Its Effect on Student Achievement in Mathematics and Science”

Download an article on PSI published in the journal, “The Physics Teacher”

Program Expansion

In the last three years, PSI has grown to more than 90 schools in New Jersey, and is expanding in other states such as Colorado, Rhode Island, and Vermont.  In turn, more than 700 existing certified math and science teachers have been trained in CTL methods, and more than 110 teachers have completed physics or chemistry endorsement through CTL programs.

Download the 2011-2012 PSI Endorsement Program evaluation done by an independent researcher.

The Progressive Mathematics Initiative (PMI) was created by the merging of the successful instructional techniques found in the Progressive Science Initiative (PSI) and the Center for Teaching and Learning’s Math Grants programs.  The goal of PMI is to improve mathematics achievement, notably in increasing the number of students successfully completing Algebra.

Participating in these grants were six middle schools.  The Accuplacer, which tests both arithmetic and algebra, was chosen as one of the assessment tools to measure the success of the program.  The Accuplacer is used widely by colleges for placement purposes and determines if a student will have to take remedial coursework.  Implemented in 7th and 8th grades, participating schools were able to increase their 7th and 8th grade scores in both the arithmetic and algebra sections of the Accuplacer.  These schools were also able to increase the number of students taking Algebra I in 8th grade, and the number of students passing the American Diploma Project Algebra I End of Course test each year of the program.

Download the 2009-2010 evaluation of the math grants pilots done by an independent researcher.

Since the fall of 2011, CTL has been expanding the PMI curriculum.  PMI now spans from Pre-K through AP Calculus BC.

View media coverage of these programs.